Файл: focus on business english.pdf

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then invite the best candidates to attend a / an …….  Sometimes candidates will 
take a / an ……… before the interview to assess their mental ability and ……… 
These days it is normal for successful candidates to have to work a / an ……. in a 
company. This is usually three or six months, after that they are offered a perma-
nent post.    

 
2. Match the verbs (1 to 6 ) to the nouns (a to f) to make word partner-

ships. 

1. to train                    a) a vacancy / post 
2. to shortlist               b) an interview panel 
3. to advertise              c) the candidates 
4. to assemble             d) references 
5. to make                   e) new staff 
6. to check                   f) a job offer 

 
3. Work in pairs. Decide on a possible order for the events above from the 

employer’s point of view. 

LISTENING 

 
1.1 

С

heck your answers listening to a consultant talking about the re-

cruitment process.  

 
1.2 Listen to the interview with Dr Simon who works for the international 

executive search consultants  Heidrick and Struggles. Fill in the gaps. 

Methods for identifying candidates : 

•

………..(1) in newspapers or ……….(2) 

•

Asking for ………..(3) from the organization 

•

Own original ……….(4): 

-

From our ……….(5) 

-

From talking to ……..    ……….(6) 

-

From beginning to…….(7) the business ………(8) 

These methods will cross-……….(9). 
 

READING 

 
1. Discuss these questions before you read the article. 

1.The article is about high performers. What does this phrase mean? What 

sort of people are they? 

2.What do you think motivates high performing people to stay with the same 

company? 

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Motivating High-Calibre Staff 

 
By Michael Douglas 
 
An organization’s capacity to identify, attract and retain high-quality, high-

performing people who can develop winning strategies has become decisive in 
ensuring competitive advantage. 

High performers are easier to define than to find. They are people with ap-

parently limitless energy and enthusiasm, qualities that shine through even on 
their bad days. They are full of ideas and get things done quickly and effectively. 
They inspire others not just by pep talks but also through the sheer force of their 
example. Such people can push their organisations to greater and greater heights. 

The problem is that people of this quality are very attractive to rival compa-

nies and are likely to be headhunted. The financial impact of such people leaving 
is great and includes the costs of expensive training and lost productivity and in-
spiration.  

However, not high performers are stolen, some are lost. High performers 

generally leave because organisations do not know how to keep them. Too many 
employers are blind or indifferent to the agenda of would be high performers, es-
pecially those who are young. 

Organisations should consider how such people are likely to regard impor-

tant motivating factors. Money remains an important motivator but organisa-
tions should not imagine that it is the only one that matters. In practice, high 
performer stand to take for granted that they will get a good financial package. 
They seek motivation from their sources. Empowerment is a particularly impor-
tant motivating force for new talent. A high performer will seek to feel that he 
or she ‘owns’ a project in a creative sense. Wise employers offer this opportuni-
ty.  The challenge of the job is another essential motivator for high performers. 
Such people easily become demotivated if they sense that their organization has 
little or no sense of where it is going. A platform for self-development should 
be provided. High performers are very keen to develop their skills and their cur-
riculum vitae. Offering time for regeneration is another crucial way for organi-
sations to retain high performers. Work needs to be varied and time should be 
available for creative thinking and mastering new skills. The provision of a 
coach or mentor signals that the organization has a commitment to fast-tracking 
an individual’s development. 

Individuals do well in an environment where they can depend on good ad-

ministrative support. They will not want to feel that the success they are winning 
for the organisation is lost because of the inefficiency of others or by weaknesses 
in support areas.  

Above all, high performers – especially if they young – want to feel that the 

organisation they work for regards them as special. If they find that it is not inter-

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ested in them as people but only as high-performing commodities, it is hardly be 
surprising if their loyalty be minimal. On the other hand, if an organisaton does 
invest in its people, it is much more likely to win loyalty from them and to create 
a community of talent and high performance that will worry competitors. 

From the 

Financial Times

COMPREHENTION 

 
1. Answer the questions. 

1. How can high performers be defined?  
2.What qualities of high performers are mentioned in the article? 
3.What are the problems of losing high performers? 
4.What motivates high performing people to staywith their companies? 
5. Why do high performers lose motivation? 
 

2. Are the following sentences true or false? Correct the false ones. 

1. High performers are really easy to find. 
2. High performing people leave their companies mainly because they easily 

get demotivated. 

3. Money is the most important motivator for high performers. 
4. Young high performers want their organisations to regard them as special. 
 

3. Use the words or phrases from the article to answer the questions below:  

pep talk, headhunting, financial package, fast-tracking, CV, mentor 

Which word or phrase

: 

1. is British English for the American English resume? …….. 
2. refers to stealing employees from companies? ……… 
3. do you often find in job advertisements referring to money and benefits?  
4. refers to an older, more experienced person who helps you? ……… 
5. usually leads to quick promotion? ………. 
6. means a short chat to motivates staff? ……. 

VOCABULARY 

 
1.Make word partnerships (there is one extra word that you don’t have 

to use). 

covering    agency 
employment 

   references 

application 

   test 

curriculum 

   letter 

psychometric 

   form 

vitae 

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2. Choose the best word from the brackets to fill the gap.  

1. We need to…… four new people for our office in Manchester (join / re-

cruit). 

2. We are using the recruitment ……to find them for us (agency / headhun-

ter). 

3. They advertised the 

in the local newspaper last week ( positions / ap-

plicants). 

4. So far, over 60 people have applied for the (works / posts). 
5. We are going to look at all the letters of……. over the weekend ( applica-

tion / situation). 

6. On Monday we will draw up   a……of 10-11 people (shortlist / refer-

ence). 

7. Then we invite them all to come for an (interview / appointment). 
8. We hope to……. the successful candidates by the end of the month (apply 

/ appoint).  

3. Look at each sentence. Would you find it in a Situations Vacant section 

of  a newspaper (NS), in a covering letter (CL), in an applicant’s CV (CV)? 
Tick the right box. 

 SV 

CV 

CL 

The post offers a starting salary of $17,000plus benefits 

•  

I enclose my resume for your consideration 

1997 – 2000: University of Maryland, MBA (Marketing 
and Public Relations) 

I am looking for a more stimulating environment and 
your company offers this 

Training will be given but basic word processing skills 
would be an advantage 

1994-1997: The Biscuit Company, London – Manager 
responsible for 22 staff 

The successful candidates will be expected to take up the 
post in January 

FOLLOW UP 

 
What are the advantages and the disadvantages of : 

1. headhunting? 
2. having a mentor system? 
3. fast-tracking certain employeers? 
4. frequent pep talks? 
 

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UNIT 2 

QUALITY 

START UP 

What are some of the quality problems that can occur when you buy a 

new car?

VOCABULARY

1. Number these events in order in which they most probably happened.

a) As safety was in question, we immediately recalled the product. 

b) Our engineers then carried out rigorous tests. 

c) They corrected a fault. 

d) They discovered a fault. 

e) We completely redesigned the product. 

f) We launched our new product six months ago. 

g) We soon received many complaints about its reliability and safety. 

h) We were able to relaunch it just after two months. 
 

2. Choose three items which can complete the sentences below. 

consumer satisfaction questionnaire 

   inspection 

after-sales 

service 

      monitoring 

defects 

        routine 

checks 

compensation 

       warranty 

minimum 

standards 

      faults 

flaws 

1.Regorous 

monitoring 

means that our standards of service are always ex-

tremely high. 

2. We have decided to take a legal action against CBT Electronics for breach 

of. 

3. For spare parts, please contact our. 

4. Unfortunately, our DVD is no longer under. 
5. We can consistently offer top quality products through continuous   

6. Many business people agree that a good is just as important as a product 

itself. 

3. Complete the definitions. 

face    

anticipate  deal with 

ignore 

reduce  

solve 

1. If you 

face 

a problem, you accept that it exists and that you have to do 

something about it. 

2. If you  

a problem, you have no attention to it.