Task 38. Role plays. A.Work in pairs. One of you is a manager in a company which deals with executive search, the second student is a senior manager of the profitable company

A. Work in pairs. One of you is a manager in a company which deals with executive search, the second student is a senior manager of the profitable company which is interested in becoming a client of the company in order to find new executives. Here are the main ideas of the search company Client’s Bill of Rights:

· The executive search firm provides you with an accurate and candid assessment of its capabilities to perform your search.

· The executive search firm tells you who will conduct the search.

· The executive search firm provides a high-level consultative relationship.

· The executive search firm holds your information in strict confidentiality.

· The executive search firm demonstrates a clear understanding of the position, the company and the objectives of the search.

· The executive search firm provides you with regular, detailed status reports on the progress of the search.

· The executive search firm presents qualified candidates who fit the position and the culture of your organisation.

· The executive search firm helps you negotiate with the final candidate, representing both parties with skill, integrity and a high degree of professionalism.

· The executive search firm provides you with a clear understanding of its replacement policy and other unusual situations that may arise during and after the search.

· The executive search firm provides you with a reasonable level of follow-through after you have hired the candidate.

As you want to become a client of the company you want to find out more about it, as well as about the Code of Ethics.

The following words and word combinations might be useful for you: professionalism, integrity, competence, objectivity, accuracy, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, loyalty, equal opportunities, public interest.

B. Consider the following items on your own and then discuss your decisions in groups of four or five people:

How to choose the best career?

Life/Career Goals. List the following issues in the order of their importance. Make sure your job plans support at least the top two or three goals: Money; Geographical location; Leisure and vacation time; Family; Prestige/glamour; Business trips; Opportunities to move up in the organisation; Professional growth; Job security.

Considering Relocation. The personal cost of moving – will you be leaving family, a close group of friends? Climate changes – have you lived in the climate before? Can you handle climate shifts? Urban vs. Rural - if you’re looking at a shift, are you prepared for the cultural adjustment? Can you afford to relocate or are you in a field where you can expect the company to pay moving expenses? How will the cost of living affect your starting salary?

Sise of the Organisation. Different types of organisations have different characteristics. The same job category can be very different depending on the sise and type of organisation. Keep in mind that the characteristics listed are generalities. There are organisations that break the rules in every category.

Large organisations (generally a more structured environment; more opportunities to move up and more competition; jobs tend to be more focused and specific; more opportunities for training and development).

Small organisations (often have informal or flexible structures; more opportunities to expand your role; jobs tend to be broader in focus; more limited opportunities for formal training).

New organisations ( structures are fluid and undefined; often opportunities to move up quickly and expand role; policies and procedures often undefined; change is frequent and sometimes dramatic; less job security).

Established organisations (both formal and informal structures are often clearly defined; more limited opportunities to move up or expand role; generally more job security).

Industry Characteristics. Different industries have very different characteristics. Is the industry you’re considering extremely competitive and fast-paced or more unchanging and traditional? It’s important to make sure your personality is a match with the industries you’re considering.

Work Place Environment. Where you work can be as important as how you like to work in terms of your final success. Of course, as an entry-level employee, you won’t have that nice large corner office with a view. But some aspects of an office environment are useful to find out about, in terms of making a successful match. It’s up to you to decide what is required for you, as compared to a “nice to have”. Some things to consider: noise level; social expectations – at work and out of work; clothing requirements; company culture – fun or serious, fast or slow moving, friendly or competitive, trustworthy or...not.

Job Characteristics. To help determine the job characteristics you will be happiest and most successful with, take a look at your life experiences. Some suggestions for issues to consider include:

· The role you have preferred in team experiences or projects (organiser, researcher, integrator of information, writer, presenter, other).

· Do you prefer working with people, records/facts, ideas or things?

· Do you work better alone or with people?

· Do large groups of people/organisations excite you or distract/confuse you?

· Do you prefer to have a number of things to work on at one time or just one?

· Would you prefer to work on different projects or in one specific area doing one specific series of things?

· Do you want to stay in the same office/department all day or move around from the department to department or outside the organisation?

· How much time do you want to spend: on the phone; writing/composing; meeting with others; selling ideas/things; calculating/tabulating; coordinating/organising; thinking, solving problems; being creative.

· Take the information you have culled from your answers and analysis to the information above and write your job objective.

· It’s important to remember that one job is not necessarily better than another, just better for you. Be honest with yourself about who you are and what you really want. This is your life, not someone else’s.

· Remember, the goal is to find a fit – a job where you will be happy and successful and the organisation will be happy with you.