Nowadays a CV has become an important tool of seeking a job or even finding a better one – if you are building a carreer. With a little effort, you can create a CV that will make you stand out from the other candidates. Here are some tips how to reshape your CV to make it an effective tool for your job-hunt.

1. Know who it’s for!

Be clear about who you are creating your CV for. Know what the role is, who the employer is, exactly what they are looking for. The more you can learn about your target, the better you can tailor your CV specifically for them.

2. Be short and relevant!

Keep your CV short and sharp. Put in relevant information only and use it to highlight the best bits of information about you. Make it a document which causes people to want more.

A beautifully designed and formatted paper CV can make a great impact if handed over in a meeting with prospective employers, recruiters and networking contacts. A shorter (one-page) CV can be more appropriate at industry events – such as conferences – when you might want to give only a brief overview of your career and stand-out achievements. And although a traditional CV and cover letter combination is still the standard job application method, the growing popularity of social networks has made a supplementary, online presence vital in many industries. So, don’t neglect your online presence!

3. Align your online and offline CVs!

Think about your online profile as well as your paper CV. A personal blog or online portfolio is a good way to provide extra information about your background and links to your work. Platforms such as LinkedIn also allow you to embed information via slideshare presentations, files, and multimedia content. These days people search online to find out about you and will expect to see a LinkedIn profile. This is also a great way to be headhunted and found directly by organisations so don’t miss out on this opportunity.

4. Be genuine!

Never lie in your CV. Be true to who you are and what you have done otherwise you risk being caught out and people can usually see through a made-up CV. Make sure that you really want this job and that you know you can do it!

5. Highlight your strengths!

Think about what you are good at and how you can articulate these things in your CV. Stick with your strengths and do not highlight what you feel you may be lacking, weak in or missing out on.

One effect of globalization is the increasing number of foreign companies and business partners in Hungary. Dealing with foreign tourists has been a daily task for hotel receptionist for decades but nowadays English skills are  a must at many company reception desks as well. As the receptionist is the first person a customer meets or hears on the phone, a good first impression is essential. A professional receptionist knows that their attitude and skills shape what customers think about the whole company. Therefore, it is worth investing time into improving one’s workplace English, which will result in more efficient communication and a better impression.

How to prepare for dealing with native and non-native English speakers in person and on the phone? Even if your general English conversation skills are not the best, as a receptionist you always need to communicate politely. For example, “Can I have your name, please?” sounds far better than “What’s your name?” in a professional environment. Make a list of polite expressions to learn.

Giving directions within the building and knowing the English equivalent of the departments and different positions in your company also saves you from the unpleasant task of clearing up misunderstandings later. If you are not sure, the best idea is to ask the relevant people about it.

If your company often has visitors from abroad it is handy to have free city plans and brochures from the tourist info. You can also make a good impression by having a couple of good restaurants to recommend. If you need to talk to a foreigner for a few minutes while they are waiting at the reception desk, have some standard questions ready: “How was your trip?” “How do you like the town/city?” “Have you been to Hungary before?”

Many people find it more difficult to understand foreigners over the phone. This is not surprising, so it is best to be prepared to ask for clarification and it is a good idea to find out in advance who to turn to if you realise the situation is beyond your English skills. Native speakers often use the Aviation Alphabet for spelling names, so have a print-out on your desk to avoid confusion.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS – FROM BASIC TO PROFESSIONAL   

Useful sentences – On the phone

Good morning. Thank you for calling. My name is Anna. How may I direct your call?
Jó reggelt kívánok! Köszönjük hívását. A nevem Anna. Kinek továbbíthatom a hívását?

Sorry to keep you waiting. I’m putting you through.
Elnézést, hogy megvárakoztattam. Kapcsolom.

Do you want to hold or would you like to call back later?
Szeretné tartani a vonalat vagy inkább visszatelefonál később?

I’m afraid the line/extension is engaged/busy. I’ll transfer you to Ms Megyeri.         
Sajnálom a vonal/mellék foglalt. Átkapcsolom Megyeri asszonyhoz.

I’m returning your call on behalf of Mr Kiss to let you know …         
Kiss úr megbízásából hívom vissza, hogy tudassam Önnel …

I’m calling to confirm that …  
Azért hívom, hogy megerősítsem, hogy …

Which company are you calling from?          
Melyik cégtől keresi?

I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name. Could you spell it please?         
Elnézést, nem értettem a nevét. Tudná betűzni?

Can you please repeat the date/location/time/phone number/e-mail address?          
Meg tudná ismételni a dátumot/helyszínt/időpontot/telefonszámot/e-mail címet?

Is there anything else I can do for you?         
Tehetek még Önért valamit?

————————————————–

to take a message – üzenetet leírni
contact number – telefonos elérhetőség
request – kérés
to put somebody through – kapcsolni valakit
to hold the line – tartani a vonalat
extension – mellék
engaged/busy – foglalt
to transfer a call – hívást átkapcsolni
to return a call – visszahívni
on behalf of – valaki nevében
to confirm – megerősíteni, visszaigazolni
to not catch someone’s name – nem érteni valaki nevét
location – helyszín

Man:Hi Monica, I would like to discuss the work schedule for December with you. Have you got a minute?
Woman:Hi, let’s sit down with a coffee.
Man:We thought we could organise it better than last year. Nobody really wants to work between Christmas and the 1st of January.
Woman:I can’t blame them. But we will fall behind schedule if work stops for a whole week.
Man:It won’t. The new guy, Karl will be here in the office anyway, as he is still on a trial period. He’ll be able to deal with the phone and the mail. And he can do the data entry.
Woman:Ok, office sorted but how about the work?
Man:If everybody agrees to do some scheduled overtime during November and the first half of December, we can get ahead of schedule. That means the team can be on holiday with two people doing on-call duty on a rotating basis.
Woman:Not a bad idea. Have you worked out how many hours of overtime can get us ahead of schedule?
Man:Roughly 15 hours per person. I think that is manageable as it is spread over a 6-week period. But we have to do it on scheduled days to make sure everyone is available. Something like staying open until 7 twice a week.
Woman:All right. Book the meeting room for tomorrow and let’s see what everyone thinks.
Man:Ok, I’ll send out the meeting requests.

IMPORTANT PHRASES

I would like to discuss the … .– Szeretném megbeszélni a …-t.
Have you got a minute? – Van egy perced?
Let’s sit down.– Üljünk le!
Nobody really wants to work. – Nem nagyon akar senki dolgozni.
I can’t blame them. – Nem hibáztathatom őket.
We will fall behind schedule. – Nem leszünk kész időre.
He is on a trial period. – Próbaidőn van.
How about the work? – Mi a helyzet a munkával?
If everybody agrees … . – Ha mindenki egyetért/hajlandó … .
We can get ahead of schedule. – Idő előtt elkészülhetünk.
Not a bad idea. – Nem rossz ötlet.
I think that is manageable. – Azt gondolom, hogy ez kezelhető.
It is spread. – El van osztva, szét van terítve.
Book the meeting room for tomorrow. – Foglald le a tárgyalót holnapra.

IMPORTANT WORDS

schedule – időbeosztás, menetrend, munkarend
to organise – megszervezni
to blame – hibáztatni
whole–  egész
the new guy– az új srác
anyway– mindenesetre
to deal with – foglalkozni valamivel
data entry – adatfelvitel
to sort out – megoldani (problémát)
overtime – túlóra
scheduled– előre megtervezett
to do on call duty– ügyeletben lenni
on a rotating basis– felváltva, turnusokban
to work out– kiszámolni, kidolgozni
roughly – durván, nagyjából
to make sure– biztosítani, gondoskodni valamiről
available– elérhető, rendelkezésre áll
request – igény, felkérés

When you start a new job it is very important to find out about the daily work schedule and the daily or weekly meetings you are supposed to attend. Daily and weekly duties and responsibilities also have to be included in your work schedule, as well as scheduled overtime if you are expected to do some. Most office workers in Hungary work 8 hours a day, starting between 8 and 9 a.m. and finishing between 4.30 to 6 p.m. depending on the length of their lunch break and starting time. Part-time work and flexi-time are not the norm, while some jobs, like customer services, may involve working a rotating morning and afternoon shift.

If you want to work efficiently, you need to organize your day. The best starting point for creating your own schedule is your job description, and your manager or supervisor should be able to help you by drawing up a detailed list of tasks and responsibilities. Some companies have realised that long working hours do not mean that more work is done in the office, as people get more and more tired as the day goes by. Research shows that efficiency can be increased by taking short breaks besides the lunch break, so those should also be built into your schedule. Making a daily to-do list can save you a lot of time, especially in the first weeks until you settle into a routine.

If you feel you waste too much time during the day in your present job and need to finish your tasks after normal working hours or you often find staying on schedule challenging, as a first step you should monitor your work habits for a couple of weeks to determine how efficiently you manage your time. Then you can put this information to good use by drawing up a weekly schedule, including

– daily tasks: checking mail and answering, scheduling meetings, filing documents, collecting packages and mail that need to be sent

– weekly tasks: writing a weekly report, meeting your supervisor, department meeting, all-staff meeting, scheduled overtime, filling in time report sheets

– job-specific tasks: working late shifts, on-call duty, checking office supplies, billing clients, checking office equipment (computers, photocopiers, printers), data entry, giving presentations, visiting clients, doing paperwork

Then you can start working out which of these time management tips are helpful in your line of work and try them out even if they don’t seem very useful at first glance. You never know what might work until you’ve given it a week or so.

Time management tips:

– make a daily to-do list

– set a timer if you tend to waste time daydreaming

– set deadlines

– prioritise your tasks in four categories: urgentand important, not urgent but important, urgent but not important, neither urgent nor important

– avoid spending too much time chatting to colleagues

– check your e-mails twice a day at set times

– do more difficult tasks in the morning, as most people can concentrate better at this time of day

– review your notes, assignments and calendar weekly, not to miss something important

– identify resources to help you: colleagues with special expertise, experienced supervisors, company databases, etc.

The rise of the service sector in the past decades – advertising, financial services, insurance, transport, real estate, marketing, travel and tourism, for example – has created an array of office jobs that require communication with clients. The competition between companies also resulted in the establishment of customer services, and customer satisfaction has become a major issue, especially nowadays, when news, both good and bad, travels fast not only via the media but also on social networking sites. Therefore, dealing with difficult or very demanding customers has been in focus, in order to protect company reputation. While such situations are very exhausting and require a professional approach, it is also important to remember good customers, whose loyalty is a very important asset. We have compiled useful strategies that can help reduce the stress of dealing with difficult customers, on the one hand, and some tips that will help improve relations with a good customer, as well.

Strategies for dealing with challenging clients

In many cases prevention is better than a cure, especially because challenging clients require far more of your precious time than the time and effort required to try and keep them happy in the first place.

1. Lack of communication can cause misunderstandings that often build into problems. If you keep a record of your meetings or important phone calls, you can follow up with an e-mail to the client, summarizing the main points. This practice not only helps clear up misunderstandings immediately, but your e-mails can be used later as evidence in case the client’s version differs from yours.

2. It is advisable to try and work out any problems with your point of contact. Going directly to their superior is bad manners and will cause resentment, since it will make your main point of contact at the client company look bad to their management. No wonder they’d rather choose to work with another company next time after a humiliating experience.

3. By providing monthly reports of your results and a plan on the next month’s activity will show your client what you’ve achieved and they are also given the chance to make any modifications in advance. This often spares you from facing criticism at the end of the month, especially if changing circumstances that your client forgot to communicate are not your fault.

4. When you realise that there is already a problem, don’t wait for the client to discover it for themselves. It is much better to let them know something went wrong and offer your apologies. Definitely tell them that you are already working to find a solution or present a solution on the spot. Even so, you might have to deal with an angry customer but they will know that you’re doing everything to sort things out.

5. When a problem is solved, follow up with phone calls and e-mails to make sure everything has worked out fine. This will make your client feel valued and you will find out about their concerns before they fire off another angry e-mail.

Strategies for strengthening relations with customers

Customer retention is a major problem for many businesses and an area that needs special attention, because an increase of as little as five per cent in customer retention is thought to lead to as much as a 75 per cent increase in the average business’ profitability. Research also shows that loyal customers spend more and provide free word of mouth promotion to a company.

1. Your customers need to feel you care about them and you can show this by small gestures, like sending Christmas cards (especially a must if you have English-speaking clients), calling, e-mailing or chatting on social media from time to time. It is also a good idea to invite them to new product launches or ask for their feedback on products and services they’ve bought.

2. Keep up to date with your customers’ activity. If you notice they order less frequently or some other negative trend, it is a wise decision to give them a courtesy call to ask why and whether there’s anything they’d like to change. Many customers won’t complain about poor service but just keep quiet and move on.

3. Ask for feedback on your services and your customer service, as well. This is one of the best ways to find out what they’re happy with and what they’re not. By overcoming the bad points you ensure that your customers will have much less reason to leave. In the Internet age a short customer survey is easy to create and circulate and goes a long way.

4. There’s no way avoiding all mistakes, so be prepared to show your client you’re able to resolve their issues fast. Going out of your way to resolve a problem, even if it’s at your own cost, is definitely worth it with a good customer. Research shows that a customer who has had a complaint resolved in a very satisfactory way becomes even more loyal as a result.

5. Show your customers that you care about their business as much as yours.Many clients aren’t good judges of the quality of your work, but they appreciate and value a smooth and thoughtful working process, no matter what service you provide. Also, actual contact in real time greatly strengthens the bonds between people, so don’t rely on electronic communication only.  

Politeness in an office environment is part of efficient communication, especially when one deals with customers or clients. It not only makes a good general impression but also helps employees not to get carried away when dealing with difficult situations or unreasonable requests from clients. While it is true that in most Hungarian offices colleagues are on first name terms, this does not mean that the same level of formality is required in all circumstances.

Generally speaking, it is safer to be more polite than to come across as gruff, inconsiderate or unhelpful. Just like in Hungarian, these social norms depend to a certain extent on the speaker’s age and position in the company relative to that of the person they are talking to. Therefore, the formulation of requests, orders or refusals is a sensitive area of communication that also influences the whole atmosphere of a workplace.

Now we will focus on useful expressions that help us maintain good everyday relationships with colleagues and superiors, too. It is important to remember that a higher level of politeness is required on first meetings and with clients or visitors to the company. The majority of the expressions below can be used in any situation, with the exception of the ones followed by ‘formal’ or ‘informal’ in brackets. Please note that orders are often formulated politely as requests, however, they cannot be refused because of the speakers’ relationship in the company hierarchy.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

REQUESTS

BASIC: Help me, please.
PROFESSIONAL: Could you please give me a hand?/ I was wondering if you could help me to …?/ Do you think you could help me with …?
MAGYARUL: Tudna/tudnál segíteni nekem?/ Esetleg megoldható lenne, hogy segítsen/segíts?/ Esetleg tudna/tudnál segíteni?

BASIC: Can we talk about … ?
PROFESSIONAL: Do you have a minute to talk about …? (informal)/ What would be the right time to talk about …?
MAGYARUL: Lenne egy perced megbeszélni …?/ Mikor lenne alkalmas Önnek/neked megbeszélni a …?

BASIC: May I use the photocopier?
PROFESSIONAL: Do you mind if I use the photocopier?/ Is it all right if I use the photocopier? (informal)
MAGYARUL: Használhatnám esetleg …?/ Nem gond, ha használom a fénymásolót?

ORDERS

BASIC: Book my ticket, please.
PROFESSIONAL: I would like you to book my ticket./ Would you please …?/ Book my ticket, will you?/ Would you mind booking my ticket?/ Would you be so kind as to …? (formal)
MAGYARUL: Szeretném, ha megrendelnéd a jegyem./ Kérlek megrendelné(d) …?/ Légy szíves, rendeld meg …/ Megtenné(d), hogy megrendeli(-ed)?/ Lenne olyan kedves megrendelni?

BASIC: I want the report tomorrow morning.
PROFESSIONAL: I absolutely need the report …/ Please make sure I get the report …/ It is essential that I get the report …/ The report must be on my desk …
MAGYARUL: Feltétlenül szükségem van a jelentésre …/ Légy/Legyen szíves figyelj(en) arra, hogy megkapjam/ Létfontosságú, hogy megkapjam …/ A jelentésnek az asztalomon kell lenni …

REFUSALS

BASIC: Sorry, I have no time now.
PROFESSIONAL: I’m really sorry but I’m busy at the moment./ I wish I could, but I really need to work on this project now./ I really need to finish this first but I could help in the afternoon. (informal)
MAGYARUL: Nagyon sajnálom, de most nem érek rá./ Bárcsak segíthetnék, de most ezen a projekten kell dolgoznom./ Muszáj ezt előbb befejeznem, de délután segíthetek.

BASIC: This is not my task. Ask Mary.
PROFESSIONAL: I’m afraid I can’t help you with this. Try asking Mary. (formal)/ I’m not very good at this. Mary could probably help. (informal)/ If I were you I would ask Mary. She’s the expert./ I’m really sorry but I can’t take responsibility for this type of task. Mary can probably help. (formal)
MAGYARUL: Tartok tőle, hogy nem tudok ebben segíteni. Megpróbálhatja Maryt megkérni./ Nem igazán értek ehhez, de Mary valószínűleg tud segíteni./ Helyedben megkérdezném Maryt. Ő a szakértő./ Nagyon sajnálom, de nem vállalhatom a felelősséget egy ilyen jellegű feladatért. Mary valószínűleg tud segíteni.

Work Schedule in the office

When you start a new job it is very important to find out about the daily work schedule and the daily or weekly meetings you are supposed to attend. Daily and weekly duties and responsibilities also have to be included in your work schedule, as well as scheduled overtime if you are expected to do some. Most office workers in Hungary work 8 hours a day, starting between 8 and 9 a.m. and finishing between 4.30 to 6 p.m. depending on the length of their lunch break and starting time. Part-time work and flexi-time are not the norm, while some jobs, like customer services, may involve working a rotating morning and afternoon shift.

If you want to work efficiently, you need to organize your day. The best starting point for creating your own schedule is your job description, and your manager or supervisor should be able to help you by drawing up a detailed list of tasks and responsibilities. Some companies have realised that long working hours do not mean that more work is done in the office, as people get more and more tired as the day goes by. Research shows that efficiency can be increased by taking short breaks besides the lunch break, so those should also be built into your schedule. Making a daily to-do list can save you a lot of time, especially in the first weeks until you settle into a routine.

If you feel you waste too much time during the day in your present job and need to finish your tasks after normal working hours or you often find staying on schedule challenging, as a first step you should monitor your work habits for a couple of weeks to determine how efficiently you manage your time. Then you can put this information to good use by drawing up a weekly schedule, including

– daily tasks: checking mail and answering, scheduling meetings, filing documents, collecting packages and mail that need to be sent

– weekly tasks: writing a weekly report, meeting your supervisor, department meeting, all-staff meeting, scheduled overtime, filling in time report sheets

– job-specific tasks: working late shifts, on-call duty, checking office supplies, billing clients, checking office equipment (computers, photocopiers, printers), data entry, giving presentations, visiting clients, doing paperwork

Then you can start working out which of these time management tips are helpful in your line of work and try them out even if they don’t seem very useful at first glance. You never know what might work until you’ve given it a week or so.

Time management tips:

– make a daily to-do list

– set a timer if you tend to waste time daydreaming

– set deadlines

– prioritise your tasks in four categories: urgent and important, not urgent but important, urgent but not important, neither urgent nor important

– avoid spending too much time chatting to colleagues

– check your e-mails twice a day at set times

– do more difficult tasks in the morning, as most people can concentrate better at this time of day

– review your notes, assignments and calendar weekly, not to miss something important

– identify resources to help you: colleagues with special expertise, experienced supervisors, company databases, etc.

DISCUSSING WORK SCHEDULES 1. 

Peter: Good morning, Kate, how are you?
Kate: I’m fine, thank you. And you? Are you ready to start your new job?
Peter: I’m really looking forward to working here. My general induction training starts at 10 but I would appreciate some information on the daily schedule of the office.
Kate: We start between 8 and 9, except on Mondays. The department meeting starts at 8.30 sharp and everybody is supposed to be there.
Peter: So that is when we find out about the weekly tasks?
Kate: That’s right. But for a while you will only need to focus on your everyday tasks and the weekly report. I will help you fill in the time sheets as well.
Peter: Do you think you could give me a printout of my tasks? It would be really helpful.
Kate: For the next two weeks you’ll be shadowing Ross in the mornings and do your tasks in the afternoon. This is the list, just let me know if you can’t cope with something.
Peter: Thanks so much. When do you usually go on lunch break?
Kate: Between 12 to 1.30. But we must make sure that somebody stays here to pick up the phone, so we take turns.
Peter: Ok, got that. Anything else I must remember?
Kate: You must make sure your weekly time report is above 40 hours plus 2,5 hours lunchtime. As long as you stay above that, you can choose what time you arrive until 9 and leave after
4.30. At the induction training you will also get your username and password to the intranet.
Peter: All right, I see. Thank you so much.
Kate: Now I’ll introduce you to Ross and you two can discuss the weekly tasks he’ll be doing during the shadowing period.

to look forward to – várni valamit
general – általános
induction training – bevezető képzés
to appreciate – értékelni valamit
except – kivéve, valami kivételével
sharp – itt pontosan
to find out about – megtudni valamiről valamit
to focus on – valamire koncentrálni
to fill in – kitölteni (űrlapot)
time sheets – munkaidő-jelentő lap
helpful – hasznos, segítőkész
to shadow – valakit munka közben megfigyelni
to cope with – megbirkózni valamivel
to take turns – sorban csinálni valamit
as long as – feltéve ha, azzal a feltétellel
username – felhasználónév
password – jelszó
intranet – belső hálózat
to discuss – megbeszélni

DISCUSSING WORK SCHEDULES 2. 

Jim: Hi Monica, I would like to discuss the work schedule for December with you. Have you got a minute?
Monica: Hi, let’s sit down with a coffee.
Jim: We thought we could organise it better than last year. Nobody really wants to work between Christmas and the 1st of January.
Monica: I can’t blame them. But we will fall behind schedule if work stops for a whole week.
Jim: It won’t. The new guy, Karl will be here in the office anyway, as he is still on trial period. He’ll be able to deal with the phone and the mail. And he can do the data entry.
Monica: Ok, office sorted but how about the work?
Jim: If everybody agrees to do some scheduled overtime during November and the first half of December, we can get ahead of schedule. That means the team can be on holiday with two people doing on-call duty on a rotating basis.
Monica: Not a bad idea. Have you worked out how many hours of overtime can get us ahead of schedule?
Jim: Roughly 15 hours per person. I think that is manageable as it is spread over a 6-week period. But we have to do it on scheduled days to make sure everyone is available. Something like staying open until 7 twice a week.
Monica: All right. Book the meeting room for tomorrow and let’s see what everyone thinks.
Jim: Ok, I’ll send out the meeting requests.

to blame someone – hibáztatni valakit
to fall behind schedule – lemaradni a tervhez képest
trial period – próbaidő
to deal with – megoldani valamit, foglalkozni valamivel
to be sorted – el van intézve
to agree – beleegyezni
ahead of schedule – jobban haladni a tervezettnél
roughly – durván
manageable – kezelhető, megoldható
to be spread – eloszlani, megoszlani
available – elérhető
twice a week – kétszer egy héten
meeting request – meghívó értekezletre

Your first day at a new workplace is quite important. You meet your future colleagues, first impressions are made, you move into your own cubicle or work station and you get familiar with the office space. It’s very important how your new colleagues get to know you on the first day. You should pay attention to your appearance on the first day too and how you interact with the other employees. Try to be friendly but confident. That’s never a bad idea. Usually, your immediate boss or an assigned colleague shows you around the office and tells you about the ground rules. Your hiring manager might have already told you about them at the time of your selection, but if not, make sure you quickly find out about office timings, office attire, break timings, leave policy and such. It will also come in handy if you know about all the rules and regulations followed in the organization.

First steps

When you are introduced to the rest of the staff, it is very important to look people straight in the eyes and smile when you shake hands. You want to make as many friends as you can among colleagues because it is a useful and a more pleasant way to work together in the future. If you have to introduce yourself to a group, try to be short and simple.

After the introductions and greetings, it’s time to find out more about the work you were hired to do. Although you have probably agreed on your general job description at the time of signing your employment contract, you will still need some guidance to get you started. Find your work station and discuss your exact job responsibilities with your immediate manager. You should be prompt and proactive in doing this and never leave it for the second day.

Last but not least, ask someone to show you around the office areas as soon as possible, if your boss hadn’t done so already. Perhaps you can also look for someone with more experience, a kind of a mentor to run your ideas past and seek help if it is necessary until you get the hang of things.

first impression – első benyomás
cubicle – munkafülke
work station – munkatér
to get familiar – megismerkedni, megismerni
office space – irodai tér
to pay attention – (oda)figyelni
appearance – megjelenés
to interact – érintkezni egymással
employee – alkalmazott
confident – magabiztos
immediate – közvetlen
assigned – kijelölt
ground rule – alapszabály
hiring – szerződtető
selection – kiválasztás
timing – időzítés, ütemezés
attire – öltözet
break – szünet
leave policy – szabadságolás
to come in handy – jól jönni, hasznos lehet
regulation – szabály, előírás
staff – személyzet
to shake hands – kezet fogni/rázni
job description – munkaelírás
to sign – aláírni
employment contract – munkaszerződés
guidance – útmutatás
responsibility – felelősség
prompt – gyors, haladéktalan
to run sth past sb – véleményeztetni
to get the hang of things – belejönni a dolgokba  

Fresh out of school or college and in need of a job? We are all aware of the fact that not many jobs are advertised with complete beginners in mind. Nevertheless, one has to try one’s best to land a job and preferably one that, if not exactly your dream job, is at least decent. Here are a few tips to get started and make a good impression at your interview.

Writing your first CV

Employment history is obviously the section that can give a headache to school leavers. If you have no work experience at all, you can substitute this section for ’Personal Successes’ and describe your achievements and the skills required, for example voluntary work or sporting achievements, which show that you are capable of working hard. Taking a summer job as a student even if you don’t need the money will give you not only valuable insight into how workplaces are organised, but also something relevant to put on your CV.

If you manage to land an internship during the summer, consider yourself lucky, although sacrificing your last carefree summer might seem quite frustrating. However, an internship in the line of work you’re interested in has two things to offer: relevant work experience, on the one hand, and the opportunity to make contacts and find out about openings, on the other. Companies are more likely to hire someone after a successful internship than take a risk with a completely inexperienced person.

Make a good impression

Job interviews are often a negative experience for teens and young people due to nerves or mistakes. The good news is that interview skills can be learned and it’s worth practicing your answers to common interview questions in advance. Don’t forget that punctuality is very important when arriving and dressing up for an interview is expected. Naturally, you only need to wear a full suit if you apply for an office job, but it’s better not to show up in jeans and a T-shirt even for a summer camp job. It is also a good idea to ask a few job-related questions to show the interviewer that you’re interested in the position and the company.

Common interview questions

Tell me a little about yourself.

Be brief and focus on your skills, abilities and interests. This is definitely not the time to talk about your childhood, football trophies or the music you like. The interviewer is interested in what your plans are for the present and the future.

Why do you want to work for us?

This is your opportunity to talk about why you chose to apply for the job, why you think you’d fit in well and what you can offer to the company. And make sure you don’t say “because of the money.”

What extracurricular activities did you participate in?

This is the chance to show your personality, naturally, in a positive light. Therefore, pick extracurriculars that reflect your best traits and your interests.

Why should I hire you?

Don’t try to seem more experienced than you really are – making up things will just lead to trouble.

How has school prepared you for working at our company?

Talk about relevant classes, like IT, and courses that required you to do project work, do research and learn time management.

What are your salary expectations?

If you lack experience, it’s not easy to answer this question. Often employers offer only minimum wages to people fresh out of school, therefore it’s a good idea to ask around to find out how much people doing similar work actually earn.

Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor or teacher?

Here you’re not expected to go on a rant about a weird or annoying supervisor or teacher. Focus on differences in personality or working styles and how you can overcome these. Come up with an example of how you learned something from an unpleasant situation and how this experience helped you become more aware of the necessity of team work, for example.

Tell me about a major problem you recently handled.

Employers want to get a sense of your problem solving skills, so give an example of a problem, including information on how you resolved it. This could be, for example, a problem you encountered in working on a group project.

in need of – valamire szüksége van
nevertheless – ennek ellenére
to land a job – állást kapni
decent – rendes, megfelelő
employment history – előző munkahelyek
to give a headache to – fejfájást okoz valakinek
work experience – munkatapasztalat
to substitute – helyettesíteni
voluntary – önkéntes
to be capable of – képes valamire
insight into – rálátás
relevant – releváns, tárgyhoz tartozó
internship – szakmai gyakorlat
opening – üresedés
to hire – felvenni, alkalmazni
to take a risk – kockázatot vállalni
due to – valami következtében
it’s worth – megéri
in advance – előre
punctuality – pontosság
brief – rövid
to apply for – jelentkezni valamire
to fit in – belilleszkedni
extracurricular activities – iskolán kívüli elfoglaltság
therefore – emiatt, ebből következőleg
to make something up – kitalálni valamit (ami nem igaz)
time management – időbeosztás
salary expectations – kereseti elvárás
lack – hiány
minimum wages – minimálbér
to ask around – kérdezősködni, körbeérdeklődni
similar – hasonló
supervisor – munkafelügyelő
to go on a rant – dühöngeni
personality – személyiség
to overcome – legyőzni
unpleasant situation – kellemetlen helyzet
problem solving skills – problémamegoldó képesség
to encounter – találkozni

A JOB INTERVIEW – A PART-TIME JOB (a hanganyagot a cikk tetején találod)

Man: Hello, Maureen, nice to meet you.
Woman: Hello Mr. Radfield, nice to meet you.
Man: So you’re interested in working as a waitress. Why should I hire you?
Woman: I had a summer job as a waitress the past two years in our local café and I believe I did well. I put the owner, Mrs Fox down in the references section on my CV.
Man: How many hours would you like to work?
Woman: The position you advertised is an evening part-time job. I would be happy to work Monday to Friday.
Man: Restaurants are at their busiest Friday and Saturday nights. Could you do Saturdays?
Woman: I’m sure I can manage Saturdays during the summer but I’ll be at college starting from September. Is there any chance of swapping two workdays for Saturday? I’m sure you’ll understand that I also need to do some coursework and that would be impossible if I have to work 6 evenings out of 7.
Man: I’ll have to think this over. Now tell me about a major problem you recently handled.
Woman: Last year we had a difficult client who sent back a perfectly good pizza for some reason. I offered him a tea and a biscuit on the house while he was waiting for the new pizza. Luckily, that calmed him down, as I hoped.
Man: Did you ask the manager if you were allowed to offer anything on the house?
Woman: There was no time, he was just about to start shouting. But it turned out to be the right decision.

A JOB INTERVIEW – A FULL-TIME JOB 

Woman: Hello Jim, I’m glad you could come at such short notice.
Man: Hello Ms Diaz. Luckily, I was in town today – sorry I’m not dressed appropriately, I wasn’t expecting an interview. I’m completely aware of office dress codes.
Woman: No problem, I understand. After your internship last summer we were really glad to receive your application.
Man: I really enjoyed working here last year and now I have my degree I’m looking for a proper job.
Woman: Based on your previous experience we can offer you a full-time position starting the first of next month.
Man: I had a taste of how this company works last year. What are the responsibilities of this position?
Woman: For the month of August you’d be doing the same job as last year. You can take over during the month of September from Claire, the Finance Department secretary. You do remember her, don’t you? She’s going on maternity leave.
Man: Is overtime expected?
Woman: Not at all, except during the yearly budget review.
Man: I am definitely interested. Can I have some more details, please?

]]> https://www.5percangol.hu/business_english_tananyagok/uj-allas-uj-karrier/ Mon, 16 Sep 2013 13:26:37 +0000 https://cmsteszt.5percangol.hu/uj-allas-uj-karrier/ Changing jobs, finding a new career

If you are not satisfied with your situation at your workplace you should quit a find something that is more suitable for you.

What are the reasons someone wants a change in his or her career?

–          you want to work for a biggerfirm
–          your department is not well established
–          it is far away from your home
–          your company is losing customers/money
–          rumoursof possible closure/bankruptcy/redundancy
–          bad relationship with your boss/colleagues
–          you don’t enjoy it any more
–          high stress level that is affecting your physical and mental health
–          you are unchallenged and need more responsibility
–          you want to earn more

Whether you’re looking for your very first job, switching careers or re-entering the job market, finding a job is not an easy task. How to get prepared for a job interview?

Revise your resume/CV:  before you start job hunting, make sure that your resume is as complete and as up-to-date as possible.

Get prepared for an introduction:When at an interview, the interviewer wants you to get relaxed, and speak about your accomplishments, why you want to work there and what your future goals are. The key is to keep it short – between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Memorize it, but don’t sound like a robot!

Make a list of work-related skills you’d like to learn:Your employer is interested in hearing about how you want to become a better employee.

Be computer literate:Most jobs require people who are computer literate and know how to operate different equipment, like fax machines, scanners, photocopiers.

Be communicative:Employers prefer to hire people who are able to express their thoughts efficiently both verbally and in written communication.

Research the company:Become familiar with the history of the company. When applying for a job, you should learn as much as you can about the company you want to work at.

suitable – megfelelő, testhezálló
reason – oka valaminek
firm – vállalat, cég
department – részleg, osztály
established – megalapozott
customer – kliens, vásárló, ügyfél
rumour – pletyka, szóbeszéd
possible – lehetséges
closure – bezárás
bankruptcy – csőd
redundancy – leépítés
relationship – kapcsolat
to affect – hatással lenni valamire
mental health – szellemi egészség
to be unchallenged – nincsenek kihívások számára
to get prepared for – valamire felkészülni
up-to-date – naprakész
accomplishment – eredmény
to memorize – memorizál
computer literate – ért a számítástechikához
to operate – kezelni, használni, működtetni
equipment – felszerelés, berendezés
to express – kifejezni
thought – gondolat
efficiently – hatékonyan
both … and … – mind … mind …
verbally – szóban
written communication – írásos kommunikáció
to be familiar with – otthonosnak lenni valamiben
to apply for a job – jelentkezni egy állásra

Plaxoton Industries  

1436 Sycamore Drive
Bradford, PA 16701
 

1^st January 2011

Dear Mr. Prescott,

It is with regret that I must announce my decision to leave Plaxoton Industries as Account Director. After two years working at Plaxoton, and being part of the team, this was not an easy decision.

I am leaving to pursue another opportunity at Globotron Technologies. I have enjoyed my time with Plaxoton but I believe my new position offers me the best chance to develop my career.

As is usual, I would like to give one month’s notice and also to offer my help during the transition and afterwards, if necessary. I would also be grateful you could provide me with a written reference for future employers.

Sincerely,

János Szabó

it is with regret [ɪt s wɪð rɪˈɡret] – sajnálattal
to announce [tə əˈnaʊns] – bejeleni
to pursue [tu pəˈsjuː] – törekszik (valamire)
notice [ˈnəʊtɪs] – előzetes értesítés
transition [trænˈzɪʃən] – átmenet
to provide [tu prəˈvaɪd] – nyújt