3.6 Prospecting letter

1. Compile sentences using the following words. Don’t forget the word order in an English sentence.

1. My track record makes me an ideal candidate for the Geologist opportunity.

2. You are looking for someone with leadership, quantitative, analytical and communication skills.

3. I was given the opportunity to intern at Baker Hughes last summer.

4. I worked within the Well Drilling Group and assisted crew with problems arising during the drilling process.

5. I played an active role within the group and helped them to solve these issues.

6. My success within this group is related to the ability to work as part of team.

7. These attributes were essential to my contributions and success during my internship.

8. I can apply the same skills to a position within your company.

9. I look forward to discussing the position with you in more detail.

10. I hope my qualifications seem to be a match for the position.

11. I hope to schedule an interview at a mutually convenient time.

12. Thank you for your consideration.

PART II PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

Unit 1- POSTER PRESENTATION

I. LEAD-IN DISCUSSION

5. What exactly is a poster presentation?

A poster presentation advertises your project. It combines text and graphics to present your project in a way that is visually interesting and accessible. It allows you to display your work to a large group of other scholars and to talk to and receive feedback from interested viewers.

Poster sessions have been very common in the hard sciences for some time, and they have recently become more popular as forums for the presentation of research in other disciplines like the social sciences, service learning, and the humanities.

2. What exactly is the "presentation" part of a poster presentation?

When you are standing in front of your poster, you—and what you choose to say—are as important as the actual poster. Be ready to talk about your project, answer viewers’ questions, provide additional details about your project, and so on.

3. What will the people viewing my poster be expecting from it?

A Symposium draws a varied audience from across the university and the surrounding community. In general, your audience members will fall into one of two groups:

1. Scholars and students from your general area

These people will be familiar with the basic concepts you’re working with, field-specific terminology, and the main debates facing your field and informing your research. However, don’t assume that they are familiar with all of the technical details you address in your project; remember that even within a specific field of study, there are lots of sub-fields. This audience will probably be most interested in clear, specific accounts of the what and the how of your project.

2. Scholars, students, and community members who are not familiar with your area of study

These people may have a very basic understanding of your field, but they probably won’t be familiar with terms or with the specific debates that are current in your field. They’ll especially need you to avoid over-technical terms and jargon. This audience will be less interested in specific details and more interested in the what and why of your project—that is, your broader motivations for the project and its impact on their own lives. This audience gives you an opportunity to teach them about the interesting information you’ve been learning and to convince them that the kind of work you are doing can—eventually, perhaps—change the world!

As you can see, different audience members will be looking for different kinds of information. It’s your job to provide enough specific information to satisfy people from your general area, yet also provide enough general information to interest those outside of it. Talk with your mentor about how to balance the needs of these two audiences.

TASKS

1. Constructing a poster

• What goals should I keep in mind as I construct my poster?

1. Clarity of content. You will need to decide on a small number of key points that you want your viewers to take away from your presentation, and you will need to articulate those ideas clearly and concisely.

2. Visual interest and accessibility. You want viewers to notice and take interest in your poster so that they will pause to learn more about your project, and you will need the poster’s design to present your research in a way that is easy for those viewers to make sense of it.

• How much information can I include on my poster?

One of the biggest pitfalls of poster presentations is filling your poster with so much text that it overwhelms your viewers and makes it difficult for them to tell which points are the most important. Viewers should be able to skim the poster from several feet away and easily make out the most significant points.

The point of a poster is not to list every detail of your project. Rather, it should explain the value of your research project. To do this effectively, you will need to determine your take-home message. What is the single most important thing you want your audience to understand, believe, accept, or do after they see your poster?

Once you have an idea about what that take-home message is, support it by adding some details about what you did as part of your research, how you did it, why you did it, and what it contributes to your field and the larger field of human knowledge.

• What kind of information should I include about what (how, why) I did?

• In the hard sciences, the what of a project is often divided into its hypothesis and its data or results. In other disciplines, the what is made up of a claim or thesis statement and the evidence used to back it up.

• Include information about the process you followed as you conducted your project (how)

• Give your audience an idea about your motivation for this project. What real-world problems or questions prompted you to undertake this project? What field-specific issues or debates influenced your thinking? What information is essential for your audience to be able to understand your project and its significance? In some disciplines, this information appears in the background or rationale section of a paper.

• How will the wording of my ideas on my poster be different from my research paper?

In general, you will need to simplify your wording. Long, complex sentences are difficult for viewers to absorb and may cause them to move on to the next poster. Poster verbiage must be concise, precise, and straightforward. And it must avoid jargon.

• Once I have decided what to include, how do I actually design my poster?

The effectiveness of your poster depends on how quickly and easily your audience can read and interpret it, so it's best to make your poster visually striking. You only have a few seconds to grab attention as people wander past your poster; make the most of those seconds

• How should I lay out my poster?

In general, people expect information to flow left-to-right and top-to-bottom. Viewers are best able to absorb information from a poster with several columns that progress from left to right.

Even within these columns, however, there are certain places where viewers’ eyes naturally fall first and where they expect to find information.

• How much space should I devote to each section?

This will depend on the specifics of your project. In general, remember that how much space you devote to each idea suggests how important that section is. Make sure that you allot the most space to your most important points.

• How much white space should I leave on my poster?

White space is helpful to your viewers; it delineates different sections, leads the eye from one point to the next, and keeps the poster from being visually overwhelming. In general, leave 10–30% of your poster as white space.

• Should I use graphics?

Visual aids are one of the most effective ways to make your poster visually striking, and they are often a great way to communicate complex information straightforwardly and succinctly. If your project deals with lots of empirical data, your best bet will be a chart, graph, or table summarizing that data and illustrating how that data confirms your hypothesis.

If you don’t have empirical data, you may be able to incorporate photographs, illustrations, annotations, or other items that will pique your viewers’ interest, communicate your motivation, demonstrate why your project is particularly interesting or unique.

Don’t incorporate visual aids just for the sake of having a pretty picture on your poster. The visual aids should contribute to your overall message and convey some piece of information that your viewers wouldn’t otherwise get just from reading your poster’s text.

• How can I make sure that my poster is easy to read?

There are a number of tricks you can use to aid readability and emphasize crucial ideas. In general:

• Use a large font. Don’t make the text smaller in order to fit more onto the poster. Make sure that 95% of the text on your poster can be read from 4 feet away. If viewers can’t make out the text from a distance, they’re likely to walk away.

• Choose a sans-serif font like Helvetica or Verdana, not a serif font, like Times New Roman. Sans-serif fonts are easier to read because they don’t have extraneous hooks on every letter. Here is an example of a sans-serif and a serif font:

• Once you have chosen a font, be consistent in its usage. Use just one font.

• Don’t single-space your text. Use 1.5- or double-spacing to make the text easier to read.

For main points:

• Use bold, italicized, or colored fonts, or enclose text in boxes. Save this kind of emphasis for only a few key words, phrases, or sentences. Too much emphasized text makes it harder, not easier, to locate important points.

• AVOID USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, WHICH CAN BE HARD TO READ.

• Make your main points easy to find by setting them off with bullets or numbers.

• How should I prepare for my presentation?

You should re-familiarize yourself with the larger project you’re presenting. Remind yourself about those details you ended up having to leave out of the poster, so that you will be able to bring them up in discussions with viewers. Then, practice, practice, practice!

Prepare a four- to five-minute overview of the project, where you walk these pre-viewers through the poster, drawing their attention to the most critical points and filling in interesting details as needed. Make note of the kinds of questions these pre-viewers have, and be ready to answer those questions. You might even consider making a supplemental handout that provides additional information or answers predictable questions.

• Should I read from my poster?

No! Make sure you are familiar enough with your poster that you can talk about it without looking at it. Use the poster as a visual aid, pointing to it when you need to draw viewers’ attention to a chart, photograph, or particularly interesting point.

2. Imagine your poster with an upside-down triangle centered from the top to the bottom. Discuss the following questions.

1. Main Focus Area Location of research fundamentals: Title, Abstract, Results, Conclusion

2. Secondary Emphasis Location of important info: Intro, Results, Summary

3. Supporting Area Location of supporting info: Methods, Discussion

4. Final Info Area Location of supplemental info: References, Acknowledgments, Personal information

UNIT 2 – TELEPHONING

I. LEAD-IN DISCUSSION

The following tests can also be used at the classes, as 30-second exercise at the beginning of each class.

TEST 1

Look at these three lines for 30 seconds. Pick out what student will remember what box. Then write down what was in them. One, two, three…….. Remember 30 seconds.

1. A unique collection of complicated memory activities.

2. 432881096377

3. G Y B V W W B Y G V

TEST 2

Write down a sequence of ten letters / numbers. During this activity say things only once-do not repeat them! Whisper your sequence to another student of the opposite group, who whispers it to another student and so on. The last student in this group writes down what he / she has heard. The last student then says the sequence aloud. DID AN ACCURATE MESSAGE GET THROUGH?

Does this happen when you talk on the phone?

When you answer a phone for someone else, do you offer to take a message?

If you take a message, do you write it down?

If you write it down, do you check spelling and numbers?

EXERCISES

Ex. 1 – Possible variants

Ex. 2

1. G	6. A
2. F	7. B
3. C	8. D
4. J	9. F
5. H	10. I

Ex.3

A – 1; B – 5; C – 6; D – 2; E – 7; F – 1; G – 4

Ex 4. Possible variants

Ex. 5

1. Two- business and residential

2. Yes, six other PhoneDiscs

3. No, it’s on five regional discs

4. It can be searched by name, address, phone number, area code and SIC code.

Ex. 6. Read the text about British Telecom’s Chargecard. Read the statements. Circle T (TRUE) and F (FALSE).

1. T

2. F - No need to be embarrassed about asking to use someone else’s phone for free.

3. F - It actually costs LESS to dial direct from a BT public phone using a BT Chargecard, than to pay cash.

4. F - You can use your BT Chargecard to phone home from more than 120 countries.

5. T

6. T

7. F - You’ll have the option of limiting the BT Chargecard calling to your home number only!

Ex. 7 – Possible variants

Ex. 8 – Possible variants

Ex. 9

1. d	6. a
2. e	7. i
3. b	8. h
4. j	9. g
5. f	10. c

Ex. 10

1. a	6. c
2. a	7. a
3. b	8. c
4. b	9. b
5. c	10. b
	11. a

Ex. 11

1. dialled	6. stand
2. extension	7. checked
3. troubled	8. confirm
4. pager	9. problems
5. directory	10. appointment

DISCUSSION: Telephone call activity

Telephone call 1

Eric is a customer. He did not identify himself at all throughout the conversation. He spoke at a very fast rate and used an exaggerated exclamation: «Wow”. He did not make much used of politeness strategies in his call. In other words, this telephone call departs from the basic principles of politeness and of self-identification normally given in business textbooks.

Telephone call 2

In this second call, Eric identified himself at he second turn. He used an appropriate opening remark to ask for the person being called. He repeated the information given to him by the other party (lines 02 and 06). In the closing, he thanked the other party twice and said Bye-bye to close the conversation. In this case, Eric is conducting the so-called a client call.

Telephone call 3

This call followed the standard structure of a business call. Eric used a polite greeting phrase to open the channel. When Carrie answered the phone, he immediately identified himself and stated the purpose of his call. Then he explained the procedure of their visit and what he was going to do to help the client. This telephone conversation is more elaborate.

All three of these are business calls, but they differ in the degree of business contact. In the first call, there is no established business contact. It is an initial business call, or what is called a one-time only call. It is brief, and sounds a bit rude.

The second call is to an established business contact, a client. It is more polite.

The third one is to a client who has already bought their service. This is a potential long-term business contact.

These three calls differ in the opening, the self-identification and the elaboration of details. With a one-time-only call, the caller did not identify himself. He used “Hello”, “May I ask” to open the channel. With an established business contact, the caller used “Hello”, “Good morning” and then “May I ask” to open the conversation. He then stated his name, and company to identify himself. The caller switched between the two codes of Cantonese (local language in Hong Kong) and English. All three calls ended with “OK’, “Thanks” and “Bye” as the closing remarks.

UNIT 3 – INTERVIEWING

I.LEAD-IN DISCUSSION

http://www.superjob.ru\test

Здесь вы сможете пройти тесты, которые помогут вам лучше понять себя и окружающих. Эти тесты не претендуют на полноту. К некоторым нужно относиться с юмором. Надеемся, те психологические тесты, которые здесь найдете вы здесь, вам понравятся.

Оценка уровня общительности

Дает возможность определить уровень коммуникабельности человека. Отвечать на вопросы следует используя три варианта ответов- «да», «иногда», и «нет».

Определение уровня самостоятельности

Поможет определить, насколько вы способны взять на себя ответственные решения. Есть люди настолько нерешительные, что пытаются свои проблемы свалить на других. Надеемся, что Вы не принадлежите к их числу……….

Определение степени мотивации к успеху

Пройди тест, Вы сможете определить, упорны ли Вы в достижении своих целей, готовы ли к преодолению любых препятствий.

Определение Вашего стиля работы

Не все из неодинаково подходят к принятию решения. Если одни действует без долгих раздумий, как говорится, рубят с плеча, то другие руководствуются правилом «семь раз отмерь - один отрежь». Что лучше? Видимо, должна быть «золотая середина», но как ее найти? А что вы можете в этой связи сказать о себе? Является ли решительность сильной стороной вашего характера? Скоропалительны ли ваши решения? Или, наоборот, вы решительны?

Что говорят вам мимика и жесты

Часто невербальное общение может рассказать Вам больше чем приятный разговор. Определите, обладаете ли Вы интуицией, умеет ли интерпретировать мимику и жесты.

Время суток и ваша наибольшая работоспособность

Люди делятся на тех, кто предпочитает для работы и других занятий утренние часы, и тех, кому больше подходят вечерние. Несложный тест позволит вам определить свою принадлежность к одной из этих категорий.

II. The Interview Success Plan

Step 1 The Job 

Each job announcement or job advertisement may include any combination of a description of the job, job applicant qualifications and desired qualities.  The description, qualifications and desired qualities are the keys to preparing for the interview

Step 2  Potential Interview Questions (www.job-interview.net)

Step 3   Interview Answers

The interview focuses on "what you say" and "how you say it".  In this step, we focus on "what to say".

As you know, there are many different types of interviews and interview questions.   Let's keep it simple.  You're going to be asked about:

• What you know - about your work experience, education, training, goals, character, personal qualities, the job that you're seeking, the company that you're interviewing for, and the knowledges required to perform the job that you're seeking.

• Identify a problem or issue - given a situation, find the problem or issue.  The question may focus on a situation that you've handled in the past or how you would handle a hypothetical situation.

• Identify a solution - given the problem or issue, how do you proceed?  The question may focus on a problem or issue that you've handled in the past or how you would proceed in a hypothetical situation.

Step 4   Inappropriate Questions

Here are examples of inappropriate topics and questions: 1. Age:  What’s your age?

1. Childcare:  Do you have after school care?

2. Conditions of work:  Does your family approve of your travel?

3. Criminal Record: When was the last time you were arrested?

4. Ethnic origin of last name:  Is your last name Japanese?

5. Gender:  Are you female?

6. Language:  Do you speak English at home?

7. Marital Status:  Are you divorced?

8. Name/Title:  Is that Ms. or Mrs.?

9. National origin:  Are you Chinese or Japanese?

10. Race:  What race are you?

11. Relatives:  Is your husband employed?

12. Religion: Are you Catholic?

13. Residence:  How can you handle the long commute?

14. Sexual preference:  Are you gay

Step 5   Interview Day Preparation

• you should be ready by the day before the interview.  For most people, we recommend completing your preparation the day before the interview.

• Get your rest.

• Don’t get distracted or excited by little things, don’t schedule meetings over controversial issues, or do anything that might break your concentration.

• Taking into account the time of your interview and traffic, go early to find parking and make sure that you have money for parking meters.

• Dress appropriately.  If you're applying for a job where you haven't worked before, visit the offices of facilities.  See what other employees in positions similar to the one that you're seeking are wearing.  Dress at least at that level or higher.  Don't visit on a Friday, you may find yourself dressing for casual Friday.

• Be early.  If the interviewers are ahead of schedule, they'll appreciate the opportunity to get an early start.

S tep 6   Interview Game Plan TASK 8

Don’t smoke, chew gum, tobacco, or anything else.

Make a positive and professional first impression by being assertive and giving a firm handshake to each interviewer and addressing each interviewer as they are introduced.

Reinforce your professionalism and your ability to communicate effectively by speaking clearly and avoiding "uhs", "you knows", and slang.

Use appropriate wording. You won’t receive extra points for every word that has more than 10 letters. Use technical terms only when appropriate to the question

U se positive words.  Instead of "if", "I think", "I feel" and "I wish" use "when", "I am" and "I would"

E stablish rapport by relating to each interviewer. Note the wording that is used by each interviewer and when appropriate use similar words. Maintain eye contact with each of the interviewers throughout the interview.

Sit comfortably. Sit erectly, but don’t sit stiffly or sprawl over the chair.

Project confidence and a positive attitude.  Maintain awareness of your voice, posture, energy level, and enthusiasm. Make hand gestures to emphasize important points, but avoid distracting gestures or making too many hand gestures.

Smile confidently, but not to the point where you would appear to be too casual.  Smiling will also help you relax and establish a rapport with the interviewers.

Emphasize your strengths and qualifications that make a compelling reason that you are the ideal person for the job.

D on’t dominate the interview.  Time does not equal quality.

Manage weaknesses or barriers so that they appear to be indications of your strengths.

Be attentive. Listen to each question carefully and don’t interrupt.  If you aren't sure of what is being asked, politely request that the question be repeated.

C lose the interview with a strong closing statement of your qualifications for the job.

T hank the interviewers.  Shake their hands individually and thank each interviewer by name.

Step 7   Interview Wrap

• Write down the questions.

• Review your responses. What would you have worded or answered differently?  Why would you have answered differently?  And what would be a more appropriate answer?

• Review your own behavior during the interview.  Did you fidget?  Use any "uh's" or "you know's"?  Did you smile?  Did you use hand gestures to emphasize important points?

• Did you establish a rapport with the interviewers?  How did they act during the interview?