Unit 1

First Day at Work

Introducing Yourself and Others
C)Talking about business cards

 Create your own business card:

 Read your business card to your colleagues using the vocabulary below :
 Spell the information in your business card:
Practising listening and speaking

1 Introductions and small talk

 Study the following dialogue
Susan Clarke: Can I introduce myself? My name is Susan Clarke.
Alexander Strauss: How do you do. I'm Alexander Strauss.
Susan Clarke: Pleased to meet you, Mr. Strauss. So, what do you do for a living?
Alexander Strauss: I'm a film producer.
Susan Clarke: Really? That sounds interesting.

 Introduce yourself to the person next to you in a similar way. Use your real name and job.

2 Introducing other people

Listen and complete the dialogue between host, colleague and visitor.
Daniel Goldman: Susan, I'd like meet………….. Miles Henderson from Simtech Ltd.
Susan Clarke: How do you do, Mr Henderson?
Miles Henderson: Pleased………….. you. So what do you do here?
Susan Clarke: I'm……… charge………….. our HR department. And you?
Miles Henderson: I'm responsible …………..sales and marketing.
Daniel Goldman: Is ……………your first visit ………..Boston, Mr Henderson?
Miles Henderson: No, actually, I've been here four times already.
Daniel Goldman: Really? On holiday or business?
Miles Henderson: Mostly business.
Susan Clarke: How long…………….. for your company?
Miles Henderson: Oh, I've been with Simtech for almost five years now. How about you? When did you
……………….your company?
Daniel Goldman: I started working for Xcel Systems about 10 years ago.

 3 Useful expressions
Look at the following expressions from the dialogues. Put each expression in the correct
category below.
Can I introduce myself?
My name is ...
How do you do.
How long have you been working for ...?
I'd like you to meet ...
I'm in charge of ...
I'm responsible for ...
Is this your first visit to ...?
Pleased to meet you.
Really? That sounds interesting.
What do you do for a living?
When did you join your company?

Introducing yourself:…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Greeting somebody:…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Introducing a colleague:………………………………………………………………………………………
Making small talk:…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Talking about your job:……………………………………………………………………………………….
Showing interest:………………………………………………………………………………………………

 Now add the following expressions to the above categories:

I'd like to introduce you to... Nice to meet you. Hello, I'm ... I work in accounts.
  4 Small talk
When you meet someone for the first time, you usually make `small talk' to get to know the
person better. Match the questions below on the left with the replies on the right.

1. How was the weather in Madrid? a. Actually, the flight was delayed by 4 hours because of
fog. Then we were stuck in traffic for another 3 hours!
2. How long are you here for? b. Just two days. I arrived on Monday.
3. What do you think of our city? c. Nice and sunny.
4. How long have you been in Boston? d. So far, very impressive.
5. Did you have a good trip? e. Until the end of the week.

 5 Role play
Walk around and introduce yourself to other people, and introduce other people to each other.
Make small talk and try to show interest in other students' comments.
Reading : Meeting Bill Gates
 Culture file: Greetings

A guide to business greetings around the world

Not sure how to greet business associates when travelling abroad? Follow this guide to getting it
right

Meet and greet: 'Namaste' is the traditional greeting in India 

By Tim Gibson
10:29AM BST 07 Sep 2015
Find more advice on business etiquette »

Greeting new people is never straightforward, especially when you’re operating in an unfamiliar
cultural environment.
There’s always a brief moment when you’re not quite sure what to do: is your new acquaintance
expecting a firm handshake, do they want to kiss
you, on one cheek or two, or do they simply want
to lock eyes and nod heads?
In the UK, two-thirds of adults in research
conducted by Crowne Plaza®Hotels & Resorts
rated a sense of humour over appearance,
intelligence, confidence or even the near-
universal phenomenon of the “solid handshake”.
Further afield, though, things may not be so
simple; jokes that get your own team rolling in
the aisles may have overseas clients rolling their eyes... and considering business elsewhere.
So how do you prepare for the all-important first greeting?
The traditional handshake is fairly common throughout the world

In Belgium, for example, it’s perfectly normal for strangers of either sex to greet one another
with a single kiss on one cheek. If a man and a woman do this in Arab countries such as the
UAE, however, it is regarded as a cultural faux pas.
Any form of physical contact between men and women should be avoided if you’re travelling in
the Middle East.
It’s safest for men only to offer a right-handed handshake with male associates, approaching
the most senior person in the party first and working down the hierarchy from there.
Expect the greeting to last a fair bit longer than it would in the UK, and don’t be the person to
break away.
Despite substantial regional variations, the traditional handshake is fairly common throughout
the world. But it is by no means universal, as a trip to Asia demonstrates.
In Japan, a bow is an acceptable way of making someone’s acquaintance, and you should dip
slightly lower for someone of high social status.

Cultural code: men should avoid physical contact with female colleagues in the Middle East
In India, meanwhile, you should join your hands together as if praying, bow your head and say
the traditional greeting: namaste.
A handshake is unlikely to offend, but using the namaste greeting shows an awareness of local
custom, as does using titles such as Professor, Doctor or Mr and Mrs.
It’s a similar story in Singapore, where a handshake accompanied by a modest bow is normal.
In addition, it’s important to be on time, if not early, for meetings. Lateness doesn’t win friends
anywhere, but it’s especially unpopular on this highly efficient island.
As you’d expect, Switzerland is another nation where punctuality is prized. It’s also worth noting
that Swiss people tend to favour formality in business settings.
Address people by their surnames, and be sure to greet every person in the room with a
handshake. Do the same when leaving, and avoid asking personal questions. They’re not
regarded as appropriate in Swiss business meetings.
Russia is another country where formality reigns.
Men tend to greet each other with iron-hard
handshakes, locking eyes in a show of
strength and assertiveness.
Male-female exchanges are less physically
arduous, and Russian men view it as chivalrous
to kiss a woman’s hand on first acquaintance.
It’s clear that customs differ across the globe,
and it pays to be attentive to them if you want to
make the right first impression.
When you’re planning your next business trip, check out the local greeting before you go. Then
you’ll be sure to make a positive impact on the people you encounter along the way.