Role Plays: Job Interviews
Lessons Objectives: To improve students spoken English and communication skills. Review and use what has been learned in previous lessons (direct/indirect speech, clarification, intent, body language etc.)
Activity: Begin with guided class discussion about job interviews, then the students will work in small groups to prepare and perform a role play of a panel interview as practice for their group assignment and presentation.
Class Discussion – General Job Interview Advice: Before your interview find out everything you can about the company (for example read their annual report), read through your application form again, thinking about the questions they might ask you. You should also prepare some questions to ask them. To do well at the interview you will need to convince the interviewer you are qualified to do the job. You will also need to show that you are sufficiently motivated to get the job done well and that you will fit in with the company and the team in which you will work.
You should dress smartly for the interview and should leave home earlier than you need to on the day of the interview – you may be delayed by traffic or for other reasons. Be polite to all employees of the company. At the interview itself you must be positive about yourself and your abilities – but do not waffle.
Questions you may want to ask an interviewer: The interview is a two-way process. The company interviewing you will want to find out whether you are suitable for the position and you will want to find out if the company and position are right for you. You should therefore ensure that you have enough information to make up your mind whether you want the job. For example:• What will be my responsibilities? • Where will I fit into the overall organisational structure?
• Who will I report to? • Where does he/she fit in the structure? • Who will report to me? How experienced are they? • What do you expect me to do in the first 6 months? • What level of performance do you expect from me? • Who are your customers? • Where is the company going? Upwards? Expansion plans? • What are the chances of advancement/promotion in this position? When? • What will be my salary, benefits and bonuses? • Will travelling be required in this position? • Will relocation be required now or in the future? • What training do you provide? • When will you decide on the appointment? • What is the next step?Group interview tests: Group tests are used by an employer to see how you react in a group. They will want to see if you help or hinder the group reach its objectives. An observer will be watching to see how you take criticism, whether you take on leadership roles and involve less communicative group members. If you chair the meeting the observer will be checking on how you plan and keep control of the meeting. If you are leading a group activity the observer will be interested in seeing how good you are at delegating tasks and how much of the work you keep for yourself.
Panel interviews: Most people hate these sort of interviews. To do well you will need to identify the important figures on the panel and which role each person has. The chairperson is easy to identify as they will generally make the introductions. You will also need to identify the person whom you will be working for directly – make sure you give them plenty of eye contact.
When you are talking to the panel, remember that you are talking to all of them and not just the person who posed a particular question – your answer has to be the correct one for each panel member! If there is one particular panel member who everyone else seems to agree with, you should make sure you impress him or her.
Job interview body language: When you are being interviewed it is very important that you give out the right signals. You should always look interested – so do not slouch in your chair. Never lie to anyone in an interview, your body language and tone of voice or the words you use will probably give you away – classic body language giveaways include scratching your nose and not looking directly at the other person when you are speaking to them.Factors that can stop you getting the job:• Being unprepared for the interview. • Poor/limp handshake. • Saying unfavourable things about previous employers. • Not being able to communicate clearly and effectively. • Being aggressive or acting in a superior way. • Making excuses for failings.
Interview questions you may be asked: Before attending an interview you should think about your responses to the following questions. Your answers may depend on the job or company in question, so you should go through your responses just before each interview.• Why do you want this job? Think carefully about this question. Talk about the positive aspects which have attracted you to applying for this position. Do not mention the negative aspects of your current job or the job in question.• What qualities do you think will be required for this job? Their advertisement for the job may help you a little bit, but you should also think of the other qualities that may be required. These may include leadership ability, supervisory skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, problem solving, analytical skills, etc.• Why do you want to work for this company? Emphasise the positive reasons why you want to join their company, but avoid aspects such as more money or shorter hours.• What do you know about this company? This is your chance to impress the interviewer with your knowledge of their company. Give them a run down of their products or services, sales figures, news, company figures, customers, etc.
• What interests you about our products (or service)? Again, your research into the company should aid you in answering this question.• What can we (the new company) offer that your previous company cannot offer? Do not mention money. Talk about opportunities for personal growth, new challenges, etc.• You have not done this sort of job before. How will you cope/succeed? Say that you are the sort of person who aims to succeed at everything you do and that you are very determined and will do whatever it takes to get the job done.• Why should we employ you? The answer to this question will be based on your previous experience and achievements which relate to the company. At the end you could add that you think there is a good fit between you and the job, and do ask the interviewer for their opinion.• How ambitious are you? Depending on the position you are applying for you may want to sound fairly ambitious, but do not look as if you are after the interviewer’s position.• What do you like and dislike about the job we are discussing? Likes: stress things such as a new challenge or the opportunity to bring fresh experience to the company. Dislikes: Imply there is nothing to dislike about the job, which is why you are so interested.• Do you prefer to work in a small, medium or large company? Remember where you are! If the company interviewing you is a small to medium sized company say that you enjoy a close atmosphere with a good team spirit. At a large company say that you enjoy the stability of working for a large and established company.• Are you considering any other positions at the moment? If you are considering other jobs, say yes, but do not give too many details away – it will weaken your negotiating position later. If you do not have any other job offers at the moment just say that you are looking.• How would you describe yourself? (OR… How would others describe you?) Pick your best attributes and achievements from your career, education etc.• What was your greatest success? How did you achieve it? You should pick an achievement which is related to their needs.• How do you handle criticism? Your answer should be along the following lines: “I always think that it is important to get feedback on how I am performing so that I can improve any areas which my manager/supervisor highlights. Do you have regular staff appraisals and a staff development plan?”• Do you work well with others? Or are you a loner? Some jobs mean that you have to work very closely with other people whilst other jobs mean that you are largely working on your own, so you need to say that you are happy in both situations.• What motivates you? Our suggestions are career growth, opportunity to learn new skills, good co-workers, etc.• Do you know how to motivate other people? Hopefully you can say “Yes”, and say that you have to find out what motivates a person and give them recognition for a job well done. You should always give them encouragement and help them when required.• Are you competitive? Your answer depend on the sort of job you are doing. If you will be working as part of a team you will need to show that you can work in the best interests of the team and not just for your own benefit.• Can you work under pressure? You need to say that you can. You could ask how much pressure the job involves.• How many hours are you prepared to work? You would be prepared to work the necessary hours to get the job done on time.• Do you mind working for someone older than yourself? Younger than you? Of the opposite sex? Here you can say that you are prepared to work with anyone• What interests do you have outside work? Your hobbies and interests can tell an employer a lot about you, including whether you are sociable, and whether you can take on ‘leadership’ roles. So you should think about which interests will paint the right picture of you given the position you are discussing.• Are you too young for this job? “No, I do not think so!” is the answer you should give and then state the reason why you are not too young. If you have a lot of experience gained in a short time, say so.…no action is too little to make a difference and turn a person’s life around.Individual chapters in this book provide different perspectives on the nutrition problems in the United States: what are the economic costs associated with unhealthy eating patterns; how do dietary patterns compare with dietary recommendations; how do national income and prices, advertising, health claims, and trends in eating away from home affect nutrient intake; how much do people know about nutrition and how does nutrition knowledge and attitudes affect intake of fats and cholesterol; how do different government programs and regulations influence food expenditures and consumption; what are some public and private efforts to improve healthy eating; and what are potential impacts of healthier eating on domestic agriculture. Keywords: diet, nutrition, health, eating patterns, nutrition education, dietary guidelines, food guide pyramid, Healty Eating IndexGood nutrition and a balanced diet will help your child grow up healthy. Whether your kid is a toddler or a teen, you can take steps to improve nutrition and encourage smart eating habits. Five of the best strategies are:1. Have regular family meals. 2. Serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks. 3. Be a role model by eating healthy yourself. 4. Avoid battles over food. 5. Involve kids in the process. But it’s not easy to take these steps when everyone is juggling busy schedules and convenience food, such as fast food, is so readily available. Here are some suggestions to help you incorporate all five strategies into your routine:Family MealsFamily meals are a comforting ritual for both parents and kids. Children like the predictability of family meals and parents get a chance to catch up with their kids. Kids who take part in regular family meals are also:• more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and grains • less likely to snack on unhealthy foods • less likely to smoke, use marijuana, or drink alcohol In addition, family meals offer the chance to introduce your child to new foods and find out which foods your child likes and which ones he or she doesn’t.Teens may turn up their noses at the prospect of a family meal – not surprising because they’re trying to establish independence. Yet studies find that teens still want their parents’ advice and counsel, so use mealtime as a chance to reconnect. Also, consider trying these strategies: • Allow your teen to invite a friend to dinner. • Involve your teen in meal planning and preparation. • Keep mealtime calm and congenial – no lectures or arguing. What counts as a family meal? Any time you and your family eat together – whether it’s takeout food or a home-cooked meal with all the trimmings. Strive for nutritious food and a time when everyone can be there. This may mean eating dinner a little later to accommodate a child who’s at sports practice. It can also mean setting aside time on the weekends, such as Sunday brunch, when it may be more convenient to gather as a group.Stocking Up on Healthy FoodsKids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what’s available at home. That’s why it’s important to control the supply lines – the foods that you serve for meals and have on hand for snacks. Follow these basic guidelines:• Work fruits and vegetables into the daily routine, aiming for the goal of 5 servings a day. • Make it easy for your child to choose healthy snacks by keeping fruits and vegetables on hand and ready to eat. Other good snacks include yogurt, peanut butter and celery, or whole-grain crackers and cheese. • Serve lean meats and other good sources of protein, such as eggs and nuts. • Choose whole-grain breads and cereals so your child gets more fiber. • Limit fat intake by avoiding deep-fried foods and choosing healthier cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming. • Limit fast food and other low-nutrient snacks, such as chips and candy. But don’t completely ban favorite snacks from your home. Instead, make them “once-in-a-while” foods, so your child doesn’t feel deprived. • Limit sugary drinks, such as soda and fruit-flavored drinks. Serve water and milk instead.appetizer chef chives chowder comes with dressing entree menu salmon well-done
Waitress: Good evening, are you ready to order, or do you need a little more time?
Tim: Yes, I’m ready to order.
Waitress: Did you notice on our that we have two seafood specials tonight. One is poached and the other is grilled shark.
Tim: That sounds really good, but I think I am going to start with the shrimp cocktail . And as for my , I think I’ll have the New York steak.
Waitress: And, how would you like that steak?
Tim: I’d like that . I don’t like it when the meat is even a little pink.
Waitress: I’ll make sure the prepares it just the way you like it. The New York steak mashed potatoes, a baked potato, or steak fries.
Tim: I’ll take the baked potato.
Waitress: Would you like sour cream and on that?
Tim: I’ll have sour cream.
Waitress: Your meal also includes a choice of soup or salad.
Tim: What is the soup today?
Waitress: Clam or chicken vegetable.
Tim: I think I’ll have the salad instead.
Waitress: What kind of would you like?
Tim: Blue cheese.
******************Changing Jobs competitive dedicated downsize get rid of outdated retrain streamline update was bought out was laid off
Barbara: Did you hear Lars lost his job?
Tim: Really, he has been working for that advertising agency for almost five years. He was such a employee – I can’t believe he was fired!
Barbara: He wasn’t fired, he . Terra Advertising by some internet marketing firm from the East Coast.
Tim: That’s terrible! Why didn’t the new company keep him. I’m sure they could use someone with his skills.
Barbara: Lars said the new company needs to .
Tim: Why?
Barbara: They need to reduce the number of employees they have if they want to remain .
Tim: Why did they Lars? He’s great at what he does.
Barbara: They hired a specialist to come in and help the company. Lars is creative and very respected in the advertising industry, but his skills have become . He can’t use a computer and he doesn’t know anything about the internet. He is no help to an internet marketing firm.
Tim: He needs to go back to school and . The career center downtown offers free classes to people who need to their skills and training.
Barbara: Why don’t you suggest that to him.
Entertaining FilmsVocabulary in Conversation
alternative artsy entertaining hilarious intense light mainstream superficial suspenseful thought provoking
Christine: What did you think of the movie? Did you like it?
Sarah: Not really, it was a little too for me. It seemed like the director was trying so hard to impress us with strange close-ups and avant-garde dialogue that he forgot to include a story. I thought it was really boring.
Christine: I thought the movie was really . I love it when a movie makes you think. It’s a nice change from the dialogue and two-dimensional characters you usually see in films these days.
Sarah: I don’t really care for films. They are so dark and depressing. The characters are always so . Why does a movie have to be sad to be deep?
Christine: Yeah, I know what you mean, but cinema is nothing but gun fights and exploding cars. I get so sick of movies like that. I prefer movies with substance.
Sarah: But sometimes you don’t want to think; sometimes you just want a movie. Like that comedy movie with Billy Crystal – that was so . I laughed so hard that I cried.
Christine: Movies have to be more than to me.
Sarah: Did you see that new mystery movie that came out last month? That was so . I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Christine: I loved that movie. The plot was great, and the acting was incredible. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were nominated for an Academy Award.
Sarah: Well, at least we agree on something. I guess we’ll have to stick to mysteries in the future.
Santa Fe, New MexicoVocabulary in Conversation
carved crafts devoted inhabited locals Native American reservation synonymous to resemble tribes
Barbara: I heard you just got back from a weekend trip to Santa Fe. I have been thinking of going there. How did you like it?
Lars: Santa Fe is one of the nicest towns I have been to in the U.S. – I had no idea there was so much to see there! And I love the southwestern look; all the buildings are built the adobe architecture of the Pueblo Indians.
Barbara: Wow, that sounds beautiful! Did you get a chance to meet some of the while you were there?
Lars: Yeah, I went to the Indian market in town to shop for some arts and . While I was there, I met a fascinating old woman from a pueblo just outside the city. She was selling beautiful stone jewelry which she had herself. She really was an amazing artist. We talked for over an hour, and she told me all about her life on the .
Barbara: Were there many Indian people in Santa Fe?
Lars: There are a lot of people in New Mexico – especially in Santa Fe. Most of the people at the market were Indian, and they represented several different from all over the state: Pueblo Indians, Zuni, Ute, Apache, and even some Navajo and Hopi from Arizona. I also drove to the Taos Pueblo, which is about an hour north of Santa Fe. Did you know that Taos is one of the oldest towns in America? The pueblo has been continuously for almost a thousand years.
Barbara: I had no idea that there were any towns that old in the U.S.
Lars: I didn’t either. Santa Fe and the surrounding area have so much to offer culturally as well as artistically. There’s a beautiful cathedral which was built in 1886 and several world-class museums. I could easily have spent another week or two there sightseeing.
Barbara: Did you visit any of the museums?
Lars: I visited one museum which was to the artwork of Georgia O’Keeffe. I had seen some of her paintings before in Europe and I knew her name was with New Mexico.
Barbara: Wow… pueblos, Indian markets, old churches, art galleries, Georgia O’Keeffe … I think I need to take a trip to Santa Fe**TelecommunicationsVocabularya carrier N. a company which provides telephone servicecompetition competitive N. This is when several companies in an industry sell the same product or service resulting in lower prices and better customer support.
Adj. having competition; having many companies selling the same product or servicederegulation N. the act of taking a government controlled industry and opening it up to private companies for the purpose of introducing competitiona fee N. a small charge for a professional service; a small charge for admission to a place or eventto hook up V. to make the electrical connections required for a machine or information serviceto install V. to put in or add a piece of equipment or hardware V. to put a new computer program on a computera monopoly N. This is when one company (or the government) has control over an industry and does not allow competition.to place a call (to place calls) V. to make a telephone callthe suburbs N. an area outside a city where people live rather than worktelecommunications N. the industry and science of sending and receiving messages with a telephone (or other electronic devices)