Learning English

The ideal candidate will be...

Have you ever read a job advertisement and been totally confused about what they want? Sometimes it can be hard to understand the words and phrases in job ads - so we're going to help you! We've got three examples of job adverts for you to read. The meanings of their tricky words and phrases are in the vocabulary box. Then you can test your understanding with a quiz!

Read the text and complete the activity

To do

Joe, Ismail and Wang Fei are all looking for work. Read the information about them and then take a look at the job adverts. Which job would be best for each of our job-hunters?

• Joe is a school leaver looking for his first job. He's very keen to learn as much as possible about the world of work and is always happy to help people and try new things.
• Ismail has a degree in English and speaks several languages fluently. He wants to work for a company that will give him lots of support in his career.
• Wang Fei speaks Chinese, Arabic and English. He's good at planning and organising.

Advert 1: Marketing Assistant (Publishing)

We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Marketing Assistant, with proven communication skills, both on the telephone and face-to-face, to work in our Beijing office. The Assistant will provide administrative support to Marketing Managers within the China team.

We are a leading international publisher of award-winning and innovative books and digital products for all ages, in subjects from gardening to photography, geography, science and many more.

Responsibilities will include liaising with internal departments, advertisers and customers, and drafting advertising campaigns.

The ideal candidate must be results-orientated and fluent in both spoken and written Mandarin Chinese and English. Knowledge of another Asian language would be an advantage. The candidate must have excellent organisational and interpersonal skills.

Advert 2: English Teacher

If you are a creative and dynamic teacher of English who:

• loves the subject
• is keen to learn and develop professionally
• can work as part of a team
• wants to make a real difference for young people

We can offer you:

• support within a highly successful English department
• experience in a school committed to continuous improvement
• every opportunity to develop your professional skills

Applications from NQTs and more experienced colleagues welcome.

Advert 3: General Assistant

We are recognised for our high standards of service and you’ll play a key role in upholding these as one of our general assistants. In short, you’ll turn your hand to anything to do with the smooth running of the store. This could involve everything from serving customers to replenishing stock and supporting colleagues. So if you’re a good communicator who takes pride in delivering excellent customer service and is a team player, we’d like to hear from you

To do

Did you get it? The best job for Joe would be the General Assistant. Ismail might be right for the teaching job and Wang Fei looks good for the Marketing Assistant job.

Now let's have a closer look. Time to check your understanding. Have a go at our quiz!

Next

Now you've checked your understanding of these adverts, it's time to look at some of the vocabulary in more detail. Try another quiz in the next activity!