Insert the following words in the gaps in the text below
| applicant application application form apply candidate curriculum vitae or CV(GB) or resume (US) employment agencies interview job description job vacancies references short-listed |
Many people looking for work read the (1)……………….advertised by companies and (2)….in newspapers or on the internet. To reply to an advertisement is to (3)……for a job. (You become a (4)……..or an (5)……..) You write an (6)……, or fill in the company's (7)…………, and send it, along with your (8)……….and a covering letter.
You often have to give the names of two people who are prepared to write (9)…... for you. If your qualifications and abilities match the (10)…… , you might be (11)… , i.e. selected to attend an (12)…….
II. Read and discuss.
Cover Letter
| The same techniques used to polish your CV must be used to compose effective correspondence with individuals and organizations that might advance your career or vocational goals. Effective correspondence is an essential component in the application or job-search process. The correspondence that accompanies a curriculum vitae is generally referred to as a cover letter. It is defined, shaped, and determined by its diverse purposes. There are, for example, letters of application, declination, acceptance, and referral. In addition to the cover letter, the application process and the job search might require you to write other forms of correspondence such as prospecting letters, search firm letters, thank-you letters, letters of withdrawal, and letters of interest. A well-written letter satisfies the following objectives: • It offers the writer an opportunity to target the curriculum vitae to a particular person. • It allows the writer to direct particular attention to specific skills that might be important to the reader. • It enables the writer to state clearly why an organization is of interest to him or her. • It opens the door for further communication and follow-through. The essential structure and format of the correspondence should adhere to some commonly agreed upon guidelines even though there is wide flexibility regarding important matters of content, tone, style, and focus. While you are naturally expected to exercise prudent judgment in these matters, your primary consideration must always be to produce prose of the highest and most inspired quality. Write with clarity, persuasion, honesty, and economy. You cannot afford to do otherwise. Grammar, writing conventions, style, format, and appearance require the same focused attention that you give your curriculum vitae. Use a computer and a laser or DeskJet printer, and proofread your correspondence several times to catch misspellings, typographical errors, grammatical errors, and ineffective style and format. This correspondence speaks for you at the most important stage of your application or job search – that initial stage when decisions are made that will determine whether you receive an interview or remain in a pool of applicants who do not survive the paring process. • Address your letter to someone who has authority to hire you or to have an impact on your admission (or acceptance). Wherever possible, address a specific person, not a title. • Use that person’s name and title, and spell both correctly. • Find out as much as you can about the organization from which you are seeking employment (or admission). • Sound enthusiastic to indicate interest. • Be professional, warm, and friendly. • Be specific about what you are seeking and what you are offering. • Set yourself apart from other applicants. Identify at least one thing about you that is unique – something that distinguishes you and that is relevant to the position or program for which you are applying. | correspondence [̗kɒrə´spɒndəns] – листи, кореспонденція vocational goals [vəυ´keɪʃnǝlɡəυl] – професійні наміри cover letter [´kʌvǝr´letə] – супровідний лист diverse purposes [daɪ´vɜ:s´pɜ:pəs] – різні наміри, цілі declination [̗deklɪ´neɪʃn] –відмова acceptance [ək´septəns] – прийом, прийняття referral letter–рекомендацій-ний лист prospecting letters [prə´spekt] – пробний лист search firm letters– лист пошук фірми thank-you letters– лист подяки letters of withdrawal[wɪð´drɔ:ǝl] – лист-відмова letters of interest– супровідний лист to target [´tɑ:ɡɪt] – мати на меті persuasion [pə´sweɪʒn] – переконання misspelling [̗mɪs´spel] – орфографічна помилка to hire [´ha(ɪ)ə] – наймати to indicate interest [´ɪndɪkeɪt]–виразити інтерес |
III. Discussion
When employees 'give notice', i.e. inform their employer that they will be leaving the company (as soon as their contract allows), in what order should the company carry out the following steps?
A either hire a job agency (or for a senior post, a firm of headhunters), or advertise the vacancy
В establish whether there is an internal candidate who could be promoted (or moved sideways) to the job
С examine the job description for the post, to see whether it needs to be changed (or indeed, whether the post needs to be filled)
D follow up the references of candidates who seem interesting
E invite the short-listed candidates for an interview
F make a final selection
G receive applications, curricula vitae and covering letters, and make a preliminary selection (a short-list)
H try to discover why the person has resigned
1 write to all the other candidates to inform them that they have been unsuccessful
IV. Read and translate samples of Effective Application:
| Application Letter: Modified Block Style 14 Overland Street Youngstown, OH 33602-1110 15 October 20__ His Excellency S. K. Ghusayni Embassy of Lebanon 2560 28th Street, NW Washington, DC 20008 Excellency: I am applying for the position of Assistant Professor of English at the American University of Beirut. Since the position, which was advertised in the Chronicle of Higher Education, requires some teaching at University Saint Joseph, I am sending a set of my credentials to you and to representatives of the respective institutions. This is a particularly exciting position as I would be able to use my knowledge of Arabic and French, which would enhance the effectiveness of my English language instruction. As my enclosed curriculum vitae indicates, I received a Ph.D., magna cum laude, with a major in English and Linguistics, from Yale University in 1994. Prior to that, I obtained a B.A., magna cum laude, in French, and an M.A., summa cum laude, in French Literature from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Moreover, during my Fulbright Scholarship for the study of French literature at the Sorbonne, I read extensively the works of writers from Algeria, Tunis, Martinique, and other Francophone countries. The paramount experience that has influenced my decision to apply for this position, however, was a threeyear teaching position at Mohammed V University in Morocco. Not only did I teach English, but I also developed an innovative program in Arabic using computer-assisted pedagogy. It was recognized as a major breakthrough in Arabic language instruction. During the week of 18 February, I plan to be in Washington, D.C., and would like to arrange an interview with you at your convenience. I will telephone you next week to arrange that meeting. Please feel free to call me at 216/555-8209 or fax me at 216/555-8210. Thank you for your consideration. I remain Yours truly, Zoltan M. Zantovsky Enclosures: Curriculum Vitae Book Reviews Disk Containing Arabic Language Course Letters of Recommendation |
| Referral Letter: Modified Block Style July 20, 20__ Dr. Hillary Theakston Department of Psycholinguistics Bloomfield Hall University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104-6226 Dear Mr. Theakston: Dr. Anton P. Cleggart, Matthew J. Owens Professor of Linguistics at the University of Delaware, suggested that I contact you regarding postdoctoral fellowships in psycholinguistics at the University of Pennsylvania. Since you have had a long and distinguished career in this field, he even suggested that I approach you regarding the prospect of obtaining a fellowship under your supervision. I am very enthusiastic about the prospect of continuing my research on the psychological impact of autism on language acquisition in preverbal four-year-old children. Your paper at the recent annual meeting of the American Psychological Association further stimulated my interest in working with you. I have enclosed a copy of my curriculum vitae along with a letter of introduction from Dr. Cleggart. Please contact me by E-mail so that we may arrange a time to talk about my proposal. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Dr. Siobhan Y. Kaufman University of Delaware Department of Psychology Spruce Hall Newark, DE 19617 E-mail: siobhan@psych.edu. Enclosures: curriculum vitae letter of introduction cc: Dr. Anton P. Cleggar |
| Targeted Letter: Full Block Letter Ishmael Benjamin Herera Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Mississippi Cobalt Hall, Room W University, MS 38323 December 12, 20__ Nissan of North America 1000 Lake Shore Drive, Suite 900 Detroit, MI 48200-3222 Attention: Environmental Compliance Officer In the November/December 2000 issue of Environmental Waste Management, it was reported that “Nissan of North America leads major auto companies in the United States by making air conditioning systems free of ozone-depleting CFCs available in nearly two-thirds of the 2001 models it manufactures.” As a doctoral student in automotive/ mechanical engineering at the University of Mississippi, I have followed closely the continuing efforts of automobile manufacturers to comply with environmental regulations of this type. Your firm’s success has attracted the attention of researchers here at the University of Mississippi. I am, therefore, writing to you to arrange a summer internship at Nissan of North America, which would provide me with access to data that details the results of your efforts in reducing ozone depletion. If it is appropriate for me to work with you on this proposal or to contact someone else at Nissan, I would be pleased to do so. I will contact you next week regarding the next steps in the process of arranging this internship. Please contact me at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Mississippi at ishmaelherera@olemiss. urns.edu. Thank you. Sincerely, Ishmael Benjamin Herera | |
| Thank-You Letter: Modified Block Style May 5, 20__ The Honorable Svetlana Teraskova Member of City Council County Court House The City of Lake Forest Lake Forest, IL 60012 Dear Councilwoman Teraskova: Please accept my appreciation for arranging my attendance at the extended meeting of the City Council of Lake Forest, Illinois, last month. As a result of that experience and my extensive conversations with you, I have decided to continue my graduate studies in urban affairs at the University of Chicago and will focus those studies on the gentrification of Chicago’s northside neighborhoods. Again, I want to thank you for expressing your enthusiasm for my studies and for the opportunity to discuss some of my ideas with you and your colleagues. Sincerely, Qian Xinzhong 16 Seventh Avenue Topeka, KS 32130 cc: Mr. Abraham Troutmeyer Chair City Council The City of Lake Forest |