UNIT 2 “Work and jobs”
I TEXT
People and workplaces The people who work for a company, all the people on its payroll, are its employees, personnel, staff, workers or workforce. But these words can mean just the people carrying out the work of a company, rather than those leading it and organizing it: the management.
A company's activities may be spread over different sites. A company's most senior managers usually work in its head office or headquarters (HQ). Some managers have their own individual offices, but in many businesses, most employees work in open-plan offices: large areas where many people work together. Administration or, informally, admin, the everyday work supporting a company's activities, is often done in offices like these by administrative staff or support staff. For example, those giving technical help to buyers of the company's products are in technical support.
Jobs: Accountants - More Than Bean Counters. Wherever money is made or lost, accountants are needed to manage the books. Accountants are found in every industry--from the government to manufacturing to corporations. They are not bean counters or bookkeepers, but manage money, finances, and taxes and give valuable business advice. Accountants perform audits and prepare, analyze, and verify financial reports and taxes for many clients. They also give advice to corporate executives and help them make business decisions. All accountants should be analytical, creative self-starters with strong communication and computer skills.
Administrative Assistant - A Respected Career Administrative assistants do more than answer telephones, type, and get coffee-the field is becoming a highly specialized and quickly growing career opportunity for people of all backgrounds. With corporate downsizing, administrative assistants are taking on more responsibilities and contributing more to the success of a company. They are not just doing "grunt" work; in fact some are relied upon for their computer and financial skills, and are responsible for hiring and managing people.
Human Resources - The Personal Touch The human resources professional is an important part of a successful company. They have a wide variety of responsibilities, including hiring new employees, dealing with labor disputes, and training employees--just to name a few! They also act as counselors, offering assistance to employees dealing with personal issues, so they need to have a personal touch as well. Human resources professionals do more than hire people--they are responsible for continuing education, training and certification of employees, staffing needs, performance appraisals and reviews, compensation and benefits programs, and union and labor relations.
Market Research Analyst - In the Know How do companies know if a new package will boost product sales? How does a state choose the advertising that will bring in the most tourists? How does a company get an idea of consumer response to a new product before it's officially released? How do they do it? They call a market research analyst. Market research analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data which companies use in marketing their products.
Stockbroker - Buy Low, Sell High! Does anyone really know what the stock market will do next? Since even the experts don't agree, most people with money to invest want some advice before they decide where to put their savings. They call a stockbroker. Stockbrokers act for clients in the buying and selling of stocks. Most brokers also deal with bonds, shares in mutual funds, certificates of deposit, insurance annuities, and other financial products, so the term "securities sales representative" is really more accurate.
Ways of working can differ:
- I'm an office worker in an insurance company. It's a nine-to-five job with regular working hours. The work isn't very interesting, but I like to be able to go home at a reasonable time. We all have to clock in and clock out every day. In this company, even the managers have to, which is unusual!
(Note: You also say clock on and clock off.)
- I'm in computer programming. There's a system of flexitime in my company, which means we can work when we want, within certain limits. We can start at any time before eleven, and finish as early as three, as long as we do enough hours each month. It's ideal for me as I have two young children.
- I work in a car plant. I work in shifts. I may be on the day shift one week and the night shift the next week. It's difficult changing from one shift to another. When I change shifts, I have problems changing to a new routine for sleeping and eating.
I'm a commercial artist in an advertising agency.
- I work in a big city, but I prefer living in the country, so I commute to work every day, like thousands of other commuters. Working from home using a computer and the Internet is becoming more and more popular, and the agency is introducing this: it's called teleworking or telecommuting. But I like going into the office and working with other people around me
Exercises
1. Translate in to Russian
to manage the books
to verify financial reports
administrative assistant – помощник начальника по административной части
human resources
performance appraisal – оценка результатов деятельности [труда],
to boost sales
to release a product
bonds
shares
certificates of deposit
insurance annuities
securities –ценные бумаги
payroll
headquarters
clock in/ out
flextime
to work in shifts
to commute
bean counters
to perform audits
corporate executives – управляющий, член правления
self-starters – инициативный [самостоятельный, предприимчивый] человек
“grunt” work
personal issues
certification of employees
sales representative
open-plan offices
teleworking
performance: keep an eye on, supervise, monitor, check.
problems: solve, clear up, sort out, deal with.
profits: increase, boost, stimulate, improve.
people: manage, lead, oversee, be in charge of.
3. Complete the following sentences
1. Accountants are needed…
2. Accountants should be…
3. Administrative assistants are an important part of a company…
4. Some administrative assistants can be relied upon…
5. Human resources professionals have a wide variety of responsibilities…
6. Market research analysts are called…
7. Stock brokers act…
8. Stock brokers deal with…
4 Answer the following questions
1. Who carries out the work of a company?
2. Who leads and organizes it?
3. Where do different employees work?
4. What are accountants( administrative assistants, etc) in charge of?
5. What sort of people should they be?
6. How can they contribute to the success of the company?
7. What are the old ( new) ways of working?
8. What are their advantages and disadvantages?
5 Which person (1-5) is most likely to do each of the five things (a-e)? Explain your choice.
1 A software designer in an Internet company. Has to be in the office.
2 An office worker in a large, traditional manufacturing company.
3 A manager in a department store in a large city. Lives in the country.
4 A construction worker on a building site where work goes on 24 hours a day.
5 A technical writer for a city computer company. Lives in the country.
a work in shifts
b work under a flexitime system
с telecommute
d commute to work
e clock on and off at the same time every day
6. Fill in the blanks
Manuel Ortiz is the founder of a Spanish computer sales company. Use the words from the text to complete what he says about it.
I founded Computadoras Creativas 20 years ago. We started with a small(1)______in Madrid. Our (2)______, our (3)______is still here, but now we have sites all over Spain, with about 500 employees. Manyof the offices are (4)_____-_____: everyone works together, from managers to(5)______, as well as people selling over the phone, and people in technical (6)______giving help to customers over the phone. Recruitment is taken care of in Madrid, by the (7)______or (8)____.
7. Translate the sentences
Работниками компании считаются все те , кто выполняет работу компании и включен в платежную ведомость. Различныеспециалисты работают на компанию. Услуги бухгалтера нужны в любой области, т.к.он не только распоряжатся финансами, но и помогает руководству принимать правильные деловые решения. Советы опытного бухгалтера всегда очень ценны.
Успех компании во многом зависит от работы отдела кадров. Отдел кадров отвечает за прием на работу и увольнение сотрудников, за подготовку работников и осуществление связи между ними и профсоюзом. Он также дает оценку выполняемой работы и разрабатывает систему поощерений. Работники отдела кадров должны быть хорошими психологами, т.к. им приходится разрешать производственные конфликты и помогать работникам с их личными проблемами.
Компания не может обойтись без услуг маркетолога, который отбирает и анализирует данные, необходимые для сбыта товаров. Он может определить , что поможет увеличить объем продажи, и даже как покупатель оценит новый товар еще до того, как его выпустят в продажу.
Руководители компании в своей работе опираются на помощь секретарей-референтов, которые берут на себя все больше обязанностей. Им доверяют не только работу с компьютером, но и прием на работу. На них также полагаются в решении финансовых вопросов.
Если вы хотите выгодно вложить деньги, вам следует обратиться к биржевому маклеру. Он занимается акциями, облигациями,вкладными, сертификатами, страховыми взносами и другими финансовыми операциями.
Обычно сотрудники работают с 8 до5 ч., иногда им приходится регистрироваться , когда они приходят и уходят с работы. Те , кто трудится в сфере производства, работают по сменам. Они могут работать в дневную, затем в ночную смену. В некототорых компаниях у сотрудников гибкий рабочий график, в других они выполняют работу дома и связываются с офисом через интернет. Эта форма работы становится все более популярной.
III LANGUAGE FOCUS
3. Fill in with:
report to answer to supervise liaise with manageYour job is to …… the six people at the front desk -you make sure they all know what they're doing and that they don't make any mistakes. You …… Simon, who's the head of customer services. He …… you and four other supervisors. He also …… the heads of the other departments so that they all know what everyone else is doing. And, of course, as I'm the boss, they all …… me.
4. Fill in with:
promote appraise demote perform train pass overEvery year we …… you -in other words, we talk to you about your work over the past year. If you're having problems, we …… you to deal with them. If you've done well, we try to …… you, although competition for the top jobs is tough so you could be …… over for promotion even if you have done well. And, of course, if you haven't …… well enough, we'll probably …… you, because in this company only the best is good enough.
5. Fill in with:
sack make redundant retire dismiss resign fire lay offNOTICE
These are the only ways that you can lose your job at this company.
Employees who steal will be …… .
Anyone who contradicts the boss will be …… .
Salespeople who don't meet their targets will be …… .
When business is bad, the laziest workers will be …… .
And if the company goes bankrupt, everyone will be …… .
If you don't like any of these rules, you're free to …… and find
another job.
But if nothing goes wrong, you have a job for life and you can ……
happily at the age of sixty-five.
6. List the verbs in groups of similar meaning and speak about the manager’s responsibilities.
Oversee, improve, monitor, boost, sort out, lead, deal with, stimulate, increase, be in charge of, solve, clear up, keep an eye on check supervise, manage
7. Complete the sentences with the words and expressions.
Salesman, computer programmer, legal department, chief executive officer, self-employed, personnel manager
1 I'm а …… and work in the Export Sales department. I have to find new customers for our products.
2 I'm a lawyer and work in the …… I draw up contracts and advise the company on tax legislation.
3 I'm a …… and work in the information technology department. Basically, I design software applications and make sure our website is kept up-to-date.
4 I'm the …… and work in the human resources department. I handle both staff recruitment and training.
5 I'm a management consultant and I'm …… . I advise companies on their global strategy and investment policies.
6 I'm the …… and sit on the board of directors. I'm responsible for the company's strategic objectives and translating plans into action.
IV WRITING
Business letter terminology
30 Empire Drive
Manchester М6 2PQ
Mr Graham Davis
Assistant Manager
Transworld Freight pic
74 Dockside
Manchester M15 7BJ 28 March 2006
Dear Mr Davis
I saw your advertisement for an Export Manager in the Daily Herald of 7 March and I would like to apply for the position.
I would be grateful if you could send me an application form and further information about the salary and working conditions.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Yours sincerely
Geoffrey Andrews (Mr)
HEADING 1 Oakley Avenue,
London, W. 11
30th May, 1990
Box С 123, INSIDE ADDRESS
The Times,
London, E. C. 4
Dear Sir,-----SALUTATION
I am writing in answer to your advertisement in Saturday's TIMES for a sales manager.
I have had nine years' experience in the sales departments of two large organizations, training as a trainee and progressing to my present position of assistant sales manager. In the last four years I have had the opportunity of carrying out independent experimental work in market research as well as helping with the development of successful techniques for selling plastics abroad. I believe that I am now ready to assume the responsibilities of complete sales management.
I have enclosed my CV. If my qualifications interest you, I would be happy to come for an interview at any time convenient to you.
Yours faithfully, COMPLEMENTARY CLOSE
------SIGNATURE
Martin King SIGNATURE IDENTIFICATION