phone interview tips how to write a cover letter …...revealed that ‘47% saw attitude as the most...

Ten essential topics to help you succeed

Topics inside include:

Phone interview tips

How to write a

cover letter

Most wanted job skills

Your International Career Guide

www.kaplan.do/newsletter www.kaplan.do/business-english

1 Phone interview tips and common interview questions by Candida DaFonseca and Susan Gray

2 What is an internship good for, and how do I get one? by Candida DaFonseca

3 What are the top job skills that international companies look for? by Martine Weron and Candida DaFonseca

4 10 Tips for Your Job Search by Susan Gray

5 Writing a CV in English by Matteo Fabbi

6 English business abbreviations by Mimouna Mahdaoui

7 Benefi ts of putting international experience on your CV by Martine Weron

8 Take the stress out of writing a cover letterby Martine Weron

9 Choosing an English profi ciency examby various Kaplan International English Teachers

10 Guide to English language levelsby Kaplan International English academic directors

What can you fi nd in this booklet?

This booklet contains the following articles to guide you to an international career:


Phone Interview Tips and Common Interview Questions

Interviews can be scary in any language. It’s important to make

a good fi rst impression, but with preparation, you can do well!

Interviews are the best way of seeing whether you would fi t in

with a company or on a course, and it’s a good sign if they want

to know you better.

Many potential employers are now using phone interviews as a

starting point. There are many reasons for this, including time,

distance and cost. However, it’s important to prepare yourself

just as you would for a face-to-face interview.


1 Free yourself from interruptions

Make sure no one will bother you and

that the room you are in is silent. Keep kids,

parents, pets and friends away while you are

on your interview

2 Have all information nearby

Make sure your CV/Resume is ready,

that you have your notes prepared and that

you have something to take notes on.

3 Smile and be professional

Even if the person cannot see you, they

can hear your feelings in your voice. If you are

too casual, or sound unhappy, that is the only

feeling your interviewer knows of you.

4 Don’t worry about pauses in conversation

Take time to think about your answers,

and if your interviewer is quiet for a few

seconds, don’t worry. He or she is probably

taking notes

5 Ask follow-up questions

Because you cannot see the person you

are interviewing with, it can be diffi cult to tell if

they are looking for more information than you

have provided. Ask questions like “Does that

answer your question?” or “Can I provide any

more information?”

1 “What can you tell me about yourself?”

The most important one is the question that

comes up very oft en. It’s the famous “What

can you tell me about yourself?” that usually

starts the interview off !

2 “Why did you apply for the job?”

Though everyone has reasons for

applying for certain jobs, it’s best to think

about this question in a way that looks

positively at the company and the position.

Think about the tasks that you’d enjoy doing or

ideas that you fi nd interesting.

3 “Why do you think you should work for us?”

Instead of seeing what they can do for you –

why you thought this job/company would be

good for you, why would you be good for the

company? One of the most important qualities

is a passion for the work you’re doing.

Experience can be built up, but you need the

desire to see it through.

4 Give us an example of when…

This is where you should really be

careful about what is being asked. These will

usually refer to times where:

You did well in a team or as an individual; You

had to solve a problem; You had to handle

a big change; You handled a high-pressure

situation

5 Do you have any questions?

Even if you can’t think of any to ask the

interviewer straight away, it’s best to prepare

something for the day – good examples are:

“What will the hours be like?”; “How big would

my team be?”; “What would a typical day be

like?”

Also, don’t be afraid to ask any questions that

you’ve just thought of during the interview!

THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT A PHONE INTERVIEW

5 COMMON QUESTIONS ON AN INTERVIEW


An internship is an excellent way to gain job experience, learn

about an industry and grow your professional experience.

While many internships pay very little (and some not at all),

the professional experience from a good internship will help

you later on, when you looking for a full time job. With some

internships, it’s even possible to transition to full-time, or to

have a better chance of a job there, post-graduation.

Internships can also help you get started on a new career path

by giving you experience and personal connections, and help

you decide if it is the right career for you.

What is an internship good for, and how can I get one?


1 Think about what you want to do

Do you want credit towards a university

course? Are you looking for a full-time or a

part-time position? Are you interested in

learning about a new career? Figure out what

you want your internship to get you before you

start applying.

2 Search cleverly

It’s much easier to fi nd a job or

internship by meeting people. Do your teachers

know anyone that could help you? Do you have

any friends or mentors at companies you would

like to work for? Visit career fairs in your area

or in the areas that you would want to work.

Talk to people who work in companies you

are interested in. See what types of positions

they have available. If you are in school, there

should be someone available to help you

search for internships and lead you in the right

direction.

Another way to get the right connections,

especially if you don’t speak English well

enough to work, is to take an English

course that off ers internship or summer job

placement. Courses that off er English language

learning and a professional internship can help

you build your CV, make connections and gain

experience with language and in business.

3 Update your resume/CV

Make sure that your CV is the best it

can possibly be, and that all the information

is correct, well written, and suits the positions

that you’ve applied for. If you have never

written a CV/resume before, ask someone

for help! It’s very embarrassing to realize you

have errors in your resume aft er you’ve already

applied to the internship of your dreams!

4 Follow up aft er you submit your resume/CV

If you are interested in a particular internship,

call or e-mailing to check on your application.

While some companies do not follow up, there

is nothing to lose by sending an e-mail or

making a phone call one week aft er you submit

your application. That is unless the application

form specifi cally says “do not call”!

5 Keep applying!

The more internships you apply for, the

better your chances of getting one. Don’t pick

just one and hope for the best. Choose several

internships, and you will get practice with

writing cover letters, interviewing and speaking

with managers. All of these things are valuable

experiences, even if not every application leads

to an internship.

TIPS ON FINDING AN INTERNSHIP THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU


What are the top job skills that international companies look for?

When looking for a job, it’s important to think about what kinds of

qualities employers are aft er. Many of the same things will be true

whether you are considering local companies or abroad.

We have put together a list of 5 job skills that are most important

to international companies.


1 Openness to diff erent cultures:

In an international environment, you will likely

be working with people who are from a variety

of cultures, with many diff erent life experiences

and, sometimes, even diff erent styles of working.

Showing that you are flexible and open-minded

will go a long way towards getting you the

international job you want. Overseas internships,

volunteer work, language study, and homestays

all provide opportunities to develop self-

awareness, cultural sensitivity, and an ability to

adapt to change – which are exactly the personal

qualities (or competencies as they are oft en

called) that employers will be on the lookout for.

2 Cultural sensitivity:

Cultural sensitivity is the awareness of and

sensitivity to other cultures and practices. It

includes assessing diff erences in cultures and

responding based on that. This skill is very

important in an international environment,

especially if you are working in a country that

is not your native one. It’s also essential when

working somewhere with international clients or

customers, as being insensitive or ignorant of

other cultures can cost money and respect.

3 Willingness to learn:

When starting a job, it’s more important that

you are willing to learn new skills and progress

than it is to know everything before you begin.

Being open to learning new skills, technologies

and concepts, and being open to what others

have to say, is something that employers

look for in candidates. You aren’t expected to

know everything, but you are expected to be

enthusiastic to take on new skills.

4 A good attitude:

A recent article in HR Magazine about companies

recruiting those under-25 highlights the

importance of a candidate’s attitude in the

recruitment process. A survey of 600 employers

revealed that ‘47% saw attitude as the most

important factor in selection, compared to 20%

for level of qualifi cation and 10% for professional

experience’. While job skills can be learned on

the job or taught in a training course, attitude is

something that is developed and shaped through

experience –with living, studying and working

overseas of particular value to overall personal

development.

5 Communication skills:

Research by Marbella International University

Centre lists the most important skills for

graduates, with communication skills right at

the top. The survey of small- to medium-sized

employers found that 69% consider good

communication the most important skill in recent

graduates. While you can learn many skills on

the job, being able to communicate well helps

get your point across and helps build working

relationships. Being able to eff ectively share your

ideas is especially important in a global work

environment, when you need to work with people

around the globe.

Understanding which skills you need will help you

on the road to working in a global organization,

whether it is at home or abroad.

Sources

www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/news/1146096/employers-seek-attitude-qualifi cations-experience

www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/news/1145991/communication-valued-graduate-skill-sme-employers


10 tips for your job search

Finding a job, whether it’s your fi rst full-time work or something

new, is rarely an easy thing to take on. If you’re dreading the task,

we have some tips that will help your applications look better and

give you the motivation to keep searching.


1 How good is your CV?

If you are just getting started in the career world,

make your CV focused in the area that you want

to work. Include all your volunteer experience and

unpaid work related to your intended job area.

Include special work done at school, for example,

within groups or school studies and activities.

Aft er you have job experience, you should remove

these items from your CV.

2 Have a professional email address

When you’re searching for a job, you should set

up an email address with your fi rst

and last name. Remember to check it regularly!

3 Google yourself!

Before starting your quest for a job, Google your

name and check that the results don’t damage

your professional applications.

If they do, prepare for some damage control. It’s

a good idea to consider changing the settings of

your social media accounts, enabling only your

friends and family to see your photos and posts.

4 Network

Get the word out that you’re looking for a job.

Speak with friends, family, teachers, colleagues,

classmates – anyone who might be able to help.

Go to job fairs, visit the websites of companies

that you would like to work for,

be pro-active and send them your CV.

5 Publish your CV online

Find out the best Job sites for your industry and

upload your CV with the clear desired job title

and keywords that will help potential employers

to fi nd you online. If you have a portfolio, you

might consider publishing it online as well. There

are a lot of free resources online, just search for:

“publish your portfolio free”.

6 Create job alerts

On the websites where you published your CV,

create Job alerts to be sent to your email address

once new jobs matching your criteria become

available. Reply to these quickly, but not on a

Friday aft ernoon. You don’t want your application

email to be drowned among the weekend spam

emails!

7 Create specifi c cover letters

It might sound like a boring task, but it’s one

that will make all the diff erence. You might

write a general cover letter, but you want to be

sure to reference a particular trait or experience

expressed on the job advertisement.

8 Feeling demoralized?

Get back to school. Visit your alumni career

advisor, show him/her your CV and cover letters

and ask for an opinion. The career advisor can

also tell you of any potential jobs going around or

companies recently employing. It’s also a great

chance to network.

9 Volunteer!

The longer you are inactive the longer it will take

you to fi nd a new job. Consider volunteering for

an organization close to your heart. This will give

you the chance to improve your skills and even

learn new ones.

10 Don’t give up!

Don’t lose motivation. Think and act positively,

have a healthy routine, include exercise and

positive actions to do during the day. Focus on

other things in your life that make you happy,

as well.

Please bear in mind that job search is a

marathon, not a sprint eff ort. Looking for a job

can be a job in itself – have discipline. Set aside

time to do it every day. At the end, it will be

highly rewarding!


How to write a CV in English

Active Voice

My parents pay the rent.

Assist

Able

Action

Analysis

Achievement

Accomplished

Advanced

Conduct

Consult

Committed

Conducted

Contributed

Coordinated

Delegated

Develop

Deliver

Design

Defi ned

Diversifi ed

Devoted

Distinguished

Encourage

Earned

Enhance

Evaluate

Examined

Facilitate

Formulate

Fulfi lled

Forecasted

Generated

Gained

Gathered

Gave

Headed

Hosted

Identifi ed

Implemented

Improved

Improvised

Influenced

Launched

Lobbied

Maintained

Managed

Marketed

Maximized

Mediated

Modernized

Motivated

Negotiated

Observed

Obtained

Operated

Organized

Originated

Overhauled

Oversaw

Participated

Performed

Pioneered

Planned

Prepared

Presented

Promoted

Provided

Published

Pursued

Quantifi ed

Ranked

Received

Recommended

Redesigned

Reengineered

Reorganized

Represented

Restructured

Revised

Safeguarded

Secured

Selected

Specifi ed

Spearheaded

Standardized

Strengthened

Structured

Suggested

Superseded

Supervised

Targeted

Taught

Tested

Trained

Transcended

Unifi ed

Upgraded

Utilized

Validated

Valued

Wrote

Your CV or resumé is a key tool in your job search and you

will want to spend some time getting it right.

On the following page you will fi nd a sample layout and some

tips about putting your CV together. Below are 1oo English

words which could be used to describe your competencies in

a way which will catch the attention of your reader.


[Your Name]

Contact Details (including Town and County) Telephone numbers including mobile contact details

Email address & professional linkedin address

PROFILE Example: Graduate with excellent academic qualifications including first class BSc honours in xxxx. Excellent communication, organisation and project skills. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Example: Secured 90% in group project on statistical research, allocated tasks and led project through to conclusion.

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE Remember you should start with your most recent employment first and work backwards even if this position was not in your chosen field. You should also include details of voluntary work including supporting fundraising activities or memberships of societies etc… Title Held, Name of Company Dates of employment

Insert further details of your key duties and responsibilities. Remember to use active verbs including sold, solved performed etc.

Insert further details of your key duties and responsibilities. Remember to use active verbs including sold, solved etc.

Example: Reorganised stock room improving operational performance of the team. Title Held, Name of Company Dates of employment



EDUCATION & TRAINING List any qualifications gained University Name, dates (if applicable) List any qualifications gained College Name dates (if applicable) PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS Insert details of memberships Example: Associate member of the Institute of Chartered Surveyors since 2010 CORE SKILLS

Include details of all skill you have to offer potential employers. Example: IT Skills: Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Explorer Example: Well developed analytical and numerical ability.

INTERESTS Include brief details of interests if you have the space on your document however avoid phrases including 'socialising', 'partying' etc. References available on request

English CV's don't usually

include a photo...

...unless it is

your main

selling point!

Tips✔ Pay attention to

the layout✔ Be honest in

what you say✔ Always use the

same font

✔ Name

✔ Address

✔ Telephone number

✔ E-mail

Attention:

You have a maximum of 45

seconds to grab

the reader's

attention

Fonts:

Most CV's will be read

on a PC, so it is best

to use a font such as

Verdana or Arial in 12

or 11 point size and bold

for headings


The Most Common Business Abbreviations in English

When you study business during an English course or work in an

international environment, you oft en come across abbreviations and

specifi c vocabulary that sometimes only apply to business.

This might be called business jargon, also known as business slang.

Here is a guide to the most common business-related acronyms and

vocabulary that you are likely to use in a professional environment.


1 FYI

For Your Information – You will use this quite

oft en when forwarding some information to

a colleague.

2 KPI

Key Performance Indicator – This is a measure

created to help evaluate the performance of a

team or a business.

3 SWOT

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

– When analysing your business or your market,

you’ll go through the SWOT analysis, in order

to get a better understanding of the market at

the moment and your situation compared to

competition.

4 TBA / TBC

To Be Announced / To Be Confi rmed – When you

are unsure of the day of a meeting or the launch

of a new product, one of these two might become

useful to inform your co-workers!

5 B2B / B2C

Business to Business / Business to Consumer

– our business can be either or even both of

those, depending who you sell to: is it to the fi nal

customer of the product or service, or to

a company that will resell or reuse your product

before off ering it to the fi nal customer?

6 ROI

Return On Investment – Making sure your

investment is effi cient.

7 HQ

Head Quarters – Most of times, international

companies have offi ces in diff erent countries

or cities, but have a main central offi ce. Kaplan

International’s HQ is based in London.

8 WoW, MoM, YoY

Week on Week, Month on Month,

Year on Year – When you analyze your

performances, you can choose which time period

you compare against.

Another acronym used in business is YTD,

Year To Date, when referring to the amount of

business generated from the beginning of the

year up to today.

9 24/7

A service that is available 24 hours a day, 7

days a week – This does not apply for business

communication only of course, but can be a

service you seek or off er to your customers.

10 1-2-1 / 1-TO-1

Meeting face to face with a manager or a

colleague to discuss work – You can also take

one-to-one courses sometimes, for personalized

tutoring!

Do you already know what these abbreviations stand for?

Test your knowledge then check your answers below!

→ FYI

→ KPI

→ SWOT

→ TBA/TBC

→ B2B/B2C

→ ROI

→ HQ

→ WOW

→ MOM

→ YOY

→ 24/7

→ 121


Benefi ts of putting international experience on your CV

In today’s competitive job market, candidates need to fi nd ways to

stand out from the crowd. International experience is one sure-fi re

way of increasing your chances of being spotted by a potential

employer.

→ Choosing to spend time overseas tells employers that you have a curious mind,

an adventurous spirit and a willingness to step outside of your comfort zone and

adapt to unfamiliar situations – not to mention the invaluable language skills which

time abroad will have allowed you to develop along the way.

→ The intercultural awareness, understanding of diff erent cultural norms and the

ability to see situations from diff erent perspectives that you develop when you travel

are all highly sought aft er qualities which global employers are increasingly keen to

fi nd in potential hires.

→ Highlighting international experience can be even more valuable than listing

educational experience. You should still mention your schooling and other relevant

qualifi cations, but including experience that you've had in the real world, rather

than just classroom experience, can mean the diff erence between you and another

candidate.

→ While it's not always easy to get international job experience, internships,

volunteer work, or even courses that you've taken abroad will show that you have

experience with an international environment.

→ If you have been looking for a job for a while with no luck and have the

opportunity to do some working or studying abroad, in the long term, it can help

you with your long-term career plans and give you a set of invaluable skills and

experience.


Take the stress out of writing a cover letter

Writing a cover letter can seem like a stressful task, but it doesn't

have to be. If you do your background research, plan what you want

to write, and check your work, it will be a lot easier and you will have

better results.

→ Research, research, research: When preparing a job application you must fi rst do your

research. Find news articles, industry magazines, or blogs that discuss current trends in the

market place. Consider the whole picture and think about how you could fi t in the company.

→ Tailor your letter: Be sure to match your experience and skills to the job description with

specifi c examples of past success. If you can show that you are specifi cally suited for the job,

you will already be in a better position than many other people who are applying for jobs.

→ Be active: Use positive action words such as ‘led, created, analyzed, interpreted, and

completed’ to give an impression of a motivated person who knows the value of presentation.

→ Talk about your skills: Don’t just focus on academic experience, think outside the box and

include relevant experiences which have given you valuable transferable skills. Highlight your

time spent overseas and demonstrate how it helped to prepare you for the role.

→ Personalize it: The cover letter should also be personalized and tailored for the specifi c

role you are applying for. A cover letter with a specifi c name carries a lot more weight than

one addressed to ‘The Hiring Manager’. Use company websites or networking sites such

as ‘Linked-In’ to fi nd the HR or Recruitment Manager’s full name and address the letter

appropriately. Be sure to clearly state your reasons for wanting to work for the company.

Be succinct and demonstrate an understanding of the job requirements.

→ Proofread it: Once you have written the CV and cover letter, double check for grammar and

spelling mistakes. Ask a trusted friend or university professor to proofread and look for errors.

You only have once chance to impress a hiring manager so get it right and ensure that your

application portrays you in the best possible way.

With these tips in mind, writing a cover letter should be a lot easier,

and your results will be much better. Good luck with your job search!


Choosing an English Profi ciency Exam

There are so many diff erent types of English profi ciency exams and

certifi cations off ered that it can be hard to know which one to take!

Some are more popular in the US, while others are much better known

in Europe. There are even some certifi cations that will last for a lifetime!

EXAM TOEFL IELTS Cambridge

Commonly Used For Academic institutions,

government agencies,

scholarship programs

and businesses

Enrolling in university,

working in an English-

speaking company,

gaining work experience,

immigration requirements.

It is required for

immigrating to Australia,

New Zealand and Canada.

Proving a very high level

of English skill

Accepted in… Mostly in the

United States

Most academic and

professional institutions

in English-speaking

countries.

Universities, employers,

governments

Versions Paper or iBT (computer) Academic or General FCE, CAE, CPE, PET

Expiration 2 years 2 years Never

Test Structure 4 sections:

Speaking, Listening,

Reading, Writing

5 sections:

Reading, Writing, Use

of English, Listening,

Speaking

5 sections:

Reading, Writing, Use

of English, Listening,

Speaking

Scoring Structure 0-120 point scale; each

section 0-30 points

1-9 points 0-100 point scale, plus

letter grades


Guide to English Language Levels

With diff erent English profi ciency exams using diff erent scoring

systems, it can be diffi cult to know how they compare. Our guide

aims to provide a handy reference so that you can compare the

scores on diff erent exams against each other. We also describe the

language competencies you might be expected to have at each level.

On a Kaplan Intensive English course, students need an average of 10 weeks of classes to progress from one level to the next. Of course, we cannot guarantee an exact period of study over which specifi c language goals can be attained, so this is just a guide.

C1 75-91 6.5-7.0 Level 4 76-84180-200CAE

C2 92-100 7.5-8.0 Level 5 85-100200+CPE

37-54 4.5-5.0 Level 2 43-58

A2 13-36 3.5-4.0 Level 1120-140KET

A1 0-12 3.0

B2 55-74 5.5-6.0 Level 3 59-75160-180FCE

Breakthrough

Level

PTECEFR TOEFL® IELTS CAMBRIDGE ALTE

B1 140-160PET

100-120

Equivalent exam level

Profi ciency

Lower

Intermediate

Elementary

Intermediate

Higher

Intermediate

Advanced

KAPLAN LEVELS


If you are interested in fi nding out your current English language level,

why not try the following online level test free of charge:

www.kaplan.do/english-test

KAPLAN LEVELS EXPLAINED

FREE ENGLISH LEVEL TEST

You can use and recognize common words,

greetings, and simple instructions, but you

have limited grammatical knowledge.

You are competent with grammar and

can understand and contribute to most

conversations on familiar topics, but may make

some mistakes.

You can write and speak in familiar situations

and have a fair knowledge of grammar, but

your vocabulary is limited.

You communicate confi dently and fluently,

but may lack specialist vocabulary and make

some errors with complex language.

You can talk about everyday matters, but with

a limited range of style and expression. You

read and write fluently about familiar topics.

You are very close to native speaker fluency

and can handle all complex written and spoken

language.

Elementary

Higher Intermediate

Lower Intermediate

Advanced

Intermediate

Profi ciency

ENGLANDLondon - Covent Garden

London - Leicester Square

Bath

Salisbury

Cambridge

Oxford

Bournemouth

Torquay

Manchester

Liverpool

SCOTLANDEdinburgh

IRELANDDublin

NEW ZEALANDAuckland

AUSTRALIAPerth

Sydney - City

Sydney - Manly

Melbourne

Adelaide

Brisbane

Cairns

SINGAPOREKHEA Singapore

CANADAVancouver

Toronto

UNITED STATESBoston

Boston - Harvard Square

Boston - Northeastern University

New York - Midtown

New York - Empire State

New York - SoHo

Philadelphia

Washington DC

Miami

Kaplan International English schools

Kaplan off ers a wide range of courses at over 40 accredited English

language schools worldwide.

Chicago

Illinois Institute of Technology

Seattle

Highline College

Portland

San Francisco

Berkeley

San Diego

Santa Barbara

Irvine Valley College

Whittier College

Los Angeles - Westwood

The experience of a lifetime

phone interview tips how to write a cover letter …...revealed that ‘47% saw attitude as the most...

Documents