Key Vocabulary List

personality testing/ tests

aptitude/ intelligence tests, to complete a test

personal preference questionnaire

short-list, to reduce applicants to a short-list

application, applicant, to apply to a firm for a job (a post), to apply for a leave, to fill in/ out a form, to accept/ turn down an application

references; perks, fringe benefits, a benefit package, increments, a golden handshake

vacancy, opening, to fill a vacancy

to select a suitable candidate

headhunter, to headhunt, a headhunting agency

workload; workaholic; to work up, to work out, to work smb hard

to take minutes, to have good knowledge of shorthand

to keep up with the latest technological developments

rewarding/ challenging/ cushy/ time-consuming job

knowledgeable/ committed/ outgoing/ ambitious/ confident/ competent/ organized person

to gain confidence, to be confident of smth

to make false claims

to order people about

to be on the ball

to throw one’s weight around, to pull one’s weight

to be over the moon

to stand up for one’s rights

to tackle smth, to cope with smth

Text A

Personality Tests

Do you agree with the following statements? Just answer yes or no – and do it as quickly as possible.

I looked up to my father as the ideal man.

Sometimes I feel like smashing things.

Women should not be allowed to drink alone in bars.

I prefer having a bath to a shower.

All these statements appear on a personality test currently being used by employers in Britain. And since your next job or promotion could depend on your answers you had better take this test very seriously.

At a time when employing the wrong person could cost company money, employers are understandably careful about accepting information from candidates at face value. In most cases, employers simply want to know basically what type of person you are. They need to know whether you are sociable or shy, the type that enjoys a challenge or runs away from change. If you’re always outgoing, you could be the perfect sales assistant – but might not be suitable for another position.

Personality testing is not new. In Old Testament, Gideon the war leader used a simple psychological test to select an army that was about to go into battle. The ancient Chinese also used personality tests to select high-ranking clerks and civil servants. In modern times, however, personality testing only dates back to World War I, when the American army tested two million men in order to place them in the most suitable jobs.

Despite their popularity, not everyone thinks personality tests work. Do we know ourselves well enough to be able to give correct and honest answers? Psychologists believe that there is a huge gap between what people say about themselves and their true personalities. Applicants are usually aware of the types of people an employer wants. As a result, there is a tendency for applicants to lie or cheat by giving the answers he or she knows the employer wants to hear. Another thing these tests assume is that people who are organized in their private lives, will be organized in the workplace. Clearly this may not be the case, but the person whose test results say that they are hardworking and honest will appear very attractive to an employer.

But nowadays, with so many applicants for each job employers are not all that interested in whether there is real evidence that personality tests work. They just want a quick, cheap method of cutting down on the number of applicants they have to interview for each job. And a refusal to complete one of these tests when you apply for a job is unlikely to be seen as a positive sign by the employer. If one applicant refuses, while all the others agree, the employer will often just throw the application away.

Text B

Job Interview

In today’s job marketplace, the interview is increasingly a structured event, with each candidate being asked the same predetermined questions, rather than a process guided by whatever questions happen to float into the minds of the panel. A growing number of interviews are also situational; with candidates being asked questions such as “What would you do if … ?”, or “How would you deal with a situation where… ?” This approach lets them provide practical examples of how they would tackle a particular situation, whether or not they have had any direct experience of them. Interviews are also generally becoming a lot less formal, reflecting the decreasing importance attached to hierarchy within organisations. It has been found that despite all these efforts to bring the interview process up-to-date, employers frequently make the wrong choice. But although the interview may be a highly unreliable predictor of a candidate’s suitability, it remains the centrepiece of most organisations’ selection procedures.

From the point of view of the candidate, there are important pointers towards maximising the possibility of success at the interview stage. One of the most important is good preparation, both in personal appearance and in knowledge of what the job entails. Confidence gained in this way will enable the candidate to feel at ease, and to avoid the traps of either false modesty or overconfidence when answering questions in the interview.

Text C

At the Interview

If you manage to get an interview – do not waste the opportunity. The employer is now seriously interested in the picture you have given of your skills, qualifications and potential commitment.

Large organisations often use particular selection techniques to supplement their interviewing procedures. These include the use of intelligence tests, critical thinking and other aptitude tests, personal preference questionnaires, group discussions and group or individual exercises to see how well you can cope with particular problems. If such methods are used you are certain to have them clearly explained before you start. You are also likely to be asked to assess how well you think you have done, so think about this in advance.

The interview is also your chance to find out about the job at first hand; to discuss it with the employer, meet other people in the organisation, look at the establishment, understand the product or service and its market, discuss the training offered and the prospects of development and progression within the organisation.

To succeed make note of the following advice.

1. The first two or three minutes are important in establishing rapport. Try to develop a friendly approach; smile; relax; shake hands; address the person by name. Look at the interviewer and show interest in what is being said.

2. Take a moment to think about answers to the questions. Listen carefully; speak clearly and do not rush.

3. Be natural and honest. Be positive and concentrate on achievements and experience. Do not make false claims.

4. Do not answer “yes” or “no”; support your answers with examples and give reasons for your opinions. At the same time, stick to the point and remember that the interviewer’s time is limited.

5. Use the interview to find out what you want to know about the job and the organisation, including such aspects as career prospects, pension scheme, and fringe benefits.

6. Use every opportunity to stress that you are not just after any job but that you are really keen to work for the company which is interviewing you.

7. Above all, try not to treat the interview as an examination in which you are always on the receiving end. Use it instead as an opportunity for a full frank exchange of information. Do not be afraid to ask for more information or to put your own questions.

8. Dress smartly but comfortably, as you will be judged in some respects by what you wear. When in doubt, dress conservatively.

After the interview and while it is fresh in your mind, analyse how you think the interview went and note any points for which you were unprepared or which you found difficult to answer. Build your experience with each interview so that you become more confident and knowledgeable.

Text D

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 2511