Interviews 101 1. In the text find word(s) which mean(s): a. fulfilled: __________________________ b. before: ___________________________ c. a careless mistake: ___________________ d. speak hesitantly: ____________________ e. appropriate: _______________________ 2. Write definitions or synonyms for the following phrases that are underlined in the text: a. responded to: _____________________ b. eager to: _________________________ c. recruited for: _____________________ d. pass along: _______________________ e. patch up: ________________________ f. in reference to: ____________________ g. set up: __________________________ h. picked up: _______________________ 3. Why, in your opinion, did Miles give up on calling the applicant in for an inter view ? 4. If the applicant could turn the clock back to the beginning of his application process, what would he possibly do differently? Up to now, you have prepared your documents for your application which, ideally, should pave the way for an interview. The interview is a crucial step in the recruitment process.
102 Unit 3 PREPARING FOR A JOB INTERVIEW Listen to Alison Doyle’s recommendations on how to prepare for a job interview and complete the table below. DO’S & DON’TS Before the interview: During the interview: Taken from: Doyle, A. (n.d.). Job searching. Retrieved October 21, 2011 from http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/networking/a/ networking.htm Share your answers with the rest of the class.
Interviews 103 * WHEN CALLED FOR AN INTERVIEW, CONFIRM THE LOCATION OF THE INTERVIEW AND BE THERE 10-15 MINUTES BEFORE THE INTERVIEW, NEITHER EARLIER, NOR LATER. * BRING EXTRA COPIES OF YOUR CV AND GO OVER THE INFORMATION IN IT. TYPES OF INTERVIEWS Match the types of interviews in the box with the correct definitions below. Distance interview Panel interview Group interview Behavioral interview Mealtime interview Presentations One on one interview Case interviews 1._ __________________________This is one of the most common types of interview in which the applicant is interviewed by one representative of the organization. Typical interview questions are generally asked in this type of interview. The applicant must be prepared to answer questions related with the experience on his CV. 2.___________________________The applicant is interviewed by more than one person in this type of interview. The interviewers may be working at dif- ferent departments of the organization and therefore may ask questions related with their own field. A chair usually leads the interview. Academic interviews are generally held in this way. 3. _______________________ In this type of interview, questions related with past experience are asked in order to be able to assess the applicant’s future competency. A sample question is: “Can you tell me about a time when you failed to accomplish a task?” The main aim in this type of interview is to see how the candidate deals with problems and what he does to solve them. 4.___________________________The interviewer aims to see how the candi- date interacts with the other candidates and what role he takes among them. The candidates are asked to work on a task together.
104 Unit 3 5.___________________________If the candidate is not a local, this type of interview may be preferred. This type of interview is pre-scheduled and is conducted via telephoning or conference calling. 6.___________________________This type of interview is generally held as a second interview. Some other members of the team are also invited to see how you fit in. The candidate may ask questions about the position at this point. Good table manners will definitely be an advantage for the candidate. 7. ___________________________ Some organizations may ask for this type of interview to see if the candidate can gather his/her thoughts, plan, prepare and communicate with his audience effectively. This type of interview is expected to have a clear logic, a good introduction and an effective ending. 8. ___________________________ The applicant is given a real or a hypothetical question, problem, or a challenge and is expected to resolve the situation. The interviewer mainly aims to see how the applicant handles the situation and whether he can apply his previous academic and professional knowledge in solving the problem. Which of the interview types do you find challenging? Why? INTERVIEW TIPS • Being too intimate with the interviewer may work against you in a one-on-one interview. • Make sure you are in a quiet room, and you are not eating, drinking, or chewing gum during a phone interview. • Establish eye contact with all interviewers at a panel interview. • You are not expected to pay at a mealtime interview yet do not order anything too expensive and do not get caught with a mouthful of food when asked a question. • As behavioral interviews look for weaknesses in your answers, be well prepared for possible questions related with achievements and weaknesses in your background. • In a group interview, be neither too loud to drown others out nor too quiet that you are not noticed by anyone. • It is important to look and speak confidently in a presentation. Make sure you speak slightly slower, louder, and more clearly than you would normally do. • In ‘case interviews’, make sure you understand the situation by asking clarifying questions and underlying assumptions. Then state your recommendations and/or solutions. Adapted from: Innes, J. (2009). The interview book. Great Britain: Pearson Education Limited.
Interviews 105 TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS: This is a type of distance interview. It is very commonly used although tele-conferences are becoming more popular. Recruiters generally inform the candidate about the date and time of the interview in advance, which will enable you to plan and prepare for it. Some important points for a student who is going through a phone interview is first to find an area that is really quiet- not a noisy dorm room. Second, make sure that your cell phone is on. If, for whatever reason, your cell phone is off and the recruiter goes straight to voice mail, make sure that the message is professional. Third, have your resume in front of you. It would be a good idea to write a few notes for yourself of things that you would like to highlight. Another important point is that because the recruiter cannot see your reactions, you will have to express yourself more clearly than you would in a face-to-face interview. Finally, the register should be appropriate. ACTING OUT! Get into groups of three: Students A and B: Interviewers. Ask questions about the applicant’s personality and interests. At the end of the interview evaluate the interviewee’s performance. (page 130) Student C: Interviewee. Answer the questions using one of the clues given at the end of this unit. LOW ENERGY OF THE CANDIDATE IS A CHIEF CAUSE OF REJECTION.
106 Unit 3 FIRST IMPRESSIONS Jonathan Ross and Roberta Terrell talk about first impressions during a job interview. Listen to the conversation and take notes in the chart below. Smile Smile after initial greeting Eye contact No need to keep smiling constantly Look friendly and approachable Handshake Fidget signals Positive signals Non-verbal appearance Using your notes write down tips for each category. The first one is done for you. 1. Have a genuine and friendly smile when greeting the interviewer._______ 2. ______________________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________________ 4. ______________________________________________________ 5. ______________________________________________________ 6. ______________________________________________________ Taken from: National Careers Service. (2011). Preparing for an interview. Retrieved December 01, 2011 from https:// nextstep.direct.gov.uk/gettingajob/Applicationsandinterviews/preparingforaninterview/Pages/ Transcriptforpodcastjobinterviews.aspx
Interviews 107 EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR THREE MAIN TRAITS WHEN INTERVIEWING A CANDIDATE. POSITIVITY, SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND COMPETENCY. ŞERİF İZGÖREN ACTING OUT! Pair work: Create a telephone conversation between the PA (personal assistant) of Mr. Bailey and the receiver of the phone call. Read the situation given below and prepare a conversation using the telephoning expressions from both the expressions box in unit 2 and below. Student A: Your roommate applied to a pharmaceuticals company two weeks ago. Now they are calling to inform him/her that s/he is invited for a job interview. Your roommate is not available. Get the phone, take the message and confirm it. Student B: You are the PA of Mr. Bailey, head of Human Resources at a pharmaceuticals company. You call the applicant. His/her roommate answers. Leave a message saying that his/her job application was considered and that he is going to be interviewed on Monday at 10:00 a.m. Specify the location.
108 Unit 3 BUSINESS SKILL: TELEPHONING In Unit 2, you learned about telephoning language. Below you will find a more comprehensive list of such expressions: Situation Examples Finding out who is calling Connecting someone - Who’s calling/speaking, please? Putting somebody on hold - May I ask who’s calling? When you don’t understand - One minute, I’ll transfer you now. the caller - Please hold and I’ll put you through. - Let me see if Jim is available. Taking a message for someone - One moment, please. - Hang on a minute. (informal) Leaving a message for someone - Jim is on another line at the moment. Would you like to hold? - I’m sorry, I have a call on my other line. Can you please hold? For customer service calls - All of our operators are currently busy. Please stand by for the next available operator. - Could you please repeat that? - I’m sorry, I didn’t catch what you just said. - Can you please speak a little more slowly? - Can you please speak a little louder? - Can you please spell that for me? - How do you spell your last name? - And that company name again was JAQ Industries? - Let me repeat your information to make sure I got it right. - I’m sorry, John’s not here at the moment. Can I take a message? - John is in a meeting at the moment. May I ask who’s calling? - John is at lunch. Would you like to leave a message? - John has left for the day. Would you like to be put through to his voice mail? - Please tell him that Susan called and ask him to call me back. My number is 999-343-3423. - Please ask him to call Susan when he gets in. - He already has my number. - He’s not in? Please put me through to his voice mail. - When do you expect him back in the office? - I need to speak with him on an urgent matter. Please have him call me as soon as he gets in.
Interviews 109 Acknowledging - I see/I understand. Confirmation - I’ve got that now. Ending a conversation - Yes, that’s right/correct. Leaving a voice mail - It’s been great talking with you. I’ve got a meeting now so Recording a voice mail message I better run. on your machine - Thanks for calling. I’ll speak with you again soon. - I’ve got another call coming in. Good talking to you. - I‘d better let you go. - It’s 5 o’clock already. I‘d better let you go. - Let’s touch base on this again in a few days. - Hello, this is Marina Smith calling to follow-up regarding your order with XYZ company. Can you please call me back at 999-344-3344. - Hello, this is John Block from ABC. I’m calling regarding the upcoming conference in Miami. I’ll try you again later today. - Hi, it’s Marina. Please call me back when you get a minute. (informal) - Hello, you’ve reached Marina Smith at XYZ company. I’m sorry I’m not available to take your call. Please leave a message and I’ll call you back as soon as I can. Thank you. - Hello, you’ve reached John Block at ABC. It’s Monday, May 22, and I will be out of the office all day. I will be checking my voice mail from time to time and will return all urgent calls. Thank you. If you’re going on vacation - Hello, this is Marina Smith at the XYZ company. I will be on vacation from Friday, May 12 through Monday, May 22. Please leave a message, and I’ll call you back when I return. Thank you. Phrases for cell phone calls The fading signal - I’m sorry, I’m losing you. Can you call me back? - I can barely hear you. Let me call you back on my other phone. - We’re breaking up. I’m having trouble hearing you. Let me call you back later. The lost call - Hi, it’s Marina again. Apparently we got cut off. - Hi, it’s John again. Sorry I lost you. My cell phone dropped the signal. Spelling out names over the - My last name is Czarnek. C as in cat, Z as in zebra, A as phone. Often you will need to in apple, R as in Robert, N as in Nancy, e as in egg, K as in spell something out over the king. telephone, such as a last name. - My registration number is 459N4AF. That’s 459, N as in Nancy, 4 A as in Apple, F as in Frank. Adapted from: ESLMania(2012). Retrieved April 20, 2012 from http://www.eslmania.com/students/business_english/ Telephone.htm
110 Unit 3 SOME COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Below you will see some common interview questions with three responses provided for each. Pick the answer that best reflects your own response. Question 1: Give us some background information about yourself. a. What exactly do you want b. I was born in İzmir. I c. I studied statistics at me to cover? finished high school there Istanbul University and my and then went to İstanbul education covered most to study statistics. Then topics that would assist me I successfully graduated in my career. I also had the with honors and I applied opportunity to gain some for a position here at your skills, such as teamwork, company. time management and organizational skills. Question 2: Why do you want to work for us? a. A friend of mine suggested b. I researched your company c. Because I completed my your company. I heard you and realized your projects internship in your company offer a good salary and fringe and work style fit well with and it was a good experience. benefits. mine. Question 3: You don’t seem to have much experience. Why should we hire you? a. I am a new graduate with b. Instead of hiring more c. Well, it is up to you of much energy and enthusiasm senior staff, it will be to your course. You did not mention to undertake assignments. I’m benefit to hire me because I in your job advertisement a quick learner and I adapt can stay with you for longer that you were looking for easily to new situations. years. I have many good skills. some years of experience. Question 4: How do you work with others? a. So far, I have completed b. If I am assigned to work c. Although I prefer to work my teamwork assignments with people I get along with, on my own, I think I can successfully. I think this there is no problem. manage working with others is due to my easygoing because I have good time personality and my management skills. organizational skills.
Interviews 111 Question 5: What do you think of our website? a. It looks good. b. Unfortunately I didn’t have c. It’s easy to navigate. I time to examine your website. was able to access all the information I needed about this department under the departments link easily. Question 6: What kind of a workplace would you like to work in? a. I don’t have any work b. A friendly environment c. Getting the job is experience so I am not sure where I can work in peace, important to me. I can work what I am looking for. produce and cooperate with in any kind of workplace. others. Question 7: What questions would you be asking if you were in my place? a. Actually, you asked most b. You are the boss and I c. It is a tough question. Well, of the questions that I’d ask. think you know what to ask I am sorry, I cannot think of I think I would add ‘In what better than I do. any at the moment. ways have you developed over the past 5 years?’ Question 8: How do your hobbies and interests contribute to your professional development? a. Hobbies are important in b. I have a lot of hobbies. One c. Through each activity I one’s life. When you have of them is playing the guitar. improve certain skills. To a hobby you become more I like playing it as much as I illustrate, playing chess helps energetic and that contributes like the field I have studied. me think more analytically to your success in your and plan my future better. profession. Question 9: How do you follow the developments in your field? a. I have subscribed to the X b. I attended all my classes c. Through the Internet. journal, the articles in which regularly and learned a lot I follow regularly. Moreover, about the latest developments the Internet is a huge source. in my field. Question 10: Do you have any questions? a. Well, no, thanks. b. How about my salary? We c. What will be expected of never talked about it. me on a regular work day if I am hired?
112 Unit 3 NINE COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Listen to the talk on 9 common interview questions and take notes. How to prepare Q1. Tell me about yourself Q2. Why this industry? Q3. Why us? Q4. Strengths Q5. Weaknesses Q6. Career goals Q7. Extracurricular activities Q8. A difficult situation Q9. Your questions Taken from: Arizona University. (2010). Career services. This week @ career services. Retrieved December 21, 2011 from http://www.career.arizona.edu/RSS/rss_Podcasts.aspx?1 Now go to the end of this unit and answer the questions related to the podcast using your notes.
Interviews 113 How to Take Control of a Job Interview and Make Yourself a Winning Candidate Every Time 1. Taking an interview is a very stressful experience for most people and therefore it is very normal to feel nervous before and during the interview. Nerves, in fact, can be used to sharpen up your performance; however, if they take over to the extent that they hinder your performance, then it may be considered as a problem. Relaxation techniques and thorough preparation will help reduce and control your nerves. 2. In every interview, about 60% of the allotted time will be taken up by the same standard questions. It is up to you to control the other 40% of the time – and manage it to your ultimate advantage. To begin with, a sincere greeting and polite manners will have a positive impact on the interviewer. When the interviewer starts asking questions, you should not try to anticipate the interview question or cut off the questioner. In order to appear polite and focused, you should listen to the entire question, and then begin to answer. If possible, do not miss out on chances to ask questions dealing with shared interests you discovered with the interviewer. You will be surprised at how a person will brighten up when they discover you share an interest or hobby. In the end, you may be asked whether you have any questions for the interviewer. At this point, you should be prepared with your questions in mind and ask a relevant and acceptable question. 3. Managing the standard interview questions is the most important issue in a job interview. Even though your resume got you into the interview, you may be asked to quickly review it for new people in attendance. You need to be able to summarize your resume/biography/life in three to five minutes. Prior to your interview, practice until you can do this. In order to stay focused, include highlights of each position you have held, responsibilities, how long you held it, and the accolades/awards you received. If there have been any gaps in employment, make sure you can explain why it has been so. 4. Why you chose to apply to that particular institution or company is a typical question most employers ask; therefore, it is important to research the company thoroughly. The more you know about the company, its position within the industry, and its recent history, the more conversant you will be during the interview, and the more you will stand out. 5. Another common question that employers ask is the ‘strengths and weaknesses’ question. You will almost always be asked to list your strengths and/or weaknesses. Again, practice these so that you can answer quickly and succinctly. For strengths, typical answers may include such descriptive labels as “strong multi-tasker, works well with others, self-motivated, quick-learner, thorough, and great eye for detail,” to list a few. Include an example of a strength you have acquired from a previous job that will help you in this new position. This shows your ability to learn.
114 Unit 3 6. For weaknesses, remember you may be giving the interviewer grounds for not hiring you. Therefore, answer this question with care. First, you can not answer that you have no weaknesses; you are not Superman or Wonder Woman; you will seem insincere. For those weaknesses you do share, also include the steps you have taken to turn them into strengths. For instance, you can recount how earlier in your career you had a propensity for taking on too much – but then you learned the benefits of delegating responsibility. Your work load became lighter, your subordinates felt “empowered” and overall department performance increased in a substantial way. 7. There are other standard questions such as the ones about your greatest accomplishments in life or your plans over the next 5 years. For the first question, select both a key professional achievement and a personal one. If you are not specifically asked to cover a professional or personal accomplishment, decide which one would be more appropriate to talk about. The latter question aims to see your long-term career ambitions. Do not be too specific when answering this question as it is difficult to anticipate what specific job you will be undertaking in five years’ time. Instead, mention level of responsibility or of autonomy you hope you will have reached. Also, it is a good idea to communicate that you will still be with this same organization. 8. Once you have been given the cue that the interviewer is ready to end the session, thank him/her for the interview. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. Good luck with the rest of your interviews” is a good way to take your leave. 9. Immediately after the interview, send a “thank you” e-mail to your interviewer, or to the main contact person you dealt with. This is an opportunity to thank the interviewers for their time but actually to seize one last opportunity to make an impact. You may want to reiterate how your skills and qualifications do match with the requirements. Compiled from: Innes, J. (2009). The interview book. Great Britain: Pearson Education Limited. Money morning. (2009). How to take control of a job interview and make yourself a winning candidate every time. Retrieved November 19, 2011 from http://moneymorning.com/ 2009/08/14/preparing-for-a-job-interview/2009
Interviews 115 Answer the questions below according to the text. 1. What does the writer mean by ‘Nerves, in fact, can be used to sharpen up our performance’ in paragraph 1? 2. One thing that positively affects the interviewer is _________________ _____________________________________ . Another one is _____ _______________________________________________________. 3. Why is it important to review the CV before the interview? 4. Find a word which means a person ‘who can handle different jobs at the same time’ in paragraph 5. 5. Find a word which means ‘careful and methodical’ in paragraph 5. 6. What is recommended when answering the ‘long-term career plans’ ques- tion. 7. What is the purpose in writing a thank you email?
116 Unit 3 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Your appearance, the way you act, and the language you use will undoubtedly have a crucial impact on the interviewer. In addition to these, interviewers generally aim to get the answers to the following questions. These questions may be asked directly or indirectly. 1. How would you describe your personality? 2. How would a friend or a professor who knows you well describe you? 3. Why did you choose this profession? 4. Why did you choose our department/company? 5. What do you think makes us different from others? 6. What characteristics/skills do you think are important for this role/position? 7. What strengths would you bring to this position? 8. Do you have a weakness? 9. What courses have you taken that have had the greatest impact on your thinking? 10. Explain what we do in this department. 11. Do you have any relevant experience? Explain. 12. How do you feel about your career progress? 13. Talk about your future plans. 14. Tell us about an accomplishment that has given you great satisfaction. 15. What do you think it takes to be successful here? 16. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 17. How long would you stay with us? 18. How do you work under pressure? Give an example. 19. Tell me about a time when you were creative in solving a problem. 20. Describe a time when your work was criticized. 21. What kind of tasks get you energized? 22. Are you willing to relocate? 23. What do you think one needs to do to get a promotion? 24. Do you prefer team or individual work? 25. Are you a leader or a follower? 26. Do you prefer to delegate or do you prefer hands-on?
Interviews 117 27. You do not seem to have much experience. Give me one good reason why we should hire you. 28. How do you keep track of the recent developments in your field? 29. Did you examine our website? Did you like it? 30. Do you think you can make a manager? If so, when do you think you can reach that level? 31. How do you like to be managed? 32. How do you deal with a difficult member of staff ? 33. What do you do during summers? 34. What are your interests outside school? How do they contribute to your personal development? 35. What salary package are you expecting for this role/position? Some questions you may ask: 1. What are the various ways employees communicate with one another to carry out their work? 2. What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this job? 3. Could you describe your company’s management style and the type of employee who fits well with it? 4. What are some of the skills and abilities necessary for someone to succeed in this job? 5. What is the company’s policy on providing seminars, workshops, and training so employees can keep up their skills or acquire new ones? 6. What kind of work can I expect to be doing the first year? 7. Can you describe an ideal employee? 8. What is your organization’s policy on transfers to other cities? 9. Are ethics and values described in the firm’s recruiting materials? 10. What does your company/institution do for the society? Taken from: Hrvinet Human Resources. (n.d.) Retrieved March, 20, 2012 from http://www.humanresources.hrvinet.com/restaurant-interview-questions/ University of Toledo. (n.d.) Fifty questions employers ask in interviews. Retrieved March 20, 2012 from http://www.utoledo.edu/utlc/career/assets/pdfs/50_Interview_Questions.pdf
118 Unit 3 ACTING OUT! Pairwork: Work with a friend to interview each other taking turns. • Exchange your CVs that you have brought along with you to class. • Take time to go through your friend’s CV. Consider his/her career field. • Prepare relevant job interview questions. (refer to Common Interview Questions) • During the interview, listen to your friend’s responses carefully. You may ask follow up questions on his/her responses and/or interfere when you feel it is necessary (unclear point, lack of example, too long an answer, etc.) • Start and finish the interview as if you are in a real interview situation. When the interview role play is over, discuss with your friend whether you would hire him/her or not. Give feedback to your friend on his/her body language, responses, language, register, etc. 1. Do not ask questions for the sake of asking questions; do not have them repeat what has already been said. If you think there is a vague point that needs clarification, you may ask follow-up questions during or at the end of the interview. Here is an example: Q: What are the important trends in this sector? A: From the research that I’ve been doing, I could see that the trend in our industry at the moment is a growth market in the far east and I was wondering what your company is doing in that area at the moment. 3. Do not bring up the salary issue unless asked. If asked: a. You may at first try to evade the question and say something like “The job is the most important thing but obviously I have to pay the bills and I’m willing to improve my living standards. I’d be open to discuss what you have got on offer.” b. If they insist on eliciting an answer from you, offer a range of possibilities instead of an exact figure. To do this, you should research the market in advance. BUSINESS SKILL: EMAILING Business communication is an inherent part of every organization. No business can function in the absence of a strong and effective communication system. And with the advent of different modes and means of communication, email accounts have become an indispensable part of business writing. It is quite an obvious choice, because it is quick and can serve as a tool to document evidence of the day-to-day transactions and daily interactions between client and organization or even between the employees within an organization. Business email functions as both an internal and an external method of communication; its three main formatting elements are the heading, the body, and a signature block. Depending upon the nature of the correspondence and, at the discretion of the writer, business email may also include a salutation and a complimentary close. Paying attention to the following points may help write an effective business email.
Interviews 119 To: Make sure you enter the correct email address in the ‘To’ space. If you are sending the mail to more than one person, enter a comma and a space after each address. Subject: The subject of the email should be clear enough to indicate the content of the message. It is important because when the reader is interested in what is written in the subject line, the risk of deleting or postponing reading the message is minimized. Make sure the subject is of appropriate length and is written in phrasal form rather than a full statement. Subject: request for copy of invoice Subject: hi ⇒ (informal; does not give any cue about content) Subject: I would like to request you for a copy of invoice as soon as possible ⇒ (Too long; details can be included in the message part.) Salutation: Make sure you have learned the name, title, and correct spelling of the name of the person you are sending the email to. If you are writing to someone you have closer relations with, you may choose to write in a more casual fashion but still do not be over friendly in business writing. Dear Mr. Sanders, ⇒ appropriate for a formal salutation Dear Sam, ⇒ appropriate if you have contacted the person before Hi Sam, ⇒ appropriate if you are close business partners Previous messages: Always include previous messages in a reply. We never pick up the phone and begin the conversation “Do you agree?” if the last time we spoke was several days back. Similarly, previous messages will ensure the recipient knows what the content is in relation with. Attachments: Name the attachments properly. Remember they may be saved and searched for later. An attachment named “Proposal from Acme Industries – 072805.pdf ” (rather than “proposal.pdf ”) would make a huge difference. CC’ing or Replying to “All”: Make sure you want the message to be seen by all others on the list and think hard before that. “ BCC ”: Do this when recipients should not see other recipients. Email privacy is important, and to receive a mailing that exposes everyone else’s address in the “cc” field is a breach of trust. Confidential information: Unless you have set up an encryption method, confidential information should not be sent via email. Capital letters: All caps are the equivalent of screaming and should be avoided unless you are yelling (related tip: Never send email when you are mad) Language: Use formal language in business letters. Written correspondence is generally saved for future reference; therefore, a message written in appropriate tone and style is essential. Avoid flowery language and stick to the point as people do not want to spend time reading a message getting nowhere. Adapted from: Anderson, C. (2010). Writing effective business email. Retrieved November 12, 2011 from http://www. buzzmaven.com/internet-marketing-articles/email-use-advice
120 Unit 3 Sample Thank You email: [email protected] Thank You - Assistant Manager Interview Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name It was really enjoyable and motivating for me to speak to you today about the assistant manager interview at the ICC job agency. This job seems to be a perfect match for my aptitude and interests. The creative aspects of management that you described to me are surely one of my chief interests areas in working with your firm. In addition to my enthusiasm to work in the assistant manager’s position, I would love to utilize my strong writing skills and assertiveness in my responsibilities as an assistant manager. I appreciate the time you took to interview me and I’m hoping to work on this position in your firm. Sincerely, Your Name Email Address Address Phone Number Adapted from: Buzzle.com. (2011). Thank you email after interview. Retrieved November 28, 2011 from http://www. buzzle.com/articles/thank-you-email-after-interview.html WRITING Write a thank you email to the employer who interviewed you. LANGUAGE STUDY The type of language a candidate uses in a job interview is as important as the first impression s/he makes on the employer. Speaking with the right level of formality, using more powerful words rather than weak ones, and paying attention to grammar are the key elements in conveying the information effectively. A. REGISTER When speaking and writing in an academic or business environment, it is important to use formal language. Talking in job interviews, business meetings, presentations or writing application letters, business letters, emails all require formal use of language. Although one can generally distinguish between formal and informal styles more easily in one’s native language, s/he may experience some difficulty in doing this in another language. Some reminders about the distinction between formal and informal English are as follows:
Interviews 121 INFORMAL SUGGESTION FORMAL 1. You didn’t finish the Use passive voice As the work has not been work in time. We are completed in time, the thinking of cutting down on ⇒ conditions for payment the price. will be reassessed by our administration. 2. Turn in your assignments Start with ‘There’, ‘It’, ‘One’ It is important that you before the due date. submit your assignments ⇒ before the due date. Not wanting to tolerate the 3. Joe couldn’t put up with Prefer single –word verbs bad conditions at work any the bad work conditions. He longer, Joe decided to search is looking for another job. ⇒ for another job. We would like you to 4. We’d like you to confirm Avoid contractions in confirm the date of your that you’ll be here next writing arrival in Ankara. Tuesday. 5. We update the website ⇒ Our website is updated regularly, so you’d better regularly. We therefore ask check it not to miss any of Use appropriate connectors you to check it frequently to the events. ensure that you are informed ⇒ of the most recent events. We regret to inform you 6. Our team doesn’t Use formal structure that your project has not think your project meets been selected for further the criteria, so it was not ⇒ review. selected. Many caregivers working in 7. Many caregivers working Prefer complex sentences our institution administer in our institution are in medications and injections charge of household chores ⇒ in addition to taking on and shopping. They also household chores and administer medications and shopping. injections. Most of the time it is not sufficient to make changes in one aspect to make a sentence more formal. There may be a need for additional changes. Examine the formal sentences above once again. Identify further changes that have been made other than the suggested ones. 1. ______________________________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________________________ 4. ______________________________________________________________ 5. ______________________________________________________________ 6. ______________________________________________________________ 7. ______________________________________________________________
122 Unit 3 B. MODALS Permission Responses Sure, go ahead. May I take a seat? Sure/Certainly. Can/Could I borrow your pen? Of course not/No, not at all. Do you mind if I skip the next item on the I’m afraid we... agena? I’m sorry but... Would you mind if I skipped the next item in the agenda? Responses Request: Yes, of course. No problem. Can /Could you go over this data? Well, unfortunately... Will/Would you turn down the music? I can’t concentrate. Responses I would like to get a copy of those documents. That would be great. Would you mind turning on the lights as it Oh, I’d like that. It sounds like a good idea. has become too dark in here? I’d like that but ... Suggestion I’d love to but... I’m afraid I can’t because... Shall I get the phone for you? Repetitive actions in the past (used to Why don’t we eat something before we meet Sam would call us by noon every day to check with the professor? on our progress with the project. Let’s meet up for a working lunch. Hypothetical statements I would call him back immediately if I were you. (present) She would have submitted her report last week if she hadn’t been assigned a new project. (past) Preference I would (I’d) rather take a taxi back to the hotel than wait for John to give me a ride. I would rather have attended the party last night instead of staying home. They say it was quite fun.
Interviews 123 Deduction (present) Deduction (past) High probability – They must be good High probability - The thief must have friends. They spend a lot of time together obtained the key to the building or else he outside of work as well. wouldn’t be able to pass through the high Possibility – She is not in the office. She may/ security. might/could be on her way to work. Possibility - The police suspect that the Almost no possibility – They can’t be hackers may/might/ could have spent months studying for their exam now. The final exams to break the code. were last week. Criticism - Sam should have gone over Negative probability – Tom mustn’t be happy possible interview questions. He says they with the results. He looks so upset. asked him some unexpected questions. Negative possibility – They may not be Almost no possibility – You can’t/couldn’t working on the project now, who knows? have seen him in Kızılay today. He called me from Los Angeles this morning. Negative probability – Sally mustn’t have called Jim. She said they had been cross with each other for weeks. Negative Possibility – She may/might not have seen the car coming when she stepped on the road. Write down one sentence for each of the following situations assuming you are writing an email in each case. Pay attention both to the title of the sender and to that of the receiver to determine the level of formality. 1. (Employer to applicant) – inform the applicant that he is hired. _____________________________________________________________ 2. (Employee to counterpart in another country) – Inform him of the attached documents to the e mail. _____________________________________________________________ 3. (Employee to colleague in the same office) – Remind him of the rescheduled meeting. _____________________________________________________________ 4. (Professor to students) – Ask them to check the given website for further information. _____________________________________________________________ 5. (Student to professor) – Ask him to check the given website and to state whether he finds it useful. _____________________________________________________________
124 Unit 3 ACTING OUT! Pairwork: Take turns to make statements for the following situations and provide suitable responses. Pay attention to formal/informal language rules and usage of modals (See section on modals at the end of this unit). Student A asks student B: 1. (Student to peer) – Ask him/her to pass the salt at the cafeteria. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 2. (Student to instructor) – Ask him/her to turn up the volume of the recorder. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 3. (Instructor to student) – Ask him/her to clarify his/her point. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 4. (Manager to employee) – Remind him/her to visit the plant by noon tomorrow. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 5. (Assisstant to manager) – Remind him/her of the meeting at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
Interviews 125 Student B asks student A: 1. (Secretary to applicant on the phone) – Inform him/her that his/her application has been rejected. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 2. (Applicant to recruiter on the phone) – Ask him/her when to come in for an interview. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 3. (Applicant to recruiter) - State your preference on taking the interview on Monday instead of Friday. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 4. (Manager to employee) – State that you expected the work to have been completed by last Friday (but it wasn’t) _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 5. (Employee to employee) – Tell him/her that the secretary probably went out for lunch. (It is 12:30p.m. now and she generally goes out for lunch at this time). _________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
126 Unit 3 C. COLLOCATIONS a. VERB + NOUN/ADJECTIVE COMBINATION Fill in the blanks with the verbs in the list. The verbs may be used more than once. Verb forms may change. make do take get 1. Do you easily ________ nervous under pressure? 2. Are you interested in _________ business with our firm? 3. What will you do if your client’s expectations are not met and he ________ a complaint? 4. What would you do if a coworker asked you to ________ him a favor, which you think is ethically wrong? 5. In which fields did you ________ training? 6. Tell us about a time when you ________ responsibility for teamwork. 7. Which of these conflicts, do you think, may ________ more effort to overcome? 8. You said you _________ every effort to complete the project in time last year. What aspects of this project made it so challenging? 9. Can you tell us more about the experiment you ________ on color saturation. 10. Will you be able to ________ time for additional assignments once a week?
Interviews 127 b. ADJECTIVE/ADVERB + VERB COMBINATIONS Rewrite the following statements using the words in parantheses in correct order. 1. I almost failed my philosophy course last term. (course / pass / barely) _______________________________________________________ 2. Joe is not very much interested in arts classes. (enthusiasm / little / show) _______________________________________________________ 3. Agriculture in our region developed considerably thanks to investments of our company. (huge / contribution / make) _______________________________________________________ 4. I never get impatient even if students ask too many questions. ( deal with / patiently / questions) _______________________________________________________ 5. I found a useful article on my thesis topic in The Journal of Economic History a short while ago. (recently / came across /article) _______________________________________________________ 6. We suggest that you investigate the company carefully before you join it. (research / do / thorough) _______________________________________________________ 7. Ayten will very probably move to Adana to work in the new subsidiary. (seriously / think about / relocate) _______________________________________________________ 8. In 2011, Ethiopia grew by 10.9 percent and Angola grew by 7.9 percent. (respectively / show / growth) _______________________________________________________ 9. It is very difficult to find a parking spot here as the number of cars has risen considerably lately. (be /significant / increase) _______________________________________________________ 10. Most of the time, she stops working when she is under pressure. (give up / work / generally) _______________________________________________________
128 Unit 3 First Impressions Acting Out: Task for Student C (Page 107) You will act as the interviewee. Choose one of the situations below and answer the questions posed by Students A&B accordingly. Situation 1: Answer the questions talking about askill rather than personality or interest, which will be an irrelevant answer. Situation 2: Answer the questions by maintaining more eye contact with one of the interviewers. Situation 3: Answer the questions with a consistently loud or weak voice. Situation 4: Answer the questions in a shy, uncertain, unsure manner. Situation 5: Answer the questions by mostly looking at the ceiling or outside the window rather than looking at the interviewers. Listening on 9 Common Interview Questions. (Page 114) Refer to your notes in the unit to do the following task. 1. How should an interviewee prepare ahead of time? 2. The two qualities employers look for are _________________ and __________ _______________________________________________ . 3. What does the employer mainly want to know when he asks the candidate to tell about himself ? 4. Write down three of the topics the candidate should cover when answering the “Why this industry?” question. __________________________________ , __________________________ ________ , _______________________________________ . 5. Employers mostly complain that _____________________________ .
6. When answering the “What are your strengths” question, tell them your top three skills and then ___________________________________ . 7. What is it that employers actually look for when they ask the candidate’s weaknesses? 8. “What are your career goals?” questions aims at finding out if there is a fit between ___________________________ and _______________ ______________________________________________________ . 9. Why does the interviewer ask a question about extracurricular activities? 10. The interviewer asks the big challenge question because s/he is interested in hearing about your __________________________ skills. 11. Writing a thank you email is a big opportunity for you to __________________________ and ________________________ . KEEP IN TOUCH Go to www.ted.com. You will find talks and performances on various topics. Choose one talk to share it with class. You will talk about: • What it is about (short summary) • Why you wanted to share it with us (significance) • How you found the performance of the presenter
“For corruption, do not only bind thine own hands or thy servants’ hands from taking, but bind the hands of suitors also from offering. For integrity... avoid not only the fault: but the suspicion.” -Sir Francis Bacon, Of Great Place “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.” -Dante Alighieri
UNIT 4 ETHICS & THE WORKPLACE
Ethics 133 1. What are some fields where ethical principles are violated and ethical conflicts occur? 2. What might be the reasons behind ethical violations? WHAT IS ETHICS? Read the text below and do the exercises that follow. 1 When most people think of ethics or morals, they think of rules for distinguishing between right and wrong, such as the Golden Rule “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, a code of professional conduct like the Hippocratic Oath “First of all, do no harm”, and a religious creed like “Thou Shalt not kill”. The most common definition of “ethics” is: norms for conduct that distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. 2 Most people learn ethical norms at home, at school, or in other social settings. Although most people acquire their sense of right and wrong during childhood, moral development occurs throughout life and human beings pass through different stages of growth as they mature. Ethical norms are so universal that one might be tempted to regard them as simple commonsense. On the other hand, if morality were nothing more than commonsense, then why are there so many ethical disputes and issues in the societies? One plausible explanation of these disagreements is that all people recognize some common ethical norms but different individuals interpret, apply, and balance these norms in different ways in light of their own values and life experiences. 3 Most societies also have legal rules that govern behavior, but ethical norms tend to be broader and more informal than laws. Although most societies use laws to enforce widely accepted moral standards and ethical and legal rules use similar concepts, it is important to remember that ethics and law are not the same. An action may be legal but unethical or illegal but ethical. We can also use ethical concepts and principles to criticize, evaluate, propose, or interpret laws, as well as to protest what they regard as immoral or unjust laws. For instance, peaceful civil disobedience is an ethical way of expressing political viewpoints. 4 Another way of defining ‘ethics’ focuses on the disciplines that study standards of conduct, such as philosophy, theology, law, psychology, or sociology. For example, a “medical ethicist” is someone who studies ethical standards in medicine. One may also define ethics as a method, procedure, or perspective for deciding how to act and for analyzing complex problems and issues. For instance, in considering a complex issue like global warming, one may take an economic, ecological, political, or ethical perspective on the problem. While an economist might examine the cost and benefits of various policies related to global warming, an environmental ethicist could examine the ethical values and principles at stake. 5 Many different disciplines, institutions, and professions have norms for behavior that suit their particular aims and goals. These norms also help members of the discipline to coordinate their actions or activities and to establish the public’s trust of the discipline. For instance, ethical norms govern conduct in medicine, law, engineering, and business. They also serve the aims or goals of research and apply to people who conduct scientific research or other scholarly or creative activities. There is even a specialized discipline, research ethics, which studies these norms. Adapted from: Resnik, D. B. (2011). “What is ethics in research and why is it important”. Retrieved November 8, 2011 from www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis/index.cfm
134 Unit 4 Answer the following questions: 1. Ethics, as a concept, is approached from two different perspectives in the above text. What are they? 2. According to the writer, what is the reason behind ethical disputes? Can you think of other reasons? 3. In Par. 3, it is stated that “an action may be legal but unethical or illegal but ethical”. Find examples for each case. a. _________________________________________________________ b. _________________________________________________________ As mentioned in the text above, there exist certain norms for behavior that comprise the fundamentals of an ethos – distinctive character, spirit, and attitudes of a people, culture, workplace – in an environment. Below are the universal values that relate to all aspects of life including all disciplines and business. These are the basic principles considered when making decisions and judgments. Core Values Integrity & Honesty: Integrity stretches to all aspects of a person’s social life and worklife. A person with integrity displays honest behavior at all times. S/he keeps promises and carries through decisions with ethical action, acts to prevent improper behavior or to stop it once it has been detected. In business settings, such a person fosters trusting relationships with coworkers and supervisors. Coworkers value the employee’s ability to give honest feedback. Supervisors rely on the employee’s high moral standards, trusting him/her not to steal from the company or create problems. Trustworthiness: Being trustworthy means acting in a reliable manner by exercising diligence in business decision making and being consistent and dependable in word and deed. Sense of Responsibility: A strong sense of responsibility affects how someone works and the amount of work s/he does. When the employee feels personally responsible for the job performance, s/he shows up on time and completes projects to the best of his/her ability. S/he accepts the consequences of decisions and acts to improve corporate behavior. Respect for others: Treating others with respect; that is, appreciating the fundamental worth or value of someone’s opinions and views, helps foster a decent work environment enabling people to cooperate, share and support each other for the better. One should follow the Golden Rule: be tolerant of differences, use good manners, and be considerate of the feelings of others. Dealing peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements is the key to harmony. Emphasis on Quality: Some employees do only the bare minimum, just enough to keep their job intact. Employees with a strong work ethic care about the quality of their work. They do their best to produce great work, not merely churn out what is needed. The employee’s commitment to quality improves overall quality.
Ethics 135 Discipline: It takes a certain level of commitment to finish tasks every day. An employee with good discipline stays focused on the goals and is determined to complete the assignments. These employees show a high level of dedication to the company, always ensuring they do their part. Sense of Teamwork: Most employees have to work together to meet a company’s objectives. An employee with a high sense of teamwork helps a team meet its goals and deliver quality work. These employees respect their peers and help where they can, making collaborations go smoother. Civic* virtue: People should follow the laws and customs of society and act in a socially responsible manner. * Relating to the duties or activities of people in relation to their town, city. Adapted from: Jenkins, A. (n.d.). Five factors that demonstrate a strong work ethic. Retrieved December 10, 2011 from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/5-factors-demonstrate-strong-work-ethic-15976.html A. Match the definitions with the underlined words written in both texts. 1. conduct (n) a. shared by all members of a group; collective 2. commonsense b. undamaged; complete 3. plausible c. act done with a particular purpose 4. enforce d. seeming to be right or reasonable; believable 5. govern e. moral goodness, such as honesty or clean living 6. deed f. influence decisively; determine; guide 7. corporate g. the way of behavior in particular situations especially with regard to morality 8. intact h. make something effective 9. virtue i. natural ability to make good judgments and to behave in a practical and sensible way B. Complete the statements below with the words from the exercise above. 1. The ethos in a company should conform to the rules of ____________ of the society it functions in. 2. Somehow the reputation of the company CEO survived the embezzlement scandal ____________. 3. Being the instructors of an institution of education, we all feel a(n) ____________ responsibility for the improvement of our students’ professional skills. 4. After the initial forming and storming stages, the team members acted with ____________ and put their personal ambitions aside to work more efficiently.
136 Unit 4 5. The accountant was criticized for his dishonest ____________ (use plural form). 6. The HR manager complained that in today’s business world a man’s ____________ is much less important than his black suit. 7. The parliament is discussing further steps to ____________ the law banning smoking in public areas. Sharing Views Consider a teamwork experience. Were any of the above core values existent? If not, what problems did you face due to this lack? 1. Complete the following table by choosing from the values mentioned in the text and share your opinions with the class. Three values important to me are… because… 1. 2. 3. 2. Name other ethical values that you would consider when applying to a company or institution.
Ethics 137 COMMON WORKPLACE ETHICS VIOLATIONS Employer Intimidation: Employer intimidation is one of the most common forms of ethical violation in the workplace. Intimidation, also known as bullying, typically involves a pattern of verbal abuse directed at any employee by an employer. The employer attempts to assert his power by humiliating the employee. Time Theft: Time theft can be a more subtle form of unethical behavior. Arriving late or leaving the workplace early by giving fake excuses or even standing around the water cooler instead of working can be categorized under this violation. Time theft also includes viewing non-work-related websites, or spending time sending emails to friends. Stealing: Ethics violations can also involve stealing items, including office supplies and computer equipment. Employees who have access to company finances can steal cash, or use “creative accounting” which can be defined as the manipulation of financial numbers, as a means to embezzle money. Workers may also steal merchandise from a business. Misconduct: Misconduct in the workplace can take on many forms. Common varieties include sexual harassment, or discriminatory practices, such as age, race or gender bias. Mobbing: It means bullying of an individual by a group in any context. Identified as emotional abuse in the workplace, such as “ganging up” by co-workers, subordinates or superiors, to force someone out of the workplace through rumor, innuendo, intimidation, humiliation, discrediting, and isolation, it is also referred to as malicious, nonsexual, nonracial, general harassment. • Academic Misconduct: Academic dishonesty or academic misconduct is any type of cheating that occurs in relation to a formal academic exercise. It can include: • Plagiarism: The adoption or reproduction of original creations of another author (person, collective, organization, community or other type of author, including anonymous authors) without due acknowledgment. • Fabrication: The falsification of data, information, or citations in any formal academic exercise. • Deception: Providing false information to an instructor concerning a formal academic exercise—e.g., giving a false excuse for missing a deadline or falsely claiming to have submitted work. • Cheating: Any attempt to give or obtain assistance in a formal academic exercise -like an examination - without due acknowledgment. Adapted from: Joseph, C. (n.d.). Common workplace ethics violations. Retrieved November 14, 2011 from http:// smallbusiness.chron. com/common-workplace-ethics-violations-2736.htm
138 Unit 4 Examine the cases below and decide on their type of violation. a. ___________________ Changing time sheets to cover up late arrivals or early departures. b. ___________________ Taking some office supplies like pencils, paper, staples or highlighters home thinking that you need them there while working on the company project. c. ___________________ Using a language that would hurt the feelings and undermine the self confidence of a subordinate. d. ___________________ Calling in sick to go have a nice day out. e. ___________________ Submitting a report where one appears to be the only owner of the product or results although s/he has worked with others in the project or has borrowed ideas or information from other sources. f. ___________________ Spending a lot of time making loud and distracting personal phone calls about things that are obviously trivial. Sharing Views Have you ever witnessed any type of behavior that can be considered unethical? If yes, did you take any action?
Ethics 139 WALL STREET JOURNAL WORKPLACE ETHICS QUIZ (Page 226) Complete the Wall Street Journal Workplace Ethics Quiz in the Appendix and compare your answers with those of the Americans who have taken the quiz. Taken from: Wall Street Journal Workplace Ethics Quiz. The Wall Street Journal. (n.d.) . Retrieved on February 01, 2012 from www.swlearning.com/ quant/monczka/second.../appendix_g.doc ACTING OUT! Pairwork: Act out one of the cases below. Case 1: You commute to your office with a bus service. Unfortunately, you fail to show up at the time you are to be picked because you have to prepare the kids for school every morning and you cannot manage to get yourself prepared. You call the bus driver to ask him to wait for you for a couple of minutes everyday keeping the other commuters waiting sometimes even more than 15 minutes. Case 2: You slack on the job because you harbor resentment about low pay. If they paid you more, you would make more effort to meet the deadlines but in such a condition this much work is what the company owners/ the government employers deserve. Student A: You are the one who acts in the way described in the case. You know that what you are doing is not completely right but think you have the right to do it. Student B: You are one of the victims of the unethical behavior Student A displays. You feel Student A is doing an injustice to you and everybody else and you want to express how you feel without hurting the other person. Use constructive criticism to make the other party realize what s/he is doing wrong. WCATIASHNRNHNOEIVDEDLTONWUIRNLCTOAYEVIITOIGROSINKUAOMNGTNOSM,IBAVYFAIEOLOKNOTEUCOTHAOPHCOPFMIEOFONRRMFNIISSESEEO,IRNNTNTURTDVISSSUAVLUECLYAAIATBMNDILOVDALEUYNTNER.
140 Unit 4 Sharing Views STEP 1: Read the following text and answer the questions in groups considering the five fundamental principles of ethics. A Victimless Crime The questions a worker may face when detecting an unethical behavior are: “Do I tell or do I keep my mouth shut, my head down, and do my work?”. In such cases as victimless crimes, a term used to refer to actions that have been ruled illegal but do not directly violate or threaten the rights of another individual), a conflict arises: “If it really isn’t hurting anyone, why should I cause trouble?” These are not unreasonable questions to ask. A worker can easily be fired after blowing the whistle on fraudulent activities. Below is an example of a victimless crime: FIVE FUNDAMENTAL Landon has been working at a restaurant for one month. He is PRINCIPLES OF ETHICS: planning to work there for another two months before going to a holiday resort for the summer to find a better-paid job there. The * DO NO HARM assistant manager, Susan, has been really nice to Landon since his * MAKE THINGS first day on the job. She was very patient with him while showing him how to perform the same tasks several times, and she never got BETTER angry when he asked her the same question on and on. Also, when * RESPECT Landon needed to look after his little sister, she always arranged his schedule to give him the time off. Susan is a 30 year old single-mother OTHERS of two preschool children. She is a high school graduate and has been * BE FAIR working at the restaurant for three years. She is hoping to get into * BE LOVING the management training program in the fall. This would mean that she could get her own store to manage. On her salary as assistant Adapted from: manager, she sometimes has trouble making ends meet. Several times over the last month, Landon has worked with Susan until closing. The manager, Mr. Sparks, either had a day off or he had left earlier. On those occasions, Landon witnessed Susan putting various food items, such as frozen hamburgers, chicken wings, tomatoes, and cucumbers, into the trunk of her car. Once he asked her about what he had seen. She told him that she needed this food to feed her children. Business Ethics Alliance. A victimless crime?. (2007). Retrieved 14. 12. 2011 from http://www. businessethicsalliance.org 1. Should Landon tell Mr. Sparks what Susan is doing? 2. If Landon tells Mr. Sparks, what outcomes can he expect? Is it likely that he loses his job? 3. What if Susan claims that Landon is lying and puts the blame on him?
Ethics 141 STEP 2: Compare your answers with other groups in a classroom discussion. You may use expressions from the table below: LANGUAGE FOR DISCUSSION Giving Opinion Getting into Discussion In my opinion… Excuse me, I’d like to make a point here. If you ask me, I would say that … Excuse me, could I just say something here. I really feel that … Sorry to interrupt but… To my mind... I wonder if I could come in on this. I’m sure that … I wonder if I could say something. I think that … Could I just add something, please? It seems to me that … I have something I’d like to say. I’m inclined to think that... Excuse me, but could I have the chance to say The way I see it is that … something? (This can be useful if someone is I feel (quite) sure that... dominating the discussion) I’m convinced that … As I see it … I tend to favour the view that.. I’m fairly certain that … Making Clarification Asking for Clarification In other words... I’m sorry; I don’t understand what you mean. What I said was … I’m sorry, but what do you mean by …? What I (really) meant was … Do you mean that …? (No) I didn’t mean that, what I wanted to say So what you think/mean is that … was … So what you’re saying is … What I was trying to say was … In other words? Sorry, let me explain it again. Sorry, I obviously didn’t make myself clear, what I wanted to say was … Agreeing Disagreeing I agree. I don’t agree. I’d go along with that. I don’t think that’s true/the case. I couldn’t agree more. Exactly. How can you say that? I quite agree. I can’t agree with you (on/about that). I suppose so. That’s completely wrong. I think so too. I don’t think you’re right to say that. I think you’re right. I completely disagree. Yes, definitely. You’re quite right. When behaving against ethical norms becomes common practice in a society, the situation is defined as ‘Corruption’. A corrupt society stops valuing integrity, virtue or moral principles. Corruption cannot be divorced from economics. Inequality of wealth, low wages and salaries are some of the economic causes of corruption. Corruption in several forms prevails all over the world.
142 Unit 4 LANGUAGE STUDY Unethical Behavior Spiritual or moral impurity or deviation from an ideal. Corruption Telling the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or Whistle blowing illegal activities -misconduct- occurring in a government department, a public or private organization, or a company. Bribery Payment for services or material which the recipient is not due, under law. Also called kickback, or, in the Middle East, ‘baksheesh’. Fraud (v: defraud) Act of deceiving somebody illegally in order to make money or obtain goods. Embezzlement Using money placed to one’s care in a wrong way to benefit oneself. Extortion Obtaining something by violence, threat, etc. Harassment Troubling and annoying continually. Theft Act or instance of stealing. Swindle Act of obtaining money or property by fraud or deceit. Graft Use of illegal or unfair means (esp. bribery) to gain an advantage, especially in politics. Cronyism Favoritism to long-standing friends, especially by appointing them to positions of authority, regardless of their qualifications. Nepotism Practice among people with power or influence of favoring their own relatives, especially by giving them jobs. Money Laundering Transferring money obtained from crime to foreign banks, legitimate businesses etc. so as to disguise its source. GETTING IT ACROSS Choose one of the items from the unethical behavior language box and do some research to find a news item that describes such a case in which details are given as to • who was involved, • how the issue was made public and • legal action taken Prepare a three-minute talk to communicate your findings to the class. You may also talk about your personal views, parts you agree/disagree with, your predictions etc.
Ethics 143 A NEW PUSH ON CORRUPTION When behaving against the ethical norms becomes common practice in a society, the situation is defined as ‘Corruption’. A corrupt society stops valuing integrity, virtue or moral principles. Corruption cannot be divorced from economics. Inequality of wealth, low wages and salaries are some of the economic causes of corruption. Corruption in several forms prevails all over the world. Listen to a radio programme where the speakers from the OECD (Organization for Economic Co- operation and Development) talk about the global issue of corruption and ways to fight against it. Take notes on the topics mentioned below and then answer the questions. Taken from: (2011) Better policies for better lives. OECD Yearbook 2011, 61-63. A NEW PUSH ON CORRUPTION Examples of corruption The role of OECD in the fight Difficulties concerning the fight against Types of corruption corruption Aim of the new project Some drawbacks of the project Function of the International Network
144 Unit 4 Now answer the questions: 1. What is an example of corruption mentioned in the radio programme? 2. What has The OECD done to help the global fight against corruption? 3. Explain why it is difficult to struggle with corruption. 4. What does Richard Boucher hope to create with the international instruments? 5. What is the main problem they face with the instruments that are used in the fight against corruption? 6. Maria Gavouneli believes by the help of this project an international network will be created where countries will a. get together b.____________________ c. ____________________ d. get recognition for their achievements Sharing Views 1. Maria Gavouneli says, “it is in the nature of the beast to change horns and to metastasize into different dimensions” when talking about different types of corruption. What does she mean by this? 2. What is the duty that falls to countries in order to achieve the results stated by Gavouneli and Braucher?
Ethics 145 BUSINESS SKILL: MEETINGS Meetings are very important for the work of any organization. Good meetings are important for collective decision-making, planning and follow-up, accountability, democracy, and other practices that will help you to build a good organization. If meetings are used in the correct way, they can help an organization to be efficient. However, like all organizing tools, meetings can be used badly and end up not serving the purpose that they are supposed to. Sometimes we seem to attend too many long meetings which discuss the same thing over and over again without seeming to move forward. Meetings can become places where conflict is played out. Some people can also see attending meetings as doing work for the organization instead of seeing it as a tool for getting work done. We should try to make our meetings occasions in which we get democratic and constructive participation and involvement from our members. 1. Purpose Most people do not like attending meetings – especially if they are not sure what the purpose of the meeting is, or if it goes on too long and achieves too little. Meetings must not be too frequent or held just for the sake of it. There must be a need for a meeting. Decisions should be made about the different types of meetings needed. For example, some meetings could be to discuss policy and others to discuss organization. Whenever possible the members must know what type of meeting they are going to and what the purpose of the meeting is. Sometimes an organization might call a special or extraordinary meeting. 2. Types a. The general members meeting: This is the most common meeting, which usually happens once a month or once every two weeks. The general members meeting should be the place where members are informed of developments, involved in decisions and given training and information that will help them to become more active in the organization. General meetings are usually the places where decisions are made and where the executive reports on the work they and other sub- committees have been presented. b. Special meetings: These can be called to discuss specific issues, for example preparing for a national conference or work on planning activities for the year. Any members who are interested should be invited to attend special meetings. They should not be run like general members meetings with minutes or reports but should only focus on the issues they have been called to discuss.
146 Unit 4 c. Executive meetings: The executive board should meet more regularly than the general members, and executive meetings should have a more business-like focus. The executives have to plan implementations for the organization, monitor the work that has been done, deal with problems, and often – if part of a larger organization – relate to other levels of the organization. They should discuss correspondence in detail and address problems as they come up. The executives should also keep an eye on the finances of the organization and monitor income and expenditure. Every executive meeting should have an item on the agenda that plans for the next general members meeting. They should provide both leadership and administration to the organization. d. Annual General Meeting: Most organizations have an Annual General Meeting (AGM) laid down in their constitution. The AGM is the place where the executive accounts to all members about the activities of the year as well as the finances of the organization. The AGM is also the place where new leaders are elected and are given a mandate to run the organization for another year. In most AGMs two detailed reports are presented to the members. The first is the secretary’s report that lists plans of the organization, the actual activities that took place that year, the achievements of the year, and the problems experienced. The second is the treasurer’s report – a detailed financial report that lists all income from subscriptions, grants, donations, fundraising and all expenditure. This report should also clearly state what the balance is and where that balance is held. It is important to have a written financial report at your AGM but very often members find financial reports difficult to understand and you should try and make them simpler by putting the main headings on news-prints and explaining them to people in less financial language. 3. Planning Planning should improve participation by ensuring that discussion is on a single topic and that the members are well prepared for the meeting. This is the responsibility of the Chairperson, Secretary and Executive, depending on the type of organization. Planning should include the following: Notification: It is the executive’s responsibility to ensure that everyone has been notified of the date, time and venue of the meeting, as well as the main issues to be discussed – the agenda. To this end, a memo (memorandum) is sent to the participants.
Ethics 147 Sample Memo: To : Department Heads From : Phillip Dawning, GM Date : 12 March Subject : Seminars on professional development There will be a meeting on 16 March at 13:30 in my office, which you are all expected to attend. The agenda will be as follows: 1. Topics for the seminars to be held 2. Instructors/Trainers 3. Budget to be allocated 4. Further Suggestions 4. Opening and Closing It is the chairperson’s role to open and close the meeting. The steps for opening are: • Welcoming • Stating the purpose • Going over the agenda • Stating the timing • Stating who will write the minutes • Giving the floor to the first speaker The steps for closing are: • Signaling the end of the meeting • Summarizing the main points • Deciding on the date and time of the next meeting • Asking for further suggestions or questions • Closing Minutes: Minutes are accurate notes of what is discussed and decided on at meetings. The minutes are circulated to the participants after the meeting. It is essential that minutes are recorded accurately. This not only serves as a reminder of issues that need to be followed up but also prevents arguments about previous decisions. Minutes are also a guide for the secretary and chairperson when drawing up the agenda for the next meeting. Minutes help the organization to learn from its past failures and successes, for example, when the secretary reflects on the minutes of the past year when drawing up an annual report. There are three aspects to taking good minutes. The first one is listening. This is a very important skill to develop. You must not only listen to what is being said but you have to ensure that you understand as well. The second is taking notes. You should write
148 Unit 4 down only the main points and the decisions taken. It is impossible to write down everything that is being said. Therefore, you should try to identify the main points: aim of the discussion, important information and decisions taken. And, finally, after the meeting ends, you should write down the minutes in an orderly form and circulate them. Matters arising from the minutes: This covers points that were discussed at the last meeting, when perhaps someone was asked to do some work or there have been subsequent developments, which now need discussion. A list of these points is drawn from the previous meeting’s minutes. Correspondence: This means all the letters that have been received by the organization since the last meeting. They can be dealt with in different ways. If your group does not receive many letters, they could be read out and then discussed. Another way is for the secretary to list them with a brief explanation. The chairperson then goes through the list and suggests action. If the issue raised in the letter needs decisive action it can be more fully discussed. 5. Taking Decisions Decisions are usually reached through two main ways: consensus, which means reaching decisions by discussion and general agreement, and voting. People vote for a particular proposal. Usually one person will put forward a proposal, someone else will second it and then people will vote. If the majority of people accept the proposal, it then becomes binding on the organization. Voting can either be done by a show of hands or by secret ballot. 6. Chairing Meetings The chairperson is the most important person in the meeting. S/he sets the pace for the meeting, makes sure that people stick to the topics, ensures that democratic decisions are taken, and that everyone is on board with these decisions. Chairing is a great skill and it is important to teach members to chair meetings and rotate the job where possible so that more people can practice this skill. However, it is always good to have an experienced chairperson for important meetings. A good chairperson is an active chairperson; it is not the chairperson’s job to simply keep a list of speakers and to let them speak one after the other. The chairperson should introduce the topic clearly and guide the discussion especially when people start repeating points. During a discussion when opposing views come up, the chairperson should also try to summarize the different positions and where possible, propose a way forward. The way forward can involve taking a vote on an issue, having a further discussion at another date, or making a compromise that most people may agree with. At the end of the meeting, the chairperson should ask for agreement from the meeting on the way forward, and apologize to those who still wanted to speak.
Ethics 149 LANGUAGE STUDY Business Meeting Verbs adjourn a meeting: end a meeting for a short time. To take a break. ‘Let’s adjourn attend a meeting: this meeting. We’ll arrange to meet again next week.’ brainstorm: go to a meeting. ‘I’ll be attending a meeting today between 2 and 3pm.’ cancel a meeting: work in a group to think of some new, fresh ideas. ‘Take a few minutes to brainstorm some ideas on a new name for this commence: product.’ hold a meeting: decide that a planned meeting will not happen. ‘The boss has decided to cancel the meeting as he is no longer interested in the over-run project.’ postpone a meeting: begin/start a meeting. ‘The meeting commences at 9:30. Please don’t be late.’ reschedule a meeting: be in charge of the meeting. It’s your meeting, you are the chairperson. ‘I’m holding a meeting on the effects of the increase wrap up a meeting: in shipping costs.’ take longer than expected or was scheduled for. ‘Sorry I’m late. My meeting over-ran by 15 minutes.’ hold a meeting at a later time or date than was originally planned. ‘Let’s postpone the meeting until the report has been finished.’ change the time of a meeting for a reason. It can be before or after the originally planned time. ‘Did you hear? There’s no meeting today. It’s been rescheduled to tomorrow at 12.’ end a meeting. ‘Let’s wrap up this meeting. We’re out of time.’
150 Unit 4 Business Meeting Nouns AGM Annual General Meeting AOB Any Other Business [usually the last item on an agenda] absent not here; not at the meeting; not present agenda a written programme or schedule for a meeting apologies item on agenda announcing people who are absent; apologies for absence ballot a type of vote, usually in writing and usually secret; secret ballot casting vote a deciding vote (usually by the chairman) when the votes are otherwise equal chairperson the person who leads or presides at a meeting; chair conference formal meeting for discussion, esp. a regular one held by an organization conference call telephone call between three or more people in different locations consensus general agreement item a separate point for discussion [as listed on an agenda] matters arising item on agenda for discussion of what has happened as a result of last meeting minutes a written record of everything said at a meeting proxy vote a vote cast by one person for or in place of another show of hands raised hands to express an opinion in a vote unanimous (adj) in complete agreement; united in opinion video-conference conference of people in different locations linked by satellite, TV etc.
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