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Applying for a job

Learn the vocabulary to talk about getting or changing jobs in English:

If there is 'a vacancy', there is a job available because a new post has been created or a person has left.

• Larry's move to London has created a vacancy in Marketing if you are interested.
• We don’t have any vacancies at the moment but we will keep your CV on file.

When a post becomes vacant, the company 'advertises the post' in the press.

• Although the post was advertised last month, we promoted someone internally.
• We advertised the post in the national press last week and have received lots of applications.

If you 'apply for a job', you send in a CV or letter because you want the job.

• Ten people have applied for the job just from advertising it internally.
• I've applied for that job in Glasgow even though I don’t really have enough experience.

When you want a new job, you send 'letters of application' to the company concerned.

• I've written letters of application for four different jobs but had no reply yet.
• We have received letters of application from a wide range of candidates.

The candidates who apply for the job are also known as the 'applicants'.

• The number of applicants is very high. There are a lot of people with the right qualifications and experience.
• We do a pre-selection of the applicants based on their previous experience.

A company can use a 'recruitment agency' to fill their vacancies

• We use a recruitment agency to advertise the post and do a pre-selection.
• There are several recruitment agencies who specialize in our sector so we can find highly qualified candidates quickly.

A 'job description' details all the duties, responsibilities and personal qualities necessary for a specific job.

• We have written new job descriptions for all the jobs in our department.
• I don't think making the coffee is in my job description!

Your 'qualifications' are your academic or professional diplomas.

• For a post at this level, we consider experience to be more important than academic qualifications.
• For this post, we give full training. The only qualification necessary is a high school diploma.

'Experience' is the knowledge acquired through time already spent in work, in different jobs.

• I have a lot of experience managing a small team and would now like to manage a bigger one.
• The best candidates are those who have previous experience in the food industry.

'Salary and benefits' are what you are paid and the extras you receive in return for the work you do.

• Although the starting salary is not very high, the benefits include health insurance.
• We pay very competitive salaries and provide some of the best benefits in the sector.

exercise 1

exercise 2

exercise 3

exercise 4

 

Applying for a job 2

Let's continue learning vocabulary to talk about getting or changing jobs in English:

Applying for a job may mean filling out an 'application form' giving your personal details.

• If you are interested in the job, could you fill out this application form, please?
• I have completed the application form for that job and sent it back to the personnel department.

The application form includes your 'contact details'; your home address, your phone number and your email address.

• We have your contact details so we will be in touch soon.
• If you give me your contact details, I'll call you to set up an interview.

It also includes your 'employment history' where you list the previous positions you have held with the name of the company, job title and dates of employment.

• I have already held similar positions as you can see from my employment history.
• There are gaps in her employment history. I would like to know what she was doing during these periods.

A list of previous positions held needs to highlight the 'relevant experience' showing why the candidate is suitable for the job.

• As you can see from my CV, I have all the relevant experience you require.
• This candidate doesn't have the relevant experience in our sector but is very well qualified in every other aspect.

A 'job description' is drawn up for candidates giving all the relevant information about the job detailing responsibilities as well as location and salary.

• I don't think that my job description includes all the task I am currently doing.
• We are currently writing job descriptions for the new jobs being created in the sales team.

After the final interviews, a formal 'job offer' is made to the best candidate.

• We hope to make a formal job offer as soon as we have had replies from your referees.
• I turned down the job offer I received from them because the salary wasn't as good as my present one.

The job offer will include information regarding salary and 'holiday entitlement'. (British English)

• The holiday entitlement is only 20 days a year but that doesn't include public holidays.
• Although the holiday entitlement is very generous, holidays have to be taken at certain times of the year.

The job offer will also give a 'starting date' for the job.

• I have to work out my notice in my present job so can we put back the starting date?
• Originally they wanted me to start next week but as I was available, I suggested an earlier starting date.

The job offer will also specify a 'probation period' at the end of which a new recruit can be dismissed if they are not suitable for the position.

• They let him go at the end of the probation period.
• She is still on her probation period. We have another two weeks to make a final decision.

exercise 1

exercise 2

exercise 3
 

Episode 7 - A Report on Progress. Today's focus is on the verb tenses used in reports. You can watch the video or just listen to the audio. (Bài học này tập chung vào thì của động từ được dùng trong báo cáo)

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If you do not see the video - you click here to listen to Audio:

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Today's focus is on the verb tenses used in reports. You can watch the video or just listen to the audio.

DENISE: Today we're looking at our new widget plant being built at Southside. I've asked Barbara to report on progress and bring us up to date and up to speed. Barbara?

BARBARA: Thanks Denise. I'll just outline the process we've been through, identify some problems, and give you an estimate on completion time and the outcome financially.

JOHN: Is it good news or bad news?

BARBARA: Bear with me. Now, if you recall, after a feasibility study, we put the project out to tender eighteen months ago, and selected Ezybuild as our project manager.
Work commenced about fifteen months ago, and it's been progressing to schedule until recently.

DENISE: What's the problem?

BARBARA: Unfortunately there are three: Firstly, there's been a delay in materials - specifically steel because of industrial issues at the suppliers. Secondly, we've lost days due to the weather. And finally, there's been a resulting cost blowout.

JOHN: So what are we going to do?

BARBARA: Well, they've managed to get another supplier now. I suggested moving the completion date back. That way, there's no penalty, and they agreed to re-deploy their workers until building can start again.

JOHN: Smart thinking.

BARBARA: We've been waiting for the rain to stop - but we can't control the weather!

DENISE: And the cost?

BARBARA: At this stage, just a small overage. But I'll be watching it very closely over the next few months. With no more delays, we're expecting to complete the project just one month behind schedule.

DENISE: Good work Barbara.

JOHN: Humph



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Today's episode is a focussed meeting with a specific purpose. Barbara has been asked to report on the progress of a project. Our focus today is on the verb tenses she uses to report. Firstly, let's look at how Denise asks for Barbara's report.
Today we're looking today at our new widget plant being built at Southside. I've asked Barbara to report on progress and bring us all up to date and up to speed.
Denise says 'Today we're looking at our new widget plant'.

She uses the present continuous tense.

'We're looking' or 'We are looking' - because she's telling them what they are doing, and what they are going to do at the meeting now.

She doesn't use the simple present 'we look', because that is used for regular actions.

Then she says 'I've asked Barbara to report'.

She uses the present perfect tense: 'I have asked' because she asked Barbara to report before the meeting, and Baraba is about to give her report.

We'll look more at present perfect later.

And she wants Barbara to bring them 'up to date' and 'up to speed'.

These are common expressions - to bring someone 'up to date' is to tell them what has happened up to the present. And to bring someone 'up to speed' is to make sure they know all the relevant facts.

Episode 9 - A Customer Survey. We look again at presentations. You can watch the video or just listen to the audio. (Tiếp tục học về cách trình bày thông tin trong một buổi thuyết trình)

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If you do not see the video - you click here to listen to Audio:

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We look again at presentations. You can watch the video or just listen to the audio.


TAN: Today I'm going to look at the results of our customer survey. First I'll go through the survey questions, then summarise the results, and finally I'll outline the conclusions. After that, there'll be time for questions and discussion. So, let's start with the survey questions...

Turning to the results, as you can see from the diagram, most people decided what to buy when they saw the product at the showroom. About one third made their decision based on what the salesperson said. The others knew what they wanted to buy already. Most of those made their decision on the recommendation of a friend. Only a few said they relied on advertising...

Let's move on to the conclusions.The first one is that it's very important that salespeople on the floor know about our products. Another is that after-sales service is critical. People who experience good after-sales service are more likely to recommend a brand.And finally, advertising - it's expensive, so we need to make sure we're getting results.



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In today's program, we look again at a presentation. Tan is presenting the results of a survey. Let's see how he does it. How does Tan start his presentation?
Today I'm going to look at the results of our customer survey.
When giving a presentation it's important to state clearly what you are going to talk about at the beginning. What is your topic?

For this, Tan uses the future tense 'I'm going to…'. He could also have said 'I will…'

And instead of 'look at' he could have used other words:
examine,
analyse,
review,
discuss.

After introducing the topic, what does Tan do next?
First I'll go through the survey questions, then summarise the results, and finally I'll outline the conclusions.

After that, there'll be time for questions and discussion.
Tan outlines the structure of his presentation. There were three parts. Notice how he signals this by using sequencing words: first, then, and finally.

The structure of his talk is:
Introduction, then part 1, survey questions; part 2, survey results; part 3 survey conclusions.

There's one more sequencing signal in his introduction. Did you hear it?
After that, there'll be time for questions and discussion.
Even though Tan said 'finally' he would talk about conclusions, he has something 'after that'. This is because the questions are not part of his presentation. He's telling his audience that after he's talked about conclusions, it will be time to ask questions.

So sequencing words are very useful - they tell your audience how many parts are in your talk - and they can signal when you are moving from one topic to the next one. Sequencing words are words like firstly, secondly, thirdly, then, next, finally, after that, following that, and later on. Another type of signal can be used to show you are moving from one part of your talk to another.

Here are three that Tan uses - practise them with him.
So, let's start with the questions...

Turning to the results...

Let's move on to the conclusions.
When we speak in English, pauses and intonation are as important as the words we use - because they help people understand. Listen.
Let's move on to the conclusions. The first one is that it's very important that salespeople on the floor know about our products. Another is that after-sales service is critical.
Without pauses or intonation, it's much harder to understand - and it sounds boring. Let's add pauses.
Let's move on to the conclusions. (pause) The first one (mini-pause) is that it's very important (mini-pause) that salespeople on the floor (mini-pause) know about our products. (pause) Another(mini-pause) is that after-sales service is critical.
Pauses should come between sentences - here. But you'll notice small pauses in the middle of sentences - after phrases. These help the listener to follow what is being said.

Now we add intonation and stress.
Let's move on to the conclusions. The first one is that it's very important that salespeople on the floor know about our products. Another is that after-sales service is critical.
Intonation is the way we pronounce sentences. Note the downward intonation at the end of sentences - 'Let's move on to the conclusions'; 'about our products'; 'After sales service is critical.'

Stress occurs in words, and sentences. In words - one syllable is stressed. The wrong stress makes it hard to understand. So:
Conclusion, not conclusion
Products, not products.

Even more important in speaking, is to stress the important words in a sentence. This helps the meaning of what you are saying - it gives emphasis.

So Tan says Let's move on to the conclusions, stressing 'conclusions' because it's the key word in this sentence. The other words stressed are the key words for understanding.