GET THAT JOB :Convering letters 1 (letter content)

The letter of application you send with your CV is sometimes called a covering letter. It is usually the first direct contact between a candidate and an employer, so make sure it is well-written and presented. It should normally contain 3-4 paragraphs.


Here is a list of points you should include:
Say that you would like to apply
Say where you found out about the job
Say why you would like the job
Say why you are qualified to do the job
Say you can provide more information if necessary
Say when you would be available for interview

source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

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GET THAT JOB :CVs 4 (A sample CV)

Here is Carmen's CV». Read through it closely and then try to answer the following questions about Carmen and her experience.

1.       She is married? F. correct – section two says her marital status is ‘single’

2.       She started working full-time when she left school? F. correct – section 3 shows she went to university after school

3.       She was not very successful at Hotel Xyz? F. correct – section 4 says she was ‘Employee of the Year’ there

4.       She worked during her vacations? T. correct – section 4 shows she worked during two summers

5.       She had financial responsibility when she worked for Company Xyz? T. correct – section 4 says her work included ‘managing a budget’

6.       She isn’t interested in politics? F. correct – section 6 says she’s interested in ‘current affairs’

7.       She has never committed a driving offence? T. correct – section 6 says she has a ‘clean driving licence’

8.       She speaks French better than English? F. correct – section 6 says she has ‘fluent English’, but only ‘working knowledge’ of French

Vocabulary

to be keen to do something
to want to do it a lot

communication skills
the ability to interact well with other people

reliable
dependable, trustworthy

vacations
American-English for holidays or time off work

managing a budget
making sure that an agreed amount of money is spent wisely to complete a task or project

current affairs
news about what's happening around the world at the moment

to have committed a driving offence
to have done something illegal while driving

to have a clean driving licence
to have a driving licence that doesn't contain any record of illegal driving

to have a working knowledge of something
to have a basic understanding of a topic

source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

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GET THAT JOB :CVs 3 (organising information)

Although there are different views on how to organise a CV, most prospective employers would expect to see the following headings

Education	Referees	Personal Details	Profile
Additional Skills	Interests	Professional Experience

Jasper Bergfeld, a German graduate, is compiling his CV. He has collected the relevant details but now he must organise them. Look at the following points and decide which heading Jasper should put them under.

Example:

University of Stuttgart - degree in Business Information Management: answer = 'Education'

1.       Fluent in English                                                                               : Additional Skills

2.       Nationality – German                                                                     : Personal Details

3.       Concept AG - Assistant Project Manager                                               : Professional Experience

4.       Excellent communication skills                                                   : Profile

5.       Full driving license                                                                           : Additional Skills

6.       Diploma in English with Business Studies                               : Education

7.       Skiing and windsurfing                                                                   : Interests

8.       Computer literate                                                                            : Additional Skills

9.       Able to work on own initiative and under pressure          : Profile

10.   Responsible for customer service                                             : Professional Experience

11.   Dr H. Mayer, University of Bath                                                 : Referees

Vocabulary

education
schools, university, other training and qualifications

referees
former bosses, teachers or other people who would be willing to confirm that you are a good candidate

personal details
nationality, age etc.

profile
a few lines summarising who you are, what you're good at and what makes you special

additional skills
things you can do that weren't part of your formal training, such as languages, computer skills etc.

interests
do you like reading, dancing, football, etc?

professional experience
previous jobs and what your role was

source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

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GET THAT JOB :CVs 2 (what makes a good CV)

Listen to this advice from a recruitment consultant on how to produce a good CV.

Now look at the following statements and decide which are true and which are false, according to the text.

1.       Employers don’t care what CVs look like. F. correct – the consultant says CVs should look good.

2.       Companies only receive a few applications for each position. F. correct – the consultant says for some vacancies, employers receive an enormous number of (a lot of).

3.       You should spread your points out of the page. T. correct – it should have a clear layout and lots of white space.

4.       You should include as much information as possible. F. correct – you should select information carefully.

5.       It is better to focus on key facts. T. correct – your CV should be ‘concise’ and ‘relevant’ – only put in information which you think is important.

6.       The most important features are that it is easy to read and looks good. T. correct – clarity and impact are very important.

7.       A good CV will guarantee a good job. F. correct – it won’t guarantee a good job, but it could help you get an interview.

Vocabulary

a recruitment consultant
someone who helps people to find jobs and companies to find staff

first impressions
the immediate views and feelings that people have about you

to stand out from the crowd
to be more noticeable than other people

concise
short and to the point because it has only necessary words and information

relevant
directly relating to the job you're applying for

clarity
the quality of being clear and easy to understand

impact
to have an important or noticeable effect on someone

source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

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GET THAT JOB :CVs 1 (compiling a CV)

CV stands for curriculum vitae - a Latin expression meaning 'life story'. (In American English it is called a resume.) It summarises your education, achievements and job history for prospective employers and so it should be carefully prepared. A CV is usually sent with a covering letter.

Look at the following stages in the preparation of a CV.

Arrange the words into sentences

1.      Think about what the job involves. à It’s important to get a good idea of the kind of work you would be doing so that you can include relevant information in your company.

2.      Think about what sort of person would be chosen to do it. à undefined

3.      Identify your skills that match the job description. à Don’t forget skills such as teamwork, creativity and leadership.

4.      Decide on a layout. à Make sure the layout is clear, with plenty of space.

5.      Review your previous experience. à Think about the things you’ve done in the past which might help you with this job.

6.      Find suitable language to describe your experience. à Use strong, positive words. Be truthful, but don’t be afraid to show off your talents!

7.      Draft the first version of your CV. à Try to keep it short – many employers prefer CVs to be two pages maximum.

8.      Check your CV for mistakes. à Employers won’t be interested in you if your CV is full of errors.

Vocabulary

an achievement
something important that you've managed to do

job history
a list of the different jobs you've done

a layout
the way you've arranged information

to draft something
to write something that you will improve on and finish later on

source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

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GET THAT JOB :Jobsearch 3 (selection)

When a firm wants to fill a vacancy, it will go through certain procedures to find a suitable employee. This is called a 'selection process'.
This text describes a typical selection process, but in the wrong order! Drag the sentences into their correct places so that the paragraph makes sense.
See if you are correct by clicking 'check'. The sentences in the correct place will be highlighted in green. Click 'try again' to correct your mistakes.

Firstly, a vacancy is advertised and applications are received. These are sorted and suitable candidates are invited for interview. Next, appointments are arranged and applicants are interviewed. After that, a final short list is drawn up. The candidates on the list are interviewed again, and one of them is selected. A job offer is made to the successful candidate, and finally, an employment contract is signed.

Vocabulary

sorted
arranged in a particular order, e.g. putting the best CVs together

a short list
a list containing the names of the most suitable people

appointments
dates and times when people will meet, but can also be used to mean that people have been given particular jobs

a job offer
a formal request asking that someone accepts a job

an employment contract
a formal, legal agreement setting out what will be provided by both the employer and the employee

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

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GET THAT JOB :Jobsearch 2 (describing ability)

A Human Resources Manager has drawn up a shortlist of applicants he feels would be suitable for a vacancy in his company. Look at the descriptions of the candidates he plans to invite for interview.

Hamed has a can-do attitude and is able to meet deadlines

Tomoko is a self-starter who can work on her own initiative

Ivan is able to multi-task and has a proven track record

Li is an effective team player with a customer-focused approach

Cristina is numerate and computer literate

Which candidate is good with figures? Cristina

Which candidate co-operates with colleagues? Li

Which candidate is good at working on his / her own? Tomoko

Which candidate can finish a job on time? Hamed

Which candidate has a good rapport with clients? Li

Which candidate has a history of success? Ivan

Which candidate has a positive approach? Hamed

Which candidate has IT skills? Cristina

Which candidate can cope with several jobs at the same time? Ivan

Q1: Well done. Cristina is good with numbers - she is 'numerate'.

Q2: Well done. Li is good at working with colleagues - she is an effective team player.

Q3: Well done. Tomoko can work on her own initiative - she doesn't always need to be told what to do.

Q4: Well done. Hamed is good at meeting deadlines.

Q5: Well done. Li is good at dealing with customers.

Q6: Well done. Ivan has a proven track record - he has shown in the past that he can do well.

Q7: Well done. Hamed has a can-do attitude - he has a positive approach to things.

Q8: Well done. Cristina is computer literate - she knows how to use computers well.

Q9: Well done, Ivan is the correct answer

human resources manager = someone who employs people for a firm, also known as a personnel manager

deadlines = the dates or times when certain tasks must be completed

to work on your own initiative = to make decisions about your work without having to wait for someone else to help you

to multi-task = to do more than one piece of work at a time

a proven track record = evidence you've been successful in the past in your area of work

source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

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