Unit 1: Getting a job

Verb + ing

Verbs used to talk about general preferences are usually followed by another verb ending – ing.
I hate working late on fridays.
He enjoys meeting new friends.
They don´t mind travelling long distances.

Now think about your own job. Make similar sentences about aspects of your job that you like
and don´t like. Exchange information with a partner.

Now match the definitions (1-10) with the correct adjectives or phrases (a-j), as in the example.
1 wants to get to the top a sensitive
2 thinks of other people´s feelings b outgoing
3 doesn´t get angry or irritated easily c independent
4 can work alone d attentive to detail
5 open and friendly e energetic
6 doesn´t mind changing his/her habits f ambitious
7 doesn´t get tired easily g adaptable
8 can change people´s opinions h patient
9 can produce new ideas I creative
10 regularly checks the quality of his/ her work j persuasive

Write a short description of someone you like (or hate) in your personal or professional life.
e.g. My last boss was very energetic. She worked about 10 hours a day.
She was a patient woman, who always had time to talk to us if we had a problem.

Look at this advertisement from a job website and answer the questions.
1 What job is it for?
2 Is it well-paid?
3 Where will the person work?
4 What qualifications, experience, and personal qualities will the person need?
5 If you´re interested in the position, what do you have to do?
Now write a similar advertisement for your own job. If you don´t work at the moment, choose a
job you would like to do.

Here is a description of a typical procedure for recruiting a new manager

Complete the gaps in the flowchart with the phrases below.

invites 12 candidates for interview attends the interview

makes a final selection applies for the post
resigns from his/her present job makes a shortlist
A. Complete the word-building table with words from the box below, as in the example.
In the ´person´ column, you will sometimes need two words, sometimes none.

Employer interview interview applicant shortlist employment

Application advertise employee advertiser shortlist advertisement
Interviewer apply for resignation resign employ interviewee

Verb Noun Person

Interview Interview Interviewer / interviewee

B. Which words in the list in A would you use to complete these sentences?
Sometimes you will need to change the form.
1 We have received …………………….. for this job from 3,000 people.
2 I saw the ……………….. for this post in the Sunday Times.
3 Ok, I think we´ve said enough about Mr. Downing. Can you call the next …………………?
4 When she was offered the new job, she sent a letter of ………………… to her old
…………………………
5 Were you ……………………. For the job?
No, I didn´t even get a first …………………………
6 Nobody in the company …………………. for the job, so they had to ……………….the post in
the newspaper.
7 His recent history of ……………..is very strange. He had six jobs between 1990 and 2000,
and he ……………………..from all of them.

Applying for a job

The present perfect

1 The present perfect is formed with the present simple of the verb have, and the past
participle of the main verb. For regular verbs, the past participle is the same as the past
simple form.
e.g. to work – he worked – he has worked.

2 We use the present perfect to talk about an action or a situation which started in the past,
and is not finished now.
She´s (he has) lived in Chile since 2000. (And she lives there now)
I´ve worked for this company for five years. (And I still work there now)
They´ve been married since 2002. (And they´re still married now)

3 We use since with a moment in time, and for with a period of time.
Since 2000, since July, since three o´clock
For five years, for a year, for half an hour.
Present perfect + for or since

1 How long has he lived there?

2 How long has he been Regional Director for South America?
3 How long has he worked in this area?

The present perfect tense is used to make a connection between the past and the present. We
sometimes use different verbs to talk about when an action began (past simple tense) and its
duration (present perfect tense).

Complete the missing sentences using the verb indicated, as in the example.

Past simple Present perfect

I got married in 1987.
She joined the company in 1999.
……………………….......………… (move)
He met his wife three years ago.
……………………………..………… (start)
We arrived here about an hour ago.
I´ve been married since 1987. (be)
……………………………………………….. (work)
They´ve lived here for 10 years.
………………………………………………… (know)
I´ve had this job since January.
…………………………………………………. (be)

Now answer these questions.

1 How long have you lived in your present home, and when did you move there?
2 How long have you known your best friend, and when did you first meet him / her?
3 How long have you been in this place, and how did you get here?
Staff profiles.

Match 1-7 with a-g to make seven sentences.

1 You can sometimes take early a ……to another part of the same
retirement ……. company.
2 You resign from your job …… b ……by a new company
3 you are transferred ….. c ……if your job no longer exists.
4 You are dismissed ….. d …….between 60 and 65
5 You usually retire ….. e …….to take up a position in
another company
6 You are made redundant ….. f …….between 50 and 60
7 You are taken on ….. g …….if your job performance
hasn´t been satisfactory.

Present perfect and past simple

1 We also use the present perfect when the time of reference is not finished, even if the
action itself is finished.
We´ve taken on sixteen people this year. (But we´re only in July)
He´s written two letters today. (It´s only 5 p.m. now)
In my professional career, I´ve worked in the three different companies. (I´m only forty
now, so my career is not finished)

2 Compare the time expressions used with the present perfect and past simple.
Present perfect Past simple
I´ve worked… I worked…
This year / month / week last year / month / week
Today yesterday
Since 2005 in 2005
In the last ten years ten years ago
Recently a long time ago

Now describe the other changes between last year and this year. Continue as in the example.
Last year the company transferred …. This year they have …

A candidate is attending a job interview. Match questions 1-4 below with his/her answers.
1 Have you ever had a difficult boss?
2 Have you worked abroad in the last five years?
3 Have you ever managed a team?
4 Have you studied any other languages apart from English?

a yes I have. I was in charge of 15 people in my last job

b no, I haven´t. But I lived in France for 2 years, so I can speak French quite well.
C Yes, I spent 8 months on a construction project in Argentina
D yes, in fact that´s why I resigned from my first job after only six months.