Useful language

Dear Sir or Madam,

With reference to your advertisement in …

I would like to apply for the position of …

I feel I am well qualified for the position because …

I would be happy to give you more details and can be contacted at any time.

I would be happy to come for an interview at any time convenient to you.

I enclose a copy of my CV.

A full CV is attached.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

9. Give reasons for the people having several jobs nowadays.

Focus on job benefits and disadvantages

Regina is thinking of changing jobs. Look at the list of advantages and disadvantages for her present job and complete the missing words. The first letter is given.

Advantages

Five weeks 1)p…. holiday a year plus public holidays.

A good 2)p…. plan with the possibility to 3)r…. at the age of 60.

Free language 4)t… in English.

Good medical 5)i…. for only $15 a month.

Can use company 6)m…. phone for personal calls!

Disadvantages

Working hours not 7) f….: have to work 9 to 5, five days a week.

Maternity 8) l…: 6 months on full pay (but boss thinks work and babies don’t mix!).

Not very interesting work. Have asked for more responsibility at annual 9) a….. with boss, but he never listens!

Very low monthly 10) s….. compared with other companies.

UNIT 4. Text “ SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST”

Focus: Predicting your future

Skills focus: Reading for specific information; learn to analyze job trends.

1.Read the text and find the correct sentences (a-f) for each gap (1-6) in the text.

Between now and the 21^st century citizens of the world’s richest and most technologically advanced nations will find it increasingly difficult to keep up with the demand for change. For them, the future will arrive too soon. So begins Alvin Toffler’s book Future Shock, written back in 1970.

Now people are beginning to pay attention to Toffler’s prediction, because the speed of change is accelerating rapidly. It is sometimes difficult to work out the patterns of change. What should you do? (1)…….. Take a deep breath and try to get a sense of the good things the future has to offer.

You don’t need to be a genius to predict the job areas which will be most affected by technological change. Agriculture, textiles, coal mining and heavy industry are all doing badly.(2)…………….

Without doubt, the number of jobs in information technology will rise dramatically. There are currently over 100 million computers in the world and by 2020 the number will be around one billion. (3)…...

There are also many other important changes taking place in the workplace. First, the job market is getting more and more competitive and the idea of a ‘job for life’ has already become old-fashioned.(4)………...

According to Mark Hastings of the Institute of Management, in the future people will organize their working life around a variety of contracts, instead of working just for one company.

In the same way, companies will change, they will be organized more democratically. People will move sideways to do different jobs, rather than moving up ‘company ladder’ as before. Many more people will work for small, dynamic companies which can react quickly to changes in the market. Other people will give up working for a boss and become self-employed. All this means that companies will require people who are flexible and responsible.(5)…...

Good communication skills will be essential. According to Dr Laurence Lyons of the Future Work Forum, women will initially have an advantage in this area. James Traeger, of the training agency Menswork, explains that many men will have to be retrained.’It’s not about making men more like women, but helping men to communicate as well.’

We are undoubtedly moving towards a global economy. English will probably remain the international business language, so learning Russian or Chinese is not a priority.(6)…….. Above all, a manager will need to feel comfortable working with people from other cultures and coping with cultural differences.

New technology is the driving force behind the rapidly changing workplace, so don’t get left behind. You don’t need to become a computer expert, but you must consider improving your computer skills. Work with more than one program in case you have to use them at work, and try to read about all the latest technology.

Undoubtedly, all this new technology is changing the way we work and offering many alternative ways of working. Rather than go into an office, a lot of people are connected to the Internet and now work from home. Working like this may give you the flexibility you want- to live where you want, to continue your studies and to have a lot more free time. That must be good news.

Vocabulary:

1. technologically advanced nations –развитые в техническом отношении страны

2. the speed of change-темпы перемен

3. to accelerate- ускорять(ся)

4. to work out the patterns of change – разработать структуру перемен5.to affect-воз действовать, влиять

6. to rise dramatically- резко возрастать

7. to become old-fashioned- устареть

8. to give up working for a boss - отказаться работать на боса

9. flexible -гибкий

10.to improve your computer skills- улучшить навыки владения компьютером

11. self-employed – работающий не по найму

a) On the other hand, business and professional services, the media, IT, and the biosciences are doing really well.

b) Because of this, computer programmers and systems analysts will be in much greater demand.

c) However, understanding other people, their minds, culture and history will be vital.

d) First of all, don’t panic.

e) They will also need people who can work co-operatively and get on well in a team.

f) Because of this, workers will have to be more flexible.

2. Read the article again and answer these questions.

1. What is ‘future shock’ and how does it affect people?

2. What are the job areas of the future?

3. How will careers change?

4. What skills and personal qualities will people need?

5. What personal benefits will the new situation bring?

3. In pairs, discuss what things you can do to improve your future career prospects.

.

Accelerate rapidly, become old-fashioned, become self-employed, do badly, feel comfortable, find smth difficult, have an advantage, have free tme, pay attention to, react quickly, rise dramatically, take a deep breath

4. Complete the sentences below with the expressions given above:

1. I never really… speaking in a foreign language.

2. If you look at the unemployment figures, they… in the 1990s.

3. We get so much homework that I don’t… to relax.

4. I’d like to … one day and not work for a boss.

5. Rally drivers have to … to avoid accidents.

6. I… maths…. I always… in maths exams.

5. Read the article. Compare your answers to Exercise 6 with what the writer says.