Part 3: Job Market Strategies

Section 3 – Questions 21–30

Questions 21-22

Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Which TWO aspects should people just grading from secondary schools emphasize?

A       degree of motivation

B       practical experience

C       eagerness to learn

D       educational qualifications

E       other areas of interests outside work

Questions 23 and 24

Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Which TWO of the following are mentioned about women returned to work after raising children?

A       they have limited working time

B       they are more expensive to retrain.

C       they are very mature

D       they lack confidence

E       they have difficulty in readjusting to work

Questions 25 and 26

Which TWO types of people do employers always avoid hiring?

A       people who have worked for a rival company

B      people who have worked for their previous company for a long time

C      people who were sacked by a previous company

D      people who have been unemployed for a long time

E      people who quit their job because it was unsuitable

Questions 27-29

Choose THREE letters, A-G.

Which THREE factors are mentioned as reasons why people avoid hiring retrenched workers?

A      lack or experience relevant to new industries

B      higher costs of employment

C      comparatively old age

D      lack of work experience

E      the difficulty of retraining

F      the reputation of the previous company

G     previous skills which are useless

Question 30 

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

Keys

1. A

2. C

3. C

4. E

5. C

6. E

7. A

8. C

9. E

10. clothes

Transcript

Part 3: You will hear a student called Sansa discussing the job market and employers’ hiring strategies with her tutor.

Tutor: For today’s session, we’re going to look at the job market and employers’ hiring strategies. It mainly takes great people to generate and execute efficient strategies and ideas. In fact, a company’s growth is strongly supported by its human resources. Therefore, we’ll look at the determining factors for recruitment, the traits of a successful applicant and the possible reasons for rejection.

Tutor: First, let’s take

a look at the job market for students who have just graduated from secondary schools. So, what should they focus on when applying for a job? Is education the most important factor in recruitment?

Sansa: Well, actually the degree is not that important. It’s not the only factor that personnel managers take into consideration. Some employees with years of work experience still have a competitive edge over fresh graduates with a higher educational degree.

Tutor: However, with neither an impressive educational background nor practical experience, secondary school graduates should stress that they have great enthusiasm for work. Employees who are interested in their job often work hard and are willing to take more responsibilities.

Sansa: What else should they highlight during a job interview?

Tutor: Well, it is wise for them to demonstrate that they possess valuable characteristics, such as curiosity, willingness to learn new stuff, and good interpersonal skills. Companies favour applicants who are easygoing and fitting quickly.

Sansa: Right, but I guess things get harder for women to re-enter the workforce and reconnect after raising children at home.

Tutor: Absolutely. After taking an extended absence from work, women with young children have to strike a good balance between work and family. Changes have to be made within the family to ensure they have sufficient working hours. Apart from that, they are working with totally new colleagues in an unfamiliar workplace. After even two or three years of absence, they face challenges of rusty or obsolete skills. Even though they are quite confident in themselves, they often find it hard to adapt to these changes.

Sansa: But on the other hand, many employers find these mature women valuable assets in the workplace.

Tutor: They are excellent role models for younger employees, as being quite motivated and with strong work ethic.

Sansa: Erm, indeed, employers not only need qualified but also flexible and well trained employees. Given the experience, perspectives and stability, these women are offered unique opportunities in today’s workplace.

Tutor: Yes, exactly.

Sansa: So what kind of people do companies generally find unwelcoming? Will they consider candidates from a rival company?

Tutor: Well, actually, hiring employees from a competing firm is not a taboo. Highly skilled workers are always welcomed no matter where they’re from. What concerns employers the most is how they left the previous company that they had worked for years. If they have been fired, they must have done something wrong during the previous job.

Sansa: What about people who remain unemployed for a considerable period of time?

Tutor: Well, this type of employee isn’t at the bottom of the employment list. The reason why they remain unemployed is the key. Most companies cast doubts on applicants who left the job simply because they didn’t like the working hours or the worker signed.

Tutor: Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30.

Tutor: Now, listen and answer questions 27 to 30.

Sansa: Have you read any articles about worker retrenchment?

Tutor: Yes, worker retrenchment on a massive scale is sometimes introduced as one of the short-term measures to resuscitate the industry through the reduction of overhead costs. Workers are also laid off as companies restructure and reform.

Sansa: But what happens to these retrenched workers afterwards? Is it easy for them to find another job?

Tutor: Well, generally companies are reluctant to hire them.

Sansa: Why is that? They must have plenty of work experience in the previous industry. Isn’t that a strength for them in the job market?

Tutor: Actually, new industries are eager to hire experienced workers, but retrenched workers know nothing about other industries, and it also costs employers more to retrain them. They need training courses to acquire relevant skills and qualifications for a new career.

Sansa: Our government is providing public training programs to help them identify their current skills and acquire new skills to improve their career options. Isn’t that right?

Tutor: Yes, but retrenched workers are generally too old. They are less motivated and energized at work. Companies thus prefer younger employees to them. They are also reluctant to adjust and are unwilling to be retrained.

Sansa: Do retrench workers from companies with big names have an advantage over other job applicants?

Tutor: No, employers today value skills more than where they’re previously from.

Sansa: Right, so what are the most common factors of rejection during application?

Tutor: Applicants are rejected mainly for three reasons:

1. First, they have experience and skills that are irrelevant to the industry, even experienced workers may receive rejection letters.
2. Wearing appropriate clothes and how they look during an interview are key to a successful interview. No matter how good their presentation skills are, a shirt with stains or informal clothes like a pair of jeans only means the applicants aren’t taking the interview seriously.
3. The third factor is interpersonal skills. Companies are eager to hire people who can work well with others and fit in quickly. It’s difficult to work in an environment full of conflicts. Therefore, people who don’t get along well with others are often rejected.