GETTING A JOB

WARM UP
What steps are in your daily routine? Reorder the terms in the list below so that it tells
the story of your daily routine from start to finish.

1. Brush your teeth _______________

2. Go to work _______________

3. Cook dinner _______________

4. Wake up _______________

5. Watch TV _______________

6. Go to bed _______________

7. Eat breakfast _______________

8. Drink coffee _______________

Task 2: Write a short summary of your daily routine, using the information above.

ESL Pals 1 General English

 JOB VOCABULARY
Task 1: Study the words in the box, then match each word to the picture.

resume cover letter application hire interview salary

1. ______________________ 2. ______________________ 3. ______________________

4. ______________________ 5. ______________________ 6. ______________________

Task 2: Match the words from the box to the correct definitions.

HR recruiter job listing negotiate portfolio references

1. An advertisement giving information about a job position.

2. A department responsible for managing employees and their personal matters.

3. The process before reaching an agreement.

4. A collection of work demonstrating skills and experience.

5. People who can confirm a person’s work experience, character and skills.

6. A professional who identifies job candidates.

ESL Pals 2 General English

 EXPAND YOUR VOCABULARY
Task 1: Use the words in the boxes to complete the sentences.

resume cover letter application references job listing

1. I found a __________ online and filled out an __________ for the open position.

2. The company asked me to provide three _________ that could speak about my
experience.

3. Your _________ contains a summary of your experience and achievements. You may
include a __________ to introduce yourself.

HR recruiter interview hire portfolio negotiate salary

4. The __________ is how much money you will be paid. Sometimes, you can
__________ for a higher amount.

5. Some jobs will require a __________ that contains a collection of your work.

6. Human Resources, or _________, is the department that hires and trains employees.

7. A __________ is a person who finds candidates for job openings.

8. Be professional and polite during your __________, and hopefully, the company will
__________ you!

Task 2: Discuss the following questions as a class:

a. In your country, do you have to submit a resume and cover letter to apply for a job?

b. Do you give references? Who can give you references?

c. Is it common to negotiate the salary?

d. Would you prefer to work in the HR department, or be a recruiter?

e. Where is the best place to find a job listing in your country? Do you use Linked in?

f. How do you feel before an interview?

ESL Pals 3 General English

 QUESTION TAGS
Small questions are sometimes added at the end of a sentence to invite the other
person to agree or disagree. These are called question tags.

Common Question Tags

isn’t it? am I?
is it? are you?
aren’t I? was he?
aren’t you? wasn’t she?
aren’t they? were they?

A positive statement is followed by a negative question tag.

Positive Statement Negative Question Tag

The book is interesting, isn’t it?

A negative statement is followed by a positive question tag.

Negative Statement Positive Question Tag

The book isn’t interesting, is it?

Task 1: Choose the correct question tag for the following sentences.

1. This is a great resume, isn’t it/is it?

2. You’re prepared for your interview, are you / aren’t you?

3. You don’t have a portfolio, don’t you/do you?

4. You didn’t submit an application, did you/didn’t you?

5. You negotiated a higher salary, didn’t you/did you?

ESL Pals 4 General English

Task 2: Use vocabulary words and question tags to describe what each person is doing
in the pictures. The first one is done for you as an example.

1. They have an interview, don’t they? 2. ___________________________

3. ___________________________ 4. ___________________________

Task 3: Complete the sentences by adding a question tag.

1. John is applying for a new job, __________?

2. You got a call from a recruiter, __________?

3. I forgot to include my cover letter, __________?

4. You want the company to hire you, __________?

5. He saw the job listing, __________?

6. I don’t need to update my resume, __________?

7. You prepared for the interview, __________?

8. You have good references, __________?

9. Beth has a portfolio, __________?

10. John negotiated a higher salary, __________?

ESL Pals 5 General English

 WORKING AT A NEW JOB
Listen to the audio, then answer the questions below.

1. What did Jane just do?

a. Answer a job listing.
b. Start a new job.
c. Write a cover letter.

2. What is she responsible for?

a. Making sales goals every month.
b. Working for HR.
c. Reading resumes.

3. What does Jane say about her colleagues?

a. They’re easy to talk to and always willing to help.
b. They are difficult to work with.
c. They help her reach her sales goals.

4. How long has she been working there?

a. One year.
b. Six weeks.
c. Six months.

5. What did she say about the salary?

a. She negotiated the salary.
b. The salary is good.
c. She is not happy with the salary.

6. How does she start the day?

a. By having an interview.
b. By going to HR.
c. With a team meeting.

Decide if the following statements are true or false.

1. Jane does not like her job.

2. Jane gets along with her colleagues.

3. Jane is a salesperson for a cosmetics brand.

4. Jane’s job came with good benefits.

5. Jane does not get any vacation time.

6. Jane gets a company car.

ESL Pals 6 General English

 LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB
Read the story of Tony’s experience looking for a new job. Then, answer the questions.

Tony has just moved to a new city and is looking for a new job. Before he starts his job
search, Tony needs to update his resume.

He writes a resume that shows his years of experience in engineering. He also writes a
cover letter that introduces himself and highlights his achievements.

Tony’s friend tells him about a website where he can find job listings. He finds a job
listing for an engineering position and submits an application.

After a few days, Tony is asked to come in for an interview!

Tony meets with a manager from HR. The HR manager is impressed with Tony’s
portfolio. She says that Tony’s references say great things about his work.

The interview goes well, so the company wants to hire Tony. The manager tells him
about the salary for the engineering position. Tony negotiates for a higher salary, then he
accepts the position. He starts his new job on Monday.

Decide if the following statements are true or false.

1. Tony updates his resume before he looks for a new job.

2. Tony writes about his experience in sales.
3. Tony submits an application for an engineering position.
4. Tony does not get asked to come in for an interview.
5. Tony negotiates a higher salary.
6. Tony does not get the job.

Answer the questions.

1. How does Tony know where to look for job listings?

2. What kind of job does Tony apply for?
3. Who does Tony have an interview with?
4. How does the interview go?
5. What does Tony negotiate?
6. Have you ever had a job interview? How did it go?

ESL Pals 7 General English

 DESCRIBING PICTURES
The images below show two different steps in the job search process. Study the images
and then answer the questions.

a. Which step in the job search process is shown in each picture?

b. Which step is the most stressful?
c. Which step is the most important?
d. What information do you have to include on a resume?
e. What are some questions that are commonly discussed in an interview?

Reorder the vocabulary words to show the steps of getting a job from start to finish.
Explain the step in a complete sentence.

1. resume _____________________________________________________
2. cover letter _____________________________________________________
3. application _____________________________________________________
4. portfolio _____________________________________________________
5. references _____________________________________________________
6. salary _____________________________________________________
7. HR _____________________________________________________
8. recruiter _____________________________________________________
9. interview _____________________________________________________
10. hire _____________________________________________________
11. negotiate _____________________________________________________
12. job listing _____________________________________________________

ESL Pals 8 General English

 LET’S TALK
Discuss the following questions as a class, using the words and information learned in
today’s lesson. Remember, this is your opportunity to practise speaking, so say as much
as you can, and have fun!

1. Describe the application process for the last job you applied for.

2. Do you prepare a lot before an interview? Describe how you prepare.

3. What is the purpose of a resume and cover letter?

4. What advice would you give to someone who wants to negotiate a salary?

5. Have you ever put together a portfolio before? What was in it?

Work into pairs. Take turns asking each other the following questions. When answering,
say whether you agree or disagree and explain why.

6. Applying for a job is difficult, isn’t it?

7. You have felt nervous before an interview, haven’t you?

8. Negotiating a salary is scary, isn’t it?

9. Starting a new job is exciting, isn’t it?

10. You have written a cover letter before, haven’t you?

ESL Pals 9 General English

HOMEWORK
EMAIL: WRITING EXERCISE
Study the situation below, then write a detailed answer on a separate piece of paper.
Where relevant, use the new words, grammar, and information learned in class.

Starting a New Job!

You just moved to a new city and started a new job! You are writing an email to your
friends and family back home explaining the process. Your email must include::

● The types of jobs you looked for.

● Where you searched for job listings.
● What you included in your resume.
● What you included in your cover letter.
● Who your references were.
● What the interview was like.
● When they hired you.
● Describe the new job.
● What you like about the job.
● What you don’t like about the job.
● What you hope for in the future.

ESL Pals 10 General English