Урок английского языка по теме "Looking for a Job. A Job Interview"

Age: Form 11

Timing: 45 min

1. Organizing – 1 min
2. Warming up – 2 min
3. Intro to topic. Speaking skills perfection, home task check – 5 min
4. Development of analysing and making decision skills – 5 min
5. Listening comprehension and speaking skills development – 7 min
6. Providing additional information on the topic – 10 min
7. Relaxation – 4 min
8. Communication skills development – 10 min
9. Summarizing – 1 min

Aims: 

• To develop students’ listening comprehension and speaking skills.
• To develop students’ vocabulary.
• To develop students’ communication skills.
• To develop students’ skills to analyse and make decisions.
• To help students find out a little more about the procedure of applying for a job.
• To encourage students to use British and American websites for self-studies.

Plan components: 

• Lesson plan: guide for teacher on procedure.
• Slide Show
• Flash cards with commonly asked questions at the job Interview.
• Training films provided on the Internet site http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/videos.html 

Procedure 

Organizing: (1 min)

– Hello, boys and girls. I’m glad to see you. Sit down. Who is on duty today? Who is absent? What’s the matter with …? Sorry to hear that … is ill. What were you to do at home to prepare for our lesson? Thank you.

Warming up: (1 min) addressing one of the boys)

– Maxim,you are looking so serious today. It’s not in your way. Are you OK? …  Are you going to impress your classmates as an excellent student? … We hope you manage it. Let the girls give Maxim some compliments. ….. (You are so kind / clever / creative / smart etc.) … It’s very kind of you. Thank you. And now let’s get down to business.

Stage 1. Intro to topic Applying for a Job. A Job Interview. Teacher – students interaction based on written letters of application prepared by students as a home task.

T:  Today we go on discussing the activities connected with the process of Job Application. At our last lesson we learnt some rules of formal letter writing and found out what information should be included in a Letter of Application and a Curriculum Vitae (CV). Now I’d like you to revise these rules. Will you open your text books page 54, ex.1 and say what features Formal Letters are characterized by.

S: Formal letters are characterized by: formal greetings and endings, advanced vocabulary, set phrases, formal linkers, the use of the passive, the use of full forms. Formal letters don’t use everyday language, phrasal verbs, short forms or abbreviations.

T: What information should be included in the CV?

S:  A CV should contain your personal details, the information about your education and qualifications as well as about the languages you speak, the information about your work experience and personal qualities.

T: What information should be included in the Letter of Application?

S: A letter of application, also known as a cover letter, provides additional information on your skills and experience. It says why you are writing, what job you are applying for and where you found the listing. It also gives the information on your relevant skills and experience and on your personal qualities.
Effective application letters explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and should persuade the Hiring Manager to select you for an interview.

T: Right you are. You were to write a Letter of Application and a CV at home. I would like you to keep them close at hand. You may find them helpful.
And now, when you have these papers written, what would you expect to happen?

S:  I hope to be selected for a job interview.

T: And I wonder if you know how to prepare for a job interview. Would you like to learn some useful tips so that you will be successful at the Job Interview?

S:  I’d like to know more about the procedure of applying for a job. I wonder what questions I’m going to be asked and how I’m expected to answer them.
I’d like to know what things can influence the Hiring Manager’s decision.
I don’t know how to answer the question ‘What are you looking for in salary?’

T: As I see you have a lot of questions. And I hope you find the answers to some of them at today’s lesson. So, the topic of our lesson is ‘a Job Interview’.  

Let us develop some strategies for playing a perfect interview. Will you write them down step by step on the other side of your Letters of Application?

<слайд 3>

Stage II. Development of analyzing and making decision skills.   Teacher – students interaction based on a slide show.

T: Now, students, will you make any assumptions of what you are strongly recommended to do before going to the interview?

S: Making assumptions based on the slide.  I think that before going to the interview it is necessary to do company research so that you will be able to express your interest in the company profile, how you are impressed by the company’s success, its products and its portfolio.

T: Right you are. Write down ‘Log on to the official site of the company and find out the information on its profile, products, partners etc.

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Step two. You are getting dressed for the interview. What do you think you should wear to make a good impression? (ask a boy/girl to come to the smart board, point to the picture of a man/woman wearing proper clothes and say why they think the other clothes are inappropriate to the occasion) 

S: Making assumptions based on the slides.  I think that bright colours, casual or evening wear are inappropriate to a job interview. I would put on a suit for a business wear.

T: In some minutes we are going to find out if you are right. But now, students, will you write down the second point, ‘Choose the proper clothes’.

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And now I’d like our boys to imaging themselves being a Hiring Manager and to choose a girl they would like to be a member of their team. Remember to prove your choice.

S: Making decision based on the slide.  I would choose this girl to work with our company because the others are wearing too much make-up, two of them are wearing too big earrings and one has her brow pierced.

T: If I were you, I would choose the same girl. Now, students, will you write the third point, ‘Light make-up. No piercing.’

Stage III. Listening comprehension and speaking skills development. Teacher – students interaction based on the training film provided on the Internet site http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/videos.html 

<слайд 7>

T:  Now, students, I would like you to check your assumptions and correct your decisions if they are not right. We are going to watch a training film provided on the Internet site http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/videos.html. I wonder if you could write down some other useful tips in order to be successful at a job interview.

 <Приложение 1, видео 1>

T: Now, students, I wonder if there were any useful tips for job applicants in this video. Which of you have written down some advice? Will you look at the smart board and see if you could use these word combinations as prompts.

<слайд 8>

S: Giving answers learnt when watching the video. 

• You should keep the eye contact with the Hiring Manager.
• You should keep smiling at the interview.
• You shouldn’t make a bone crashing handshake.
• You should give only relevant information about yourself, not tell the Manager your biography.
• You should turn off your cell phone. If you forget to do it and your phone is ringing, you should apologise and turn it off without checking up who is calling.
• You should not wear too much perfume.
• You should not set a stress on your weak points. On the contrary, you should concentrate on the points which can be improved.
• You should have a copy of your CV/resume
• You can ask for a Manager’s business card.
• You should ask right questions and answer the Manager’s questions right.

Stage IV. Providing some additional information on the procedure of a job interview. Teacher – students interaction based on flash cards.

T: As you see, there are a lot of points to be taken into consideration when you are getting ready for a job interview. And there are a number of good interview questions that are asked on a regular basis at the interview. As an applicant, you must be prepared for the most commonly asked interview questions. There is a list of such questions on your flash cards. It will give you a good idea of what to expect. Will you read these questions?

<слайд 9> 

S: Reading the questions on the flash cards. <Приложение 3>

T: Thank you. Now you know some of the questions you should be prepared for when going to a Job Interview. But as an applicant you are also expected to ask some questions. As the interview comes to a close, one of the final questions you may be asked is "What can I answer for you?" …Remember, that a question asked during an interview that was poorly thought out can eliminate your chance of getting hired. When you ask the wrong questions you’ll be finished before you even have a chance.
Let’s have a look at the list of questions the applicants sometimes ask during the interview and decide which of them are right and which of them are wrong. Will you turn over your flash cards, read the questions and make you decision.

S: Reading and making assumptions. <Приложение 4> 

• Can you tell me about the company? (Wrong. You should do company research before the interview.)
• Will I be required to work overtime? (Wrong. The Hiring Manager may think that you won’t be enthusiastic about working long hours.)
• What kind of people seem to succeed in the company? (Right. You want to be successful.)
• What is the company’s policy on promotion? (Right. You are ready to work hard to be promoted.)
• How long is the interview? I have someplace I need to be after. (Wrong. You are not organized.)
• What are the unique talents of the current employees? (Right. You are interested in the human resources policy of the company.)
• What do you see are the key goals for the company during the next year? (Right. You are interested in the company plans.)  
• Do you offer free parking? (Wrong. You should ask this question in later interviews. The initial interview is not the place to discuss such questions.)
• How long is my lunch break? (Wrong. You should be interested in your professional duties. The manager may think that you are not ready for working hard.)
• What current challenges are associated with my position? (Note the use of my as if you’ve already been given the job). (Right. You are interested in your professional duties.)
• Who will be part of my team? (Right. You are a team player.)
•  What type of health insurance do you offer? (Wrong. You should ask this question in later interviews. The initial interview is not the place to discuss such questions.)

T: Ask the right questions to the employer and you significantly increase your likelihood of being short-listed or being offered the position.

Stage V. Relaxation. Teacher – students interaction based on the humorous film provided on the Internet site http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/videos.html.

T: Well done! Now it’s time to relax. Let us watch a humorous video about the origin of a job interview. Note, that the characters of this film have rather strange pronunciation, so it’s advisable to follow the titles. Try to detect if the job interview presented in this video follows the common rules of this procedure.

<Приложение 2, видео 2>

Teacher: Did you enjoy the video? Does the job interview presented in the video follow the common rules? Are the clothes of the applicants appropriate for this procedure? Which of these two applicants has a chance to get a position in the tribe? Why?

S: The job interview presented in the video follows the common rules. I cannot say that the clothes of the applicants are appropriate for this procedure, but as far as I know there were no business suits then. I’d say that all characters of this video are wearing clothes for their business that is for hunting.
As for the applicants, I don’t think that either of the two can get a position. One of them tells a lie, the other is late for the interview and has his CV broken.

Stage VI. Communication skills development. Students: working in pairs and acting out a job interview. Teacher: assessing students’ progress

T: Now, students, will you work in pairs and try to make up a dialogue. Let one of you be the Hiring Manager and the other one be an applicant. I’d like you to act out a Job Interview. You will have 3 minutes to prepare your performance which will be assessed by your classmates.

SS: Acting out dialogues

– Please have a seat, Mr. Saunders.
– Thank you.
– What is your age, Mr. Saunders?
– I’m 20.
– And what position are you applying for?
– I’m applying for a position of an interior designer.
– Tell about yourself.
– I’m in my final year at the College of Art and Design. And I have two years’ experience working with Artic Advertising Company. I have prepared portfolio with some photos of my works.
– Well done. And why do you want to work with our company?
– I’m impressed with your company reputation in the field. And I believe it is the right place where my skills can develop.
– What personal qualities do you have that would be useful in this job?
– My colleagues say that I’m reliable, highly organized, hardworking and creative.
– Great! Are there any questions you would like me to answer?
– I’d like to know who will be part of my team.
– There are five interior designers working for our company. All of them are experienced and talented. They will be helpful.
– Great! When can I start?
– We’ll let you know in a couple of weeks. Thank you for coming.
– Thank you.

Stage VII. Summarizing

T:  Our lesson is coming to the end. And now I’d like to know if the information you’ve learnt is essential? Will you be able to put it into practice? Did you find the website http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/videos.html useful?

SS: Assessing their work at the lesson

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T:  I hope you’ll make a strong impression at the job interview and hopefully you’ll get a chance to answer one final question, ‘When can you start?’

Your home task:

Log on to the website http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/videos.html and read the article “Job Search Strategies”. Be ready to give your classmates some advice.
Our lesson is over. Thank you. Good-bye.

Praising students and rewarding good work is of great importance.