Part 3: Job Opportunities
Questions 21-25
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C
21 What skills does Peter want to learn?
A how to organise ideas
B how to handle data
C how to write a business proposal
22 What is Peter’s main strength?
A he is a good leader
B he can work long hours
C he can communicate well with many people
23 What will the careers officer help Peter with?
A CV
B personal statement
C school applications form
24 Why did Peter choose the IT business?
A to update his knowledge in the area
B to be good at presentations
C to prepare himself for lectures
25 What will Peter do for the next term?
A continue with the same language
B change to another language
C discontinue the language course
Questions 26-30
What job opportunities are the following companies offering?
Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-G, next to Questions 26-30.
Job opportunities
A make business contacts
B understand customer relations
C learn time management
D use a foreign language
E travel to another country
F receive financial training
G learn project management
Companies
26 SAIC ………………………………
27 Gemini Technologies …………………………….
28 Deloitte ……………………………..
29 Kearney ……………………………..
30 Vortex ……………………………..
Transcripts
You will hear two students, called Shona and Peter, discussing their internship options.
Peter: Hi Shona!
Shona: Hi Peter, have you made up your mind about which internship program to apply for?
Peter: Yes, pretty much.
Shona: I’m entirely at a loss. I mean, there are so many good ones. Can you give me some tips?
Peter: Sure. What is your top priority when weighing up these programs?
Shona: Well, I guess I’d go for ones that can help me with the skill set I lack for my future career. I still need a lot of practical training in dealing with statistics.
Peter: But keep in mind that you don’t want to set your goal too grand, like drawing up a business plan. You might end up nowhere.
Shona: I see. So I want to learn how to organise ideas and present them.
Peter: Good. Now you’ve nailed step one.
Shona: Now what?
Peter: You must also consider your strengths for a suitable internship program. Otherwise, you might get rejected or end up with one that you are incapable of doing.
Shona: But I have no idea what I’m good at.
Peter: Communicate with people around you or whom you’ve worked with. That’s what I did. I thought I was a good team leader, but many people I’ve worked with for various projects mentioned something else. They admire that I could work around the clock to finish projects on time. And indeed, I’m more focused and perform better when I’m pushed for time.
Shona: Good point. So what do you plan to do next?
Peter: I’ll visit the Careers Officer to help me with the school application form. You know, the one we have to submit before applying to companies.
Shona: But it is unnecessary to fill it in, it’s only optional.
Peter: Really? I’m glad I heard from you. Then I’ll ask the Careers Officer to look at my personal statement and to give me some tips on polishing it up.
Shona: Don’t you need help with your CV?
Peter: No, I’m good. I have already learned to write it in class.
Shona: That’s good. So what kind of company did you choose?
Peter: I’ve decided to apply for an IT company.
Shona: Why is that?
Peter: Well, even though I’ve learned how the IT industry developed in the past, from different lectures, I know nothing about its latest trends. I’m prepared to work in an IT company and fill in the information gap.
Shona: I see. What do you plan to do next term?
Peter: I think I’ll stick to most of the optional modules I’ve chosen. But regarding the language sessions, I’m doing poorly in Japanese. I’d better drop it before wasting more time. I think I’ll learn Spanish instead.
Shona: Oh, I learned Spanish for a year. I think you’ll find it interesting.
Peter: Do you know what job opportunities these companies offer interns?
Shona: I’ve searched online, and browsed some of the schemes. Do you know Cyik?
Peter: Yes, I heard they offer internship positions dealing with customer interaction management, but I’m not quite sure what that means.
Shona: Well, the position offers the chance to become fully aware of customer value, and keep in touch with customers to keep them highly engaged and satisfied. These include activities such as PR, communications, marketing, and customer service.
Peter: Sounds like loads of work to do. What about Gemini Technologies?
Shona: It’s an IT consulting company. Although many employees say it’s stressful working there, I want to apply for this one.
Peter: Why is that?
Shona: Actually, the company provides service to improve software architecture. But that’s pretty demanding, as a team of software engineers has to provide detailed analysis, and suggestions for required changes before the deadline. As an observer and participant of a particular project, an intern can learn how to work to a strict deadline.
Peter: That’s not my area of expertise, but I’m sure you’ll excel at this.
Shona: I certainly do hope so. Have you checked out Deloitte?
Peter: Of course, that’s a renowned accounting firm and thus its internships offer excellent learning experiences in this regard. You know, things like examining a company’s financial statements, the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement. I want to give it a try, but I might get rejected, so I need a backup plan.
Shona: Have you read anything about Kearney?
Peter: Yes, it is another consulting firm. It provides opportunities to reach out to other business partners and pay attention to networking.
Shona: Well, that sounds interesting. I’m thinking about Vortex, but I haven’t got anything useful from its website.
Peter: I worked there last summer. It’s an international company, with headquarters in Spain, so most of the managers here speak Spanish. Thanks to the internship experience, I became fluent in it.
Shona: Right. That’s not for me.
