READING COMPREHENSION – CV or application form?
dowloaded from http://www.britishcouncil.org/professionals-work-skills-cv-1.htm
When specific vacancies arise, many employers now no longer accept CVs, and insist on using
their own application forms. A well-written CV, however, is still a useful thing to have.
Here you will read about the differences between a CV and an application form, and pick up some
tips on how to make sure your CV gives the best impression of you.
You will look at the key vocabulary items from the article, check your comprehension and do an
exercise on phrasal verbs.
The Latin words curriculum vitae mean “running of life,” which might sound unusual, but when you
think about it, the piece of paper more usually known today as a “CV” (or a “resumé” in American
English) is indeed a record of how your life has run so far.
That said, however, when writing a CV, what you leave out of your life story is as important as
what you put in. Your CV should not be your whole life story, just the bits of it that are relevant
to the position you are applying for.
Many companies now no longer require CVs when advertising for specific positions. This is partly
because HR managers are fed up with reading through hundreds of badly written lists of schools
and jobs, but also because if a company design their own application form, they can narrow down
the field and target applicants into writing what the company really wants to know.
An application form is often similar to a CV – you will be expected to write some brief personal
information, a short list of your educational background and professional training, then complete a
“personal statement,” usually a chance for you to show exactly how your experience qualifies you
to do the job you are applying for. Notes for such personal statements always guide the applicant
back to the job description and person specification of the vacant position.
Filling out application forms, especially the “personal statement,” often seems difficult, but it’s
easy to see how it’s better from an employer’s point of view. From the point of view of the
applicant too, it makes you focus clearly on what you have done, and exactly why you’d be good
at the job you’re applying for – as well as giving you a chance to show off those all-important
written communication skills!
If you do have to submit a CV, or if you are submitting a CV to a company or organisation which
doesn’t currently have any specific vacancies, but you want them to know about you – the
experience of the personal statement can be useful. It certainly makes you more concise in what
you write – and being concise is a vital thing in a CV.
A CV is something essential for everyone to have – keep a version of it on your computer, and
make sure you change it each time you apply for a new job – the same “one size fits all” CV won’t
do!
Here are a few tips:
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Length: A four page long CV is almost certainly too long. Two pages is usually enough to
say what any employer needs to know.
Truth: Show what you did to the best you can, but don’t tell lies. On the same point,
don’t leave gaps in your employment history.
Style: Formal/neutral. Use a simple font (times new roman or arial) and black ink.
Pictures: Unless specifically asked for one, don’t include a photo of yourself.
Vocabulary activity
Match each of these words from the text to their meaning
Comprehension activity
Choose the best ending to each of these sentences
Vocabulary activity
Focus on phrasal verbs
LISTENING
downloaded from http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-podcast-professionalscv.pdf
READING COMPREHENSION 2 – Gapped text
downloaded from http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/fce/students/tests/part3.htm
You are going to read a magazine article about John Prince, a dancer, dance
teacher and choreographer. Seven sentences have been removed from the article
on the left. Choose the most suitable sentence from the list A-H for each part (1-7)
of the article. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
John Prince, famous dancer and choreographer, gives advice on how to succeed in a
career in the arts.
I asked John how he got started and what requirements there are. "Well, to be a professional
dancer it's useful to have had acting lessons or some background in drama. If you want to
succeed in musical theatre you have to have a good singing voice as well. When you approach
an agent you should take a portfolio with your CV, your statistics sheet and some good photos
and reviews of past performances. You'll need dance clothes, ballet shoes, tap shoes, and even
roller skates depending on what kind of show you are going to go for."
1"Of course, you need to be extremely fit if you want to be a professional dancer. I dance or
move about for about six hours a day. There are great health benefits to being a dancer. I can
eat a lot of pasta without gaining weight because dancing increases your metabolism so much."
2John has a very busy schedule in the next few months. He took time out to speak to me today
from the making of a pop video to promote N-ergy's latest record. "I choreographed the dance
routine for the boys and they only had 2 days in which to learn it! I am going to be working on a
video for another well known band - but that's top secret. Next month I'll be touring Spain in a
production of a musical that was written by a friend of mine, Michaela Evans.
3As for the future, I've come to realise that I would never be content to be just a chorus dancer I'm too much of an individual for that. Like all artists I'd love to become a household name by
writing and choreographing my own musicals."
John was born in Jamaica to a Jamaican father and a Scottish mother but the family emigrated
to England 20 years ago. "I have a little sister I adore, who is also training to be a dancer." How
does it feel to have someone else following in your footsteps?
4Has he much more to learn, I wondered. "I've spent an incredible amount of my life training to
get where I am. I went to college for two years in England, I trained for six months in Paris and
about eight months in America. But you never really stop training or learning your art."
5So, would you say it's been plain sailing? "I feel I've been lucky to a degree; many people hit
problems breaking into the arts. It can be a vicious circle really. You can't become a member of
Equity, which is the actors' and dancers' union, without good contracts. and you can't get good
contracts without being a member of Equity. My advice to people who want to get into the arts
would be to go out into the world, and try everything else first.
6What has a dance career done for you as a person? "Thanks to dancing, I've visited and
performed in 23 countries so far. This has opened my eyes to the world, and I've been able to
understand issues like racism and inequality from a wider perspective.
7"So all in all I'm really happy to be a dancer!"
A It's fine, but I try not to give out too much advice as it gets irritating!
B And if nothing you like comes out of it, then come back and be an actor or dancer.
C Without a strict daily timetable like this you find yourself wasting too much time.
D After that it's back to England to start a new term of dance classes.
E Hopefully this has enabled me to become a better and more tolerant person as a result.
F When it comes to coping with stress, I find that exercise helps me to cope with my problems,
so I stay in good shape mentally as well.
G Like any profession where you're always travelling, you tend to acquire something new
almost every day.
H Being fully equipped with all this stuff beforehand makes it easier when you go for auditions.
A SONG – PAPERBACK WRITER
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What is a paperback? Find an opposite term.
Some of the words got lost in the transcription. Listen
carefully and complete the gaps.
What jobs are described? What’s positive / negative about
them?
Would you go to such lengths in order to get the job of your
dreams?
Paper back writer (paperback writer)
Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It's ……………………………………….. a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.
It's the dirty story of a dirty man
And his clinging wife ………………………………………..
His son ……………………………………….. for the Daily Mail,
It's a ……………………………………….. job but he wants to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.
Paperback writer (paperback writer)
It's a thousand pages, give or take a few,
I………………………………………..in a week or two.
I can make it longer if you like the style,
I can ………………………………………..and I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.
If you really like it you can have the rights,
It ………………………………………..for you overnight.
If you must return it, you can send it here
But ………………………………………..and I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer.
Paperback writer (paperback writer)
Paperback writer - paperback writer
Paperback writer - paperback writer