Part Ⅰ Situational Dialogues

Practice 1

Task 2: Simulated situational conversation.

Anna: Hi, Bill. I heard you have graduated from college, right?

Bill: Yeah.

Cathy: Do you have any idea about what you are going to do after graduation?

Bill: Not really. Actually, I have not given much thought about it. I think I would find a job first.

Anna: It seems you do not have a career planning, don't you?

Bill: Yup. I had supposed my major would help me find a job easily back to university time but the truth turns out to be that no company would hire an inexperienced graduate.

Cathy: That's true. Both Anna and me have gone through a difficult time in finding our favorable jobs. Unfortunately, there is no job within our expectation for it is either low pay or unsuitable.

Bill: I may run into the same situation then. Have you tried to attend Career Service? They may offer some good chances.

Anna: Yup. They made a career planning for me and listed every precaution I should remember when finding a job. Furthermore, I am looking for a job based on their standard.

Bill: It sounds great. I would like to have them to prepare my career planning!

Practice 2

Task 2: Simulated situational conversation.

M: Owen, next Thursday we are going to attend a lecture on career planning.

O: That's good. What do you think you will have done at the age of 40 according to your career planning?

M: Well, I suppose I will have been promoted as the manager of marketing department. My major task would be to manage my sales team efficiently and boost the sales.

O: I'm sure you will do it. You have good communication and coordination skills. Not to mention you're also hard-working, enthusiastic and far-sighted.

M: Thank you. What about you? You must have made big progress.

O: Well, I'm determined to work in a bank. By the age of 40, I will be the human resource manager. I will try my best to manage the human resource department well and coordinate with the other departments.

M: Certainly you will. Your major is human resources management and you are qualified in this area. You are also interested in this type of work. By the way, despite the career, what else will you have done?

O: That's 18 years later, I guess I would also be rich, ha ha. That would be excellent because I want to support the disabled and poor, and also the local education.

M: That's really a good plan. You can make a good contribution to the society. I think I will do the same if I have enough money then.

O: Well, I guess we'll both work hard and take action from now!

M: Yeah.

Practice 3

Task 2: Simulated situational conversation.

B: What kinds of jobs are becoming popular in your country?

L: There's been a big growth in anything related to computers. Young people are attracted to that field in particular. There's also been a big growth in education.

B: There's been a growth in that field in my country, too. A lot of people want to learn practical and professional skills.

L: The interesting thing is that many of the teachers are not actually trained teachers. They are usually professionals who are taking a break from their jobs to pass on skills to others.

B: I noticed that too. What are the people learning?

L: In my country, they are usually studying something business related, such as marketing, management techniques, and human resource management.

B: I think that jobs in the leisure industry will become more popular in the future.

L: That trend has already begun in my country. In particular, there's a big demand for people to work in fitness centers. Which kinds of jobs are less in demand then?

B: Those in traditional fields, such as agriculture and heavy industry. Younger people are not interested in doing those jobs and other countries have industries that can produce things much cheaper.

L: Yes. My country is certainly expanding in the service and hi-tech sectors, but contracting in the heavy industry and primary industry sectors. However, our car and aircraft manufacturers are doing very well.

B: They are well known for high quality, that's why.

Part Ⅲ Workplace Practice

Ⅰ. Complete the following dialogue.

A: You'll soon graduate from your university. Do you have any plans for the future?

B: I'm planning to go to graduate school, but I also want to find a job. Otherwise, I'll have nowhere to go if I fail the entrance exam.

A: Do you have a clear career path to follow?

B: Career path? I'm not sure.

A: What kind of job do you want to do after graduation?

B: I want to become a professor, a lawyer, an editor, a civil servant.

A: Wait! You can't do so many things at the same time. What exactly do you want to do?

B: I don't know. Do you have any advice for me?

A: Yeah, you should first decide what kind of career you really want, plan your career path, and then try your best to achieve your goal.

B: I think perhaps I need to buy a few years while I figure out about my career.

A: No, you can't waste your time wandering around. If you want a job that requires a higher degree or diploma, you should focus on your graduate school entrance exam; if you want a job that needs working experience, you should start job hunting and consider further studies at a later time.

B: Thank you so much for your advice. I'll think it over.

Ⅱ. Translate the following dialogue into English.

A: There're hundreds of career options out there. How can I make a choice?

B: Well, before you can make a career choice, I think you have to learn about yourself. For example, you should know your values, interests, skills, your personality, etc.

A: How can I decide which occupation is appropriate for me?

B: You can use self-assessment tools or career tests. You can find free tests online or you can simply ask a career advisor, or a career development professional for help.

A: And then, what's the next step?

B: Then look over the list of occupations generated through self-assessment and come up with a shorter list for you to explore.

A: So I can rule out those jobs that I find unappealing?

B: Absolutely. After that, you can look at the job description, educational and other requirements, advancement opportunities, earnings, and those kinds of things.

A: Where can I get all the information?

B: You can search online, or ask friends or relatives who have the firsthand knowledge.

A: There's a lot to do !

B: Surely there is, you will have to put some time and energy, but your effort will be worth it.

Ⅲ. Make a short speech (3 minutes).

Suppose you are a career service officer who is giving a lecture to freshmen in university. Now make a short speech in three minutes.

There is great variety in the world of work. The task of selecting the right work from the thousands of available choices takes vocational planning. Individuals need to know many things about themselves and many things about the world of work.

There are several factors to be considered when choosing a vocation. Each is essential to making a good vocational choice.

Aptitudes: What kinds of aptitudes does the individual have? What does one do well and enjoy doing? Is working with plants or animals, for example, or dealing with people a pleasant experience? Some people prefer to work alone. What seems easy for some may be difficult for others.

Interests: Another factor to consider is the individual's interests. What school subjects does one like? What hobbies does a person have? These factors are clues to knowing the type of job to consider education and training.

Wages and salaries: Some jobs pay more than others. The more training a position requires, the more likely it is to pay a higher salary. Occupations that have a labor shortage tend to pay higher salaries than those for which there are many able candidates.

Physical demands: Choosing a vocation should also be done with a realistic attitude toward its physical demands in relation to one's own physical attributes. The pursuit of a vocation is no time for wishful thinking or trying to reach far beyond one's range of talents, experiences, and aptitudes. Vocational choice, however, is an opportunity to grow, improve oneself, and make a contribution to society.

I wish you can all make you own successful career plan and make your dreams come true!

Ⅳ. Make a workplace interpretation (3 minutes).

A: Do you have any idea about your future career plan?

B:事实上直到现在我都还没考虑过这个问题。你呢？

A: Well, I've decided on secretary as my profession. That's why I chose Mr. Smith's course.

B: 我明白了。这个学期你要选择多少课程呢？

A: Since I'm determined to be a secretary, I think computer would be important because most secretarial work is supposed to be finished by computer, such as filing, documenting, e-mail, and so on.

B: 你说得很对。计算机当然是必需的。

A: Typing and note-taking are also essential. Every secretary is required to type and write quickly and correctly.

B: 是的。我想你必须接收特殊课程的培训。啊，我看到你还选择了英语和法语。

A: English is internationally used, I have to learn it well. And talking about French, actually I always want to travel in France.

B: 不难看出你已经都计划好了，不是吗？

A: Well, that's not quite much, actually. My real plan is to learn how to run a company and I think secretary is the proper position to get to know all the departments. My real dream is to start my own company one day.

B: 但是你需要的知识多得多了！

A: Yeah. That's why I decided to go to the school career service center to ask for advice. I need professional advice on my career planning.

B: 这真是一个好主意。你现在就过去吗？

A: Yes. Why don't you go together with me? It can be helpful.

B: 你是对的。我也需要意见。好吧，我们走吧。