Handout Unit 5 Recruitment
1. Choose the correct alternatives to complete the text below.
Employees who leave a company are not always replaced. Sometimes the company examines the (1) ....,.... for the
post, and decides that it no longer needs to be filled. On other occasions the company will replace the person who
resigns with an internal candidate who can be (2) ......... (or moved sideways) to the job. Or it will advertise the
position in newspapers or trade journals, or engage an employment (3) ......... to do so. For junior management
positions, employers occasionally recruit by giving presentations and holding interviews in universities, colleges and
business schools. For senior positions, companies sometimes use the services of a firm of (4) ......... , who already
have the details of promising managers. ‘
People looking for work or wanting to change their job generally read the (5) ......... advertised in newspapers. To
reply to an advertisement is to (6) ......... for a job; you become an (7) ......... or a candidate. You write a/an (8) . . .
...... , or fill in the company’s application form, and send it, along with your (9) .........(GB) or résumé (US). You are
often asked to give the names of two people who are prepared to write a (10) ......... for you. If you have the right
qualifications and abilities, you might be (11) ......... , i.e. selected to attend a/an (12) ......... .
It is not uncommon for the (13) ......... department or the managers responsible for a particular post to spend eighty or
more working hours on the recruitment of a single member of staff. However, this time is well-spent if the company
appoints the right person for the job.
1. a. job description b. job satisfaction c. job security `
2. a. advanced b. employed c. promoted
3. a. agency b. centre c. company
4. a. head-hunters b. headquarters c. headshrinkers
5. a. openings b. opportunities c. vacancies
6. a. apply b. applicate c. candidate
7. a. appliance b. applicant c. application
8. a. appliance b. application c. demand
9. a. job history b. curriculum vitae (CV) c. life story
10. a. reference b. report c. testimony
11. a. appointed b. employed c. short-listed
12. a. examination b. interview c. trial
13. a. personal b. personnel c. resources
2. Fill in the missing letters
1. A list of all employees and how much each one earns is called the "p_ _ _ _ ll".
2. "Equal opportunities" means making sure that everyone has the same chance to get a job or get promoted.
One of the most common forms of "disc_ _ _ _ _ation" (treating a certain type of person unfairly) is on the grounds
of "dis_ _ _ _ _ ty" (a physical problem that makes sb unable to use a part of their body properly).
3. Freelancers are often brought in to do jobs that were previously done "i_ - h_ _ _ _" (by employees of the
company).
4. The activity of discretely approaching employees of one company and asking them if they want to work for
another is called "h_ _ _ _ _ _ _ing".
5. A group of job candidates who have gone through to the final interview stage is called the "s_ _ _ _l_ _ _".
6. Somebody’s work history, and in particular their successes and failures, is called their "t_ _ _k r_ _ _ _d".
7. The formal process by which an employee’s performance is measured and discussed by a supervisor is called the
"a_ _ _ _ _ _al process".
3. Write one of these words in each space: ability, experience, knowledge, qualification, skills.
have
a formal
a recognized
a specialist
a professional
1 ___________________ in something
have
gain
get
considerable
first-hand
hands-on
practical
valuable
wide
2 ____________________ of/in
something
have
a detailed
an encyclopedic
first-hand
inside
a through
a working
3 ____________________ of something
have
develop
communication
interpersonal
marketable
transferable
4_____________________
have
show
a great
a remarkable
an outstanding
a proven
5 ___________________
to do
something
4. Divide the words in italics into one of the three groups below.
be appointed be dismissed be employed be fired
be headhunted be hired be laid off be let go
be recruited be sacked be taken on be made redundant
A: Get a job ________________________________________________________________________________
B: Lose a job - you do sth wrong _____________________________________________________________
C: Lose a job - for economic reasons _____________________________________________________________
5. Have a look at these typical interview questions.
1. Tell me a little about yourself.
2. Why do you want to leave your current job?
3. What attracted you to this company?
4. What qualities or experience do you think you would bring to this job?
5. What would you find most difficult about this position? How would you handle the challenge?
6. As you look back on your life and career so far, what achievement has given you the most satisfaction?
7. How would other people in your present company describe you as a colleague?
8. What are your strong points?
9. What are your weak points?
10. How do you deal with criticism and direction?
11. In career terms, where do you want to be in five years time?
12. So, finally, why should we hire you rather than one of the other candidates?
Letters of enquiry and applications
1. Complete this letter of enquiry by putting the correct preposition in each space.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am a 22-year-old student 1 ........psychology 2 ............ the University of Hanover in Germany and I am writing to
enquire 3 .......... career opportunities 4 ........... your company. I have visited your website and I see that you have an
innovative and open-minded approach 5 ............ the recruitment and management 6........... personnel within your
company. I am 7 ............ my final year of a five—year course of studies and am particularly interested 8 ..........
working 9 ............ the area of personnel recruitment.
My particular specialisation is psychometric testing, and 10 ............ my final project, I have investigated the
efficiency of such tests 11 ............ predicting the work performance of prospective employees. I would be most
grateful if you could send me information 12 ............ what opportunities exist in your company, either 13 ............ a
graduate trainee 14 ............ a year s time or for an internship 15 ............ the near future. Could you also tell me how
I should apply?
Thanking you 16 ............ advance.
Yours faithfully,
2. Reading Read the following letter of application. In most lines, there is one extra word. It is either
grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the meaning of the text. Some lines, however, are correct. If a line is
correct, put a tick (√). If there is an extra word in the line, underline it.
Dear Sir,
I am writing for to apply for the post of manager in your new branch 1 for
to be opened in Lewisham, as advertised in the Daily Gazette of 5 November. ’ 2 √
As you will now see from my enclosed curriculum vitae, I am a 3 _____
33-year-oId graduate qualification in social sciences from the 4 _____
University of Bristol, with eight years’ of experience in management 5 _____
posts within the retail trade, my current position is being that of 6 _____
assistant manager at a branch of Dixons in Southampton. 7 _____
Since my leaving university, apart from practical experience in the 8 _____
various posts I have held, although I have studied extensively at 9 _____
night school, attending courses in Negotiating Skills, Personnel 10 _____
Management and Marketing. Dixons have also sent for me on 11 _____
various of internal courses in the same areas. 12 _____
I am so interested in the post advertised because it seems to me 13 _____
to represent the type of opportunity I am looking for — to move into a 14 _____
large international retailing organisation and going to have the 15 _____
experience of setting up a new store from the start. 16 _____
I hope for my application and my curriculum vitae will be of 17 _____
interest to you. I am available for interview at any other time, and 18 _____
my present employers would be happy to supply you a reference. 19 _____
I am look forward to hearing from you. 20 _____
Yours faithfully,