3.1 Your CV/Resume Business Builder Teacher Resource Series To discuss aspects of CVs including content, style and layout, and then preparelimprove individual CVs, ‘50-60 minutes Pr acrsnarios | Make one copy of the worksheet and one copy of the Example CV/Resume (next page in this book) for each student in the class. If your students have no existing CV/Resume they will write one in section C and no preparation is necessary before the class. If your students already have a ‘CV/Resume and simply want to review it then ask them. to bring a copy to this lesson. 1 Write up on the board the words CV and Resume ‘and ask the students what they are, Explain if necessary that ‘resume’ is the word used in America. The differences between them are covered in section A of the worksheet. fe out a copy of the worksheet (but not yet the Example CV/Resume) to every student and ask them to look at section A. Refer to the instructions: itis a silent, individual reading activity. Circulate, helping with vocabulary. When students have finished reading, have an open class di their reactions. 13 Refer to the frst line of instructions for section B. and give out a copy of the Example CV/Resume. ‘Ask the students to read it and answer the question ‘on the worksheet (answer: yes, it does follow the advice given in section A, and is actually more like ‘a resume than a CV), 4 Refer to the instructions in the second part of section B. Explain to the students that this is going to be a short practice interview, and that the main interview using their own CV will be in another class, They should fill in a few of the gaps using their own ideas, working individually. They can invent information. Seta time limit of 5 minutes. Start the activity and circulate, helping with ‘vocabulary. 5. When the students are ready, divide the elass into pairs for the mini-interview. Elicit and write on the board a few questions that the ‘interviewer’ can use. Can we start with your education? I see that you went fo... What exactly did you study there? Can we move on to your last job at... What exactly did you do there? So, ell me something about your current job. Can you he a little more specific? Ask the students to exchange their Example CVs" and give them a minute to read through. 6 Appoint the first interviewer and interviewee in each pair and remind them to change roles and repeat when they finish. Start the activity, circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. Use the activity diagnostically to see what language areas the students will need when talking abouvwriting their own CVs. 7 Hold a short feedback slot, focusing on language areas needed for section C. 8 Refer to the instructions for section C. If students do not have a CY, then ask them to write one in class or for homework. If students already have CVs, then divide the group into twos/threes and ask them t0 discuss their CVs, particularly any changes they would now make having done the earlier activities. They could produce a new version for homework. Note. If student has changed jobs many times they may want to emphasize their abilities and achievements rather than their work history. In this case, the major headings of their CV/Resume will be *Abilities’, “Achievements’, “Work History’ and ‘Education’. The ‘Al and ‘Achievements’ sections will draw ‘on experiences in several jobs. The “Work History’ section will ist employers, job titles and dates, missing ‘out short jobs and putting dates on the right to de-emphasize them.3. 1 a Teacher Reture Sens Your CV/Resume © sidy these points about CVs (European style) and resumes (American style). Remember that there are no fixed rules and it depends on national culture and personal preference. Employment comes before Education, and thelist starts with the most recent job/course first Use short sentences and bullets and leave a lot of white space Use action verbs (coordinated ... negotiated ... supervised ...), Use real results (increased sales by X% ... made savings of £Y), European-style CVs generally read like continuous text. They often inclide a short section on interests, sports etc. and sometimes give the names of referees (people who will give you references) American-style resumes are more lke notes, are only one page long and do not usually contain sections on interests, sports and references vovovyvyvyy Some people like to mention their personal characteristics. The following words are typical: highly motivated creative friendly and sociable perform well under pressure good at taking initiatives efficient work well in a team excellent communication skills > Common mistakes include Using too many long sentences rather than short sentences with action verbs. Focusing on skills/abilities and forgetting achievements (concrete things you have done], Including irrelevant information: short jobs/courses, lists of conferences ete. . . =| Making the document too long: two pages (CV) or one page (resume) is usually the limit. = Stating your current salary. = Using too many character styles with the word processor. This becomes confusing. D> Recent graduates. If you are a recent graduate you know that at your stage most CVs/Resumnes look very similar to an employer. For your CV/Resume to stand out you should consider the following: = Skills and abilities. Think of occasions in your life where you ‘resolved a problem’, ‘set objectives to achieve a goat, ‘met a challenge’, ‘worked in a team’ etc = Achievements. Even if you have just finished university, you can stil think of concrete things you have done in the areas of project work, trips abroad, membership of a Students Association, sports, interests, hobbies. = TravelSports. Employers like to see travel (showing independence and self-confidence) and participation in sports (showing teamwork and sociability} '= Translating names. Give the real name of the educational establishment and the qualification. Put a simple translation in brackets following the real name. = Grades. Every country has its own grading system, so put your real grade and then write it in brackets as 2 percentage or indicate the range. © 100 at the example on the next sheet. Does it follow the advice given in section A? In the example there are lots of gaps. Write your name at the top and fill in a few of the gaps (use real ‘or imaginary information). Then give your sheet to a partner and ask each other questions. © 221 about ~ oF prepare - your own CV/Resume3.1b woe anole Exam ple CV/Resume Name Telephone Number Address Date of bieth Summary More than years experience in including management posts as a Currently employed as a at am now looking for an oppartunity with a multinational company that . EMPLOYMENT Current employment ~ present (years) _____ company narne) (job tte) During my years at Ihave been responsible fo: f= supervising a team of people. w= negotiating contracts worth ____ with f= managing the accounts of f= planning and coordinating marketing campaigns for f= preparing reports analyzing i ineresorg solesofl mm RON Gy % over two years w= achieving _ 9 savings in the cost of w= obtaining __» market share for_______within one year, Freviows employment ears) ____ company name) ____ {jb tte) While at___1 was part of a team which = planned the launch of = developed a new = achieved % brand recognition for___after two years. = organized the installation of = Initiated a new system for EDUCATION (final year) __ (qualification) ____{establishment) {final year) ___ (qualification) ____{establishment) OTHER EXPERIENCE ‘Computer Skills. Comprehensive knowledge of Languages. Spoken and written English to _____level. Personal and Professional References provided on request3.2 Job interview Business Builder Teacher Resource Series To discuss interview tips and then practise an interview based on the students’ own CVs/Resumes, 60-90 minutes Make one copy of the worksheet for each student in the class, Students need a copy of their own CVs/Resumes for seetion B. They can use the ones they prepared revised at the end of worksheet 3.1 1 Write up on the board: Your last job interview 1 Describe it briefly 2 Talk about one thing you did well 3 Talk about one thing you would do in a different way the next time Divide the class into small groups (two/three students). Ask them to discuss in turn their last interview using the three points: a short description (the job, the interviewers, the kind of questions), ‘one thing they did well and one thing they would do. differently if they were in the same situation again. Start the activity and circulate. 2 Give out a copy of the worksheet to every student and ask them to look at Section A. Refer to the instructions. Divide the class into pairs/threes and ask them to discuss the eleven points. Finally they should think of another tip of their own for point 12. Start the activity and circulate, Vocabulary note: buzzword’ = ‘a word or phrase that is fashionable and popular’ 3. Have a brief whole-class discussion to review ideas at the end. In a mixed nationality class there will be ‘opportunities to talk about cross-cultural differences. Write up suggestions for point 12 on the oard, 4 Refer to the instructions and role notes for seetion B. Check the meaning of “interviewer” and interviewee’ (the suflix -ee is used for someone ‘who receives something e.g. employee, trainee). icit and write on the board a few questions that the interviewers can use. Can we start with your education? Isee that you went to... What exactly did you study there? Can we move on to your last job at ... What exactly did you do there? So, tell me something about your current job. Can you be a little more specific? 5 Divide the class into threes if possible (two interviewers and one interviewee), otherwise into pairs, Appoint the first interviewee in each group. Remind the students that they will change roles and repeat when they finish. Ask the interviewee to give their CV to the interviewer's andl allow time for reading, Seta time limit for each interview. Start the activity, circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 6 As each group finishes, rotate the interviewee and let the new interviewers look briefly at the new CV. before they start again, (There is always an option to leave the final interview in each group for the next class). Continue to circulate and make a note of ‘good/bad language use. 7 Hold a short feedback slot.Job interview enx=m™ ‘Work with a partner. Discuss the following ‘tips’ for a successful interview. Do you agree with all of them? Add one more of your own. 1 Before the interview, ask a friend/colleague to ask you typical questions. In particular, practise talking about your strong paints using concrete examples from your current job. 2 Before the interview, write to the people who will give you references. Tll them to expect a call and lve them a recent copy of your CV/Resume 3 Arrive 30 minutes early on site and 10 minutes early for the interview. Use the time to walk in the fresh air. When greeting the interviewer, smile, make eye contact and shake hands firmly. 4 Your clothes, shoes and hair need to be tidy and above your normal standard. 5s Keep your answers short, simple and relevant ~ as you would in other business situations. interviews are a dialogue so don't talk more than 60-70% of the time. If the interviewer wants more information, let him/her ask for it. © Occasionally take the initiative and ask questions to show you ate interested, 7 Be enthusiastic and positive. Never contradict, argue or interrupt. Never criticize previous employers during the interview. # Don’t be submissive. Treat the interviewer with respect, but as an equal. 9 Don’t ask questions about the salary. If possible, wait for the interviewer to mention it. Ask for higher than you expect. if in doubt, ask for your current salary plus 15% 10 Immediately after the interview make notes: write down names, details about the organization, and especially company ‘buzzwords’. If called for a second interview, make sure you use these. 11 Consider writing a short follow-up letter, particularly after informal interviews where there was no clear job being advertised. Express your pleasure in meeting everyone (list them by name], comment con one part of the meeting (something that emphasizes your qualifications), mention again the benefits you can bring to the company and why you would like to work there (include company buzzwords}. © Work in groups of twovthree. Have a formal mini-interview. Interviewee Before you start, give your CV/Resume to your interviewer/s to look through. Interviewer/s Ask questions, listen carefully, ask follow-up questions.3.3 Covering letter Business Builder ‘Teacher Resource Series ‘write a covering letter and have a mini-interview for areal job. 60-90 minutes Make one copy of the worksheet for each student in the class, Students need to have a real job to apply for, so do one of the following: 8) Do nothing as preparation, but in the class ask students (0 think of a real job in another company that they would like to apply for, even iff no vacancy currently exists b)_ Find a small selection of real job adverts of the kind that the group might be interested in, compile them ‘on a sheet or two, and make a photocopy for each student ©) Bring in some real pages of job adverts for the students t0 choose freely. This is more challenging in terms of vocabulary so have some Business English dictionaries available in the classroom. 1 Write up on the board Job application and elicit the ‘meaning. Elicit the verb and write up f0 apply for a job. Write up the names of the two documents that ‘you need when you apply for a job (a CV/Resume ‘and a covering letter). 2. Follow the procedure that corresponds to a), b) or ¢) in ‘Preparation’ above: a) Tell the students that they will write the covering letter for the job they are interested in. 'b) Tell the students that you have found some job adverts that will interest them and that they will, choose one and then write a covering letter. Circulate and help with vocabulary. ©). Tell the students that you have some job advert pages that will interest them and that they will choose one and then write a covering letter. Circulate and help with vocabulary. (© Macmillan Publishers Lid 2002 3 Give out a copy of the worksheet to every student. Refer to the paragraph summary in the box and the instructions. Start the activity and circulate, correcting or asking the students to reformulate as you go. The students write individually. You may ‘want students to finish the writing for homework. 4 (Option) Leave one of the student's letters uncorrected as you go round (explain to the student why), and photocopy one copy of this for each student. In the next lesson, ask students to try to ccorrect/improve this letter in pairs. In feedback listen to all the suggestions for reformulations and discuss with the class which is the best. Build up the +eformulated letter on the board sentence by sentence, 5 When the students have finished their leters, tell them that they will do a role-play in pairs where one person is the applicant and the other is a Personnel Officer who asks questions based on the letter and the job advert. Elicit and write up some questions for the Personnel Officer: Why did you apply to this company? What do you know about this business/this market/ cour products? What interests you most about this job? Why should we choose you in preference to the other candidates? 6 Divide the class into pairs. Ask the students to give their leters and job adverts to their partner, and allow time for reading. (Note: if you have used option a) above there will be no advert so the students will have to tell their partner a few words about the job before they begin.) Appoint the first interviewee in each pair, and remind students to change roles and repeat when they finish. Start the activity, circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 7 Hold a short feedback slot. ‘This page may be photocopied for use in classCovering letter exxm Your CV/Resume will have a covering letter. The paragraphs of this letter might follow the pattern below. Subject heading at the top of the letter: Vacancy for a Marketing Director Introduce yourself and mention the purpose of your letter. f you saw an advert in a newspaper/specialist journal, say which one. Give your background and experience, and emphasize why you are suitable for the job. Refer to ‘your abilities and achievements, perhaps linking directly to things mentioned in the advert. Ask the reader to look at your CV/Resume, and focus on one or two key points. Close by thanking them for taking the time to read your CV/Resume and say when you are available for interview, Choose a job advert from a newspaper/specialist journal or think of a real job that you would like to apply for. Write the covering letter for your CV/Resume,3.4 Difficult questions Business Builder Teacher Resouree Series To practise dealing with difficult interview questions, 50-60 minutes Make one copy of the worksheet for each student in the class, 1 Write up on the board Skills and qualities of an ideal job candidate. Brainstorm all the things that interviewers look for in a candidate and list the ideas on the board (eliciting and pre-teaching some Of the examples from section A of the worksheet). 2. Give out a copy of the worksheet to every student ‘and ask them to look at seetion A. Refer to the list Of skills and qualities and check the meanings. Then discuss in class the two questions at the end. {including the brainstormed ideas on the board for the first question), 1 ballet: Perhaps the only skills obvious from a CV are Ability to make money Ability to work in teams ‘Analytical skills bullet: Interviewers ask difficult questions to get ‘evidence of the skills and qualities that do nat show ‘on a CV. This evidence can come both from the content of the replies and also the way that the interviewee replies (personal qualities show up more clearly when the interview moves away from safe, ‘obvious areas) 3. Refer to the instructions for section B. Explain to the students that this is not an interview (they will ask and answer the same questions about themselves in section D), itis a discussion in ‘general terms to prepare for the interview. Divide the class into pairs/threes, start the activity and circulate. Have a brief whole-class discussion to at the end, 4 Refer to the instructions for seetion C. Divide the class into pairs, start the activity and circulate = 1c te 3g 4a Sh 6f Thad 9j 101 After checking the answers stress again that they are just possible answers, and other ways of dealing with the guestions that the students discussed in section 8 are equally vali 5 Refer to the instructions for section D. Ask students to cover section C with a piece of paper, but leave section B showing, Divide the class into pairs and appoint the first interviewer and interviewee in each pair. The interviewer asks the questions in section B and appropriate follow-up questions, The interviewee should respond in a natural way based (on their own real work and career (itis not a ‘memory test for the answers in section C). They change roles and repeat when they finish, Start the activity, circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 6 Hold a short feedback slot. 7 Asa round-up, refer back to section A and have a class discussion about whether students managed to show any of these skills and qualities in thei ‘mini-interviewsDifficult questions 5 © inerviewers need to see evidence of the following skills and personal qualities. Business skills Ability to make money Ability to save money Ability to save time Ability to follow procedures Professional skills, Honesty Pride in your work Ability to work in teams Analytical skills Reliability (you can be trusted) Personal qualities Communication skills Listening skills Self-confidence Motivation and determination Friendliness and openness Right for the department Right for the company image © Which ones will be clear from your CV/Resume? © Why do interviewers ask difficult questions? © 100% at these typical ‘stticult questions’. Discuss how you would answer them. 1 Perhaps you'd like to start by telling us a litte bit about yourself? So what have you learnt from your previous jobs? What would you say are your strong points? And your weak points? Can you work under pressure ~ time pressure for example? How do you take direction and criticism? It sounds like you enjoy your work. Why do you want to leave your current job? So what sort of challenges are you looking for? ‘And what are your career objectives? ‘Are you willing to go where the company sends you? 6 ‘Match the possible responses a-j below with the ten questions from section B. = ‘Maybe | am a little too perfectionist’. ‘Perhaps | worry too much about deadlines.’ These could be considered strong points. » Your current job doesn’t allow you to grow professionally and you want more challenges. Also, be honest about practical things like distance fram your home, job security etc. © Don't talk too much. Cover your origins, education and work experience. Then make a bridge to why you are there. 4 You want to grow and develop, and you want more responsibility. Give some examples: learning new skills, experience of different areas, being in charge of projects etc. © You have learned the importance of teamwork and of listening to other people's advice. You have also developed a good business sense: everything has to be justified in terms of cost, £ You welcome it and listen carefully It is necessary in order to learn and develop, Give two or three points like honesty, working well in a team and determination. Say a few words about each one to make your comments personal and sincere, Yes, you find it stimulating. However, you believe in planning and good time management to reduce last-minute panic 1 Answer ‘yes’ immediately. Then ask how much travel is involved in the job. You can always not take the job later if you change your mind. 1 Say what kind of job you would like about three years from now, and why. © Work with a partner, Ask and answer the questions in section B.3.5 Min -interview: your background and job Business Builder ‘Teacher Resource Series Worksheets 3.1 to 3.4 provide a comprehensive introduction to the topic of Job Interviews, particularly for students early in their careers. Worksheets 3.5 to 3.8 are for additional practice and recycling of different stages of the interview, and will be particularly useful for teachers working one-to-one with a student who is preparing for a specific job interview. Experienced business people with a good CV/Resume and no problems writing a covering letter can miss 3.1 to 3.4 completely and just work through 3.5 to 38 in sequence, To practise answering interview questions relating to ‘education, previous job, current job and personal qualities, 50-60 minutes J Parrsnario. | Make one copy of the worksheet for each student in the class Students need a copy of their own CVs/Resumes for section B. If they do not have one, they will have to take afew minutes at the beginning of the class to write a summary CV with the dates, company names and job titles of their main jobs, and the dates and qualifications of their higher education courses. 1 Write up on the board Mini-interview: your background and job and underneath these five phrases in random order: University/higher education After higher education, Previous job Current job Personal qualities Divide the class into pairs and ask the students to decide on the order that these topics would be covered in a typical interview. Take brief class feedback (there is no correct answer but the order above is reasonably typical), 2. Give out a copy of the worksheet to every student and ask them to look at Seetion A. Refer to the ‘groups of questions 1-6 and compare the order of the topics here with the order discussed in the lead- in, Refer to the instructions, Ask students to work individually at first: they put a tick by the questions they want to answer, and fill in any gaps. Circulate and help with vocabulary. 3 Divide the class into pairs. Explain to the students, that they should discuss how they will answer the questions, but itis not a formal interview yet (this section B). Start the activity, circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 4 Hold a short feedback slot. 5 Refer to the instructions for section B. Divide the class into new pairs (or ‘works well) and appoint the interviewer and interviewee in each pair. They change roles and repeat when they finish. Explain that the interviewee should respond in a natural way without using their notes (itis not a memory test of the preparation in section A). Ask the interviewee to tsive their CV/Resume and the worksheet to the interviewer, and allow time for the interviewer 10 id the CV/Resume and the worksheet and see ‘which questions the interviewee has prepared. Set a time limit for each interview. Start the activity circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 6 As cach group finishes, rotate the interviewee and let the new interviewer/s look briefly at the new CV/Resume and the worksheet to see which questions have been prepared, Continue to circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 7 Hold a short feedback slot. ‘wo interviewersMini-interview : your background and job @ Pepure fora mini-imerview. Decide which of the following questions you want to answer and fll in any gaps with your own personal information. Then work with a partner to discuss how you would answer them. 1 [notice that your university/higher education course was in |= Which part of the course did you enjoy most? Why did you like that subject? ‘= Did you do a project in the final year? Can you tell me about that? | see that after university/higher education you worked in several jobs. = One of your first jobs was as a (job) in (company). Can you tell me about that? 3 [see that in your previous job you worked as a (job) in (company). = Can you tell me about that? What exactly did you do there? = What did you learn from that job? = Why did you stay so long/so little time in that company? = Why did you leave? 4 So, your-current job is asa job)in____ (company) = Can you tell me a little about the company? What exactly do you do there? = What have you learnt in your current job? = What personal and professional skills have you developed? = How have you kept up to date with new techniques? = What experience do you have of __________ technology? =| How would you describe your management style? = Why do you want to leave your current job? ‘5 I see that you are currently unemployed = Why are you not working? How have you spent your time while you've been unemployed? m= Have you had other interviews? Why do you think you weren't successful? 6 Tell me something about yourself What do you do in your free time? What hobbies and interests do you have? What are your strong points? What are your weak points? Can you work under pressure? Can you give me an example? Are you @ persistent and determined person? Can you give me an example? What have been your greatest achievements during your career? Can you describe an important challenge in your life? Can you describe an important change in your life? What are your career objectives? Where do you see yourself three years from now? © Work with a new partner and have a formal interview. Interviewee Before you start, give your CV/Resume and this worksheet to your interviewer. Make sure your interviewer knows which questions you have prepared. Interviewer Use the questions you are given. Listen carefully and ask follow-up questions.3.6 Mini interview the job itself Business Builder ‘Teacher Resource Series To practise answering interview questions about a specitie job. 50-60 minutes Make one copy of the worksheet for each student in the class, 1 Write up on the board Mini-interview: the job itself. Elicit and write up on the board typical interview questions about the job itself (see questions Al-A9 ‘on the worksheet for examples). 2 Give out a copy of the worksheet to every student ‘and ask them to look at seetion A. Refer to the first Tine of instructions. Explain to the students that they «will need to think of a specific job in order to do the activity. Give them two choi a) Areal job in a real company that they would Tike (there doesn’t have to be a vacancy in real life) ) A promotion inside their own company (perhaps their boss is leaving soon?). ‘Ask students to think of the job and then write down the job title and company. 3. Refer to the remainder of the instructions for section 'A. Ask students to work individually at first: they put a tick by the questions they want to answer, fill in any gaps, make a few notes and add a question, Circulate and help with vocabulary. 4 Divide the class into pairs. Explain to the students, that they should discuss how they will answer the questions, but itis not a formal interview yet (this ‘comes in section B), Start the activity, circulate make a note of good/bad language use. Hold a short feedback slot Refer to the instructions for seetion B. Divide the class into new pairs (or threes ~ two interviewers ‘works well) and appoint the interviewer and interviewee in each pair. They change roles and repeat when they finish. Explain that the interviewee should respond in a natural way without using their notes (itis not a memory test of the preparation in section A). Allow time for the interviewer to look at the interviewee’s worksheet With the job title and company name, clarify any doubts about this, and see which questions the interviewee has prepared. Seta time limit for each interview. Start the activity, circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 7 As each group finishes, rotate the interviewee and. let the new interviewer/s look briefly at the new job title and see which questions have been prepared. Continue to circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 8 Hold a short feedback slot. idMini-interview: the job itself © Write down tne job that you are applying for. Job tite Company - Prepare for a mini-interview. Decide which of the following questions you want to answer and fill in any gaps with your own personal information. Add a question of your own that you want the interviewer to ask you. Then work with a partner to discuss how you would answer them. 1 Why did you apply to this company? What do you know about our company? 2. What do you know about this business? 3. What do you know about this market? 4 What do you know about our products? 5 What interests you most about this job? 6 What can you bring to this position? Why should we emplay you in preference to the ather candidates? 7 You have very little experience in How will you deal with this? ‘8 You appear to be a little young/old for this position. 9 Are you prepared to travel? 10 © Wert wit se pater and havea foal minkinerview Interviewee Before you start, give the interviewer this worksheet with the job title and company you are interested in and show him/her which questions you have prepared. Interviewer Look at the interviewee’s chosen job and check you understand what it is. Then use the questions you are given. Listen carefully and ask follow-up questions,3.7 Mini terview : your management abilities Business Builder ‘Teacher Resource Series ‘To practise answering interview questions relating to experience of teamwork, negotiation, planning and decision-making. 50-60 minutes Make one copy of the worksheet for each student in the class, 1 Write up on the board Mini-interview: your ‘management abilities. Tell the students that large ‘companies often send out a questionnaire about management abilities when they call candidates for interview. The candidate fils in the questionnaire and sends it off before the interview: In the interview the candidate's responses are discussed. ‘Ask the students what sort of areas they think are covered (see worksheet), and how the candidates should reply (most such questionnaires emphasize that they only want real examples, not a general or theoretical reply). 2 Give out a copy of the worksheet to every student, ‘and ask them to look at section A. Refer to the instructions. Ask students to work individually at first: they make notes for any areas that they want to talk about. Circulate and help with vocabulary. 3. Divide the class into pairs. Explain to the students that they should discuss how they will answer the ‘questions, but itis not a formal interview yet (this comes in section B), Start the activity, circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 4. Hold a short feedback slot. 5 Refer to the instructions for seetion B, Divide the class into new pairs (or threes — two interviewers works well) and appoint the interviewer and interviewee in each pair. They change roles and repeat when they finish. Explain that the interviewee should respond in a natural way without using their notes (itis not a memory test of the preparation in section A). Allow time for the interviewer to check which areas are going to be cussed, Seta time limit for each interview. Start the activity, circulate and make a note of good/bad. Tanguage use. 6 As each group finishes, rotate the interviewee and let the new interviewer's look briefly at the areas to be discussed. Continue to circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 7. Hold a short feedback slotMini-interview: your management abilitics QOD © Pea fora mininervien. Decide whieh ofthe folowing areas You Wan tk shout and make Some notes, wing ekamples fom your own experience. Then work ith spate Jc hw Ou would answer each question. 1 Team work Give an example of when you were part of a team. What was the occasion? What were the objectives? What was your contribution? How did you encourage other team members? 2 Persuasion and neg Give an example of when you attempted to persuade other people. What was the occasion? What preparation did you do? What actions did you take? What was the result? 3 Planning and objectives Give an example of when you created a plan to meet specific objectives. What did you have to plan? What preparations did you make? How did you check progress? Was there a deadline? Did you achieve your objectives by the deadline? aking Give an example of a situation where you made a complex decision. What was the situation? What information did you use? Why did you choose this information? What did you consider before making your final decision? What was your final decision? What were the advantages and disadvantages of this decision? S Deve pment of others Give an example of a situation where you encouraged other people. How did you know they were not performing effectively? What did you do? Why did you do this? What was the result? © Work with a new partner and have a formal mini-interview. Interviewee Before you start, tll your interviewer which areas you have prepared. Interviewer Use the questions above. Listen carefully and ask follow-up questions.3.8 Mini-interview: using a case-study Business Builder ‘Teacher Resource Series = To practise talking about a real problem situation and its solution in an interview to show evidence of abilities and personal qualities. 50-60 minutes ‘Make one copy of the worksheet for each student in the class. 1 Write up on the board Mini-interview: using a case- study. Elicit the meaning of “case-study” (a detailed account of the development of a particular situation, over a period of time). Tell the students that in an interview it is common for some time to be spent on one particular recent real-life problem that the candidate has recently dealt with, Ask the students y (it helps the interviewer to get an idea of the abilities and personal qualities of the candidate). Note that even if the interviewer does not ask for details of one particular case, the interviewee will be able to introduce it as an example on various 2 Give out a copy of the worksheet to every student and ask them to look at seetion A. Refer to the instructions, Ask students to work individually at first: they make notes for each point. Circulate and help with vocabulary. 3. Divide the class into pairs. Explain to the students. that they should discuss how they will answer the questions, but itis not a formal interview yet (this comes in section B). Start the activity, circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 4 Hold a short feedback slot. 5. Refer to the instructions for section B. Divide the class into new pairs (or threes — two interviewers works well) and appoint the interviewer and interviewee in each pair. They change roles and repeat when they finish. Explain that the interviewee should respond in a natural way without using their notes (itis not a memory test of the preparation in section A). Set a time limit for each interview, Start the activity, circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 6 Aseeach group finishes, rotate the interviewee. Continue to circulate and make a note of good/bad language use. 7 Hold a short feedback slotg a case-study ean Mini-interview:u © Prepare fora min:ineriew by making nots on the following pints. Then work with a partner to discuss how you would answer each question, 1 Choose one specific problem you have faced in your job and explain it briefly 2 What was the solution? 3. Which professional and personal skills did you use to help solve this problem? 4 How did your ny benefit? (Try to give figures if possible. 5 Re-examine your own ole in the process. What exactly did you contribute? eo ‘Work with a new partner and have a formal mini-interview. Interviewee Talk about the problem situation you have prepared Interviewer Use the questions above, Listen carefully and ask follow-up questions.The interview questionnaire ‘Work in groups of three or four, You have applied for a job as a representative for a premium Spanish olive oil company, selling the product ro restaurants and hotels in your country. The company has asked you to come for an interview. For each question in the interview, there are three possible answers. [n your group, discuss which answer you think is the best and circle the letter A, B, or C. When you have discussed all the questions, calculate your score. e_ 1 Good morning. Could | start by asking a few questions about your experience in the sector? A Of course. What would you like to know? 8. Well, I've been working in the food sector for the last ten years. C What sector do you mean exactly? 2 And | imagine you have dealt with a lot of different clients in your work. Is that the case? A Yes, a lot of clients. What kind of clients does your company deal with? B Yes, all kinds, really. C Yes, quite a wide variety, although most were large hotels and restaurants. 3 Ise. And what kind of products have you worked with? ‘A Mostly with specialist sauces. 8 I've worked mostly with specialist sauces. Does your company make them? C I've worked mostly with specialist sauces, such as aioli, tartar sauce, etc. 4 So what kind of difficulties do you think we might have selling our product? ‘A Well, it depends on your quality and price compared with the competition. 8 The main difficulty could be in convincing clients to buy a higher priced, premium product. € Its difficult for me to answer that because | don't know your clients or product very well 5 So what do you think you would do to convince them to buy our product? ‘A I would perhaps focus on the higher quality compared to the competition. 8 I'msure you know the answer to that much better than ! do. C Maybe give them a discount? 6 And why do you think you would be good at this job? A Because | know how to handle clients and analyse the competition. 8 Because | have experience in sales and food products. C Because | have worked in the food sector for ten years. 7 Finally, do you have any questions? ‘A Not really, | think we've covered everything. 8 Isthere the possibility of a company car? Is the company planning to launch any new products in the near future?The interview questionnaire ‘Scoring Ja Ble 1} 2 3 1 2f2t1 1s ali f2|s s{2[s]a s| 3 | 1 6| 3 2 711 15 or more Congratulations, your interview was a success! The company felt chat you were interested, had the right experience and skills, and had prepared for the interview well. Best of luck with ‘your new job! i - 8-14 Sorry, the company thought that you didn’t have the right skills to be a representative, Remember to find out as much as you can about the company, and then tell them about your relevant skills for the job. Better luck next time! 7 or fewer Sorry, the company has decided that you didn’t seem interested in the job. Remember that stock responses are usually not enough to impress a porential employer. Look at your answers again and see if you can improve your score. Better luck next time!Activity Pair work Time 20 ~ 30 minutes Objective ‘To extend job-related vocabulary Language Interview questions: Tel me about yourself Why should we ive you the job? etc, Preparation Make enough copies of the activity sheets on pages 94-95 for each student. & Procedure |. Divide the class into pairs. Explain that Student A will role-play an interviewer for 2 job, while Student B will role-play the interviewee. Ask them to decide who will be A and who will be B. 2. Ask each pair to discuss the kind of career job Student B will apply for 3. Give each person the questionnaire. Student A should look at the interviewer questions box. Student B should look at the interviewee questions, Give them a few minutes to look through the questions. Give them the opportunity to ask about any of the expressions they are unsure of. 4, Tell them to each choose ten of the questions and add two more of their own in the space provided. ‘Ask each student to spend a couple of minutes looking at the questions in the other box. They should think about how they would answer them. 5. Get pairs to role-play the interview. Each person should try to ask twelve questions (ten from the box land two of their own). Eneourage them to use some of the useful expressions in the box. 6. Get them to swap roles when they have finished and 0 do the exercise again; this time Student A chooses the job. Follow-up ‘Ask pais to think of five questions they would hate to be asked in an interview. They can then discuss how they would respond.AL You are going to i : career job. Decide on the job with your rerview your partn partner. B. Look at the following interviewer questions, Choose ten that you like. Then add two more in the space provided. Interviewer questions 1 i 10, 12, 13, 14. Is, 16, Tell me a bit about yourself, ‘What are your goals and how do you plan to achieve them? Describe your ideal job. Tell me about a time when you were successful. What qualities do you think are necessary to succeed in this career? Why do you think you are the best candidate for this job? ‘Are you a team player? Tell me about how you handle problems. How would you try to resolve a conflict between colleagues? Are you willing to travel? How often? How do you plan to continue your professional development? ‘What do you know about our company? ‘What are your strongest qualities? What kind of salary would you expect? C. Quickly read the interviewee questions. Ti about how you would answer them. D. Interview your partner. Use the twelve questions you chose above and be prepared to answer any of your partner’s questions. The following expressions may be useful: Interviewee questions What will the job involve exactly? Can you tell me what my typical work day would look like? Are there any opportunities for professional development? Is there any weekend or evening work involved? Is it possible to work flexi-time? Will | get my own desk/computer/office? Will there be any travel involved? How many weeks’ holiday would | get? What are the prospects for promotion? Is there a pension plan? How about private health insurance? What are the company’s long-term goals? Are there any bonuses? What kind of salary could | expect? IF got the job, how soon would you want me to start? Come in, Please take a seat. Well let's get started. Please feel fiee to ask me any questions. Do you have any questions youd like to ask? Wel thank you very much. be in touch soon. Could | ask you a few questions?A. You are going to be interviewed by your. partner for a career job. Decide on the job with your partner. B. Look at the following interviewee questions. Choose ten that you like. Then add two more in the space provided. _Interviewee questions 1. What will the job involve exactly? 2 Can you tell me what my typical work day would look like? 3. Are there any opportunities for professional development? 4. Is there any weekend or evening work involved? 5. Is it possible to work flex-time? 6 Will | get my own desk/computerfoffice? 7. Will there be any travel involved? 8. How many weeks’ holiday would I get? 9. What are the prospects for promotion? 10. Is there pension plan? How about private health insurance? 1. What are the company's long-term goals? 12. Are there any bonuses? 13. What kind of salary could I expect? 14, If | got the job, how soon would you want me to start? C. Quickly read the interviewer questions. Think about how you would answer them. Interviewer questions — |. Tell me a bit about yourself 2. What are your goals and how do you plan to. achieve them? 3. Describe your ideal job, 4, Tell me about a time when you were successful, 5. What qualities do you think are necessary to succeed in this career? 6. Why do you think you are the best candidate for this job? Ace xo ple | Tell me about how you handle problems. How would you try to resolve a conflict between colleagues? 10. Are you willing to travel? How often? 1. How do you plan to continue your professional development? 12, What do you know about our company? 13. What are your strongest qualities? 14, What kind of salary would you expect? D. Answer your partner’s questions. Ask the twelve questions you chose above.Can you describe yourself in a job interview? In this activity, you're going to roleplay a job interview. First, read the job advertisement. Then read your role card and prepare what you're going to say. Journalist Needed New View magazine is looking for a journalist to report on news, fashion, music, travel and anything that's new. If you're young, motivated and interested in a career in journalis editor@newview.com contact us now. Student A You're the editor of New View magazine. You'te looking for a new journalist. The previous journalist was only interested in ' writing about sport and often handed in stories late. Work with your assistant editor and decide what sort of person you're looking for. Plan the questions you will ask in the interview. When you'e ready, interview one candi (Student C). Then with the assistant editor, choose the best person for the job. Student C You've applied for a job as a journalist on New View magazine and they've asked you to come for an interview. First, discuss with your friend (Student D) what type of person you think the magazine looking for. Then individually plan what you will say at the interview. When you're ready, the editor will interview you for the job. Student B You're the assistant editor of New View magazine. You'te looking for a new journalist. The previous journalist wasn't really up-to- date with fashion and music and was also a litle difficult to get on with: Work with the editor and decide what sort of person you're looking for. Plan the questions you will ask in the interview. When you're ready, interview candidate two (Student D). Then with the editor, choose the best person for the job. Student D You've applied for a job as a journalist on New View magazine and they've asked you to come for an interview. First, discuss with your friend (Student C) what type of person you think the magazine is looking for. Then individually plan what you will say at the interview. When you're ready, the assistant editor will interview you for the job.