You have probably already thought about
steps to undertake to find a job. Some of you may be working, others are still looking for
a post. Whatever we do, we will work one day, and this time I would like to give you some
useful vocabulary in English.
What is a job? It is what we do regularly to earn money (most
often), especially in a particular company or for a person. There are different types of
jobs. First of all, it can be full-time, i.e. a job that you do for at least the
same number of hours a week as people usually work. A part-time job is a job you do
for fewer hours a week than people usually do.
Then we have another word – work. It also means something you
do to earn money or the place where you do it. Occupation is a more formal term
than job. A post is a particular job with responsibilities you have within a
company. A position is usually used in advertisements and also means a job. To find
a position, you can look in newspapers or Internet career sites, or check out postings at
specific company web sites.
Now, let’s think of what you should do to get a job. Having located a
post you are interested in, you apply for it. This means you should write a letter
or fill in a form that will be sent to your potential employer (a person, a company
or an organization that pays someone to work for them as a member of their staff). Do not
mix up employer and employee: the latter is someone who is regularly paid for work.
You should also send to the employer your CV, or Curriculum
Vitae, which is a document giving details of your qualifications and the jobs you have
already had. Normally, there are special rules for writing a CV, and American schools, for
example, include in their courses the subject called business writing where students are
taught how to write their CVs.
Now let’s imagine you were chosen from among other job seekers
(a formal word used to name somebody who is looking for a job). Going to an interview
– a meeting with people you are hoping to work for – you will probably find in the
office other applicants (someone who applies for a job) or candidates
(someone who is competing with other people for a particular job). And every one of them
will also be an interviewee, i.e. an applicant who is asked to come for an
interview.
If the employer liked you, you will be hired. [Please, notice
the difference between British and American English. In Britain you hire something
if you are paying to use it for a short time. But if you want to keep it for a longer
period you rent it. You can also hire a person for a job that won’t last long.
But you employ somebody for a permanent job. In American English you always hire
people and rent things, whether it is for short or long periods.]
In case you do your job badly the employer can sack or fire
you: tell you that you must leave the post. You are made redundant if you are
needed no longer in your company. If you take the decision yourself, you resign; in
other words, you say officially you are leaving the job or quiting (which is more
informal). And, finally, you retire when you are old. The adjective used for
describing someone who is not working because of his senior age is retired.
You can also be unemployed or jobless, or out of work,
which is used to speak about someone who has no job but wants to work.
We would like you to tell us about your job experience next time. Have
you already had a job? How did you find the position? How long have you been working in
your company? Do you think it is important for a person to make a career? Which one would
you like to have? Have you ever written a CV? What should a CV look like to be noticed by
an employer? What personal qualities should an applicant have to be chosen among other
candidates? Why can an employee be fired? Are there any ways to avoid it? What should
unemployed people do to find a job? What are the advantages and disadvantages of full-time
and part-time jobs? If you have not worked yet, what job would you like to apply for?
Think about one of these questions and send us your ideas.
By Alevtina Kozina |
Where to work? Which of us hasn’t asked
him/herself this question? And which of us has found an appropriate place or has already
chosen a job? It’s not easy, is it?
Some people think that when you are a teenager, it’s too early to
think about such things. Of course they are right in some ways, but I don’t agree with
them completely.
As to choosing a job, it’s the right age to get information.
Teenagers have more free time than students for example. They have the opportunity to
prepare themselves for any activity. If a pupil is keen on computering, he/she may decide
to connect his/her life with this science. In his spare time he/she can read a lot of
specific literature, work in the Internet, and simply spend a lot of time learning how to
work with a computer. It’s also possible for him/her to visit different sorts of
computer classes, etc. This is the first step in defining what will be of his/her future
job.
The second step is consulting with friends or relatives working in this
area. It’s always useful to get advice from an older and more experienced person. So if
our teenager decides to connect his life with it, what about a future job for him?
Naturally, it’s early to talk about a full-time job, but instead you
can try a part-time job. A lot of organizations need assistants in the summer. There you
can be offered work to design sites, to look for information in the Internet, etc. Anyway,
you have a chance to try to work!
When trying a job you find out what you want and the inclinations you
have.
So, the main thing for teenagers is to choose the area of activity.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. If you are offered to work as a promoter – try!
It’s not the best job, but it isn’t the worst either. It gives you an opportunity to
associate with people, to know their demands and tastes. This job can give you a basic
knowledge of advertising. Well, who knows, maybe after a while it can give you an idea to
train yourself in PR-activity, for example.
There is only one unchanging thing: every experience is useful.
As for me, I formulised some rules for a beginning worker. Here they
are:
Do not expect too much from your first job.
Every mistake is more useful than success.
Do not depend on anybody except yourself.
Never let a job harm your health.
Be proud of the job you have.
Write down your job advantages and disadvantages. Analyse them.
Improve yourself constantly.
Try yourself out in various areas.
Do not wait for help – ask for it, or correct the situation
yourself.
By Maria Yaylenko |