Н.Э. Шарабарина, Л.В. Кулик - English for Junior Students of the Humanities - Unit 4 (1116862), страница 5
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And Russians? Well, a new work forcearmed with a new work ethic may place them on the American side of that equation.The labor market is experiencing a resurrection of sorts, but employers and employees are finding they haveto shift gears to keep up with present-day demands.The changes, according" to labor analysts, mean smaller salaries, heavier workloads and increasedprofessionalism.A new breed of Western-trained Russian professionals has emerged, ready to work overtime to promotetheir careers.
But employment experts say these energetic young workers know their value — and thoughthey'll work for lower pay, they're always on the lookout for better opportunities.Company demands for employment have changed. After the mass layoffs that followed the tumult of August1998, companies are now once again scrambling to find qualified people to fill vacancies.Each year, Russian professionals are gaining more and more experience in Western companies.
And it isfrom this widening pool of Western-trained professionals that companies are seeking to hire — and nothing lesswill do.But along with the higher standards, multinationals are also offering heavier workloads with smallersalaries. Despite rehiring, most companies will not reach the same level of employment as before the crisis.Diversification and increased responsibilities are a necessity. Employers are counting on this new breed ofworkers to handle a greater variety of duties and more work in general.There seems to be a new hunger to move up the ladder — or on to bigger and better ladders — but means meansstaying at the office late into the night and putting after-work activities on hold.(from The Russia Business Review)> On which side of the equation would you place Russians ?> What do you think is a new work ethics in Russia, if any?> How would you characterize yourself as a would-be employee?> How far are you going to move up the ladder?EXERCISE 5 Read the text below and highlight the points with whichyou agree or disagree.
Give your reasoningTHE ONLY THING PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN TODAY ISEARNING MORE MONEYOnce upon a time there lived a beautiful young woman and a handsome young man. They werevery poor, but as they were deeply in love, they wanted to get married. The young people's parentsshook their heads.
'You can't get married yet, they said "Wait till you get a good job with goodprospects. So the young people waited until they found good jobs with good prospects and theywere able to get married. They were still poor, of course. They didn't have a house to live in or anyfurniture, but that didn't matter. The young man had a good job with good prospects, so largeorganisations lent him the money he needed to buy a house, some furniture, all the latest electricalappliances and a car. The couple lived happily ever after paving off debts for the rest of their lives. Andso ends another modern romantic fable.We live in a materialistic society and are trained from our earliest years to be acquisitive. Ourpossessions, 'mine' and 'yours' are clearly labeled from early childhood.
When we grow old enough toearn a living, it does surprise us to discover that success is measured in terms of the money you earn.We spend the whole of our lives keeping up with our neighbors, the Joneses, if we buy a newtelevision set, Jones is bound to buy a bigger and better one. If we buy a new car we can be sure thatJones will get on better and get two new cars: one for his wife and one for himself.
The mostamusing thing about this game is that the Joneses and all the neighbors who are struggling24frantically to keep up with them are spending borrowed money kindly provided, at a suitable rate ofinterest, of course, by friendly banks, insurance companies, etc.It is not only in affluent societies that people are obsessed with the idea of making more money.Consumer goods are desirable everywhere and modern industry deliberately sets out to create newmarkets.
Gone are the days when industrial goods were made to last forever. The wheels of industrymust be kept turning. 'Built-in obsolescence' provides the means: goods are made to be discarded.Cars get thinner and thinner. You no sooner acquire this year's model than you are thinking about itsreplacement.This materialistic outlook has seriously influenced education. Fewer and fewer young peoplethese days acquire knowledge only for its own sake. Every course of studies must lead somewhere: i.e.to a bigger wage packet. The demand for skilled personnel far exceeds the supply and bigcompanies compete with each other to recruit students before they have completed their studies.Tempting salaries and fringe benefits are offered to them. Recruiting tactics of this kind have led to the'brain drain', the process by which highly skilled people offer their services to the highest bidder.The wealthier nations deprive their poorer neighbors of their most able citizens.
While Mammon isworshipped as never before, the rich get richer and the poor, poorer.(from For and Against by L.G. Alexander)EXERCISE 6 You are going to make an opening speech at a Job Fair. Present these sixsteps, provide your comments and examples> Главное — решиться. Четко определите, чего конкретно вы хотите от этой жизни исделайте первый шаг на нелегком и увлекательном пути поиска работы.••> Как и во всем, в поиске работы главное — соответствующий настрой и умениемобилизоваться.•> Помните о том, что поиск работы — такая же работа, как и любая другая. Учтите, что еслиВы не будете, как минимум, по 5 дней в неделю с 10.00 до 18.00 искать работу, Вы не найдетеее вообще.•> Будьте активны.
Нажимайте на все доступные кнопки, используйте все известныеканалы поиска работы. Тогда Ваши шансы многократно увеличатся.•> Помните, что поиск работы — это своеобразный торг, на котором и продавцом итоваром одновременно выступаете Вы со своими профессиональными качествами,способностями и навыками.
И Ваша задача — подороже продать себя работодателю.> Никогда не отчаивайтесь. Даже если Вам в очередной раз отказали, помните — Вашевремя не потрачено даром. Вы приобрели полезный опыт поиска работы и общения сработодателем, а это главное — ведь на ошибках учатся. Проанализируйте, что вы сделали нетак, чтобы произвести на следующего потенциального работодателя лучшее впечатление.Удачи!(from Stolichniye Vesty, № 7, 1999)WRITINGA Letter of ApplicationEXERCISE 1Scan the text below and highlight general points about how to write to aprospective employerOne very important kind of business letter is an application for a job, but the number of peoplewho have no idea how to write such a letter is amazing. Of course there is no one pattern that willworthwhile please everybody, but there are a number of common types that will please nobody.
Itmay therefore be worth your while to consider a few general points about how to write to aprospective employer (hereafter called "he" or "him") before developing your individual variations.251 . Start your letter simply and directly by saying what kind of job you are applying for.
Unlessyou are quite sure either that you are a genius or that he isn't quite bright, don't try to bowl him overwith a fancy opening. Here is a beginning which, with minor variations have been closing doors ontheir writes for years: "Are you looking for a man who...?" In brief, no.Not nearly so bad, but still clumsy, is " I am interested in applying for a position as a technician inyour department. I should like to know whether there is an opening. I am etc." Never mind theinterest — say "I am applying" or " I wish to apply." You are writing the letter on the chance thatthere is.2.
Even if it means a little extra work for you, give him all the information you think he mightwant in the first letter. Unless you tell him enough to interest him, you won't get more than a formletter in reply.3. Don't ask him any questions in the first letter, or put any other burden on him. If he gets anumber of letters that seem about equally promising, he'll probably answer those that take leasteffort.4.
If you enclose a picture, choose one that is appropriate for the job you are seeking, notmerely one that flatters your vanity.5. Don't enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope. If he can't or won't answer without one,you don't want the job anyway.THE DATA SHEETMost important of all, enclose a data sheet. This device has at least three advantages. First, itputs the essential facts together in a convenient form, where they can be scanned almost at aglance - to see if the rest of the letter is worth reading.
Second, it provides some protectionagainst leaving out essential information. Third, it allows you to do your boasting impersonally.After all, the main purpose of a letter of application is to tell how good the applicant is. Theproblem of how to do this effectively is a delicate one. The best general solution is the data sheet(also known as curriculum vitae and resume).EXERCISE 2 Work in groups. Imagine that you have received a lot of applications for ajob in your firm.
Sort them into three piles:A: These look promising!B: These are possibles.C: Thanks, but no thanks! (hopeless cases)1 . As you will see from my enclosed CV, I have been working for my presentposition for three years. I joined them as assistant works manager and waspromoted to production manager last year. Before that I had spent two years taking afull-time diploma course.2. My name's Jim Brown and I can do great things for your company! I'm 29, unmarried, fitand healthy and I've got all the qualifications and experience to make me the ideal.3. I am sure I would be able to manage the department successfully as I am good at supervising people and at giving dearinstructions. I feel that I would be ...4.I wish to applyadvertised. Please send me further ГI / forа Гthe job youа haveаdetails.5.
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