Physical Distribution:

Setting your career path

 Content list

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 3

Mind Map ........................................................................................................................ 4

1. Let’s listen ................................................................................................................. 5

Looking for an internship: Searching and applying for a position ................................. 5

2. Let’s talk..................................................................................................................... 8
Job readiness: having a job interview .......................................................................... 8

3. Let’s read ................................................................................................................. 10

Job hunting: Ads ........................................................................................................ 10
Finding more chances ................................................................................................ 10
Where to find job offers .............................................................................................. 11
Improving your Reading ............................................................................................. 12

4. Grammar Focus ....................................................................................................... 13

Simple Present........................................................................................................... 13
Wh Questions ............................................................................................................ 14

5. Let’s write ................................................................................................................ 15

CVs and Cover letters ................................................................................................ 15

References ................................................................................................................... 17
 Introduction

The educational program on Physical Distribution (known in Spanish as Distribución

Física internacional – DFI) appears as a response to the different issues that different
companies were having when handling and transporting the goods their companies
were producing. It was paramount to be able to have full control over the production and
transport of their own goods in order to be successful.

Thus, the study of Physical Distribution includes deep training on all the activities
associated with the supply of finished product at every step, from the production line to
the consumers. Among those activities, communication -written and spoken- play a
fundamental role in the company growth in the current globalized world. Hence, it is
important for every Physical Distribution student to be good with words not only in
his/her native language, but also in the language of global business: English.

The following material, then, will give the SENA Physical Distribution student some tools
to use English for specific purposes on their specialty area in such way that he/she can
be competitive both nationally and internationally.

Once you finish the following material, you will be able use basic vocabulary related to
your specialty area and state your professional profile when applying for a job.

La formación en Distribución Física Internacional (DFI)

aparece como una respuesta a las diferentes problemáticas
que se presentaban con la manipulación y el transporte de los
bienes que una empresa producía. El éxito empresarial,
entonces, se empezó a definir por su capacidad de tener pleno
dominio sobre la producción de bienes y su correspondiente
transporte y operaciones asociadas.

Así, el estudio de la Distribución Física International incluye

entrenamiento extensivo en todas las actividades asociadas al
aprovisionamiento del producto final en cada paso de la
cadena de abastecimiento, desde la línea de producción,
hasta las manos de los consumidores. Dentro de dichas
operaciones asociadas, la comunicación tanto oral como
escrita, juega un papel fundamental en el crecimiento
empresarial en el actual mundo globalizado. De ahí que sea
tan importante para cada estudiante de DFI ser bueno con las
palabras, no sólo en idioma materno, sino también en el
idioma global de los negocios: inglés.

Por lo anterior, el siguiente material le brindará al aprendiz del

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 SENA de Distribución Física Internacional algunas
herramientas para que este pueda usar el inglés con unos
fines específicos en su área de especialidad. Esto le brindará
la oportunidad al aprendiz de ser competitivo tanto a nivel
nacional como internacional.

Al finalizar el presente material, estará en la capacidad de

utilizar vocabulario técnico de su área de especialidad, y de
elaborar su perfil profesional para aplicar a diferentes ofertas
laborales.

Mind Map

The following mind map will show you what the distribution of topics for this material is:

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 1. Let’s listen

Looking for an internship: Searching and applying for a position

Fuente: SENA

Hi, welcome!

As SENA students we should always keep in mind the way we are going to implement
everything we have learnt. In the end, our biggest objective is to be able to get a job
position that fits our abilities and expectations.

That’s why, the following material will help you to get the necessary tools to be able to
speak in English about your professional profile as a Physical Distribution Student.
Being able to speak in a different language than your native one is the first step to get
that position you have always dreamt of, so… Let’s go get it!

In this section, we will focus on understanding people speaking about how to get an
internship. Pay attention to the vocabulary and the pronunciation. If you need any help
with vocabulary you don’t know, you can always click on the button with the dictionary
on it.

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 Fuente: SENA

A. Hey John! What are you doing? You look very serious! Is something wrong with
Facebook?

B. Hey! I’m not on Facebook. I’m looking for an internship. I am about to get my
diploma with the Physical Distribution Program, but first I need some work
experience. Did you get your insternship already?

A. Yes, I did. I’m going to start with that practical stage next semester. It was not very
difficult. If you want to, I can help you!

B. That would be great! What did you do? Where did you look for your internship? How
did you apply?

A. First of all, I check the Job ads on that Bulletin Board. There are many things on
internet, but I preferred to start with the bulletin board. They always post good offers
there.

B. You’re right! That is why I was so confused! I didn’t know where to go on the
internet! Hey, thanks!

A. Sure! Let’s give it a look.

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 Fuente: SENA

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER INTERN REQUIRED

If you enjoy coordinating and overseeing a process to its

completion, apply to this internship. We are looking for
proactive and enthusiastic people with IT and teamwork skills.
If you think you are eligible, send your CV to
humanresources.interns@pacerun.com

Position Overview:

This person will be responsible for assisting in planning routes,

facilitating problem solving, tracking and reporting key
performance indicators and assisting local logistics
management in the day to day supervision of Warehouse and
Delivery Staff.

Job Requirements:

● Pursuing Bachelors or Masters Degree in Supply Chain

Management, Engineering, Logistics, Operations
Research, Business or related field.
● Logistics, Supply Chain, or related experience is a plus
(includes internships).
● A basic understanding of application software and data,
though no coding experience is needed.
● Exceptional problem solving and analytical skills.
● Excellent written and spoken English communication skills.

Schedule: Full-time

Job Type: Internship

Salary: $18.00 USD Per Hour

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A. So… Did you find anything?

B. I did. You were right. There is an internship to work as a Distribution Manager

Intern.

A. Are you going to apply to that Internship?

B. Of course! I think my profile is perfect for that position… but…. There are a lot of
technical words … and I don’t understand them all.

A. Well, don’t worry. We need to study some technical language and then, you will
decide if you really have the profile for that position.

B. You’re right, again! I really want that position so I will work on some technical
language to be able to write my CV and have a job interview.

2. Let’s talk

Job readiness: having a job interview

Fuente: SENA

Being able to state who you are, what your interests are and the skills you have is
absolutely important when applying for a job position. Besides, using proper language
related to your specialty will always give your future employer a better impression on
you and the knowledge you have to complete your job.

In this section we’ll work on the vocabulary you will need to talk about yourself and your
skills.

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Let’s study some of the vocabulary and questions that your future employer can ask
you. For this activity, we will imagine that you are in a job interview. There are four
principal questions and you have many options to answer. Please, select the best
answer for each question.

I am unemployed.
What is your current job
I study and work part-time in a small
situation?
company.
I can organize the safe and efficient
storage of goods.
I can organize, develop and confirm
shipping schedules.
I can organize shipments.
I can monitor stock.
Tell me about your
I can work together with a team.
skills…
I have good communication and customer
service skills.
I am self-motivated and I have the ability to
motivate others.
I can be a good asset for the company
because I am a quick learner.
I have experience with Physical
Distribution processes.
I have experience coordinating drivers,
What work experience do vehicles, loads and journeys.
you have? I don’t have much experience but I want to
learn.
I know how to manage staff and shifts.
I am good at establishing cost-planning.
I want to fill this job vacancy.
I want to fill this intern vacancy.
I want to gain some experience in the
What are your
supply chain management.
expectations?
I want to explore new growth opportunities
in the field.
I want to work with your company.

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 3. Let’s read

Job hunting: Ads

Fuente: SENA

Reading and understanding what you read are vital skills in finding and keeping a good
job. Many well-paying jobs require reading as a part of job performance. There are
reports and memos which must be read and responded to. Poor reading skills increases
the amount of time it takes to absorb and react in the workplace.

Following, we will check the places where you can read information about job vacancies
and we will also work on some reading strategies to help you read faster.

Finding more chances

A. Hey, how is it going? Did you get the internship?

B. I’m still working on completing some paperwork. I must confess I am a little nervous.
What if I don’t get this intern position?

A. Well, you can always check more than one place.

B. It’s true. But I don’t know how to. There isn’t any more offers at the bulletin board.

A. Hmmm…. I see. Don’t worry! There are some more places to check. We can do a
quick search and find some other vacancies according to your profile.

B. Sure! Besides, that might help me to complete my application because I will see

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 what different companies are looking for.

A. You’re right! Let’s check.

Where to find job offers

When people want to find a job or position, they usually search for it using resources
form the Internet or attending specific places.

Newspapers ads, magazines and

journals:

Very traditional and very effective.

1 Companies usually post their job
vacancies at the local newspaper,
magazine or journal.

Networking:

Connecting with the right people can be

extremely helpful in locating some jobs
2 that are not in the ads, this also helps in
getting yourself known to individuals in
the industry. You can network through
social media sites like Twitter, Facebook
and LinkedIn.

Recruitment agencies:

If you have troubles finding a job, there is

always professional help. Some
3 companies, especially larger ones, hire
through recruitment agencies, special
agencies in charge of finding the right
people for the right job vacancy.
Company websites:

If you are interested in a specific

company, check out the company’s
4 official website and look for their “Career”
section. Many companies post their job
vacancies in this section.

Fuente de imágenes: SENA

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Improving your Reading

There are some strategies to optimize your reading.

Being able to find and understand information in a
short time are valuable skills that your future
employer will recognize. Skimming and scanning
are two important strategies to speed up your
reading.

Fuente: SENA
Strategy Description
Skimming refers to looking only for the
general or main ideas. You read only
what is important to your purpose.
How to skim?

When you know what the text is about

and its intention, you can begin to read
Skimming
only the first sentence of each
paragraph. Also called topic
sentences, they give you the main
idea of the paragraph. If you do not get
the main idea in the topic sentence or
if the paragraph greatly interests you,
then you may want to skim more.
When scanning, you look only for a
specific fact or piece of information
without reading everything. For
scanning to be successful, you need to
understand how your material is
structured as well as comprehend
what you read so you can locate the
specific information you need.
How to scan?
Scanning
Understand the structure of the text
you are reading: Is it alphabetically or
chronologically organized. Filter the
information according to your interests
and start scanning for the information
you need. This is especially useful to
find phone numbers, addresses or any
factual specific information in reports
or forms.

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 4. Grammar Focus

Not only the vocabulary but the use of language is fundamental to cause a good
impression. Anytime you’re applying for job positions, you should be able to answer
questions and describe yourself.

Simple Present

We use the Simple Present to talk about facts that do not change. That is why, this
grammar form is useful to talk about descriptions and habits.

Milena WORKS all the time. She never

RELAXES.

Fuente: SENA

It is important to follow some rules when using the simple present. Let’s check:

AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES
SUBJECT VERB FORM
(PERSON)
I / WE / YOU* / WORK
THEY
HE / SHE / IT WORKS
*You is singular and plural according to the context.

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 NEGATIVE SENTENCES
SUBJECT NEGATIVE FORM BASE FORM
(PERSON) FULL FORM CONTRACTION VERB
I / WE / YOU / DO NOT DON’T WORK
THEY
HE / SHE / IT DOES NOT DOESN’T WORK

INTERROGATIVE FORM (YES / NO QUESTIONS)

AUXILIAR VERB SUBJECT BASE FORM QUESTION
(DO) (PERSON) VERB MARK
DO I / WE / YOU / WORK ?
THEY
DOES HE / SHE / IT WORK ?

SHORT ANSWERS
AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
AFFIRMATION SUBJECT AUXILIAR NEGATION SUBJECT AUXILIAR
I / WE / DO I / WE / DON’T
YOU / YOU /
YES, THEY NO, THEY
HE / SHE / DOES HE / SHE / DOESN’T
IT IT

Wh Questions

In a job interview, you will be asked many questions. It is important to know how to
answer. Questions that ask for specific information are called wh- questions because
they include the letters W and H. Let’s check the most common questions:

QUESTION
WORD
FUNCTION EXAMPLE
(WH-QUESTION
WORD)
Information about THINGS. What is your name?
WHAT
Repetition. What? I can’t hear you! What?
WHEN Information about TIME. When is your birthday?
WHERE Information about a PLACE. Where do you live?
Information about CHOICE. Which color do you prefer, red or
WHICH
blue?
WHO Information about PEOPLE. Who is that person?
WHY Information about REASON. Why do you wnt to work here?
Information about MANNER. How are you?
HOW Information about How was your interview?
CONDITION or QUALITY.

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 5. Let’s write

CVs and Cover letters

Fuente: Freepik

Follow these steps when writing your CV:

1. Create the format for your CV.

2. List your name, address, telephone
number, and email at the top of the
page.
3. Write a personal profile.
4. Create a section for your education and
qualifications.
5. Create a section for your work
experience.
6. Create a section for your skills and
achievements.
7. Create a section for your interests.
8. Create a section for other information.
9. Create a section for references.
Fuente: SENA

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Follow these simple steps to write a successful cover letter:

1. Contact Information: Include both

the employer’s and your contact
information.
2. Write a warm and respectful
salutation. For example, ‘Dear
Madam’ or ‘Dear Sir’.
3. Introduce yourself: Tell your future
employer Who you are. (First
paragraph).
4. Sell yourself: Talk about your skills
and characteristics to be the
employer that he/she is looking for.
(Second paragraph).
5. Conclusion: This is the moment to
say good-bye and to reinforce that
you are available for an interview
Fuente: SENA
(Third paragraph).
6. Farewell: Formal good-bye and
letter closing.

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 References

Freepik. (2016). Curriculum vitae design. Recuperado de http://www.freepik.com/

Document control

Nombre Cargo Dependencia Fecha

Centro de
Gestión de
Mercados,
Autor Karen Yolima Experta Logística y Mayo de
Torres Tafur técnica Tecnologías de la 2017
Información.
Regional Distrito
Capital
Andrés Felipe Guionista - Centro
Mayo de
Adaptación Velandia Línea de Agroindustrial.
2017
Espitia Producción Regional Quindío

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