VII. Questions and assignments

1. What is it necessary to do for law students to have a training contract?

2. How many applications did Caroline Turner write?

3. Give an example showing that the number of applica­tions for a job greatly exceeds the number of places.

4. What can you say about the firm where Ms Solomon works?

5. Whom does Ms Solomon reject and what people does she look for?

6. What are the worst applications and why according to Mr Bloom?

7. Why do some recruitment administrators ask about a person's hobbies, his or her principal interest and leisure activities?

8. What does Tricia Brett, a recruitment administrator say about applicants? Find these words in the text.

9. Do you agree with her?

10. State Ms Turner's main interests.

11. How did she contribute to them and benefit from them?

12. Does she realize now that the questions about her interests were not silly? Why?

13. How many invitations for interviews has Ms Turner got?

14. Why is competition between firms for the best graduates very keen?

VIII. Describe the best application letter and its contents (содержание) using the words and sentences from the text.

IX. Read and translate.

CRITICIZING AN EMPLOYEE OFTEN

PRODUCES ANGRY AND DEFENSIVE REACTIONS

Staff appraisal interviews are no fun. Many managers simply do not bother, because they are worried about how staff may re­act to criticism of their work.

Yet telling staff how they are doing can motivate and it can produce extra efficiency and performance. Feedback is especial­ly important for new recruits to help them find their footing.

Criticizing an employee often produces anger. Comments such as "are you saying that I am not doing my job properly", or "do not treat me like a child", or even profanity are frequent defensive reactions.

It is recommended to start with an agreement about the way you intend to work together, and to exchange information.

This type of agreement not only works for individuals, but for teams, or groups as well.

When talking to staff ask — do not tell; describe — do not judge; stick to behavior — not personality. The advice is even more important for a small business with few employees as one member of staff with the sulks can upset all the others and there­fore lower productivity.

Ask your staff how do they think they are doing and get them to find an area where they think they are weak or could do better.

Sometimes you can see a manager catching the late arrival of an employee. He greets him with a stern look, crossed arms in a condescending manner and gives him a lecture about how many times he has been late recently, and puts a snide question asking what he is going to do about it.

The correct approach would be to ask if there is a problem causing him to be always late.

This should also be done in private not across the office or fac­tory floor, thus giving the employee the privacy of discussing mat­ters.

We want to attract your attention to the main two problems: (1) managers' confidence to talk to staff and (2) handling adverse reactions. It will help remove the air of doom about talking to the boss.

X. Answer the questions.

1. Why do many managers not bother to hold ap­praisal interviews?

2. What may be the result of telling staff how they are doing?

3. Why is feedback especially important for new recruits?

4. What can criticizing an employee produce?

5. Can we say that anger and even profanity are frequent defen­sive reactions of criticized employees?

6. What kind of advice of talking to staff is given in this article?

7. What should be the correct approach of a manager to the late arrival of an employee?

8. Why can wrong talking to staff lower pro­ductivity?

9. Is it recommended to talk to an employee in private or across

the office or factory floor?

10. Do you think it is correct to have an agreement with employ­ees about the way you intend to work together, and to ex­change information?