5.4. Writing Enhancement

Hardworking, reliable people needed this summer for our International Working Holiday Camp picking fruit and vegetables

• Free accommodation

• Good pay

• Evening English course

Contact: Jane Fellion, Ripple Farm Organics, Crundale, Nr. Canterbury, England

1a

Conduct a stress interview. Your have to see whether this candidate answers the requirements of a job of a FBI agent. You have found some inconsistencies in her/his resume and suspect there are some points the candidate wants to conceal.

1b

You have applied for a job of a FBI agent and was invited to come to the interview. Sell yourself as the most appropriate candidate. You don’t think that your diploma in cross-cultural communication and one year work for the KGB should be a problem.

2a

You are a Human Resources Manager. You have decided to ask a pretty candidate to have a lunch interview as you want to see how she can handle herself. She has applied for a job of a translator/interpreter. If she does well invite her to a more extensive interview.

2b

You have applied for a job of a translator/interpreter in a big blue-chip company. You are to have a lunch interview and are eager to demonstrate that your knowledge and reasoning power can win others over.

3a

You are a Personnel Manager, and are interested in finding a new PR officer (the previous one is in hospital with an incurable nervous breakdown). Call one of the applicants pretending to check on the resume but make sure you eliminate poorly qualified candidates so that only a few are left for a personal interview.

3b

You have applied for a job of a PR officer as you think you are cut out for this job. You answer a telephone call to find out that the Personnel Manager wants to check on your resume. Make sure to honestly answer the questions and jump at a chance to show yourself in the best light.

4a

You are a member of the committee weeding out the candidates. You are to discuss their CVs and cover letters to put them on the short list. Give your arguments why you think some candidates look like potential assets to the company but some others are not worth wasting time on. Try to come to a consensus but be rather strict about your opinion.

4b

You are a member of the committee weeding out the candidates. You are to discuss their CVs and cover letters to put them on the short list. Give your arguments why you think some candidates look like potential assets to the company but some others are not worth wasting time on. Come to a consensus about who should be shortlisted.

5a

You are to carry out a job interview to see if the applicant for a Sales rep will fit in with the company. Break the ice and build a rapport before asking tough questions like:

‘What have you learned from your past work experiences?’; ‘What is the biggest dilemma you have ever faced?’, ‘Where would you like to be in 5 years time?’; ‘What can you do what no one else can do?’; ‘So sell me this product’

5b

You have been invited to have an interview for the position for a sales rep. You are well prepared to answer even the most difficult questions like:

What are your main strengths and weaknesses?’; ‘Give an example of how you have worked as part of a team’; ‘You haven’t been much of a success so far have you?’; ‘‘What has been your biggest achievement?’; ‘Why should we employ you?’; ‘What salary would you expect?’, etc.

7a

You are to carry out a job interview to see if the applicant for a Sales rep will fit in with the company. Break the ice and build a rapport before asking tough questions like:

When did you realize this would be your career?" "If you had to convince a friend or colleague to apply for this job, what might you tell them?" "Talk about a time when you had to overcome major obstacles.""If you had to convince a friend or colleague to apply for this job, what might you tell them?" Have you seen the company's new ad campaign?"

7b

While having this interview remember to put yourself in the employers’ shoes and think about what lies behind each line of questioning, e.g.

"Why did you get into this line of work?" "Where does this job fit into your career path?" "Say a coworker tells you that he submitted phony expense account receipts. Do you tell your boss?" Where do you think the company should be in ten years?" "What's your opinion of our new product?"

8 Speak about the structure of your company. Make sure to mention the following points about the company’s background:

• Type of ownership; Key area of business: main product, current activities, main markets

• Size, annual turnover, profitability; Location of headquarters, offices, plants, branches, franchises

• Company’s history in brief

• Organisational structure

• CEOs and middle managers

• Your job description

9 Look at the cartoon and find one (or two) which best correspond to your company organisational chart. Give your commentaries providing some background information, e.g.

• Type of ownership and key area of business

• The size and profitability

• Location of headquarters, offices, branches, etc.

• Company’s history in a nutshell

• Organisational structure

• CEOs’ and middle managers’ duties

• Your place in the company