1. EMPLOYMENT: Starting up: 1. In your opinion, which factors below are important for

1. EMPLOYMENT: Starting up: 1. In your opinion, which factors below are important for

getting a job? Choose the seven most important. Is there anything missing from

the list? Think about some other factors.

age appearance astrological sign contacts and connections

experience family background handwriting hobbies intelligence marital

status personality qualifications references sickness record blood group

2. All of the following sentences could be used to describe jobs. Mark each sentence:

(+) if you think it describes a positive aspect to a job.

(-) if you think it describes a negative aspect to a job.

(?) if it could be either positive or negative.

● It’s well-paid. ● It’s badly-paid. ● It’s challenging. ● It’s stressful. ● It’s hard work physically. ● You work long hours. ● You have to work shifts. ● You need to be talented.

● You need good people skills. ● There’s a lot of job satisfaction. ● There’s a lot of variety. ● There’s a lot of responsibility. ● There are a lot of opportunities. ● You need special training and qualifications.

3. Work in pairs or groups. Which of the above do you associate with the following jobs: a journalist, a police officer, a concert pianist, a supermarketcashier, an accountant, a train driver, a social worker, a professional footballer?

Think of one more job that you can associate with each of the sentences in Exercise 2.

Discussion: Working in something different

a) Discuss the following questions.

● Do you know anyone who does any of these jobs?

● Which of these jobs would you be suited to / not suited to? Why?

Dave-nursery school teacher Kevin-house husband Pat-bank manager Debbie-engineer

b) Read each story and answer the questions.

“I’ve been working in a bank for about five years, and actually I wasn’t very ambitious or career-minded. Then a new manager came to my branch – he persuaded me to take the job more seriously, so I started studying to become a manager myself. I had to do evening classes for five years to get the qualifications I needed … but it’s been worth it. I enjoy coming to work much more now. Some people think working in a bank is boring, but for me every day is different. It’s all about dealing with people … and that’s always a challenge.”

“I’ve been doing the job for about four years now, and I still really enjoy the actual work. There is a lot of satisfaction, just being with the children and watching them develop, and seeing things the way they see them – that’s still great. Mind you, a lot of people no idea just how tiring and stressful a day with a class of four-year-olds can be. Some people think it’s an easy job, because the holidays are quite long, and everything. The thing I find depressing, though, is that there’s no real career structure or chance of promotion in education. I could easily still be doing exactly the same thins in twenty years’ time!”

“I wasn’t really that academic at school, but I was always a lot more interested in science subjects than in languages or history or anything … so at sixteen I applied for an a engineer with a lot of small companies. I was really shocked to find out that a lot of them only accepted boys! Eventually I was accepted for a course in electronic engineering. I was the only girl out of seventeen students! I’m doing my basic training in the engineering centre here at British Aerospace. The other people who work here are fine to me, it’s no problem, but people I meet outside are sometimes very surprised when I tell them what I do, especially older people.”

“About six months ago my wife started saying she couldn’t stand it at home any more with the children, it was driving her mad, so I said: “Okay then – if you find yourself a job that pays enough, I’ll change places with you!” I’m a roofer by trade, mending and building roofs, but I’m self-employed, so I can please myself how much I work. Anyway, to my surprise she found herself a job in less than a week! So here I am – what they call a “house husband”, I suppose, taking the kids to school and doing the shopping and what have you. The wife didn’t think I’d be able to do it – but actually I’m really enjoying myself. I never used to see that much of the kids, so it’s nice to really spend some time with them, taking them to the park and all that. It’s harder work than you imagine, mind you… I don’t think I’d want to do it for ever.”

a How did each person start doing his / her job?

b What are the advantages / disadvantages of each job?

c Do the speakers make any other interesting points about their jobs?

Reading I:

1. Discuss this question: Do people change during their working lives? If so, how?

2. Now read the article. What does it say about the question above? Find the answer.

How to select the best candidates - and avoid the worst

Investing thousands of pounds in the recruitment and training of each new graduate recruit may be just the beginning. Choosing the wrong candidate may be one the great mistakes for an organization. Few companies will avoid all of the following failures: people who panic at the first sign of stress; who don’t have the ability of learning; hypochondriacs (persons who worry about their health too much) who must be present but stay away; and the unstable person later discovered to be a thief or worse. Less dramatic, but just as much a problem is the person who simply does not come up to expectations, who does not quite work; who never becomes a high-flyer or even a steady employee.

The first point to remember at the recruitment stage is that people don't change. Intelligence levels refuse modestly, but change little over their working life. The same is true of abilities, such as learning languages and dealing with numbers.

Most people like to think that personality can change, particularly the more negative features such as anxiety, low respect, impulsiveness or a lack of emotional warmth. But the information collected over 50 years gives a clear message: still stable after all these years. Extroverts (persons who like to spend time in activities with other people rather than being quiet and alone) become slightly less extroverted; shy persons appear a little less so, but the fundamentals remain much the same. Personal crises can affect the way we deal successfully

with a difficult situation: we might take up or drop drink, drugs, religion or relaxation techniques, which can have rather dramatic effects. Skills can be improved, and new ones introduced, but at rather different rates. People can be taken care of the appearance for a job. Just as politicians are carefully dressed, have good hairstyle and speech specialists, so people can be sent on training courses, diplomas or experimental weekends. But there is a cost to all this which may be more than the price of the course. Better to select for what you actually see rather than try to change it.

3. Read the article again and answer these questions.

1) What types of failures do companies experience, according to the article?

2) What is the worst failure managers can deal with?

3) What advice does the article give to managers?

4. In another part of the article (not included here), the writer says that selectors should look for three qualities:a) intelligence and ability; b) emotional stability; c) conscientiousness. Do you agree? Explain.

Complete the table with the adjectives below. What other words can you add?

astute bright calm clever easy-going hard-working moody neurotic punctual quick-tempered reliable responsible sharp slow

Intelligence and ability	Emotional stability	Conscientiousness
bright	calm	reliable

HW

Reading II: 1. Read two cases and answer these questions.

1) What job did the man do?

2) Why were the employers upset?

3) Who apologized? Who accepted the change?

4) Who intends to sue his employer? Why?

CASE 1

John Humphries, aged 62, is a lorry driver who is proud of being well-dressed for work. However, his employer told him that he must not come to work in a collar 1 and tie 2 to drive his 17-tonne lorry. If he did so, he risked to be sacked 3.When working, Mr. Humphries, an ex-Royal Airforce man, wore dark blue trousers, a light

blue shirt, and a red and grey striped tie. He felt he looked excellent and impressed the customers.

“If you present yourself well, you look good and get respect 4,” he said. Mr. Humphries' employers were not impressed when he refused to give up his collar and tie. They wanted him to conform 5 to the company's new image of clothing such as T-shirts or sweat shirts. They even wanted to sack him if he didn't accept their new dress code. Union officials advised him to accept the change and follow the company's policy. He agreed.

Notes:

1. collar – воротник.

2. tie – галстук.

3. respect – уважение.

4. to conform – соответствовать.

CASE 2

Yoshiaki Nishiura, a 25-year-old lorry driver from western Japan, was sacked because he dyed 1 his hair brown. (This is a popular fashion with a growing number of young Japanese.) Although he apologised 2 and dyed it black again, he was still fired 3. His employer, Mr. Yamago, believed that behaviour like Mr. Nishiura's made company discipline worse and ruined morale. He blamed 4 it on American influence. “We need drivers to keep a professional appearance to make a good impression,” he said. A Japanese journalist said, “Japanese firms expect all employees to look the same and think the same. When you come into a company, you sign away your human rights.” Mr. Nishiura is going to sue his employer for unreasonable dismissal.

Notes:

1. to dye – красить.

2. to apologise – извиняться.

3. to fire – разг. увольнять, выгонять.

4. to blame – порицать, обвинять.

2. Discuss these questions.

What do you think of: a) the employers' decisions? b) the employees' reactions?

How important is your personal appearance at work?

Think about formal clothing, uniforms, men with earrings, and tattoos, etc.

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