Talking about jobs

Mary Adorjan English Course (pre-int), ELTE University 2012

Speech and Writing by Mary Adorjan

What is your occupation?

Sample sentences: Please fill in this form with your name, age, and occupation. He gave up his occupation as a teacher and now he is a singer. He left the army in 1999 and chose a civilian occupation. The college provides training in a wide range of occupations. Is your occupation full-time or part-time?
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Where do you work?

in a factory/in an office for a company for a firm for a subsidiary Subsidiary = a business company owned or controlled by another larger company

Parent company in USA

Subsidiary in Asia

Subsidiary in Europe

Subsidiary

Speech and Writing by Mary Adorjan

Where do you work?

in the sales department (selling the products) in the planning department PR department (giving information about the company to customers, journalists) marketing department (advertizing) personnel department (they choose new workers)

Speech and Writing by Mary Adorjan

Where do you work?

in agriculture (farming) for the government/ for a government office/ at a ministry/ for the Foreign Ministry in the service industry (= tourism, health, entertainment, marketing, transport, shops) in the primary sector (raw materials), secondary sector (manufacturing), tertiary sector (services) Primary, secondary, tertiary = 1, 2, 3
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What are the working conditions like?

working conditions = the situation in which people work (working long hours, getting enough or not enough money, in a light office or in a dark factory)
Speech and Writing by Mary Adorjan

Googles office It is like a playground.

Employment
He is an employer. = the boss He is an employee. = the worker, works for the employer He is self-employed. = works alone, for example has a small shop He is unemployed. = has no job unemployment benefit = if you lose your job you the state pays you some money unemployment rate = the number of people in the country who have no jobs a high unemployment rate
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Examples
The doctor runs a private practice. = He does not work in a hospital. He has a small office where the patients visit him, and pay him for the examination. He is a guest-worker abroad. = A lot of people went to work to Germany from Turkey. He does casual work. = Sometimes he works, sometimes he is unemployed.
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Losing your job

If someone works badly, the boss will sack him. (He will lose his job.) = the boss will fire him. If the factory closes, all the workers will be made redundant. (They worked well but they are not needed any more.)

Speech and Writing by Mary Adorjan

Types of jobs
blue-collar worker = a worker in a factory white-collar worker = a worker in an office (wearing white shirt) manual work = work you do with your hand intellectual work = you need your brain Some jobs need university qualifications, these are called professions. Some jobs need training, these are called skilled work (cook, car mechanic, railway driver) Some jobs need no special training, these are unskilled jobs. (cleaning in an office)
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Money for your work

Salary (for intellectual work, paid monthly) get a high or low salary a reasonable salary (not high but OK) Wages (for manual work, paid daily or weekly) Get high or low wages My wages were so low that I had to take a second job just to make ends meet. = to have just enough money to pay for the things that you need
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About your work

I do overtime three times a week. = I work longer than I usually do. flexible working hours = not from 9 to 5 every day but longer when there is a lot of work, or shorter if there is not much work

Speech and Writing by Mary Adorjan

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Questions for you

Is unemployment a big problem in your country? Where are most of the unemployed people, in cities or in the villages? Do a lot of people work in agriculture in your country? Which are the best-paid jobs in your county? What occupation would you recommend to your younger sister or brother? Why? What job would your family like you to have? Why? Would you like to be an employee or an employer? Why? What is your dream job?
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Some people speak about their jobs

1. A lof of young people want to work for multinational firms to get a high salary and all the benefits they can offer. Executives and managers who work for these companies get a company car, a mobile phone, a personal computer, lunch vouchers, paid holidays and retirement benefit. There is a chance of promotion. However, employees have to work long hours, sometimes under very stressful conditions. Working overtime, until 10 oclock at night is not unusual. Managers have to make important decisions and sometimes too tired to enjoy life at all.
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Some people speak about their jobs

2. I would like to be a bus driver because I can see a lot of things during the day. For me a job in an office would be really horrible because I hate sitting indoors. 3. The job of a market researcher would be ideal for me. I like meeting people, working in a team, and I usually have creative ideas. I also like making questionnaires and analyzing them. I would like to study Marketing at the university. However, I am a little worried about working for a big company. I heard some terrible things from my friends about working long hours,
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Some people speak about their jobs

4. Computer programmers are very lucky because a lot of companies look for them. Their salaries are usually . and they get a lot of benefits 5. My greatest ambition is to be a chef in an expensive restaurant. My hobby is cooking and baking cakes. I would like to work in a five star hotel, for example in ..

6. Being self-employed has its advantages and disadvantages. Some good things are the freedom and the fact that there is no boss! .
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Speak about yourself

I am sure I would be a terrible / brilliant surgeon because I I am sure I would be a terrible / brilliant phychiatrist because I am sure I would be a terrible / brilliant lawyer because I am sure I would be a terrible / brilliant librarian because I am sure I would be a brilliant / terrible postman because I am sure I would be a brilliant / terrible driving instructor because I am sure I would be a brilliant / terrible vet because I am sure I would be a brilliant / terrible interpreter because I am sure I would be a brilliant / terrible secretary because . I am sure I would be a brilliant / terrible window dresser . I am sure I would be a brilliant / terrible estate agent I am sure I would be a brilliant / terrible jockey .. I am sure I would be a brilliant / terrible actor/actress because .

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What is this job?

http://www.totaljobs.com/Content/Job-descriptions

a list of desirable qualities: An outgoing personality Good written and spoken communications skills The ability to stay calm under pressure Good organisational skills Be polite but firm when dealing with difficult customers A good memory for faces regular customers like to be remembered Efficient and well organised Self-motivated and able to work alone Confident when using a computer and office equipment An interest in the business

a basic set of tasks you'll be in charge of: Greeting visitors, offering them refreshments and directing them to the right person Answering queries Answering calls and taking messages Screening phone calls Keeping the reception area tidy Looking after the 'visitor' book and security passes Receipt of courier parcels
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Speech and Writing by Mary Adorjan

What is this job?

http://www.totaljobs.com/Content/Job-descriptions

you'll need: The ability to think around a problem Good project management skills Excellent communication skills Confidence in dealing with people Report writing and presentation skills Good negotiating skills A knowledge of computer modelling software An understanding of transport issues A commitment to continuous professional development.

Your routine duties are likely to include: Simulating transport problems using computer models, and working out solutions. Analysing and interpreting data gathered from transport studies. Forecasting the impact of new developments, for example a shopping centre. Looking at schemes to manage traffic, such as congestion charging and parking controls. Studying accident 'black spots' to design road safety improvements. Writing reports for funding bids and planning authorities.

Speech and Writing by Mary Adorjan

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