Unit 6

II. Basic Listening Practice

1. Script

M: Did you pick up the paper for me today? I really want to check the job vacancies. W: I know, it?s over there. There?s not much happen though. I?ve had a look already. Maybe you should look on the Net instead. Q: What is the man looking for? C) A job vacancy.

2. Script

M: You don?t have enough experience or qualifications for this role. What makes you believe you could handle the position?

W: I?m a fast learner and enjoy learning on the job. My natural skills lie in this area, and I?m confident that I could handle the challenge. Given a chance, I would prove myself.

Q: What is the woman saying? D) She is quite to learn.

3. Script

M: Could you help me with my resume? Jane said you?re good with these things, and I really need someone to edit it. It?s way too long.

W: Sure, no problem. Give it to me. A good resume should be no more than one page, you know. And it should list you experience in reverse chronological order. Q: Which of the following is true according to the dialog? A) A resume should not be too long.

4. Script

M: Could you tell me why you would like to work for our company?

W: Well, it has a good reputation as an employer, and its products are quite popular in the marketplace. I would feel proud to work for a company like this and to contribute to its success.

Q: Why does the woman apply for the job?

C) Because of the company?s good reputation and popular products.

5. Script

W: Where do you see yourself in five years? time?

M: I aim to have been promoted to senior manager at the very least. I?m very ambitious and want to climb the career ladder as fast as possible. I don?t want to feel miserable on the first rung in five years? time, watching everybody above me. Q: What does the man want in fie years? B) To become a senior manager or higher.

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III. Listening In

Task 1: Tips for job interviews.

Script

M: After listening to the career officer?s talk, I?ve now realized the importance of

getting prepared for an interview.

W: Quite true. First of all, we should never be late for an interview. If you?re not punctual, they?ll suspect that you?ll be late for work in future.

M: And before going to the interview, we had better pay attention to our dress. We must look professional without overdoing it. Careless clothes will lead them into thinking that you?re likely to do your job carelessly.

W: Yes. During the interview, it is important to look confident without being too pushy. It?s necessary to maintain eye contact. This shows your interest in the conversation and helps to maintain the communication between you and the interviewer.

M: Besides, many employers attach importance to the education you?ve received. We need to highlight those courses, especially valuable to the job we?re applying for. W: Book knowledge is not enough. We must show them we have practical experience in the field. Tell them about our internship, and emphasize the skills that are useful in the job we?re seeking.

M: Sure! Many students will tell the prospective employer that they have a good command of English.

W: They?re also eager to tell interviewer about their computer skills with PowerPoint, Excel, and so on. Students from lower-tier universities especially need certificates to show they?ve acquired those skills before they can hope to compete against students from prestigious universities.

M: Character is considered an important factor in contemporary society, where teamwork is a must.

W: Well, too many students are saying more or less the same thing. If everybody says, “I?m warm-hearted and cooperative, get along well with my classmates, and have good team spirit,” the boss will soon get fed up.

M: Perhaps we should let the work we?ve done speak for itself.

W: Right on. Participation is important. If you can show them you?re an important leader of the Student Union of the University or the Department or you?ve organized a singing competition, etc., obviously you?re a good team player. Key

1.T 2.F 3.T 4. T 5. F 6.T 7. T

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Task2 Are you ready for a phone interview?

Scrip

Nowadays, many employers use telephone interviews to screen candidates in order to narrow the pool of applicants who will be invited for in-person interview. They are also used as a way to minimize the expenses in involved in interviewing out-of-town candidates.

While you?re job-searching, it?s important to be prepared for a phone interview on a moment?s notice. You never know when a recruiter might call. So, you?d better take a look at the following phone interview tips.

Before the interview, you should get well-prepared. For example, you can compile a list of your background and skills, your strengths and weaknesses, as well as a list of answers to typical phone interview questions. You need to keep your resume on the top of your desk or tape it to the wall near the phone, so it?s at your fingertips when you need to answer questions. Also, you should have a pen and paper handy for note taking.

It?s helpful to practice interviewing. You can rehearse answers to those typical questions you might be asked. Have a friend or family member conduct a mock interview and tape record it, so you can see how you sound over the phone. In this way, you will be able to hear your “ums” and “uhs” and “OKs”, and you can practice reducing them from your conversational speech.

During the phone interview, try to smile. Smiling will project a positive image to the listener and will change the tone of your voice. Over the phone, you must speak slowly, clearly and politely. You should use interviewer?s title (Mr. or Ms. and their last name), and remember to only use a first name if they ask you to. It is essential to interrupt the interviewer. On your part, you should try to give answers that are short and to the point.

Finally, remember your goal is to set up a face-to-face interview. After you thank the interviewer, ask if it would be possible to meet in person.

Question and key

1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a purpose of screening candidates on the phone?

B) To test candidates? psychological stability when they speak on the phone.

2. What can you infer from the speaker?s recommendation of compiling a list of information about yourself?

C) Without it, you may become disorganized while being interviewed. 3. What does the speak say about your resume? C) Put it near the phone.

4. According to the speaker, why should you conduct a simulated interview?

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A) To reduce unnecessary words in an interview.

5. Which of the following is suggested when you address the interviewer on the phone?

D) All of the above.

Task3 Do you know how to write a resume?

Script

Your resume, or CV in British English, has one mission and one mission only: to get you a job interview. Your resume is usually the first impression an employer has of you. And as “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”, you?d better get it right firs time. Here?re some suggestions that may be of use in preparing a resume.

First, use a design that demands attention. Employers don?t have time to read through each of your job descriptions to know if you have the skills they need. The design of your resume must do it for them. Your resume should be concise, well-organized and relevant. It should emphasize the most important and relevant points about your experience, skills and education.

Second, put important information first. List important information at the beginning of your job descriptions. Put statements in your resume in order of importance and relevance to the job you want. A powerful statement with exact numbers influences every statement that follows.

Third, target the job. You will have more success if you adjust your resume and cover letter for the specific skills an employer is seeking. This means you would write one resume for one particular job and a different resume for another job. In other words, you need to “repackage” yourself. In that way, an employer will see immediately whether you are suitable person for the job. It is not dishonest to “repackage” yourself. You are simply pressing yourself and your skills in the best light for a particular employer. This will help you t get more interviews and allow you to apply for a wider range of jobs. Question and key

1. Why does the speaker say a resume is important?

C) Because it leaves a first impression and you have only one chance to do so. 2. Which of the following will NOT be regarded as a feature of good resumes? A) Details

3. Where should you put the important information in your job descriptions according to the passage? A) At the beginning.

4. How many resumes would the speaker advise you to write if you applied for three jobs? C) Three.

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5. What is the passage mainly about? B) Resume tips.

IV. Speaking Out

Giving tips for a job interview

Model 1 Can you give me some tips about how to get a good job?

Susan: John, can you give me some tips about how to get a good job? John: (1) Did you go to the job fairs and meet with companies?

Susan: Yeah, I did. But they didn?t seem to be interested in women. I thought about

suing then for sexual discrimination.

John: I?m afraid it won?t be much help. Have you looked at the want ads in the

newspaper?

Susan: I?ve been checking the want ads every day for a week, but (2) I can?t find anything interesting that I?m qualified for. And the few that I have seen are very low-paying.

John: Then try the Internet. (3) You can use a search engine to find a job site related to your field. Susan: Good thinking! Thanks! I think I?ll look for something in electronic

engineering.

John: Hey, (4) I just saw a job opening at a company called E-Tech. It could be just

the sort of thing you?re looking for.

Susan: Great, I?ll try my luck there.

John: Yeah, but if I remember, the deadline is this afternoon.

Susan: This afternoon? Oh no! I?d better get online quickly and see if (5) I can submit my resume by e-mail. John: Wait, (6) have you updated your resume? You?d better include your work

experience from the IT company last summer.

Susan: Don?t worry. It?s all set. Thanks, mate. John: Any time, Sue.

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Model2 Do you have any tips for a successful interview?

Script

Susan: John, do you have any tips for a successful interview? John: Well, first of all, you need to dress professionally. Susan: Oh, what about during the interview?

John: Ok, (1) be sure to maintain good eye contact and answer all questions politely

and directly. (2) Don?t look too shy, nor should you sound too aggressive. Susan: I?m not sure what kind of questions they?ll ask.

John: They?ll probably want to know a little about your work experience. (3) Many companies don?t want a completely green hand. They don?t want to spend time and money on training.

Susan: Fortunately, (4) I gained some experience at an IT company during the last

summer holiday.

John: They may also want to know something about your character. You see, (5)

ability for teamwork is usually valued. Susan: What kind of questions should I ask them?

John: You should ask them about the job requirements and about the company. Susan: (6) Should I ask about salary and fringe benefits?

John: Better not. Not unless they bring it up. Just use the first interview to sell

yourself.

Susan: You?re right. If they are interested in hiring me, there will be plenty of

chances to talk about money later.

John: Right. And the more interested they are, the more they?ll offer.

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Model3 Our best bet is to recruit from the competition.

Script

Helen: Our company is starting from scratch, so we don?t have the expertise to

compete.

Bill: Then(1) our best bet is to recruit from the competition. Helen: We need managers who know how to be strong, yet know how to give

employees their freedom.

Bill: That?s essential, especially in the computer industry. Often computer experts

like to work on their own.

Helen: (2) We also don?t believe that a rigid management system will work wonders for our company.

Bill: Um… (3) that philosophy will help you attract many worthwhile people.

Helen: I remember your friend David Miller is the CEO of a management recruitment

agency. I hope (4) he?ll help us start a recruitment drive. Bill: Certainly. And it?s a good time, too. (5) A number of firms have been downsizing.

Helen: Good. So lots of capable people out there are interested in bigger and better

things. But (6) can David help us pin them down? Bill: Sure, Helen! That?s why they call them headhunters.

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Ⅴ Let’s talk Selecting recruits

Script

Voice-over: T-Mobile is a subsidiary of Deutsche Telecom, the giant German

telephone company. T-Mobile is their goal mobile phone operation. Nine hundred people work at the company?s call centre in Greenock, which was set up only five years ago; 760 of them are employed in handling customer calls and they are managed by 70 team managers and 10 operation managers. In a large-scale operation like this, the role of recruitment is the reasonability of a dedicated on-site human resources department.

Woman: We have a training team, headed up by two leading advisers and

supported by a number of customer-facing advisers who?ve been moved into the role of training. The theory behind is, these are the people who are doing the job, are in the best place to train that job to other people.

[On-screen text: Helen Young, Human Resources Adviser]

Helen: Our recruitment is divided into two main sections. We have a CSA

recruitment: Customer Service Adviser, and we also have all the other recruitment. It?s crucial to us that we get the right people for the job, absolutely crucial, and we do whatever possible to ensure that people have realistic expectations of the job before they, before they?re made an offer.

Helen: In the initial stages they?d be given a telephone interview which would

last somewhere in the region of 15 minuets. Following that, they?d be invited to come on-site. They?d have a tour of the centre. They then get, if you like, an opportunity to try us on for size. They get to see the role, they get to see how it feels, feel the culture of the company and if they?re still happy at that stage and want to apply, then they need to do so formally. They would then complete form and be brought on-site for a two-hour assessment. The assessment consists of a role-play, which looks at their customer service ability and a competency interview. We need people who have the ability to communicate well and deliver the customer service that we want to deliver. We have a full age range of employees coming from various different backgrounds: manufacturing, customer service straight through to school leavers.

1. Key

(1) 900 (2) customer service (3) 70 (4) human resources (5) supported (6) customer-facing (7) place (8) two (9) right people (10) realistic

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2. Key

3 Candidates complete an application form.

2 Candidates come to have a tour of the centre. They get to see the role, see how it feels, and feel the culture of the company.

1 Candidates have a telephone interview that would last somewhere in the region of 15 minutes.

4 Candidates have a two-hour assessment consisting of a role-play which looks at their customer service ability and a competency interview.

VI. Further Listening and Speaking

Task1 Tell me about yourself.

Script

M: Tell me a little about yourself. W: I?m from Guilin City.

M: What brought you to the east coast?

W: I came to Qingdao to attend college. I?m impressed by this city?s dynamic economy. I?ve come to love it so much that I?ve decided to stay and work here. M: What work experience do you have?

W: I worked as an intern for a small shipping company. My primary responsibilities

were to maintain the company?s ties with the existing customers and try to find new cargo sources.

M: What did that experience teach you?

W: I learned that communication skills are extremely important. Text knowledge is

indeed necessary, but it is equally essential to be able to persuade a potential client t to trust you.

M: How would your former employer describe you?

W: He told me that my ability to find one customer after another was an asset to the company. He thanked me for my loyalty. He also appreciated my team spirit as shown in my cooperation with my colleagues.

M: You seem very mature for your age. And I see from your resume that you are very goal-oriented.

W: Thank you. I believe I?ve acquired many good qualities from my parents. They?re my role models. However, I know I still have a lot to learn.

Key (1) coast (2) impressed

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(3) shipping company (4) cargo

(5) communication skills (6) essential (7) asset

(8) team spirit. (9) her age

(10) her parents

Task 2: A Work Qualification Test

Script

Murphy applies for an engineering position at an Irish firm based in Dublin. An American applied for the same job. Quite by coincidence, the two amplifications had the same qualification, and were asked to take the same test by the manager of the Human Resource Department. Upon completion of the test, both men missed only one of the questions. The manager went to Murphy and said, “Thank you for your interest, but we?ve decided to give the American the job.”

Bewildered by the manager?s decision, Murphy asked, “Why would you be doing that? We both got nine questions correct. This being Ireland and me being Irish, I should get the job!”

The manger answered calmly, “We have made our decisions based on the correct answers, but on the question you missed.”

Unconvinced and somewhat indignant, Murphy question, “And just how would one incorrect answer be better than the other?”

The manager?s answer took him by surprise, “Simple, on QuestionNo.5, the American put down ?I don?t? know?, and you put down ?Neither do I?.” Key

1.F 2.T 3.T 4.F 5.T

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Task3: A guide to a successful job interview

Script

There are times that you will be asked a hard question during a job interview. Don?t panic, they just want to see how you handle a difficult situation. Being prepared is always the best policy. Here are some samples of questions and some advice on how to handle them properly.

Why should we choose you? To this question, you can ask yourself why you applied, what makes you suitable for this position, what the company can gain from hiring you, what you have to offer, how you would handle this job, etc.

Often they ask you to tell them about yourself. You can split your answer into two, the professional and the personal level. Both are important, and how you move from one to the other depends on what you have to say. You can give a brief summary of your life, professional and personal, with less emphasis on the early past, and more emphasis on the present and the future.

When asked “What are your weaknesses?” by the interview, don?t say, “I don?t have any.” Everyone has weakness, and it takes strength to recognize them. Say something relevant but hugely important to the specific positive, and always add something positive like, “I haven?t had a lot of exposure to the on-site work, but I?m looking forward to being more involved in dealing with customers directly and learning their needs.”

Another common question is: “What are your strengths?” You should customize your answer to meet the position requirements. Keep in mind the things they asked for in the advertisement. Tell them your strengths, but also show them how they how they would be applied to this job. To show how your strengths were valuable, use the “Why, where, when, how” to demonstrate and prove your strengths.

Question and key

1. What is the passage mainly concerned with? C) Getting prepared for questions at a job interview.

2. What does the speaker NOT mention as an answer to the question, “Why should we choose you?”

C) How you can beat other competitors.

3. What does the speaker advise you to stress when introducing yourself? B) Your present and future.

4. What might the speaker advise you NOT to say when asked, “What are your weaknesses?” A) I don?t have any.

5. What should you say when asked about your strong points? D) You should relate your strengths to the job requirements.

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Viewing and speaking

Hiring and firing

1. Script and key

Speakers Blond man The speakers’ words … so careful with our (1) selection process. We don?t take a zillion girls and chuck them on the wall and see, see which ones stick. We take on two girls, maybe three a year, and I really want them. Are you used to working under (2) pressure? Yes, ?cause I come from a (3) marketing background. Obviously there?s always a real structure and purpose to an (4) interview in that we?re hiring for a specific job. So we have to make people very, kind of, very at ease in an interview. Because otherwise you might end up hiring someone who is completely wrong for the (5) business. I?ve had an individual who was extremely (6) nervous and she was sick in the interview. And we had another lady who giggled all the way through the interview and it?s really hard not to (7) laugh in an interview when you?ve got someone on the other side of the desk behaving that way. When you make people (8) redundant which is, which is a not very nice part of the job is, you have to be very compassionate because it is somebody?s livelihood that you are dealing with. You have to, um, obviously be empathetic with that person, and that be quite (9) difficult. We call it (10) sacking. And, and it is probably the most harrowing thing you can do. If you can help, write a new CV for them 12

Woman in pink Black-haired woman Woman in pink Woman in blue suit Long, straight-haired woman Woman in pink Blond man Long, straight-haired woman

so that can help them get another job, um, you know that?s very useful as well. 13