ENM301 – UNIT 8 – READING

READING 1
I. You are going to read an article about the unusual mistakes that people make on their
CVs. Match the headings to the paragraphs (1-7) in the article on the next page.
Headings:
Non-editable formats 2
Salary details 6
Ridiculous email address 7
Too many keywords 1
Bad file names 3
Not doing your research 4
Statements that you can’t prove 5

II. Decide if these statements are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false statements.

1. It’s okay to have spelling mistakes on your CV. F

2. Job candidates should try to put themselves in their employer’s shoes. T
3. The agency did a survey with more than 50 people that hire job candidates.
4. Putting a lot of buzzwords in your CV will impress your employer.
5. You should protect your CV by sending it in a non-editable format.
6. You should always set up a new email address when applying for jobs.

III. Find the words

Find a word or phrase in the text which means ...
1. something that most people know (phrase, P.1):______________
2. make a mental picture about a person when you meet them for the first time (phrase, P.2):
___________
3. things that are needed (noun - plural, P.3):__________________
4. trusted to behave or work properly (adjective, P.11):________________
5. things that you have completed which are difficult to do (noun - plural, P.12):_________
6. discuss something to reach a formal agreement (verb, P.15):_________________

IV. Discuss any of the questions below.

1. Which do you think is the best piece of advice? Which is the worst piece of advice? Why?
2. Do you have to look at other people’s CVs as part of your job? If so, have people made any
of these mistakes and did it stop you giving them an interview?
3. Do you think that employers are right not to interview people because of these mistakes?
Why/why not?
READING 2
I. You are going to read an article about the signs that say you might need a new job.
Scan the text and choose the best heading for each paragraph (paragraph 1-6).
Headings
You fear going to work every day
You are bored
You leave the office as soon as you can
You are a different person at work and at home
You are jealous of other people’s jobs
You don’t like talking about work

II. Decide if these statements are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false statements.
1. In the U.K., students take final exams when they are 15 or 16 years old.
2. Pretending to be somebody else at work will make you very tired.
3. In the U.K., everyone has to leave the office at half past five.
4. Feeling envious about someone else’s job can mean that you’re not satisfied with where
you are in life.
5. To avoid talking about work, you might ask your friends about the furniture in their
offices.
6. Feeling depressed by the sound of your alarm in the morning means that you really hate
your job.

III. Find a word or phrase in the text which means ...

1. immediately following a time (phrase, P.2): __________
2. situations that are good and bad (noun - plural, P.4): _____________
3. a feeling of depression about Monday morning and going to work (phrase, P.4):
____________
4. always thinking about something that is more pleasant (phrase, P.6): _______________
5. the people and activities that are of one type of business (noun, P.6): ____________
6. behave like you, not how you think people want you to (phrase, P.7): _______________
7. an extremely surprising wage (phrase, P10): _______________
8. always wanting it to be the end of the working week (phrase, P.11)
____________________
READING 3

Mistakes when applying for a job

There are many mistakes that people make when writing their resume (CV) or completing a job
application. Here are some of the most common and most serious.

The biggest problem is perhaps listing the duties for which you are responsible in a past position: all
this tells your potential employers is what you were supposed to do. They do not necessarily know
the specific skills you used in executing them, nor do they know what results you achieved - both of
which are essential. In short, they won’t know if you were the best, the worst, or just average in your
position.

The more concrete information you include, the better. As far as possible, provide measurements of
what you accomplished. If any innovations you introduced saved the organization money, how much
did they save? If you found a way of increasing productivity, by what percentage did you increase it?

Writing what you are trying to achieve in life - your objective - is a waste of space. It tells the
employer what you are interested in. Do you really think that employers care what you want? No,
they are interested in what they want! Instead, use that space for a career summary. A good one is
brief - three to four sentences long. A good one will make the person reviewing your application
want to read further

Many resume list ‘hard’ job-specific skills, almost to the exclusion of transferable, or ‘soft’ skills.
However, your ability to negotiate effectively, for example, can be just as important as your
technical skills.

All information you give should be relevant, so carefully consider the job for which you are applying.
If you are applying for a job that is somewhat different than your current job, it is up to you to draw
a connection for the resume reviewer, so that they will understand how your skills will fit in their
organization. The person who reviews your paperwork will not be a mind reader.

If you are modest about the skills you can offer, or the results you have achieved, a resume reader
may take what you write literally, and be left with a low opinion of your ability: you need to say
exactly how good you are. On the other hand, of course, never stretch the truth or lie

Question 1 - 6
Complete the sentences below with ONE WORD ONLY from the text

1. It is a mistake to specify your ….. in past positions

2. Do not include a description of your …..in life
3. Include soft skills such as an ability to …..successfully
4. Think hard about the position so you can ensure that the information in your application is
…..
5. Make the ….. Between your abilities and the job you are applying for clear
6. Do not be too …..about what you can do

SUGGESTED INFORMATION FOR SPEAKING (Recruiting and Hiring)

https://www.indeed.com/recruitment/c/info/good-employee-qualities

https://www.recruiter.com/recruiting/10-skills-and-qualities-that-employers-want-to-see-in-
candidates/
 ENM301 – UNIT 8 – LISTENING
LISTENING 1
You are going to listen to a job interview. Listen and decide if the following statements are
True or False:

1. Wesley plans to move abroad within the next five years.

2. Wesley feels he is good at working with people.
3. Wesley doesn’t have any experience in dealing with disagreements in the workplace.
4. Wesley hasn’t had any real experience in dealing with disagreements at all.
5. Wesley believes the most important thing to do in a disagreement is to speak clearly about
how you feel.
6. The interviewer believes that someone who can look for new ways to solve problems
would be a good candidate for the job.
7. In the interviewer’s company, there are a lot of people from different places with different
experiences.
8. The interviewer asks Wesley to come back for a second interview
LISTENING 2
Now listen to three employees of an IT distribution company, Xcel Systems. Complete
their profiles.