Which one do you prefer: working for one company all your life or working for several different companies in your life?
What are your priorities in choosing a job: money, status and a comfortable lifestyle?
What is “job sculpting” and how are the eight respective business functions being used to retain valuable employees?
Do you want to work for one company the whole life or want to work for several different ones? Why?
You have no idea how your career will develop or you have a clear idea of your career path? Why?
What do you think of the statement: “You are responsible for creating your own career within an organization”?
Comment on the statement: “Move towards your long-term goal in small and easy stages”.
What are the differences between careers ten years ago and careers today?
A good career choice is to do something you are good at. Present your ideas of this statement.
“Choose jobs that correspond to your interests is a good way to manage your career”. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
“The most common mistake that people make in their career decisions is to do something because they’re good at it”. Do you agree with this statement?
How do you define failure?
Comment on the statement: “Make sure that preconceived ideas about success and failure ae not preventing you from reaching our goals”.
Why do you need to ask people for advice concerning your career choice? Any contradictions to the principle “knowing yourself to be yourself”?
As a manager, how would you manage working with someone who doesn’t like you?
As a job interviewer, how do you ask and what do you want to know about your candidate?
119
How to write a good CV?
Advantages and disadvantages of taking a year off before or after university or in mid-career.
6. USEFUL WEBSITES
Websites with background information on careers include:
http://www.quintcareers.com/jobseekers_glossary.html http://www.businessballs.com/curriculum.htm
http://www.alec.co.uk http://www.targetjobs.co.uk
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-interview-questions-and-best-answers-2061225 https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/top-interview-questions-and-answers https://zety.com/blog/how-to-write-a-cv
https://novoresume.com/career-blog/how-to-write-a-cv
SECTION 2: PRACTICE QUESTION 1
Fill in each blank with the correct form of the word given in brackets
1. People eventually ____________ (acknowledgement) him to be a high-flyer of our HR department.
2. Because there is a distinct difference between crocodile and alligator, they shouldn’t be used ____________ (interchange).
3. They managed to force a change in the factory operation because a __________
(success) of strikes led by local community groups from last Friday to this Wednesday.
4. Earlier this week they discussed several ____________ (controversy) topics of the moment such as same-sex marriage and abortion.
5. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 1million dollars, but the girl’s father refused ____________ (compromise) with them.
6. He had managed working in his family owned company for 2 years until he found his true __________ (vocational).
120 7. That actress has a large nose but she is still so attractive. She is said to have a/an __________ (convention) look.
8. I don’t think it is difficult for a ____________ (divorced) to get married again today.
9. This is a good chance for __________ (graduate) students to learn more about insurance.
If I were a fourth-year student, I would join it.
10. Our group has a trip to the northern mountains each year to teach the ___________
(privilege) children in the remote areas.
QUESTION 2
I. Choose one underlined word or phrase which needs correcting in each sentence 1. The study demonstrates that neither knowledge or experience will improve opportunities of success.
A. demonstrates B. neither C. or D. opportunities 2. After last week’s discussion, the management decided that the product will be launched before Independence Day.
A. last week’s B. decided C. will D. launched 3. While I am on business, my flowers should be water twice a day.
A. am B. on C. should D. be water
4. When he receives the money from the insurance company last week, he had already had the car repaired.
A. receives B. had C. had D. repaired 5. More than 600 million individual bacteria lives on the skin of humans.
A. million B. bacteria C. lives D. humans
6. We will give a presentation about free trade challenges to small and large business owners on Wednesday afternoon at Paradise Building.
A. will give B. about C. to D. on
7. Could you stop typing for a moment and leave me alone? I think of the next appraisal in May.
A. typing B. alone C. think D. the
8. With winter approaching, our potential customers look for a product like this to keep them warm.
A. with B. approaching C. look D. to keep
121 9. My secretary has worked here for more than 10 years. She leaves this position in two weeks, so I am working on sorting out a new one.
A. has worked B. leaves C. in D. am working
10. Since I did a placement in this company last summer, I had had several months’
experience of working in telesales.
A. did B. had C. of D. telesales
II. Read the passages below and choose the best answer 1. Read the following passage and choose the best answer
Sant Business Reporting, a leading source of information on global business and financial news, has internships available at its headquarters at the Henston Corporate Center in the following areas.
Newsroom: Research story ideas, answer phones, responds to e-mail correspondence, and provide support to newsroom staff. Knowledge of current business events is required.
SantNews.com: Proofread, edit, and update online content for the online editorial staff. Excellent writing and editing skills are a prerequisite. A writing sample is mandatory.
Studio Operations: Assist engineers and technicians with cameras, microphones, lighting and other television studio equipment. Experience using audio-visual equipment is essential. Please supply two references.
Archives: Organize video, audio, and written content in the company archival system. Search the system for content requested by various departments. The position demands a detail-oriented intern with strong research skills.
Candidates should be currently enrolled in a degree program in a related field or have recently graduated. Interns must work at least twenty hours per week, have superior communication and computer skills, and have an interest in broadcast news. To be considered, complete an application, available from www.santbusiness.com/intern, and forward it, along with your résumé, to internship@santbusiness.com by May 15.
Some departments require additional materials; include these with your application as needed.
122 From: rpoznanski@drea.edu
To: internship@santbusiness.com Date: May 5
Subject: Available Internship
Attachment: RP_resume.txt; RP_writing_sample.txt To whom it may concern,
I am writing to apply for an internship at Sant Business Reporting. Please find attached my application, résumé, and the required writing sample.
As a communications major at Drea University with previous experience as a research assistant at Blakely Media Outlet and as an administrative assistant at Rinwell Corporation, I am an ideal candidate for your internship. Currently, I am employed on a part-time basis at my university’s library but can work at Sant Business Reporting for fifteen hours weekly throughout the summer as well as the academic year.
I hope to hear from you soon.
With best regards, Robert Poznanski
(Adapted from ETS TOEIC Tests 2016 Part 7) 1. What is suggested about Sant Business Reporting?
A. It provides studio equipment.
B. It edits financial training videos.
C. It sells courses of writing business reports.
D. It broadcasts news on television.
2. What is required of all internship applicants?
A. An advanced degree in business B. An ability to communicate effectively C. Excellent writing skills
123 D. Two letters of reference
3. What department is Mr. Poznanski most likely applying to?
A. Archives B. Newsroom C. SantNews.com D. Studio Operations
4. Why might Mr. Poznanski’s application be declined?
A. He is available for fewer hours than required.
B. He was employed by Sant Business Reporting in the past.
C. He cannot work during the academic term
D. He did not provide his application by the deadline.
5. Where does Mr. Poznanski currently work?
A. At Blakely Media Outlet B. At Drea University
C. At Henston Corporate Center D. At Rinwell Corporation
2. Read the following passage and answer the questions Who’s in charge of career planning?
(By Lisa Quast)
“The real story behind career development: Who is responsible?” is a joint research study conducted by EdAssist and the University of Phoenix to explore employees’ and managers’
perceptions of whose responsibility it is to dive career development. The results showed key disparities between the two groups’ perceptions:
- Most workers believe it is employers’ responsibility to teach career development: 74%
say employers should provide professional-development training, 71% say they should identify job opportunities and career paths, and 68% say they should provide career- advancement mentoring.
- Most managers believe employees must take responsibility for their career development:
98% say workers should continually update and improve their skills, 85% say they should
124 identify job opportunities and career paths, and 80% say they should be responsible for building their job-hunting and career-planning skills.
The results of this study demonstrate why many workers and organizations fail at career management – each believes the other should be responsible. “There needs to be more honest conversation between the two sides about what the end goal should be, as well as what learning tools are available within the organization to get there,” says Jay Titus, Senior Director of Academic Services at EdAssist, a leading provider of tuition assistance management programs.
To increase the effectiveness of employees’ self-advancement efforts, Titus recommends employers provide assistance in creating specific career plans, including timelines with milestones for achieving career goals. “Access to on-the-job learning opportunities such as job rotations, job shadowing, mentoring, and targeted training to improve hard and soft skills can also help employees in their career development efforts,” he added. “And for employers offering tuition assistance programs, they need to make sure that they are helping direct their employees toward academic programs that align with those efforts, rather than just funding degrees in a vacuum.”
While many companies have implemented career planning and training, not all employees are lucky enough to work at such organizations. This means you need to take ownership in driving your career advancement. Here’s how:
Define your career aspirations. If you don’t know where you want to go, how will you get there? Take time to clearly define your aspirations. Where do you want to be in your career in three years, five years, 10 years?
Identify your goals and create your career plan. Goals reflect what you want to accomplish to improve yourself and to move forward in your career. They ensure that you are headed in the right direction and help you achieve your aspirations quickly and efficiently.
Share your plan with your manager. Ask him or her for feedback. Are there other skills you should learn, education you should pursue or certifications you should obtain?
Find out about training and tuition assistance. Are there company-sponsored training sessions you could attend? Does your employer provide tuition reimbursement? Take
125 advantage of every opportunity your company offers to help you advance in your career.
Provide regular updates. Share your development progress with your manager and HR representative on a regular basis. Use these opportunities to discuss career options and to get guidance and feedback.
Even though the research study results demonstrated confusion in ownership of career planning, ultimately, the person responsible for your career is YOU. Achieving career success requires more than luck and hard work – it requires a plan. So grab a cup of coffee, sit down and create yours.
(Adapted from “Who’s in charge of career planning” in Forbes -
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2014/09/29/whos-in-charge-of-career-planning- you/#7ac171bf39c2)
6. What perception do employees show as the research results?
7. What is the percentage of managers stating the responsibility of employees for developing career-planning skills?
8. What should be done to improve career management?
9. How often should you tell your employer about your career development process?
10. According to the writer, what factors can help employees move ahead in their career?
QUESTION 3
I. Choose the suitable word to fill in each blank
A gap year offers practical (1) __________ to many recent high school graduates, and these are supported by advances in neuroscience, particularly in the brain development of late adolescents. Experts agree that a structured year away from a formal academic setting can help students (2) ___________ their goals, increase motivation, find relief developing brains more time to (3) ___________ crucial structural changes that support higher-order functioning.
It is reported that there are important (4) ____________ changes happening at the age of late adolescents: much of brain development that supports decision making and self-control isn’t (5) ____________ until our 20s. Psychologists use the term “executive functioning”
to refer to the (6) __________ of skills that comprise the ability to control oneself and