CAREER CRASH COURSE

Career Crash Course

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UNITS

1. Professional Introduction

2. Resume/CV

5. Cover Letter

4. Prepare for your interview

3. Email Writing

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Professional Introduction

How to introduce yourself

When introducing yourself professionally, the appropriate order to follow is typically: 1. Name: Start with your name and state it clearly and confidently. 2. Title or profession: Mention your title or profession, if applicable. 3. Affiliation: State the company, organization, or group you represent. 4. Brief introduction: Provide a brief, concise introduction of yourself and what you do. 5. Purpose of interaction: State the purpose of your interaction, whether it's a meeting, presentation, interview, or networking event. 6. A friendly and confident demeanor, a firm handshake and good eye contact also play a key role in making a positive first impression.

Introduction Exercise

IDEAL ANSWER

Introducing yourself in an interview

My name is [Your name], and I recently graduated with a degree in [Your Field] and I am eager to bring my passion and skills to [Company Name] and I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the team.

IDEAL ANSWER

Introducing a new coworker

Hello everybody! I am glad to introduce you to our new project manager, Liam Swift, Liam comes to us with several years of experience, specifically [mention any relevant achievement from a past position]. His background will be extremely helpful for our team as we launch our plans for next year. We are excited about having Liam on board and I look forward to your new working relationship.

IDEAL ANSWER

Introducing yourself to a new coworker

My name is [Your name], and I work in the [department you belong] as [your position]. Our teams hold weekly meetings, and I look forward to working together in the future. Please let me know if I can help with anything as you orient yourself with the office.

IDEAL ANSWER

Reaching out to a new client

My name is [Your name], and I am reaching out from [Company] to inform you of the services we provide. Our company [Short description of your product/service]. We offer different packages based on your needs, so I would love to set up a time to speak with you and give you more information.

Vocabulary Activity

Drag the profession's name to its corresponding image.

Sales Representative

Accountant

Attorney

Construction Worker

Talent Acquisition Specialist

Factory Worker

Account Manager

Truck Driver

Self-Employed

Business owner

Anesthesiologist

Mayor

Congratulations! Unit completed!

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Resume/CV

Create more than one CV

As someone applying for a job, your goal is to be the one applicant that’s such a perfect fit that you get all the attention. As Seth Godin says, your job is to be the Purple Cow - the unique and interesting option that immediately stands out from the crowd. In most cases resumes are generic and aimed at every job available in your field, with no mentions of the specific skills you need for your open position. Therefore, we will provide you some verbs when listing your RESPONSIBILITIES on your resume because they demonstrate specific actions and achievements. They help to paint a picture of your past experiences and the value you brought to previous employers. However, it is important to use them in context and not simply list them without any explanation.

Comprehension Questions

ANSWER

Drag the spanish synonyms to the box they belong.

• Managed
• Developed
• Launched
• Improved
• Coordinated
• Executed
• Implemented
• Conducted
• Led
• Designed
• Enhanced

Creé, formulé.

Perfeccioné, potencié.

Llevé a cabo, realicé.

Dirigí, guie, realicé.

Planeé, estructuré.

Administré, dirigí.

Mejoré, potencié.

Dirigir, guiar.

Puse en práctica.

Articulé.

Estrené, inauguré.

ANSWER

• Increased
• Reduced
• Analyzed
• Resolved
• Negotiated
• Achieved
• Trained
• Delivered
• Maintained

Examiné, detallé.

Solucioné, aclaré.

Disminuí, aminoré.

Logré, cumplí.

Entregé, di.

Capacité, instruí.

Conservé, preservé.

Concerté, convine.

Aumenté, amplié.

Grammar Activity

Choose 5 of the past verbs and write a sentence for your curriculum.Examples:

• Managed a team of 10 employees to meet project deadlines and budgets.
• Developed and launched a new product line, increasing sales by 25%.
• Designed user-friendly interfaces, improving user experience and satisfaction.
• Created and managed a successful social media presence, increasing website traffic by 15%.

Vocabulary Activity

Hard skills are abilities specific to the job and/or industry. Generally, these are more technical skills that you learn in school, certification programs, training materials or experience on the job. Soft skills, on the other hand, are abilities that can be applied in any job. Often, soft skills may be referred to as “people skills” or “social skills” and include proficiency in things like.

Move the skill to the right box.

hard skills

soft skills

Content management systems (CMS)

Foreign languages

Customer service

Decision-making

Teamwork

Operating certain equipment or machinery

Integrity

Time management

Organization

Problem-solving

Project management

Scheduling

Communication

Patient preparation

Leadership

Software

Drive

Create your CV

Choose one of the following positions. Assistant Doctor Manager Teacher

Read the responsabilities for each position presented in the following slides.

Write your CV.

template

Teacher Responsibilities

1. Planning and delivering lessons to students in accordance with the curriculum.
2. Assessing and grading students' work to evaluate their understanding and progress.
3. Creating a positive and engaging learning environment for students.
4. Maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of student progress and attendance.
5. Communicating regularly with students, parents, and other stakeholders to provide updates on student progress and address any concerns.
6. Incorporating technology and other instructional resources into lessons to enhance student learning.
7. Collaborating with other teachers, administrators, and support staff to ensure the overall success of the school and its students.
8. Providing additional support and guidance to struggling students, including those with learning difficulties or disabilities.

Adm. Assistant Responsibilities

1. Answering and directing phone calls, taking messages, and responding to emails.
2. Scheduling appointments and meetings, maintaining a calendar and managing travel arrangements.
3. Managing incoming and outgoing mail and deliveries.
4. Providing administrative support to managers and other staff members, including preparing and organizing reports, presentations, and documents.
5. Filing and maintaining electronic and paper records.
6. Performing data entry, updating databases and tracking information.
7. Managing finances, including preparing invoices and reconciling accounts.

Doctor Responsibilities

1. Maintaining regularly updated patient medical records that document all evaluations, medications, treatments, allergies, test results, and other records.
2. Evaluating patients’ symptoms and determining the most appropriate course of treatment to address them.
3. Prescribing medications in compliance with state and federal statutes and informing patients of all possible risks, complications, and interference with other medications they may be taking Supervise and evaluate.
4. Ensuring full compliance with regulations and making sure that the current care program is as effective as possible.
5. Consulting patients on topics such as proper nutrition, fitness, and hygiene to assist them in making informed decisions and taking good care of their health.

Manager Responsibilities

1. Leading and motivating a team to meet and exceed business goals and targets
2. Developing and implementing strategies and plans to achieve objectives
3. Delegating tasks and responsibilities to team members
4. Overseeing and supervising the work of team members
5. Providing guidance, training and support to team members
6. Building and maintaining strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and stakeholders
7. Monitoring and analyzing data and performance metrics to make informed decisions

Save for later! Tips for writing a resume

1. Tailor your resume to the specific job and company, and highlight your relevant qualifications and experiences that match the job requirements. 2. Use a clear and concise format, with easy-to-read fonts and margins, and use bullet points to summarize your experiences and achievements. 3. Keep your resume concise, typically no more than 1-2 pages, and focus on the most important information that showcases your strengths and achievements. 4. Use keywords and industry-specific terms to increase your chances of getting noticed by the employer's applicant tracking system. 5. Highlight your achievements, rather than just listing your duties and responsibilities, and quantify your results wherever possible to show the impact you made in your previous roles. 6. Showcase your transferable skills and adaptability, and highlight how you can add value to the company and the role you are applying for.

templates

Congratulations! Unit completed!

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Email Writing

Drag the formal introductions to the formal box and the informal introductions to the informal box

Starting an email

formal

informal

Hi [Name],

Good to see you [Name],

Dear [Name],

Hello [Name],

Good morning/afternoon/evening [Name],

Respected [Name],

Dear Sir/Madam,

Hi there [Name],

Warm greetings [Name],

Best regards [Name],

Gentlemen/Ladies,

Hello and hope you're doing well, [Name],

To whom it may concern,

My dear [Name],

Hello there [Name],

Hello [Name], I hope this email finds you well,

Hello [Name], hope you're having a good day,

Drag the formal endings to the formal box and the informal endings to the informal box

Ending an email

formal

informal

Thank you,

Thanks in advance,

Yours sincerely,

Kind regards,

Best regards,

Best wishes,

Regards,

Take care,

Many thanks,

Cheers,

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Have a great day,

Warm regards,

Best,

Thanks again,

Have a good one,

Hope to hear from you soon,

All the best,

Cordially,

Informal email

Hey Janet, Just wanted to reach out and see how you're doing. I hope you're having a good week so far. I wanted to touch base with you about the reports we're working on together. Have you had a chance to review the latest drafts I sent over? I'd love to get your feedback and thoughts. Let me know if you need any help or if there's anything I can do to support you. I'm here to make sure we deliver the best results possible! Hope to hear from you soon! Best, Ana

Let's discuss

1. What is an appropriate subject for the email?2. Can we assume this email was written on Monday? Explain your answer. 3. What does she mean by reach out? 4. What does she mean by touch base with you? 5. How would you describe this employee in one word?

Formal email

Subject: Request for Meeting to Discuss Sales Presentation Dear Janet, I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request a meeting to discuss the status of the sales presentation. As you know, our deadline is fast approaching, and I believe it is essential that we have a clear understanding of our progress and any potential challenges that we may face. I would like to propose a meeting next Friday at 9am. During this meeting, we can review the current status of the presentation, discuss any issues that have arisen, and determine the next steps for moving forward. Please let me know if the proposed date and time are convenient for you, or if you would like to suggest an alternative. I am open to adjusting the schedule as needed to accommodate. Thank you for your time and consideration. I am looking forward to our meeting and working together to get this presentation ready. Best regards, Ana

Comprehension Questions

Write an email

Choose one of the following situations:

• An email to your boss asking for your vacation days.
• An email to a gym requesting cancelation of your membership.
• An email to your coworker to set up a meeting .
• An email sending your curriculum for a job offer.

Make sure to respect the following structure:

1. SUBJECT
2. GREETING
3. BODY
4. CLOSING

Congratulations! Unit completed!

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Prepare for your Interview

ANSWER

Workplace phrasal verbs

MATCH THE DEFINITION – separate the definitions so they can drag the word to the definition.

1. To have a good relationship with someone.

2. To seek or search for.

3. To request or make an application for a job or opportunity

5. To assume responsibility for or accept a challenge.

4. To advance or progress in one's career.

7. To take action after an initial meeting or event to ensure progress is being made.

6. To reduce or decrease in size or scale.

A. CUT BACK

B. APPLY FOR

C. MOVE UP

D. GET ALONG WITH

E. FOLLOW UP

F. LOOK FOR

G. TAKE ON

INTERVIEW EXERCISE

Answer the questions using the script provided.

IDEAL ANSWER

1. Can you tell us about yourself?

Hi, I'm [Your Name]. I have a degree in [relevant field of study] from [University Name] and have worked as a [job title] for [number of years/companies]. In my previous role, I developed [skill/achievement], which allowed me to [accomplishment]. I'm excited about this opportunity because I believe my [skill/experience] would be a valuable asset to your team and help drive [company goal/objective].

IDEAL ANSWER

2. Why do you want to work here?

I've always been impressed with [Company Name]'s reputation for [quality/innovation/etc.] and its commitment to [mission/value]. I'm particularly drawn to the company's focus on [specific aspect of the company] and I believe I could make a meaningful contribution in that area. I also appreciate the company's commitment to [workplace culture/values] and I believe I would fit well with the team.

IDEAL ANSWER

3. What are your strengths?

I would say my two biggest strengths are [strength 1] and [strength 2]. For example, in my previous role, I was able to [specific example demonstrating strength 1]. Additionally, I have a track record of [specific example demonstrating strength 2]. I believe these strengths would be particularly beneficial in this role as they would allow me to [how strengths can add value to the job/company].

IDEAL ANSWER

4. What are your weaknesses?

One weakness I have been working on improving is [weakness]. I have taken steps to address this by [action taken to improve weakness]. For example, I have been [specific example of how you've improved]. I believe this shows my commitment to self-improvement and ability to overcome challenges.

5. Can you give an example of a time when you faced a challenge at work and how you overcame it?

IDEAL ANSWER

One challenge I faced was [specific challenge]. I approached the situation by [specific steps you took to solve the problem]. After [amount of time], I was able to [outcome achieved]. This experience taught me the importance of [lesson learned], and I believe it has made me a stronger and more effective problem-solver.

IDEAL ANSWER

6. Why should we hire you?

I believe I would be an excellent fit for this role because of my [skill/experience] and my passion for [relevant aspect of the job/industry]. I have a proven track record of [achievement/skill], and I'm confident that I can bring that level of success to this role. I'm also a quick learner and a team player, and I believe my positive attitude and work ethic would make me a valuable asset to your team.

Save for later! INTERVIEW TIPS

1. Research the company and the role thoroughly, and prepare for potential questions about the company culture, history, products/services, and goals. 2. Dress appropriately and professionally, and arrive early to avoid any stress or delay. 3. Be friendly and confident, and make eye contact with the interviewer(s). 4. Highlight your relevant qualifications and experiences, and provide specific examples to support your claims. Emphasize how your skills and strengths align with the job requirements and the company's values. 5. Show your enthusiasm and interest in the role, and ask thoughtful questions about the company and the role to demonstrate your engagement and preparation. 6. Listen actively and answer the questions concisely and clearly, avoiding any negative comments or criticism of your previous employers or colleagues. 7. Thank the interviewer(s) for their time, and follow up with a thank-you note or email after the interview to reiterate your interest and appreciation.

Congratulations! Unit completed!

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Cover Letter

Cover Letter Activity

Match each paragraph with its correct intention.

1. I am writing to apply for the position of Project Manager currently advertised on LinkedIn.

A. Referring to another document.

2. Please find attached a copy of my CV for your consideration.

B. How you meet the employer's needs.

C. Conclusion.

3. Having worked within the industry for over 10 years, I have developed a range of skills that would meet, and exceed the expectations for the role.

D. Intention to apply for the job.

4. I look forward to hearing from you with a view to an interview.

ANSWER

Cover Letter

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to express my interest in the Project Manager position at your company. I was appointed to various project management roles in the past, and I am eager to leverage my experience and skills to contribute to your team. I have a proven track record of leading successful projects from start to finish, ensuring that all project goals and objectives are met within the given time and budget constraints. Throughout my career, I have been lauded for my ability to effectively manage multiple projects simultaneously, while maintaining a focus on quality and customer satisfaction. I am confident in my ability to have an excellent command of project management methodologies and tools, and I am skilled in the areas of project planning, risk management, and stakeholder engagement. I have a deep understanding of the importance of collaboration and communication, and I have developed strong leadership and team-building skills. I am excited about the opportunity to join your organization and make a positive impact. I look forward to discussing my qualifications in further detail in an interview. Thank you for considering my application. Your faithfully, Sam.

Vocabulary Activity

Write your Cover Letter

• Header with date and contact information.
• Salutation or greeting.
• Opening paragraph.
• Middle paragraph(s).
• Closing paragraph.
• Letter ending and signature.

samples

Congratulations! Crash Course completed!