Lesson 1. Give if possible definitions of the following words and word combinations and try to pronounce them correctly:

ACTIVE VOCABULARY

Give if possible definitions of the following words and word combinations and try to pronounce them correctly:

Resume, career, experience, to reflect, prospective, interviewer, to grab attention, rejection letter, guideline, to assist, competence, to focus, to tailor, to emphasize, to apply for, employment, reverse, employer, duties, background, degree, classification, potential.

 

READING TEXT

Read the following text aloud paying attention to the discussed words:

TYPES OF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE. PREPARING YOUR RESUME

An important part of your career development is preparing an effective resume. Your resume should reflect you, your experience, and your interests. Remember, you have about 20 to 30 seconds to get the attention of the prospective interviewer, so whatever you prepare must grab the attention of the reader. Your resume can make the difference between getting an interview or a rejection letter.

While there are no set rules regarding format or style, the following guidelines will assist you in preparing an effective resume:

Decide how you want to present the information.

Functional resumes group all your training, experience, skills, and abilities into separate areas of competence. This type of resume will focus attention on the functions or jobs you can perform and the areas where you have special skills or training. These resumes can also be tailored to emphasize the skills and experience you have that match those required by the position you're applying for.

Chronological resumes of work experience are most useful for detailing long, uninterrupted periods of employment. They usually present work experience and education beginning with your present job and listing prior experience in reverse date order (ten years back is usually enough). Under your work history, list the name and address of each employer, the title of your job, and the duties you performed. Your educational background should also list most recent educational achievements and include the name and address of the school(s) you attended, degree(s) received, and/or units completed. If you have taken special software or other technical or job-related classes, list those here too.

If you have worked for more than one state agency or department, list each job separately and explain the duties you performed. Although your classification may have been the same, your duties in each job may have differed significantly. A description of the varied duties performed will give your potential employer a broader understanding of your abilities and skills.

http://www.boe.ca.gov/exams/workingyourwayup/resume.htm

READING COMPREHENSION

I. General understanding. Answer the following questions to the text:

- How can you describe the word “resume”?

- What is a resume written for?

- What are types of resumes? Describe them.

 

II. Fill in the blanks with suitable words.

- Preparing an effective resume is an important part of your career ……………..

- Your resume can make the difference between getting an interview or a …………………….. letter.

- To emphasize the skills and experience you have these resumes can also be ……………………..

- ………………………… usually present work experience and education beginning.

III. Given below are certain statements. Write ‘T’ against true statements and ‘F’ against false statements.

- Resumes must not grab the attention of the reader.

- Functional resumes group all your training, experience, skills, and abilities into separate areas of competence.

- Don’t list special skills if you have taken software or other technical or job-related classes.

- There are strict set rules regarding format or style of resumes.

- In your resume list the name and address of each employer, the title of your job, and the duties you performed.

Speaking practice

Discuss the topic “TYPES OF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE IN APPLYING FOR A JOB” with your partner using newly learnt words: all types of resumes and their description and the role of resumes in the career development.

 

Writing practice

I. Compose sentences as many as you can using the following words and discuss them with your partner:

Career, experience, duties, employment, degree, competence.

 

II. Read the text as many times as you can in 4 minutes. Then entitle it, make exercises to the text and tell to your partner as much info as you can remember without looking into the text.

Communication through exchange of letters is known as correspondence. We communicate our feelings, thoughts etc. to our friends and relatives through letters that may be called personal correspondence. A businessman also writes and receives letters in his everyday transactions, which may be called business correspondence. Business correspondence or a business letter is a written communication between two parties. Businessmen may write letters to suppliers of goods and also receive letters from the suppliers. Thus, business letters may be defined as a media or means through which views are expressed and ideas or information is communicated in writing in the process of business activities.

Nowadays business operations are not restricted to any locality, state or nation. Since the businessmen as well as customers live in far off places they don’t have sufficient time to contact each other personally.

Though there are other modes of communication like telephone, telex, fax, etc. business information can be provided and obtained economically and conveniently through letters.

We cannot expect a trader to memorise all facts and figures in a conversation that normally takes place among businessmen. Through letters, he can keep a record of all facts. Thus, letters can serve as evidence in case of dispute between two parties. Business requires information regarding competing products, prevailing prices, promotion, market activities, etc. If the trader has to run from place to place to get information, he will end up doing nothing. It will simply result in loss of time. But through business letters, he can make all enquiries about the products and the markets.

BBC Learning English

http://www.bbc.co.uk

Exercise I. Fill in the blanks with suitable words.

- Business letters serve as a/an............................. in case of dispute in business transactions.

- A trader cannot …………….. all facts and figures in a conversation.

- Business letters are written to.................... information.

- Business letter is the most.................... mode of communication.

 

Exercise II. Given below are certain statements. Write ‘T’ against true statements and ‘F’ against false statements.

- A letter is a form of written communication.

- Through business letter personal contact can be maintained between buyer and seller.

- Businessmen may write letters to suppliers of goods but cannot receive letters from the suppliers.

- A letter is a convenient and economic mode of communication.

- Business letters do not help in removing misunderstanding between buyer and seller.