Il contest tematico dedicato all'English World per gli studenti delle scuole superiori di tutta Italia.
Categoria:
Educational
Adatto a:
Studenti delle Scuole
Inizio: 17/01/2022 Fine: 30/04/2022
Do you consider a CV an important tool for finding a job?
What does it take to write a good CV?
What are the most important parts of a CV in your opinion?
What's the first thing a hiring manager looks for in a CV?
The primary function of a Curriculum Vitae, or CV, is not to obtain a job, but to get an interview. Not everyone knows, however, that in today's competitive marketplace, even a good CV is not enough. It has to be outstanding. A CV must be an effective sales and marketing tool that whets the appetite of a potential employer.
It must be clear and concise and certain buzz words should be used.Yet certain facts and figures must be kept in mind when preparing a CV. For example, Hiring Managers often receive more than 100 CVs a day for each position available and therefore spend only an average of 20 seconds "skimming" each one, but most say they decide whether to read it within the first 5 seconds.
Sometimes, they receive as many as 1,000 CVs for a single position advertised in the classified section of a major newspaper or posted on one of the most popular job sites like Monster.com. In most large companies, Hiring Managers scan CVs into a computerised tracking system, which often eliminates as many as 90% of the CVs.
Supervisors hiring people have deadlines, get pressure from all directions, and have to organise participation of other busy people and as a result, they don't have very much time and often overlook some bright and talented people. But this process is about numbers, odds, and being able to defend a decision later, not about individual merit.
Standing out is what counts when it comes to CVs. Many worthy candidates are overlooked by computerised databases because their CVs were not written with the proper key words. The better the CV, the more interviews will be obtained and the shorter the period in which one is unemployed will be.
Most people seriously undersell themselves and end up earning much less than they should because they do not write a CV that properly represents their skills, experience, and special talents. One must also bear in mind that a simple spelling error could ruin the chances of getting a job.
GLOSSARIO:
even - persino
be outstanding - spiccare
effective - efficace
tool - strumento
whets - stimola
buzz words - parole chiavi
skimming - leggendo rapidamente
advertised - pubblicizzata
posted - affissa
tracking system - sistema di selezione
deadlines - scadenze
overlook - trascurano
odds - probabilità
standing out - distinguersi
worthy - validi
end up earning - finiscono col guadagnare
properly - correttamente
Using English to greet people for the first time adds to the stress of meeting people for the first time. You’re obviously going to be nervous and you always want to make a good impression. It doesn’t matter whether you’re meeting a potential client, new employer or colleague. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s at a job interview, a conference or your first day at work. Even when you’re speaking your native language, these first encounters can be stressful. The key to succeeding is confidence.
The first secret to giving great business English greetings is preparation. There’s a saying “stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready.” Here are three things you should do all the time;
1. Learn All the Right Words
Try to learn as much English vocabulary as you can to describe you, your job and your company. You can always check Google for synonyms and meanings.
2. Perfect Your Pronunciation
You can always check the pronunciation of a particular word by typing it in to www.forvo.com. The easiest way to learn the best possible pronunciation is to, of course, learn from native speakers. You can start by watching some business English videos online, paying attention to the way words are spoken..
3. Keep Practicing and Improving
Find a friend
Sure, you can always practice by yourself by making a recording or by talking to yourself in the bathroom mirror but it’s even better to role-play with a partner.
Build your social skills
Pay attention to body language. Even if you’re scared, you still want to give the impression of having confidence:
Dress appropriately. Most companies have a dress code and they expect you to adhere to it.
Be a good listener and keep an eye on body language—both yours and that of the person you’re speaking to.
Make eye contact. It shows that you’re engaged in the conversation.
If you make a mistake, don’t be afraid to apologise right away.
Above all, be humble and be polite.
So, how do you go about speaking more formally for your business greetings?
1. Always start with “hello” and the person’s name.
We don’t use “hey” or “hi” in formal English these are more casual.
You: Hello, Mr. Brown
Mr. Brown: Hello.
You: How are you?
Mr. Brown: I’m fine thanks.
For a business greeting, you could also use “good morning, “good afternoon” or “good evening” depending on the time of day. “Good night” is only used while saying goodbye at night.
You: Good morning, Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown: Good morning, Mr. Jones.
You: How do you do..
Mr. Brown: How do you do.
You can either stop at “hello,” or go on to introduce yourself fully if you need to provide more information about yourself:
You: Hello. I’m Mr. Jones, your new Project Coordinator.
If you don’t know their name, you can say:
You: Hello. I’m Mr. Jones, your new Project Coordinator. I don’t believe we’ve met yet.
This will prompt the other person to give you their name or tell you about themselves.
Sometimes, the “hello” may be followed by a “how are you?” or “how do you do?”, especially when you’re talking to Americans. In such cases, it’s always best to reply politely and positively like this.
You: Good evening, Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown: Good evening. How are you?
You: I’m fine, thank you. How are you?
You must not say “what’s up?”, “Yo!” or “how y’all doin’?”. That’s a no-no. These phrases are so casual that they create a bad impression. However, feel free to shake hands with the person who you’re meeting.
2. Keep it brief and positive
Once the initial greetings are done, you may be asked to introduce yourself to a group or to another person in particular. Don’t go into your life story or summarizing your CV. Just say one or two sentences about who you are and your position or why you’re here.
Mr. Brown: Hello, Mr. Jones. We’re so glad you could make it and look forward having you on the team.
You: Pleased to meet you, Mr. Jones.
Or:
Mr. Brown: Good morning. I’m Mr. Brown and I’d like to welcome you to the team.
You: It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Brown.
Or:
Mr. Brown: Here’s our latest recruit. Why don’t you introduce yourself, Mr. Jones?
You: Thank you, Mr. Brown. Hello, everyone. I’m Mr. Jones and I’ve just joined as a Project Coordinator. I look forward to working with you all.
Always add the fact that you’re excited to be working with everything: “I look forward to working with you all”.
Give the impression that you love teamwork but remember to always be honest, tell the truth.
3. Continue the conversation
Employers love proactive employees. You can ask simple things like:
“How long have you been working here?”
“What changes are taking place at the company?”
“Does the company have an induction programme for new employees?”
Limit the topics to professional ones that are relevant to you all. Once you’ve known them enough or if someone else brings it up, you can talk about other topics such as the news, weather, pop culture and so on. Don’t talk about sensitive issues like religion and politics, as you may unintentionally offend someone by stating your personal views. Even if somebody brings these more personal topics up in a conversation, it’s best to stay neutral and impersonal about them.
For example:
Mr. Brown: Hello, Mr. Jones.
You: It’s a pleasure. So what do you at Jacksonville Consulting?
Mr. Brown: I’m the Business Manager.
You: That’s lovely. So how long have you been working here?
Mr. Brown: Two years this November. Is this your first job out of college?
You: Yes, I got an offer through my university. I did an internship here in my third semester of college.
There you go!
When we talk about vacancies, openings, offers, interviews and contracts in the field of human resources, we’re referring to them in the context of jobs.
While the word “job” may not always be included in the phrases below, the phrases are related to the topic of jobs and employment. For instance, “vacancies” refers to job vacancies, and “contracts” refers to job or employment contracts, etc.
(1) Apply for a job
To apply for a job involves putting in or submitting an application for an available job position.
More people seem to apply for the jobs that we advertise online.
(2) Fill a vacancy
The phrase to fill a vacancy simply means to hire or employ someone for an available job position.
Our finance executive will be leaving next month, so we really need to fill that vacancy quickly.
(3) Take up/accept an offer
If a candidate (person applying for a job) agrees to take up or accept an offer, it means they accept the job that your company is offering them.
I hope he takes up our offer. He seems to have the qualifications and experience we’re looking for.
(4) Turn down/decline an offer
If, however, the candidate decides not to accept the job that your company is offering them, they can decline or turn down the offer.
I’m disappointed that he has turned down our offer. He would have been such a good fit for our team.
(5) Set up an interview
After shortlisting (selecting) a few suitable candidates from the pool of job applicants, HR would then set up an interview with each of them. Setting up an interview involves contacting the candidates and arranging a specific time to interview them.
We’ve been trying to set up an interview with him since last week.
(6) Have a promising career
If someone is said to have a promising career, it means they’re showing signs of a successful future in their career (professional life).
She has recently returned from working overseas and now has a promising career on Wall Street.
(7) Resign from a job
If you resign from your job, you’re leaving your current job position and will no longer be working for the company. You may also use a less formal phrase, quit your job, to mean the same thing.
Before you resign from your job, you should consider if you’ll be able to find a better job.
(8) Work from home
These days, many companies offer their employees the option to work from home. To work from home simply means that instead of going into the office to perform your job, you work in your own home during a certain period of time.
Being able to work from home is a real plus for mothers with school-going children.
(9) Take time off
If you take time off, you ask your employer (the company that you work for) for permission not to work for a certain period of time. This may be in order to go on vacation, recover from an illness, etc.
The term time off, which refers to the period of time that you’re not expected to work because of the arrangement you’ve made with your employer, may be used with other verbs. For instance, you may say that you have time off, get time off, receive time off or have been given time off.
He’s been traveling so much at his new job that he couldn’t even take time off to attend his best friend’s wedding.
(10) Renew (someone’s) contract
To renew your contract means to extend the period of your employment contract with your company. In this situation, your company is also renewing your contract by agreeing to continue employing you.
My worries are over. I get to keep my job. I’ve just been told my company intends to renew my contract.
(11) Terminate (someone’s) contract
The opposite of renewing your contract would be to terminate your contract, which basically means to end the employment contract you have with your company. Again, this is something that can be done either by an employee or an employer.
If sales don’t pick up (improve), the company may be forced to terminate their contracts.
(12) Give notice
If you give notice to your employer, you’re informing them officially of your intention to resign or leave the company. If, on the other hand, your company gives you notice, then they’re informing you officially that they’re terminating your employment.
The owners have decided to close down the restaurant and will soon give notice to the staff.
“The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score”– Bill Copeland.
Many people spend their lives drifting from one job to another, or rushing around trying to get more done while actually accomplishing very little. Setting SMART goals means you can clarify your ideas, focus your efforts, use your time and resources productively, and increase your chances of achieving what you want in life.
SMART is an acronym that you can use to guide your goal setting. Its criteria are commonly attributed to Peter Drucker's Management by Objectives concept. The first known use of the term occurs in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran. To make sure your goals are clear and reachable, each one should be:
Specific (simple, sensible, significant) - Specifico
Measurable (meaningful, motivating) - Misurabile
Achievable (agreed, attainable) - Raggiungibile
Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based) - Realistico
Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive) - Temporizzabile
Some people have expanded it to include extra focus areas; SMARTER, for example, includes Evaluated and Reviewed.
Specific
Your goal should be clear and specific, otherwise you won't be able to focus your efforts or feel truly motivated to achieve it. When drafting your goal, try to answer the five "W" questions:
What do I want to achieve?
Why is this goal important?
Who is involved?
Where is it located?
Which resources or limits are involved?
Example
Imagine that you are currently a marketing executive, and you'd like to become head of marketing. A specific goal could be, "I want to? gain the skills and experience necessary to become head of marketing within my organization, so that I can? build my career? and lead a successful team."
Measurable
It's important to have measurable goals, so that you can monitor your progress and stay motivated. Assessing progress helps you to stay focused, meet your deadlines, and feel the excitement of getting closer to achieving your goal.
A measurable goal should address questions such as:
How much?
How many?
How will I know when it is accomplished?
Example
You might measure your goal of ?acquiring the skills to become head of marketing by listing the training courses to do in the next three years.
Achievable
Your goal also needs to be realistic to be successful. In other words, it should stretch your abilities but still remain possible. An achievable goal will answer these questions:
How can I accomplish this goal?
How realistic is the goal, based on other constraints, such as financial factors?
Example
You might need to ask yourself if learning the skills to become head of marketing is realistic, based on your ?existing ?experience and qualifications. For example, do you have the time to complete the required training effectively? Are the necessary resources available to you? Can you afford to do it?
Tip:
Beware of setting goals that someone else has power over. For example, "Get that promotion!" depends on who else applies, and on the recruiter's decision. But "Get the experience and training that I need to be considered for that promotion" is in your control.
Relevant
This step is about ensuring that your goal matters to you, and that it also aligns with other relevant goals. We all need support and assistance in achieving our goals, but it's important to retain control over them.
A relevant goal can answer "yes" to these questions:
Is this goal worthwhile?
Is this the right time?
Does this goal match other needs?
Can I reach this goal?
Is it applicable in the current socio-economic environment?
Example
You might want to ?gain the skills to become head of marketing within your organization, but ?is it the right time to undertake the required training, or work toward additional qualifications? Are you sure that you're the right person for the head of marketing role? For example, if you also want to start a new hobby, would you really have enough time to train as well?
Time-bound
Every goal needs a target date, so that you have a deadline to focus on and something to work toward. This part of the SMART goal criteria helps to prevent everyday tasks from taking priority over your longer-term goals.
A time-bound goal will usually answer these questions:
When?
What can I do six months from now?
What can I do six weeks from now?
What can I do today?
Example
Gaining the skills to become head of marketing may require additional training? or experience?, as we mentioned earlier. How long will it take you to acquire these skills? Do you need? further training, so that you're eligible for certain exams or qualifications? It's important to give yourself a realistic time frame for accomplishing the smaller goals that are necessary to achieving your final objective.
SMART is an effective tool that provides the clarity, focus and motivation you need to achieve your goals. It can also improve your ability to reach them by encouraging you to define your objectives and set a completion date. SMART goals are also easy to use by anyone, anywhere, without the need for specialist tools or training.
Various interpretations of SMART have meant that it can lose its effectiveness or be misunderstood. Some people believe that SMART doesn't work well for long-term goals because it lacks flexibility, while others suggest that it might stifle creativity. For more information on the potential weaknesses of SMART, see Locke's Goal-Setting Theory.
SMART is a well-established tool that you can use to plan and achieve your goals.
When you use SMART, you can create clear, attainable and meaningful goals, and develop the motivation, action plan, and support needed to achieve them.
Perhaps you've always dreamed of traveling around the world, but it's never happened. Maybe you tell yourself it's because you don't have the time or the money, and you'll think about it next year.
Try setting SMART goals to help make your travel plans specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. You might find that the real reason you haven't traveled is because your plans have been too vague or unrealistic. Think about how you can adjust your vision and rephrase it as a SMART goal, so that you can make your dream come true.
