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II. Basic Listening Practice
1. Script
M: Did you pick up the paper for me today? I really want to check the job vacancies. W: I know, it?s over there. There?s not much happen though. I had a look already. Maybe you should look on the Net instead. Q: What is the man looking for?
2. Script
M: You don?t have enough experience or qualifications for this role. What makes you believe you could handle the position?
W: I?m a fast learner and enjoy learning on the job. My natural skills lie in this area, and I?m confident that I could handle the challenge. Given a chance, I would prove myself.
Q: What is the woman saying?
3. Script
M: Could you help me with my resume? Jane said you?re good with these things, and I really need someone to edit it. It?s way too long.
W: Sure, no problem, give I to me. A good resume should be no more than one page, you know. And it should list you experience in reverse chronological order. I can see we?ve got some work to do!
Q: Which of the following is true according to the conversation?
4. Script
M: Could you tell me why you would like to work for our company?
W: Well, it has a good reputation as an employer, and its products are quite popular in the marketplace. I would feel proud to work for a company like this and to contribute a great deal to its success. Q: Why does the woman apply for the job?
5. Script
W: Where do you see yourself in five years? time?
M: I aim to have been promoted to senior manager at the very least. I?m very ambitious and want to climb up the career ladder as fast as possible. I don?t want to feel miserable on the first rung in five years? time, watching everybody above me.
Q: What does the man want in fie years?
Keys: 1.C 2.D 3. A 4.C 5.B
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III. Listening In
Task 1 Tips for job interviews
A: After listening to the career officer?s talk, I?ve now realizes the importance of
getting prepared for an interview.
B: Quite true. First of all, we should never be late for an interview. If you?re not punctual, they?ll suspect that you?ll be late for work in future.
A: Before going to the interview, we had better pay attention to our dress. We must look professional without overdoing it. Careless clothes will lead them into thinking that you?re likely to do your job carelessly.
B: During the interview, it is important to look confident without being too pushy. It?s necessary to maintain eye contact. This shows your interest in the conversation, and helps to maintain the communication between you and the interviewer.
A: Many employers attach importance to the education you?ve received. We need to highlight those courses especially valuable to the company.
B: Book knowledge is not enough. We must show them we have practical experience in the field. Tell them about our internship, and emphasize the skills that are useful in the job we?re seeking.
A: How clever you are! These days many students want to tell the prospective employer that they have a good command of English and have obtained a College English Test Band 4 Certificate.
B: They?re also eager to tell interviewer about their computer skills with PowerPoint, office automation, and so on. Students from non-key universities especially need certificates to shoe they?ve acquired those skills before they can hope to compete against students from prestigious universities.
A: Character is considered an important factor in contemporary society, where teamwork is a must.
B: But too many students are saying more or less the same thing. If everybody says, “I?m warm-hearted and cooperative, get along well with my classmates, and have good team spirit,” the boss will soon get fed up.
A: Perhaps we should let the work we?ve done shoe our character.
B: Right on. Participation is important. If you can show them you?re an important official of the Student Union of the university or the department, or you?ve organized a singing competition and won an award, obviously you?re a good team player.
Keys: T F T T F TT
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Taks 2 Are you ready for a phone interview
Nowadays, many employers use telephone interviews to screen candidates in order to narrow the pool of applicants who will be invited for in-person interviews. They are also used as a way to minimize the expenses involved in interviewing out –of-town candidates.
While you?re job-searching, it?s important to be prepared for a phone interview on a moment?s notice. You never know when a recruiter might call. So, you?d better take a look at the following phone interview tips.
Before the interview, you should get well-prepared. For example, you can compile a list of your background and skills, your strengths and weaknesses, as well as a list of answers to typical phone interview questions. You need to keep your resume on the top of your desk or tape it to the wall near the phone, so it?s at your fingertips when you need to answer questions. Also, you should have a pen and Paper handy for mote taking.
It?s helpful to practice interviewing. You can rehearse answers to those typical questions you might be asked. Have a friend or family member conduct a mock interview and tape record it, so you can see how you sound over the ph one. In this way, you?ll be able to hear your “ums” and “uhs” and “OKs”, and you can practice reducing them from your conversational speech.
During the phone interview, try to smile. Smiling will project a positive image to the listener and will change the tone of your voice. Over the phone, you must speak slowly, clearly and politely. You should use the interviewer?s title(Mr. or Ms. and their last ,name), and remember to only use a first name if they ask you to. It is essential not to interrupt the interviewer. On your part, you should try to give answers that are short and to the point.
Finally, remember your goal is to set up a face-to-face interview. After you thank the interviewer, ask if it would be possible to meet in person.
Questions
1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a purpose of screening candidates on the phone?
2. What can you infer from the speaker?s recommendation of compiling a list of information about yourself?
3. What does the speaker say about your resume?
4. According to the speaker, why should you conduct a simulated interview?
5. Which of the following is suggested when you address the interviewer on the phone? Keys: BCCAD
Task3: Do you know how to write a resume?
Your resume, or CV in British English, has one mission and one mission only: to get you a job interview. Your resume is usually the first impression an employer has of you. And as “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”, you?d better get it right firs time. Here?re some suggestions that may be of use in preparing a resume.
First, use a design that demands attention. Employers don?t have time to read through each of your job descriptions to know if you have the skills they need. The design of your resume must do it for them. Your resume should be concise, well-organized and relevant. It
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should emphasized the most important and relevant points about your experience, skills and education.
Second, put important information first. List important information at the beginning of your job descriptions. Put statements in your resume in order of importance and relevance to the job you want. A powerful statement with exact numbers influences every statement that follows.
Third, target the job. You will have more success if you adjust your resume and cover letter for the specific skills another job. In other words, you need to “re-package” yourself. In that way, an employer will see immediately that you correspond to the job description. It is not dishonest to “re-package”yourself. You are simply pressing yourself and your skills in the best light for a particular employer. This will help you to get more interviews and allow you to apply for a wider range o jobs.
Questions
1. Why doe s the speaker say the resume is important?
2. Which of the following will NOT be regarded as a feature of good resumes? 3. Where should you put the important information in your job descriptions according to the passage?
4. How many resumes would the speaker advise you to write if you applied for three jobs? 5. Which is the passage mainly about?
Keys: CAACB
Further listening:
Task 1: Tell me about yourself.
Script
M: Tell me a little about yourself. W: I?m from Guilin City.
M: What brought you to the east coast?
W: I came to Qingdao to attend college. I?m impressed by this city?s dynamic economy. I?ve come to love it so much that I?ve decided to stay and work here. M: What work experience do you?
W: I worked as an intern for a small shipping company. And my primary
responsibilities were to maintain the company?s ties with the existing customers and try to find new cargo sources.
M: And what did that experience teach you?
W: I learned that communication skills are extremely important. The knowledge I
acquired from textbooks is indeed, but it is equally essential to be able to persuade a potential client t to trust you.
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M: How would your former employer describe you?
W: He told me that my ability to find one customer after another was an asset to the company. He thanked me for my loyalty. He also appreciated my team as shown in my cooperation with my colleague.
M: You seem very mature for your age. And I see from your resume that you are very goal-oriented.
W: Thank you. I believe I?ve acquired many good qualities from my parents. They?re my role models. However, I know I still have a lot to learn.
The woman went from Guilin City to the east coast city of Qingdao to attend college. She was impressed by the latter?s dynamic economy. Now shi is being interviewed for a job. She says she once worked as an intern for a small shipping company to maintain the company?s ties with the existing customers and try to find new cargo sources. There she learned the importance of communication skills. She has realized that book knowledge is indeed necessary, but it is equally essential to persuade potential clients to trust her. Her former employer said her ability to find customers was an asset to the company. He appreciated the loyalty and team spirit. The interviewer finds her mature for her age and very goal-oriented. And she believes that she has acquired many good qualities form her parents, but still has a lot to learn.
Task 2: A Work Qualification Test
Script
Murphy applies for an engineering position at an Irish firm based in Dublin. An American applied for the same job. Quite by coincidence, the two amplifications, and were asked to take the same test by the manager of the Human Resource Department. Upon completion of the test, both men missed only one of the questions. The manager went to Murphy and said, “Thank you for your interest, but we?ve decided to give the American the job.”
Bewildered by the manager?s decision, Murphy asked, “Why would you be doing that? We both got nine questions correct. This being Ireland and me being Irish, I should get the job!”
The manger answered calmly, “We have made our decisions based on the correct answers, but on the question you missed.”
Unconvinced and somewhat indignant, Murphy question, “And just how would one incorrect answer be better than the other?”
The manager?s maser took him by surprise, “Simple, on QuestionNo.5, the American put down ?I don?t? know?, and you put down ?Neither do I?.”
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