KN October Work
KN October Work
There are many idioms used in the business world. If you don’t understand these
expressions, it’s easy to get lost in a conversation.
In this lesson, we will learn some of the most used expressions in the
business world.
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❖ back to the drawing board: To go "back to the drawing board" means
to start something over and go back to the planning stage.
❖ backroom deal: A "backroom deal" is an agreement or decision that is
made without the public knowing about it.
❖ ballpark number/figure: A "ballpark number" is a very inexact
estimate.
❖ behind someone's back: To do something "behind someone's back"
means to do something without someone's knowledge and in an unfair
way.
❖cut one's losses: To "cut one's losses" means to stop doing something
that is unproductive and won't ever generate results.
❖ fifty-fifty: "Fifty-fifty" means something is divided equally -- 50% for
one party, 50% for the other party.
❖ from the ground up: If you start a business, project, or something
else from zero, you start it "from the ground up."
❖game plan: A "game plan" is a strategy or plan.
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control of a situation and aware of changes.
❖ pink slip: Someone who gets the "pink slip," has been fired by their
employer.
❖ start off on the right foot: To "start off on the right foot" means to
start something in a positive way
❖play hardball: To "play hardball" means to be competitive in a cruel
and merciless way. Playing hardball means doing anything possible to
win.
❖ safe bet: A "safe bet" means something that will probably happen.
❖ see eye to eye: To "see eye to eye" with someone means to agree with
that person.
❖ stand one's ground: To "stand one's ground" means to not change
one's opinion or position.
❖ win-win situation: A "win-win situation" is a situation where everyone
involved gains something.
Exercise 1
1. Use any three of the expressions in sentences.
2. Do you know any other business expressions?
3. What is the opposite of the expression “start off on the right foot”?
Exercise 2
Provide us with meanings of these expressions:
1. At stake
2. safe bet
3. from the ground up
4. game plan
5. ballpark number
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Management Speak and Corporate Jargon
- How to cope with common business-related expressions
A. Match the ‘Management Speak’ expression with its meaning:
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Management Speak and Corporate Jargon
- How to cope with common business-related expressions
B. Choose appropriate expressions to complete the following sentences:
Most interviews, no matter what the industry, are desiring to assess a few key areas:
………………………………, interest in the job being offered, …………….. for the job including
applicable ………….. and ………………………….
Dress for success
Do be sure to dress ………………………………….for your interview.
If you are a man, wear a ……………… You can never go wrong with ………………………… or
choco grey, a ……………… shirt and a nice ……………
If you are a woman, do make sure you wear a ……………………… for the interview. Either a
…………….. suit or a …………… suit is fine. Don’t wear…………… jewellery, ……………….
colours or …………………………. make-up.
Handshakes
Don’t give a ………….. handshake. Do give a firm but not ……………………………. Handshake.
Also don’t forget to make ……………………………… and ……………..
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How to handle some key questions
This isn’t a licence to tell your ……………………………… Rather use this as an
……………………. to give a ………………… summary of your career abilities and …………
Assessing your weaknesses
Interviewers want to know how you assess your good points and bad points. When discussing your
weaknesses, ………………………… personality and character flaws. Instead
……………………………….. areas that can be improved upon over time.
Inappropriate questions
It is actually ……………………….. for interviewers to ask certain personal questions such as your
…………………. or …………………………, so you don’t need to volunteer that information.
b) Read the following tips for a successful interview. They appear in the video.
Lesson: Employment
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What are the requirements for this job?
a. Must be 18 years old
b. Must have health insurance
c. Must work Mon. – Wed.
d. Must be at least 18 years old and have experience
What must you do to be hired for this job?
a. Must apply online
b. Must send a resume
c. Must meet Mrs. Rosemund
d. Must apply in person and ask for Mrs. Rosemund
What information does this ad not give?
a. Where to apply
b. Benefits
c. Amount of pay
d. When to apply
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How do you apply for this job? _________________
_________________________________________
Employment ads are also called “Help Wanted” ads and “Want” ads.
Common abbreviations are:
PT Part-time M or Mon. Monday
FT Full-time T or Tues. Tuesday
Exp. Experience W or Wed. Wednesday
Exper.Experience Th or Thurs. Thursday
Nec. Necessary F or Fri. Friday
Req. Required Sat. Saturday
Hrs. Hours Sun. Sunday
Ins. Insurance Sun. Sunday
Pd. Vac. Paid Vacation
Inc. Included
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This is how it started:
Billy McMahon and Nick Campbell were once very successful watch salesmen, but their
company is closed now and they have to build their lives from scratch. Nick finds a job at a
mattress store, and his manager is his sister’s boyfriend who is quite an unpleasant person to
deal with. Billy’s wife leaves him, he is trying to find a job on the internet when he suddenly
gets an idea… He offers Nick to apply for the internship at Google, which may or may not end
up with a getting a job there. They take an interview. Oddly enough they are accepted and go
to California. They are the oldest of the interns.
2. Now watch the part of the movie and match the words to their definitions:
intangible a) something you can’t touch b) something you can’t
understand
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a welder a) a person who joins pieces of b) a tool who joins pieces of
metal by welding them together metal by welding them together
Bear with me! a) I’m with a bear. b) put up with me for a while
Nick and Billy will spend the summer competing in teams against other interns, also known as
"Nooglers" (which stands for No Googlers), in a variety of tasks, and only the members of the
winning team will be guaranteed jobs with Google. Billy and Nick are teamed with other
interns seen as rejects: Stuart, who is usually engrossed in a book of some kind; Wo-Wo, a
Filipino-American boy who was breastfed until the age of 9 and beaten by his schholteachers;
and Neha, an Indian-American girl who is a cosplay lover. The team is led by Lyle, who is a
rsther selfconfident guy and an experienced teamleader. Another intern, Graham, aggressively
bullies Billy and Nick's team. Mr. Chetty, the head of the internship program, also expresses
his doubts about the older men's abilities. Stuart, Wo-Wo, and Neha see Billy and Nick as
useless during a task focused on debugging, and send away them to chase the fictional character
- Terminator. They find him and he helps them find a bug. Their team wins the first
competition. Later, during a game of Muggle Quidditch against Graham's team, Billy rallies
his team to a comeback that unifies them as a team and they win again.
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When the teams are tasked with developing an app, Billy and Nick convince the team to spend
the night out. They first go to billiards and end up at a strip bar. Neha admits to Billy that, she
doesn’t only have a rich fantasy life but also has way too much experience in real world and
feels confident; with his support, she decides to go back to campus. Nick gets Wo-Wo to drink
and receive lap dances. And, encouraged by Billy, Lyle approaches one of the dancers,
Marielena, who is also a dance instructor at Google on whom he had developed a crush. She
doesn’t like him at all, also another customer challenges Lyle for her attention and a fight
breaks out; the team is kicked out of the club. Before sunrise that same night, overlooking the
Golden Gate Bridge, Stuart admits it was the worst night in his life, Lyle is drunk and wants to
send a lovely message to Marielena, which inspires the team to create an app that protects you
from yourself when you are sober; they win the task by earning 5 times more downloads than
the other teams.
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Lesson: Get hired
Version A: occupation
Jane works as Lee is currently in Thomas runs 10 miles Herman opened his
a police officer Russia for his training every day as part of his dental clinic months
in the next space training in trying to win ago
mission a gold medal for the
next championship
Farid studied Gina has witnessed Farhana intends to Brian’s job allows him
medicine at lots of fire outbreaks pursue her dream in the to travel to so many
the University throughout her music industry places in the world
of Cambridge career
Salina’s Raji’s passion in Caleb is organizing a Dyna feels that her job
paintings were quantum theory is workshop to prepare his will help many pet
displayed in the reason why he students for job owners in seeking
an art has decided to interviews medical treatment for
exhibition become a physicist their pets
B. These are 12 different descriptions of occupations that match the jobs of the 12
individuals.
Version B: occupation
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An astronaut travels to outer A police officer prevents A dentist helps people with
space crime teeth problems
An athlete competes in sports A vet helps to treat sick and A teacher teaches school
competition injured animals students
A scientist performs A pilot navigates an aircraft A Firefighter extinguishes fire
experiments
A musician entertains people A doctor helps to treat An artist draws and sells
diseases paintings
Get Hired
List what specific job each of the 12 individuals does based on the information from the two
tables. Make sure each sentence has a subject, a verb and an object.
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Pick a Job
Write 5 sentences about any of the occupations. Follow the basic pattern of the sentences
presented below. Each sentence has to have at least a subject and a verb followed by
object, adjective, adverb and noun.
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5 Subject-verb-noun e.g. She ( subject) is ( verb) my mom ( noun)
The men ( subject) are ( verb) doctors ( noun)
Mr. Jones (subject) is ( verb) the teacher (
object)
List the three most important jobs out of the twelve jobs based on their qualifications,
expertise and contribution to the public. Provide your reasons.
1. Out of the twelve occupations, which occupation you want to do most? Give and
explain three reasons for you choice
2. List three most important and three least important jobs out of the twelve jobs based on
their qualifications, expertise and contribution to the public. Provide your reasons.
3. Suggest three personal characteristics that a person needs in order to do any of these
jobs. You may focus on one job only.
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Lesson: Advertisements
There are 6 advertisements on 6 different jobs. Read and understand the requirements for
each of the jobs.
Version A: advertisements
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☼ Minimum 2 years experience of RM 15 per hour plus free
working in the entertainment meals.
industry
☼ excellent
communication skills
Be popular!!!
Email
The email from an employment agent below provided additional information about particular
jobs
Version B: email
From: [email protected]
Subject: Jobs Details
Dear Jessie,
It is good that you emailed me first for consultation about the jobs that you are planning to
apply for because there are details that might not be included in the advertisements.
I have called each of the companies and there are a few additional things you may need to take
into consideration. If you are interested in being a graphic designer, you have to know how to
organise advertising, design television adverts and create posters in order to be eligible for the
job. Although the job can be tiring, you can actually work at home. Working as a chef requires
you to work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. while working as a receptionist needs you to work from 8.30
a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Even though both jobs are within office hour, you only need to work from
Wednesday to Sunday as a chef and during weekend shifts as a receptionist. If you choose to
be a tour guide, you will be able to travel everywhere across the country since you will have to
take lots of tourists to visit various tourism spots. Interestingly, you will have flexible working
hours as a teacher but you must have a university degree and teaching experience in order to
be eligible to apply. You should also consider working as a TV host especially when the salary
is RM 60, 000 per year.
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I hope this information helps you to decide which you would like to apply for. If there is
anything, you can just email me and I will be happy to reply. I wish you all the best.
Kind Regards,
William Thomas
Employment Agent
Job Hunt
Using the email from an employment agent and the advertisements about the six jobs you
are interested to apply. Complete the table below.
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Describe the pros and/or cons for every job in a full sentence with subjects and verbs. You
need to use at least two conjunctions in each sentence.
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