job applications and interviews Plugging the...
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10 Unit 131 Case 1 Filling the gap FOCUS – Survey Have you ever considered working abroad for a while when you leave school? Perhaps you should. Work experience in a foreign country and good working knowledge of a foreign language will give you a head start on the competition in the job market. What do the people in your class think about working abroad? Carry out a survey of your colleagues’ views on this topic. Divide up the following questions – one each – equally between all members of your class. Interview as many people as you can, ensuring you get a detailed answer to your particular question and making notes on the answers you receive. • Can you imagine working abroad some- time? Why/Why not? • Where would you particularly like to go? Why? • How long could you imagine going for? • What would be your motivation to go? • What kind of work would you be interested in doing? • What do you think you would you find most difficult? If someone has already talked to somebody else about your question, simply move on to the next person and ask him/her your question. When you have talked to as many people as possible, compare your findings with those colleagues who have the same question as you. Prepare a brief report (max. 3 minutes) of the main trends and be prepared to summarise these to the whole class. INPUT a) Reading An increasing number of school-leavers in the UK are taking a “year out”, a so-called “gap year”, before going to university or starting work, to gain important work experience for their CV, to see the world, and/or to widen their horizons in general. Skim read the Guardian article “Plugging the gap” to find out more about gap years. Don’t worry about any vocabulary you don’t know at this stage, just read to get the gist of the article. Working internationally KEYWORDS gap year work experience abroad job applications and interviews Plugging the gap Polly Curtis looks at the benefits of taking a gap year In your gap year you could go scuba diving in Belize, trekking in Nepal or on safari in South Africa. But most people don’t. The traditional backpacking, sandal-wearing, story-telling fresher is being replaced with a smarter, professional “gap- per’’. More and more students are having to use their year out to scrape together the funds to get through university. Cathlene Houston, an independent careers advisor who works in schools and universities, says: “It’s wonderful to go and save a rainforest, but you don’t have to do something ‘impor- tant’ and meaningful. The most important thing to do is work out what you want to experience and how you can do it.’’ She suggests taking a portfolio approach to get the most out of the year. Mix and match working for money with travelling, volunteering, doing career work experience, or learning a language abroad. “Employers will be asking them [students] what they have learnt from it, rather than what they actually did,’’ said Ms Houston. “Try and keep a good range and don’t be afraid of doing something ordinary.’’ Building up the CV will put you ahead of the pack when you start work. “Don’t waste this year,’’ says Tom Griffiths, founder of Gapyear.com. “Remember that you have got 12 whole months – you don’t have to rush into things. Make a plan. Take a weekend to sit down and work out what you want to do, and what you can afford to do. Phase two is to get a job’’. >
Transcript of job applications and interviews Plugging the...
10Unit
131
Case 1Filling the gap
FOCUS – Survey
Have you ever considered working abroad for a whilewhen you leave school? Perhaps you should. Workexperience in a foreign country and good workingknowledge of a foreign language will give you a headstart on the competition in the job market.
What do the people in your class think about workingabroad? Carry out a survey of your colleagues’ views onthis topic. Divide up the following questions – oneeach – equally between all members of your class.Interview as many people as you can, ensuring you geta detailed answer to your particular question andmaking notes on the answers you receive.
• Can you imagine working abroad some-time? Why/Why not?
• Where would you particularly like to go? Why?• How long could you imagine going for?• What would be your motivation to go?• What kind of work would you be interested
in doing?• What do you think you would you find most
difficult?
If someone has already talked to somebody else aboutyour question, simply move on to the next person and askhim/her your question. When you have talked to as manypeople as possible, compare your findings with thosecolleagues who have the same question as you. Prepare abrief report (max. 3 minutes) of the main trends and beprepared to summarise these to the whole class.
INPUT
a) Reading
An increasing number of school-leavers in the UK aretaking a “year out”, a so-called “gap year”, before going
to university or starting work, to gain important workexperience for their CV, to see the world, and/or towiden their horizons in general.
Skim read the Guardian article “Plugging the gap” tofind out more about gap years. Don’t worry about any vocabulary you don’t know at this stage, just read to get the gist of the article.
Working internationally
KEYWORDSgap yearwork experience abroadjob applications and interviews
Plugging the gapPolly Curtis looks at the benefits of taking a gap year
In your gap year you could go scuba diving in Belize, trekking
in Nepal or on safari in South Africa. But most people don’t.
The traditional backpacking, sandal-wearing, story-telling
fresher is being replaced with a smarter, professional “gap-
per’’. More and more students are having to use their year out
to scrape together the funds to get through university.
Cathlene Houston, an independent careers advisor who works
in schools and universities, says: “It’s wonderful to go and
save a rainforest, but you don’t have to do something ‘impor-
tant’ and meaningful. The most important thing to do is work
out what you want to experience and how you can do it.’’
She suggests taking a portfolio approach to get the most out
of the year. Mix and match working for money with travelling,
volunteering, doing career work experience, or learning a
language abroad. “Employers will be asking them [students]
what they have learnt from it, rather than what they actually
did,’’ said Ms Houston. “Try and keep a good range and don’t
be afraid of doing something ordinary.’’
Building up the CV will put you ahead of the pack when you
start work.
“Don’t waste this year,’’ says Tom Griffiths, founder ofGapyear.com. “Remember that you have got 12 wholemonths – you don’t have to rush into things. Make a plan. Takea weekend to sit down and work out what you want to do, andwhat you can afford to do. Phase two is to get a job’’.
>
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b) Reading comprehension
Which of the following is the best summary of thearticle in your opinion?
Gap years offer people a chance to go to exotic places and do extraordinary things, as well as earn money. This is the best way of developing the skills that employers are looking for.
Employers are looking for people who have used their gap year to develop a range of experience and skills that can be useful in a job. It is more important to have learnt a lot from doing several different things in that year than to have done something unusual and impressive.
When planning a gap year, it is a good idea to combine a range of different jobs, in-cluding voluntary work, in order to make as much money as possible to finance your studies.
Compare your choice with a partner, explaining whyyou think it is the best summary.
c) Listening 20
Now listen to the interview with Julie, a young Britishwoman who is planning her gap year. Take notes underthe following headings:
MotivationDestinationsPlacementFeelingsPreparationSaving moneyFemale travellers
Compare your notes with a partner. Listen again tocheck anything you did not hear the first time. Add anyinformation you may have missed to your notes.Be prepared to report to the class.
> Plugging the gapHe adds: “You could do six placements in six months, thatwould really build up your CV and give you the chance to findout what you really enjoy.’’
Liz Rhodes, director of the National Council for WorkExperience, agrees. “I would suggest to this year’s gappersthat they make the most of the fact that they have a chanceto do some work – paid work, voluntary work, part-timework, but whatever they do, get some experience. Whatemployers want now is for students to be able to articulatethe working skills they’ve got. Communications skills, team
working, problem-solving skills – those are the practicalthings that employers look for,’’ she says. Exactly the kind ofskills you can’t always learn in a classroom, but the kind ofskills you could pick up working abroad, and the best way togo about proving that experience is through a voluntaryplacement.
Although its only 12 months, the options are almost limitless.With a little canny planning you can make some money, seea bit of the world and play at careers.
Adapted from: http://education.guardian.co.uk
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VOCABULARY BUILDING – Looking for a job
a) The job market
When looking for work abroad – as part of a gap year or in general – you will need to be able to understand the rele-vant vocabulary of the job market in English. Match the following terms with the examples on the right.
1. a vacancy a) MANPOWER, the employment agency, gets Petra jobs in various companies for a limited time.
2. a cold call b) Baxi PLC uses a handwriting expert to eliminate unsuitableapplicants for a job.
3. temping c) The assistant manager of Starbucks has suddenly resigned and they are now looking for someone to fill her job.
4. a short-term contract d) You want to work in wine retailing, so you phone Wein & Co to ask if they are recruiting new staff.
5. working on a freelance basis e) During the first month of her new job, Alice’s employers were entitled to dismiss her if she was not suited to the job.
6. a probationary period f) Steve works as a translator and sends each client a bill when thetranslation is finished.
7. to screen applicants g) 150 people applied for the job and, after a selection process, five were selected to attend a second interview.
8. to be shortlisted h) Jon is working for Siemens, but his job is only guaranteed for three months.
b) Job advertisements
Job advertisements tend to use specific vocabulary to describe their requirements of future employees or what they canoffer them. With a partner, read through the following job adverts and note down the requirements and benefits ofeach job.
www.jobfinder.com
Home | Jobmatch | Employers A-Z | Careers advice | Advertiser information | HelpJOBFINDERWe are a leading international firm of Chartered Accountants and are currently seeking a
HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT for our office in Prague, Czech Republic.This is an entry-level position, initially for 6–12 months.The ideal candidate will be educated to UK “A” Level orequivalent, with a minimum of six months’ experience in a relevant field and proven interpersonal skills. Fluencyin English is essential, a working knowledge of Czech an advantage. Responsibilities will include assisting theHR manager in recruitment selection, training coordination and exit management.We offer competitive starting pay (€ 25,000 p.a.) plus a generous benefit package, including private healthinsurance, overseas allowance and relocation assistance where appropriate.
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SCENARIO – Job applications
You are planning a gap year for when you leave school. As part of this, you want to do some voluntary work abroadto get valuable work experience/skills for your future career.
■■ Step 1 First of all, using the following questions as a guide, decide what voluntary work areas you would be interested in:
a) Do you already have a career in mind? If so, what skills and experience do you think would be useful when applying for a job in that field?
b) What kind of voluntary work would interest you most or be most useful for your future working life?i. Rural/urban development ii. Environmental protectioniii. Working with young peopleiv. Media & Communicationsv. Arts & culturevi. Heritage protectionvii. Other (please specify)
c) Which languages do you speak? Which languages would you be interested in learning?
d) What qualities/skills/experience/special interests do you have that would interest recruiters from a voluntary work project?
Make a note of your answers and then explain them to a partner.
Home | Jobmatch | Employers A-Z | Careers advice | Advertiser information | HelpJOBFINDER
Airport Service Providers Ltd. is a market leader in the provision of travel extras, including airport car parking,hotels, travel lounges and catering services across all main central and eastern European airports.ASP is looking for an energetic, self-motivated, ambitious and well-organised person to join their dynamic team ina rapidly growing company as an E-COMMERCE ASSISTANT located at Vienna Schwechat Airport,Austria.This position is ideally suited to someone who has just left university or college. Essential requirements of therole include the ability to hand code HTML/CSS, experience of Adobe Creative Suite, an understanding of FTPclients, e-mail and MS Excel/Word. Web programming experience an advantage.Salary: Minimum € 27k p.a. plus bonus potential. Excellent prospects.
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The Belbury Restaurant (London, UK), named Restaurateurs’ Best New Restaurant this year, requires a well-groomed, articulate, fluent English-speaking RECEPTIONIST. Computer literacy and customer serviceexperience essential, as are a responsible, enthusiastic attitude and the ability to multi-task. Immediate startfor the right candidate. Salary dependent on age and experience. Further training opportunities in the field ofrestaurant management available.
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