Ex.15. Which of the following extracts from different CVs (resumes) or application letters do you think would help the candidate to get an interview, and why?

1. Since coming to university I have played in the women’s hockey team. We have twice won the national university championship, and are also well-placed this year, with one month of the season still to go.

2. My mother is French, and because my father works for a multinational company, I grew up in four different countries. I did all my schooling in French, but I also speak (and write) fluent Spanish and Portuguese. I can also understand (North African) Arabic, but speak it less well.

3. I have traveled extensively during my last three summer vacations. In 1994 I traveled around the Mediterranean (Spain, France, Italy, Greece) for ten weeks. In 1995, I went to Florida for a month, and I spent six weeks in Bali in 1996. I have consequently met a great many people from many different cultures, and I am absolutely convinced that this makes me suitable for a position in international marketing, and that your company would have a great deal to gain from employing me.

4. As you will see from my CV, I scored an average of 91% in my university examinations (94% at the end of the first year, 87% in my second year, and 92% in my final year exams). I stayed on to do a post-graduate degree in finance and banking, and was encouraged to extend my Master's dissertation into a doctorate, which I have done in the past ten months. I expect to be awarded my PhD in six weeks' time.

5. I realize that my background (qualifications and experience) is probably no better then that of many other applicants, but I am particularly interested in marketing position in a telecommunications company, because I have collected telephone cards ever since they were first introduced. I have an extensive collection, including cards from 17 different countries.

6. I have played the piano since the age of five. I won scholarships to summer schools in New York and Switzerland, but at the age of 19 decided to study economics rather than attempt to become a professional musician (since the world is full of good pianists).

Ex. 16. Role-playing. Work in groups of three.

Students A and B: You are going to have an interview for this job. Study the advertisement and make notes on questions you would like to ask about the job.

C O U R I E R W A N T E D (July / August)