ESP FOR

DESIGN
Duoc UC English Program
 Unit 1
Design Facts

I. Designer Profile. 2

II. Problems, needs and possible solutions. 6

III. Project Planning. 8

IV. Being a Smart Designer. 10

V. Pitching your Ideas. 12

1
 Designer Profile

Let’s brainstorm. Share your ideas or concepts about what you think are the most important aspects
and characteristics to describe a designer profile.

I. Reading. Read the following profile descriptions. Does the previous brainstorming activity
look like the profile?

Industrial / product designers work from design briefs to create solutions for new products that are
innovative, practical and suitable for manufacturing. Industrial designers are involved in the making of
products such as furniture, cars, home appliances and toys.

Environmental design involves professionals in the fields of urban planning, landscape architecture and
man-made architecture. These professionals focus on environmentally conscious techniques and
materials. They study the relationship between man-made structures and the surrounding environment
to develop infrastructure, including commercial buildings and homes by taking into account functional,
economic and ecological needs.

 Both Professionals look for the same goal: discover needs in determined places, and improve
lifestyles.

II. Group work. Do you agree with this profile? What else would you add or take out?

Remember!
Whenever you want to express
your opinion, use expressions
such as:

 I agree with …
 I disagree with ...
 In my opinion …
2
 III. Reading.
What is the Design Process?

The Design Process deals with five steps through which scientific principles are applied for the solution
of everyday problems. These steps are:

1. The design process is done

after a specific problem or need
has been identified. The 3. In this phase, all preliminary
identification of the problem drawings or sketches from the
occurs in the research and previous phase are transformed
development (R&D) stage of into a finished package. In the
manufacturing. Once scientists past, designs were documented
and engineers working in R&D on drafting tables using rulers,
have identified the need for a compasses, pencils, and pens.
product or discovered a problem, Today, this is accomplished using
the design process is used to Computer Aided Drafting and
make the new product or solve 2. In this phase, ideas are Design (CADD) systems.
examined and a concept of the
overall design is developed.
Preliminary sketches are used to
document the design, so that
problems can be "designed out" 5. In the production phase, the
easier. design is sent off to be produced.
4. In this phase, the design must With the use of a CADD system,
be tested in more realistic the data from the design is
modes. This might involve the translated into a form that a
building and testing of Computer Aided Manufacturing
prototypes, live-scale models, or (CAM) system can understand.
using computer visualization. The CAM software can write a
Examples of computer program for a computer
visualization are computer controlled machine to produce
animation and virtual reality. the parts.

IV. Reading. Read the passages above and choose the appropriate title below for each one.

Finding solutions and ideas Documentation of ideas Define the Problem

Testing and Refining Production

Is this the right process?

Any ideas or suggestions?

What do you think?
Give us your opinion

3
V. Speaking.
Experience is a powerful asset, especially in the constantly changing world of design. In order to
showcase your expertise, it is critical to put thought and time into fully developing your profile.

Essentially, your profile is a stream of stories that show off your work. As you take on new projects or
learn new skills, your story evolves—and your profile should evolve with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5kR7TPAkSw

VI. Group Work. Highlight the most important points you need to consider when talking
about yourself, and the ones you must not include.

Take a moment to think about who you are, what your skills are, and why you are the best person for
this area, and then answer the following questions:

•What is your design specialty, niche, or area of focus?

•Which professional experiences or previous projects are you most proud of and highlight your
expertise?

•What type of work or projects are you interested in and who are you passionate about
working with?

Preparing your progress test

VII. Writing. Who am I? Now that you have a more clear idea about introducing yourself, write
a personal description.

4
 VIII. Speaking. Role Play. “Tell me about yourself”. In pairs imagine you are in a job interview.
Ask and answer questions.

As a future designer it’s important to know what

to say and how to build your professional profile.
Here you have two important web sites that will
help and lead you to create it.

What is Coroflot?
What is Behence?
Coroflot.com creates better professional
experiences for d•esigners of all backgrounds all Behance.net, part of the Adobe family, is the
over the world. We take personal responsibility leading online platform to showcase & discover
for our contribution to the design community, creative work. The creative world updates their
whether it’s connecting designers with work in one place to broadcast it widely and
outstanding career opportunities, giving efficiently. Companies explore the work and
innovative companies access to leading talent, access talent on a global scale.
or bringing exposure to amazing design work.

Remember!
Whenever you want to talk about
yourself, use expressions such as:

 I’m good at… I like creating toys

 I like...
 I enjoy … I’m good at drawing furniture
 I dont like… I don’t like working long hours

5
 Problems, needs and possible solutions

I. Watch the following video called “Floating gardens in the Chicago River”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-KMsiqYieY

II. Group Work. Highlight the most important points about the idea of floating gardens, and
answer the following questions:

Remember!

Whenever you want to expresss

 What is your opinion about this idea? your opinion, use expressions
 Do you agree with this project? such as:
 What aspects would you add or take out?
 In my opinion…
 I think that ...
 It’s important to say…
 I agree/disagree with…

III. Reading.
Read the following text about "Floating gardens in the Chicago river".

"We want to restore natural wildlife habitat in the Chicago River by installing floating gardens in the
Spring of 2017. This public area will also be a destination for kayakers, canoeists, fishermen, nature
lovers and anyone who wants to enjoy urban wildlife.

The money raised here will go directly toward our floating gardens. For every $50 donation, we can add
another foot of habitat. Our goal is $10,000, but every dollar exceeding this goal will only extend the
gardens, becoming part of our larger vision of eventually rehabilitating an entire one-mile stretch of
river, which we hope to turn into an urban wildlife sanctuary. That means more space for fish, plants,
birds, turtles, and more Urban Rivers is a Chicago-based nonprofit and this our pilot project. Our plan is
to rehabilitate urban rivers in cities across the globe. By recovering habitat space in city waterways, we
can provide a home for fish and other animals, while creating a nature destination for people to enjoy."

Project Specifications:

Our hardware is engineered to survive Chicago conditions year-round. Our partner, Biomatrix Water,
builds their floating garden structures with the following technical features:

•Marine-grade engineering to withstand all weather conditions.

•Locking stainless steel quick connect system, making it easy to add additional gardens.

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•Fully cross-braced structure

•UV resistant thermo-fused tough floats

•Concrete anchors secured using weighted guide rail

IV. Group Work. Think about the main points shown in the descriptions above and answer the
following questions:

Why is this project so important?

Is design a key factor? Why?

Do you know any other similar projects?

What else would you add to this project?

What would you modify? Why?

7
 Project Planning

I. Reading.
Project planning is the process of establishing the scope, defining the
objectives and steps to obtain them. It is one of the most important
processes that makes up project management. The output of the project
planning process is a project management plan.

There are many steps that are taken just to get a project approved. The project has to have a goal and
then criteria for defining its success.

The plan needs to include all parts of the project, which are as follows:

This is a reiteration of the business case,

where you described the idea behind the
project and how it benefits the organization.
You have already explored this and identified
how it can be completed in your business
case. You know what to expand upon those
ideas and flesh out the concept of the project
and how you plan to meet those demands.

Now you put the plan down in writing, concentrating

You’re not finished when you’re on the project’s scope and outlining the work that
finished, now you have to get client will need to be performed. Here’s where you
approval. There are a lot of cleanup prioritize tasks and calculate your budget and
duties that you’re still in charge of schedule. List all your tasks in order of importance
managing, from onboarding team and from that list make an estimate as to how much
members to payment of team, money and time will be needed to complete the
vendors, contractors, etc. project.

Speaking of those changes, while

executing the project, it’s crucial to
monitor the estimated progress of your
The execution of the plan you devised begins
project plan to the actual progress as
with allocating the resources and tasks to
recorded by your team’s status updates.
your team, who are informed of their
This is when you return to the plan to re-
responsibilities. This is the start of the actual
allocated resources as necessary to keep
work, though it doesn’t mean the plan is put
on track. The better you can track the
aside. There will always be changes that you’ll
progress of the project, ideally in real-
have to adjust for.
time, the more accurate picture you have
of where your project is and what it
needs to stay on track.

Label the definitions above with the concepts below:

Conception and Initiation - Definition and Planning – Launch - Performance and Control - Close

8
II. Group Work. In groups of 2-3 students, set up a new design project bearing in mind all
topics and highlights covered.

What
does this
Duoc site
need?

What can
we do as
future
Our
designers
?
Project

How can
we solve
the
problem?

Preparing your progress test 1.

Take a look around the site and take photos from your potential interventions.
Ask students from other programs what they think about the site, and what can be improved.

Remember!
Whenever you want to ask questions, use
expressions such as:

 Can I ask you a question?

 What is your opinion about...?
 What do you think of…?

9
 Being a Smart Designer

I. Reading.
The information generated through your needs assessment provides the framework for the
development of a suitable intervention Project. Now it is time to organize these ideas into a
manageable, effective project design. Let’s describe the major steps you should follow when designing a
project.

•It’s important to define the problem which your project will address precisely;
otherwise the solution you provide may be wrong. You must have a very clear
Defining the understanding of the specific problem in order to design an effective solution.
problem

• The next step is to define the goal. The goal is a broad statement of what you want
to accomplish. A goal is a positive statement of the problem. The goal is the solution
to the problem you described earlier, it is geared towards reducing or eliminating the
Setting the problem. A goal must be realistic. Your project must be able to reach the goal. Do
goal not state that your project will accomplish more than it can.

• Objectives enable you to reach the project goal by providing specific directives.
Objectives are specific outcomes of the project which will result in the resolution of
the problem. You will implement a number of activities in order to accomplish each
Setting the
objective. The clearer your objectives are, the easier it is to plan, implement and
project
evaluate your activities.
objectives

An objective must:
• be stated in a positive form
• answer the questions what? when? where? who? and how many?
• be realistic
• be a logical step toward accomplish the goal

As you write your objectives, it may help you to think SMART.

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 S Specific What are you going to do? Who is it for?

How many things do you need? How much

M Measurable time are you planning to spend?
Where are you going to implement the
A Area Specific project?

R Realistic How achievable is it?

How much time do you need? When is it

T Time Based going to be finished?

II. Watch the following video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA53yhiOe04

Remember!

Apply these concepts to the project you

carried out on page 8.

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 Pitching your ideas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI6awSVXShE

I. Reading.

What's an elevator speech, and how can it help your career?

An elevator speech (which is also called an elevator pitch) is a quick synopsis of your
background and experience. Done right, this short speech helps you introduce yourself to career
connections in a compelling way.

What's In an Elevator Speech?

This speech is all about you: Who you are, what you do, and what you want to do if you're job hunting.
Your elevator pitch is a way to share your expertise and credentials quickly and effectively with people
who don't know you.

When and How to Use an Elevator Pitch?

If you're job searching, you can use your elevator pitch at job fairs and career expos, and online in your
LinkedIn summary or Twitter bio, for example. An elevator speech is a great way to gain confidence in
introducing yourself to hiring managers and company representatives.

You can also use your elevator pitch to introduce yourself at networking events and mixers. If you're
attending professional association programs and events, or any other type of gathering, have your pitch
ready to share with those you meet.

Interviewers often begin with the question "Tell me about yourself" — think of your elevator pitch as a
super-condensed version of your response to that request.

Just in case!
If you need more information and examples, go to
this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b3xG_YjgvI

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 What to Say?

•Restrict the speech to 60 seconds — that's the time it takes to ride an elevator, hence the name. You
Your elevator need to be persuasive. Even though it's a short pitch, your elevator speech should be persuasive
speech should enough to spark the listener's interest in your idea, organization, or background.
be brief.

•Your elevator pitch should explain who you are and what qualifications and skills you have. Try to
focus on assets that add value in many situations. This is your chance to brag a bit — avoid sounding
Share your boastful, but do share what you bring to the table.
skills.

•The best way to get comfortable with an elevator speech is to practice it until the speed, and “pitch”
come naturally, without sounding robotic. You will become comfortable varying the conversation as
Practice, you practice with it. Try saying your speech to a friend, or record it. This will help you know if you are
practice, staying within the time limit and giving a coherent message.
practice.

•You aren’t interviewing for a specific position, so you want to appear open-minded and flexible. It’s
your chance to make a great first impression with a potential employer.
Be flexible.

•You don't need to get too specific. An overly targeted goal isn't helpful, since your pitch will be used
in many circumstances, and with many different types of people. But do remember to say what
Mention your you're looking for. For instance, you might say, "a role in accounting" or "an opportunity to apply my
goals. sales skills to a new market" or "relocate to San Francisco with a job in this same industry."

•In some cases, using jargon can be a powerful move — it demonstrates your industry knowledge. But
Know your be wary of using jargon during an elevator pitch, particularly if you're speaking to recruiters, who may
audience, and find the terms unfamiliar and off-putting.
speak to them.

•If you have a business card, offer it at the end of the conversation as a way to continue the dialog. A
Have a copy of your resume, if you're at a job fair or professional networking event, will also show your
business card enthusiasm and preparedness.
ready.

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 What Not to Say or Do during Your Elevator Speech

•Yes, you only have a short time to convey a lot of information. But don't try to fix this
Don't speak too dilemma by speaking fast. This will just make it hard for listeners to absorb your message.
fast.

•This is why it's so important to practice your elevator speech. While you don't want to
overrehearse, and sound stilted and robotic, you also don't want to have unfocused or
Avoid rambling. unclear sentences in your pitch, or get off-track.

•Here's one of the downsides to rehearsing: it can leave you more focused on remembering
the exact words you want to use, and less on how you're carrying yourself. Keep your
Don't frown, or energy level high, positive, and enthusiastic. Modulate your voice to keep listeners
speak in a interested, and keep your facial expression friendly.
monotone.

•Maybe you're interested in pursuing two fields — public relations and content strategy.
Many of your communication skills will apply to both those fields, but you'll want to tailor
Don't restrict
yourself to a your pitch depending on who you are speaking to. You may also want to have a more
single elevator casual, personal pitch prepared for social settings.
pitch.

II. Speaking. Role Play. “Pitching yourself”. In pairs chose one of the following situations and
make a conversation using the Elevator Pitch format.

A:You are attending an international design workshop. Find a Company

Representator and tell him/her who you are.
B: You are a Company Representator. Ask and answer Student A's questions.

A: You meet a potential investor who is interested in your working area.

Tell him/her who you are and what are your ideas .
B: You are an Investor and need to know in details new design projects.

A: You are attending an important design seminar and you need to gain more
networking.
B: You are a company manager and you are interested in student A's
proposal. Ask and answer questions.

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 Unit 1 Self-assessment
Mark each of the following statements as they apply to you in terms of Achieved (A), Fairly Achieved
(FA) or Not Achieved (NA).

A FA NA
I can define the designer’s profile
I can introduce myself
I can identify design needs and provide a solution
I can set achievable goals
I can manage a plan to achieve a goal
I can easily work in groups

Use your responses to complete the table below.

My strong points.

My weak points.

What I can improve.

15
 Unit 2
Job Interaction

I. Making Phone Calls. 17

II. Writing E-mails. 21

III. Meetings. 23

IV. Job Presentation. 27

16
 Making Phone Calls

I. Group Work. Watch the following video and then ask your classmate the questions above.
Take notes and tell the class what you found out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acEirRZyIeQ

How often do you make phone calls in English?

When was the last time you made or received

a phone call in English? How was it?

What do find most difficult about telephoning

in English?

Describe your worst experience with an English

Phone Call?

II. Reading. Match the two parts to make questions from the dialogues.

• 1. Could I speak • my mobile phone?

• 2. Can I take • through to her?
• 3. Could you ask • have your number?
• 4. Could you tell me • back in ten minutes?
• 5. Does Mr Denver • your name again?
• 6. Is She there • a message?
• 7. Shall I put you • ask what it's about?
• 8. Can I just • at the moment?
• 9. Can I call you • to Tom Denver, please?
• 10. Have you got • him to call me back?

17
 This is It's Dave
Dave (Waters)
There are different ways to give our names on the phone. Waters here

Here is Dave
Dave (Waters)
Waters speaking

III. Speaking. In pairs, create a dialogue including the following information:

Who do you
What do you
Who is calling? want to
need?
speak to?

Remember!
Whether we use first names or surnames (family
names) with people in English normally depends
on the relationship we have with them.

IV. Reading.
As a general rule, do what the other person does. So if the other person uses your first name,
use their first name when you speak to them. One important exception: if the other person has a much
higher status than you (for example if you are a secretary and they are a manager) then sometimes it is
better to use their surname, even if they use your first name. It depends on the company culture.

If it is the very first time you speak to a person, you should probably use their surname.

If you have had contact with the person before (even if it was only on the phone), you can normally use
first names.

If the person is an important business contact, you should definitely try to use first names, if
appropriate. It is a sign of a close working relationship.

It is very common for native speakers to use I’m afraid or I’m sorry when giving “bad” news, for
example when saying someone is not available.

I’m afraid Mr. Denver is in a meeting.

I’m sorry, but Mr. Denver is in a meeting.

If you do not use I’m afraid or I’m sorry, the sentence sound very direct and impolite to a native
speaker.

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 The word actually is also often used to make a statement more polite. For example, it can be used:

 Instead of saying the word No. A: Does he have your phone number? B: Actually, I don’t think
he does.
When we change the subject (e.g. when we change from small talk to talking business). Your
holiday sounds fantastic. Listen, Sandra, I actually wanted to speak to Maria.
 To say something which is inconvenient or annoying for the other person, in a polite way. Can I
call you back? I’m actually talking to someone else on the other line.

V. Speaking. Role Play. In pairs imagine you are calling to schedule a meeting with an
important Design Company Manager. Ask and answer questions.

You are a salesperson for Red Inc. You are telephoning a client who
you think might be interested in buying your new line of design
supplies.

You work in an office and receive a telephone call from your

local design supplier. As a matter fact, you need some new
design supplies so you are definitely interested in what the
salesperson has to offer.

You are telephoning a client who needs to fully renovate a big office.
Ask him/her about details and schedule a meeting.

You are a Company Manager who needs an office renovation.

You are a very specific and demanding person. Ask and answer
questions about this future project.

Remember!
If you don’t understand what the other
Just in case! person is trying to say, use questions
such as:
If you want to make excuses, use
expressions such as: Can you repeat that, please?

I’m afraid he is not available. He is Can you speak more slowly, please?
actually out of the office today.

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 VI. Reading.
What advice would you give to someone to help them telephone successfully? Work with a
partner to make a list of tips. Then read the article and discuss the questions.

Successful telephoning

Phone calls can often be challenging in your own language, but when
you’re speaking a foreign language they are even more difficult. There’s
no body language to help you, the audio quality is not always perfect,
and there is more time pressure than in a face-to-face conversation.
Below are some tips to make telephoning in English less stressful.

1 If you have to make a difficult phone call, spend a few minutes preparing first. Think about what you
want from the phone call. What might the other person say? Make notes of English phrases you can use
during the call.

2 Try to relax. Make sure you have enough time for the call, and don’t hurry. It’s better to have a
successful ten-minute call than an unsuccessful five-minute call.

3 Sometimes receiving an unexpected call can be very stressful. To give yourself some time to prepare
for the call, you might want to tell a ‘white lie’ (I’m sorry; I’m actually in a meeting right now. Can I call
you back in ten minutes?) and call back when you feel more confident.

4 It’s important to make a little small talk with the other person before you talk business, but don’t
spend too long chatting. Get to the point of the call quickly. If you’re talking to a native English speaker,
listen for words like well, so, and anyway–these are signals that it’s time to talk business.

5 Speak more slowly and at a lower pitch than you would during a face-to-face conversation. It makes
you sound confident, helps the other person to understand you, and calms you down if you are nervous.

6 Don’t be afraid to ask a caller to repeat something (I’m sorry, I still didn’t catch that. Could you say it
again more slowly?). It’s better for the caller to repeat a piece of information five times than for you to
write down the wrong information.

7 Smile! Although it sounds strange, the other person can hear if you are smiling – it makes your voice
sound friendlier.

What is the thing you find most difficult on the telephone?

How could you make it easier?

Can you think of five things you could do to improve your telephoning skills
in English? For example, record English calls and listen to them with your
English teacher, or telephone an English-speaking friend for practice.

20
 Writing E-mails

I. Group Work. Watch the following video about E-mail etiquette. Then answer the following
questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0N1RE0C4vk

How often do you write emails?

What is the most difficult part about writing an email?

Who do you usually write emails to?

II. Reading. Read the following text “How to write a formal Email”.

Begin with a greeting

Always open your email with a greeting, such as “Dear Lillian”. If your relationship with the reader is
formal, use their family name (eg. “Dear Mrs. Price”). If the relationship is more casual, you can simply
say, “Hi Kelly”. If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to, use: “To whom it may
concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”.

Thank the recipient

If you are replying to a client’s inquiry, you should begin with a line of thanks. For example, if someone
has a question about your company, you can say, “Thank you for contacting ABC Company”. If someone
has replied to one of your emails, be sure to say, “Thank you for your prompt reply” or “Thanks for
getting back to me”. Thanking the reader puts him or her at ease, and it will make you appear more
polite.

State your purpose

If you are starting the email communication, it may be impossible to include a line of thanks. Instead,
begin by stating your purpose. For example, “I am writing to enquire about …” or “I am writing in
reference to …”

21
Make your purpose clear early on in the email, and then move into the main text of your email.
Remember, people want to read emails quickly, so keep your sentences short and clear. You will also
need to pay careful attention to grammar, spelling and punctuation so that you present a professional
image of yourself and your company.

Add your closing remarks

Before you end your email, it is polite to thank your reader one more time and add some polite closing
remarks. You might start with “Thank you for your patience and cooperation” or “Thank you for your
consideration” and then follow up with, “If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me
know” and “I look forward to hearing from you”.

End with a closing

The last step is to include an appropriate closing with your name. “Best regards”, “Sincerely”, and
“Thank you” are all professional. Avoid closings such as “Best wishes” or “Cheers” unless you are good
friends with the reader. Finally, before you hit the send button, review and spell check your email one
more time to make sure it is truly perfect!

Remember!
It’s very important to check the spelling
in your email message before sending
it. Get into the habit of reading through
your message one last time and scan
for misspelled words.

III. Writing. You need to contact your customer in order to meet him/her next week. It is very
important to schedule this meeting, because you are going to show a new proposal/product.
Email him/her including the points covered in the previous reading.

22
 Meetings
I. Group Work. Match the different types of meetings with the definitions.

People who work in the same

department have this type of Progress

meeting regularly.
This is a meeting of a company's
most senior managers. Brainstorming Board

lf you need new ideas you have this

type of meeting.
This is meeting for a company's Meeting
investors.
At this type of meeting you talk
about what has been accomplished Shareholder Team

on a project.
This type of meeting is held at the
beginning of a project. Kick-off

How often do you have meetings in English?

Which of the meetings above do you attend?

What other types of meetings do you have?

Asking for a meeting Suggesting a meeting time

Could we schedule a time to How about Monday at nine?
meet next week? How about sometime after
I'd like to schedule a meeting lunch?
as soon as possible. Could we meet next week?
Can we meet and go over this Can I suggest 7:30 on
together? Saying that you are not able Thursday evening?
Perhaps we could meet and to attend Would half past five suit you?
go over the details in person?
Sorry | can't make it then.
I'm afraid I have another
appointment then.
I'm a bit tied up then .How
about another time?
Confirming the day and time
Saying that you can attend
Sounds good. See you on Monday at
Yes, that works for me. seven.
Yes, that would be fine.
So I look forward to seeing
you on Tuesday at four.

23
 II. Reading. Read the article and say whether you agree that meetings are more effective lf
they have a more formal structure.

Old is New: The New Old-Fashion Meeting

lf you think that agendas, minutes, and chair people in meetings are out, think again.

As companies seek to make more effective use of their staff's

time, 'old-fashioned' and formal features are making a big
comeback in the meeting room, reports Janine Adler. In the
past, companies tried to encourage the creativity of their
staff through flexible, informal meeting formats. You know
the kind of thing: no agendas, no chair people, and people
entered and left meetings as it suited them. This trend was
probably most popular back in the late 1990s. However,
when the global slowdown in economic performance came,
most companies had to start thinking more about their costs.
'It was really quite common for meetings to go on for hours
and then for everyone to get up and leave without really knowing what had been decided,' says Aaron
Blumfeld, a lecturer in business administration. 'A company's staff is one of its major costs, and staff
meetings are very expensive for a company. There is now a trend among large companies to reintroduce
structure into meetings to make better use of time.' adds Blumfeld. Some CEOs see the task of making
meetings more efficient as so important that they are taking personal responsibility for making sure that
the job gets done. Lynn Rossmann is CEO of Luxes AG, a subsidiary of Hamilton-Luxes Corp. She spent
time looking at ways of making meetings more focused. In the end, she decided that the good old-
fashioned meeting format with a chairperson and an agenda was the right one for her company. 'If you
want to hold a meeting at Luxes, you have to have a chairperson and an agenda. It's not that I like
bureaucracy - I'm just getting people to use their time more effectively,' states Rossmann.

III. Group discussion. Answer the following questions according to your experience. Then
share them with the class.

 Are the meetings you attend formal or informal?

 What other ways are there to make a meeting more effective?
 The article mention some possible advantages and disadvantages of formal and informal
meetings. What other advantages can you think of? What disadvantages?

IV. Speaking. Role Play. In pairs imagine you are attending a formal and an informal meeting.
What questions-answers would you provide?

Just in case!
Remember to use questions on page 13.

24
 V. Reading. Read the article about how important Meeting Minutes are.

Writing minutes can take time, and may seem like an unimportant task compared with getting on with
“real work”, but in fact not taking meeting minutes can be costly in terms of both time and resources. If
you don’t take minutes, you will find that your colleagues have different recollections from the meeting
than you. They also may have different ideas about what was agreed. If there are no minutes, then
important tasks will be forgotten or not achieved by the due date. Creating meeting minutes provides a
written record of what was agreed at a meeting. Good meeting minutes tell people what was decided
and what they need to achieve and by what date.

When meeting minutes are received it jogs memories about tasks that people need to do. If a task is not
performed then you can refer back to the meeting minutes and follow up on it. Without meeting
minutes, you have no recourse if an action was not carried out. In the worst case, if meeting minutes are
not written you may end up having to repeat the meeting. In some instances, meeting minutes may be
required for legal reasons. An example of this is where local bylaws require it for certain types of
organizations. Also, they may be required for disciplinary meetings with employees. Getting into the
habit of taking meeting minutes is good practice.

25
 VI. Group work. Create your own Meeting Minutes format. And then Role Play a meeting in which
you have to write all important aspects covered.

26
 Presentations

I. Group discussion. Ask the questions below and make a note of the answers. Then share
them with the class.

How do you feel about presenting in a foreign

language?

When was the last time you gave a presentation in

English? Was it a success? Why?

Think of an excellent presentation you have attended.

What made it good?

II. Writing. Match the following less formal phrases with the formal phrases in the chart.

Formal Less Formal

-Good Afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
-Today I would like to ... -What I want to do is...
-Let me just start by intraducing myself. -I know your are all busy ...
My name is ... -As you know, I'm ...
-It's a pleasure to welcome you today. -OK, shall we get started?
-In my presentation I would like to -It's good to see you all here.
report on ...
-Hi, everyone.
-The topic of today's presentation is ...
-Today I'm going to talk about ...
-I suggest that we begin now.
-In my talk I'll tell you about ...
-I'm aware that you all have very tight
schedules.

Remember!
Giving a presentation in front of an audience is always
stressful. Thinking about such details as the location of the
presentation, equipment, materials, timing, your
appearance and outfit will help you avoid nervousness.

27
 III. Reading. Do this quiz about body language. Sometimes more than one answer is possible.

How should you stand?

1 • A Arms crossed on chest.
• B Straight but relaxed.
• C Knees unlocked.

What should you do with your hands?

2 • A Put hands on hips.
• B Put one hand in a pocket.
• C Keep hands by your side.

How can you emphasize something?

3 • A Point finger at the audience.
• B move or lean forward to show that something is important.
• C Use a pointer to draw attention to important facts.

What should you do when you feel nervous?

4 • A Hold a pen or cards in your hands.
• B Walk back and forth.
• C Look at the flip chart or the screen. (not at the audience)

How should you keep eye contact?

5 •A Make eye contact with each individual often.
•B Choose some individuals and look at them as often as
possible.

How fast should you speak?

6 • A About 20% more slowly than normal.
• B Just as fast as in a normal conversation.
• C Faster than in a normal conversation.

How should you express enthusiasm?

7 • A By raising voice level.
• B By waving arms.
• C By making hand or arm gestures for important points.

IV. Group discussion. Discuss your answers with a partner. How much do you think
personality and culture influence your body language during a presentation?

28
 Unit 2 Self-assessment
Mark each of the following statements as they apply to you in terms of Achieved (A), Fairly Achieved
(FA) or Not Achieved (NA).

A FA NA
I can ask for and give information during a phone call
I can write an email using all steps covered
I can express my ideas clearly in a meeting (in a formal context)
I can create and fill in a Meeting Minutes
I can ask questions about a specific topic
I can answer questions and give information about my projects

Use your responses to complete the table below.

My strong points.

My weak points.

What I can improve.

29
 Unit 3
Personal Marketing

I. Business Card 31

II. CV / Resume 35

III. LinkedIn 38

IV. Cover Letter 41

V. Portfolio 45

VI. A Job Interview 47

30
 Business Card
Let’s brainstorm.

I. Group work. What type of information would you include in a business card?
Name five pieces of information:

1 1 1 1 1

II. Group work. Mark (X) that type of information that you can see in the business card
below:

a) Full Name: g) Home address:

b) Workplace: h) Cell Phone number:

c) Your boss’s name: i) Fax number:

d) Email address: j) Number of employees:

e) Work address: k) Company logo:

f) Home phone: l) Other:

31
 III. Vocabulary. Match the concept with the definitions below:

a) Email address 1. This phone call is free for the person making the call.

b) Workplace 2. The person who is in charge of a worker or organization.

c) Full name: 3. Someone who is paid to work for someone else or a company.

d) Boss: 4. The first name, any middle names, and surname of a person.

e) Employee: 5. A place where people work.

f) Fax number: 6.The address of an electronic postbox that can receive (and send) email
messages on a network.

g) Toll-free: 7. A worker in a company.

IV. Reading. What Information Should Go on a Business Card?

Examining the Information for a Business Card

Business cards serve many purposes, but their primary purpose is to tell the recipient what you do and
to give that person a way to contact you. Do not leave off the information the recipient needs most. At
the least, a name and contact method—phone number or email address—should go into a business card
design. Although there are hundreds of possible arrangements, a few commonly accepted guidelines
dictate where to place the essential information.

Follow these guidelines for creating a basic, serviceable and effective business card.

MINIMUM INFORMATION FOR A BUSINESS CARD

The standard business card size is 8.9 cm. by 5 cm. There is not a lot
of room for type and logos, but it is enough to get the job done.
Although other information is optional, at a minimum the business
card design should contain:

- Individual's name and business name (or logo)

- Individual's title or some other descriptive text to indicate what

the person does if it is not obvious from the business name

32
- A way (preferably multiple ways) to contact the person. This could be a phone number, fax, email
address, webpage, mailing address or street address. You don't need to include them all. If you prefer to
be contacted by email or phone, don't include other contact information on the card.

It is not necessary to include a complete listing of services or products on the business card. Keep it to
the essentials. Use brochures and personal interviews to disclose the full range of services or products
offered.

Orientation: Horizontal layouts are the most typical, most widely used format for a business card.

Name: Whether using a horizontal or vertical

arrangement, the person's name or the business
name is usually the most prominent item on the
card. It is usually placed in the center or upper half
of the card and emphasized with a larger or bolder
font than the other text on the card. The title, if
used, goes immediately beneath the individual's
name in smaller text.

Contact: Contact information is usually placed in

the lower half of the card and aligned left, right or centered. The preferred method of contact—such as
phone number or email address—is often emphasized with a larger size or prominent placement.

Mini-Ad Layout: Business card layouts frequently place the logo at the top center or upper left of the
card followed by the individual's name centered in bold on the card and the contact information located
in the lower right corner.

V. Group work. Mark True (T) or False (F) according to the information in the text above.

a) Business card layouts frequently place the logo at the bottom of the card.

b) The person's name or the business name is usually the most prominent item on the card.

c) The preferred method of contact—such as phone number or email address—is often

emphasized with a smaller size or prominent placement.

d) Horizontal layouts are the most typical.

e) If you prefer to be contacted by email or phone, don't include other contact information on
the card.

f) Basically, a name and contact method—phone number or email address—should go into a

business card design.

g) The standard business card size is 3.5 inches by 2 inches.

33
 VI. Speaking. Pair work. By using the cards below, you should practice asking for and
answering questions about your names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mails and workplaces. Write
the dialogue below using the Elevator Pitch format, and then say it aloud to your teacher and
classmates:

Remember!
When you ask about personal information, you can also use these
questions:

name(s) …. What’s your (first/middle/last) name?

work / job … What do you do (for a living?) / What is your

occupation? What is your job?

address … What is your address? / Where do you live? / Where is

your company located?

email address … What is your email address? / Do you have an

email address (to contact you)?

workplace … What is your address? / Where do you live? / Where is

your company located?
34
 Your CV / Resume

Let’s brainstorm. What type of information do you usually include in a CV or resume? Name 5
essential data included in a typical CV.

1 1 1 1 1

I. Vocabulary. Check (√) if the following information has been included in the CV below:

Full name: Family info:

Email address: Spouse’s name:

Telephone number(s): Interests:

Children: Date of Birth:

E-mail(s): Age:

Nationality: Marital status:

Workplaces: Sports:

Education background: Languages:

35
36
 II. Vocabulary. Match the concepts with the definitions.

1. Objective A. Job related abilities

2. Profile. B. Academic Degrees, Titles or Diplomas

3. Key Skills. C. People who can give references about your work and personality.

4. Achievements. D. Additional Training Courses

5. Qualification. E. A convincing statement to give details about your job application.

6. References. F. Words that describe your personality

III. Watch the following video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lf-d2hbl58

Now it’s your turn to write your personal CV/Resume.

Remember!

There’s no perfect format when writing a

resume.

(Include all tips covered in the video)

37
 LinkedIn
Let’s brainstorm.
How would you define (in a few words) the Social Network LinkedIn?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKCFNje8CSE

V. I. Reading. Read the following description and usage about the social network LinkedIn.

Maybe you've heard the term "LinkedIn" uttered by your colleagues at work, mentioned by your
fellow classmates at school or spoken by a friend who's on the hunt for a new job. But what is
LinkedIn, anyway?

Put simply, LinkedIn is a social network for professionals. Whether you're a marketing executive at
a major company, a business owner who runs a small local shop or even a first year college
student looking to explore future career options, LinkedIn is for anybody and everybody who's
interested in taking their professional lives seriously by finding new opportunities to grow their
careers and to connect with other professionals.

It's sort of like a traditional networking event where you go and meet other professionals in
person, talk a little bit about what you do and exchange business cards. On LinkedIn, however, you
add "connections" similarly to how you'd make a friend request on Facebook, you converse via
private message (or available contact information) and you have all of your professional
experience and achievements laid out in a neatly organized profile to show off to other users.

LinkedIn is very similar to Facebook in terms of its broad feature offering. These features are more
specialized because they cater to professionals, but in general, if you know how to use Facebook
or any other similar social network, LinkedIn is somewhat comparable.

38
What You Can Use LinkedIn For

Now you know what LinkedIn offers and what kind of people typically use it, but that probably
doesn't give you any specific ideas for how to start using it yourself. In fact, many users create an
account and then abandon it because they have no idea how they should be using LinkedIn.

Get back in touch with old colleagues. You can use the My Network section
to find old colleagues, teachers, people you went to school with and anyone
else you might think is worth having in your professional network. Just enter
or connect your email to sync your contacts with LinkedIn.

Use your profile as your resume. Your LinkedIn profile basically represents a
more complete (and interactive) resume. You can include it as a link perhaps
in an email or your cover letter when you apply to jobs. Some websites that
allow you to apply to jobs will even allow you to connect to your LinkedIn
profile to import all your information. If you need to build a resume outside
of LinkedIn, there are apps for that.

Find and apply to jobs. Remember that LinkedIn is

one of the best places to look for job postings online.
You'll always get recommendations from LinkedIn
about jobs you may be interested in, but you can
always use the search bar to look for specific
positions too.

Find and connect with new professionals. It's great

to get back in touch with old colleagues and connect with everyone at your current workplace who
may also be on LinkedIn, but what's even better is that you have the opportunity to discover new
professionals either locally or internationally that may be able to help out with your professional
endeavors.

Participate in relevant groups. A great way to meet new

professionals to connect with is to join groups based on your
interests or current profession and start participating. Other group
members may like what they see and want to connect with you.

Blog about what you know. LinkedIn's very own publishing

platform allows users to publish blog posts and gain the
opportunity to have their content read by thousands. Published
posts will also show up on your profile, which will increase your
credibility in related fields that are relevant to your professional
experience.

39
Watch the following video about how to create a LinkedIn profile and how to build your
network.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjOdHd0Fz8k

Now it’s your turn to create your LinkedIn profile.

Remember!

LinkedIn is a valuable resource for

career and business professionals to
network, get resources and support,
and build relationships with potential
customers, clients, and partners.

40
 Cover Letter
Let’s brainstorm.
What is the purpose of a COVER LETTER?

I. Pair Work. What is the correct definition of a Cover Letter?

a) A cover letter is a letter to write from company to company as classified

information.

b) A cover letter is also called letter of reference, you use to give information
about a job candidate.

c) A cover letter is sent with a job application and CV explaining the applicant's
credentials and interest in the open position.

II. Pair Work. Read the following description of a Cover Letter and do the Writing Exercise (4).
Many employers only spend thirty seconds reading each job application, so your cover letter needs to be
convincing in order to get the reader's attention and make them want to learn more about you. However,
do not try to be funny. If your potential employer does not share your sense of humor, this might backfire.
Show a genuine interest in the company, but do not flatter - you will only sound insincere.

1. Why are you suitable for the job? Describe the skills you have and the qualifications that
specifically apply to the job or placement. If qualifications are mentioned in an ad, make sure you
refer to them.
2. Briefly state the job or placement for which you are applying, where you saw the job advertised
and who you are. Keep it short and to the point.
3. Restate your interest in the job and say why you are the right person for the job (in one sentence!).
Request action, so show that you are happy to come for an interview and say that you are looking
forward to hearing from them. Mention that your résumé is enclosed.
4. What can you do for the company (not what the company can do for you)? Outline a relevant
career goal and expand on the most relevant points in your resume.

41
 III. Writing. Write a suitable Cover Letter presenting yourself, stating in what ways you are suited
for the position you are applying for, showing that you have profound knowledge of the company and/or job
and expressing real interest in the position.

Remember!
Remember that both the cover letter and
the resume follow the rules of a formal
letter (formal language, no spelling
mistakes).

42
 IV. Reading. Read the following description about how to follow up a cover letter.

It’s frustrating to send in a job application and not hear back from the company.
What can you do? Well, you basically have two options: continue waiting, or send
a follow-up letter. If you choose to send a follow-up, you’ll be walking a fine line:
you want to remind the hiring manager of your interest and qualifications, without
making them feel hounded. Remember that job interviews are about fit, to a
certain extent – if the hiring manager doesn’t want to work with you, you won’t
get the job. Stalking them won’t help make your case.

Below, you’ll find tips on sending a follow-up letter that strikes that perfect balance to help you write your
own persuasive message.

Send it promptly. Wait a week or two after sending your job application. If you don’t hear back by then,
consider sending a letter. Keep in mind that it will take at least a couple of days for the letter to get to the
company. If you are in a rush, consider following up in a different way. You can also send an email, make a
phone call, or even visit the office in person.

Be polite. Avoid accusing the employer of forgetting your application or ignoring you. Assume the best –
that they are simply very busy and have not yet had time to read your application or respond to you. Be
extremely polite throughout the letter.

Keep it short. The employer is likely very busy and has many applications to read through. Therefore, don’t
add to his or her workload with a very long letter. Get right to the point, explaining who you are and why
you are writing.

Reinforce your skills (briefly). While your letter should be short, you should briefly reiterate one or two
things that make you stand out as a job candidate. Emphasize why you are right for the job, and/or the
company.

Carefully edit and proofread your letter. This letter is a chance for you to make a first (or second)
impression on the employer. Make sure it is professional and polished, and in proper business letter format.
Read through the letter carefully before sending it.

Follow up again. If another week or so passes after sending your letter and you still haven’t heard back, you
can send another. At that point, you might also follow up in a different way, such as a phone call or email.

43
 V. Writing. Take a look at the Follow up letter example below and then write a personal Follow up
letter using the tips mentioned in the reading part.

Mr. George Wyatt

XYZ Company
87 Delaware Road
Hatfield, CA 08065
Date

Dear Mr. Wyatt,

I submitted a letter of application and a resume earlier this month for the designer position advertised in the
Times Union. To date, I have not heard from your office. I would like to confirm receipt of my application and
reiterate my interest in the job.

I am very interested in working at XYZ Company, and I believe my skills and experience would be an ideal
match for this position. In particular, my five years as an award-winning designer at ABC Company make me a
strong fit for this position and company.

Please let me know if you need any further materials from me. I can be reached at (555) 555-5555 or
jdoe@abcd.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Signature (hard copy letter)
Jane Doe

44
 Portfolio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tmmqkf-7Ak

I. Reading. Read the following text about how to create your portfolio.

You need a portfolio to showcase your work and to help to demonstrate your skills to prospective
employers. Nothing impresses more than a beautifully presented portfolio at an interview. But don't send
it unless requested. Always bring it with you if you have an interview.

Go for quality, not quantity: employers will probably spend only a few minutes looking at your
portfolio, especially at interview. Less can be more so select only your strongest work.

Put your portfolio on a web site if possible as it is so easy to access. You then simply need to
provide the web link on your CV.

Make sure that the portfolio is carefully laid out and in the correct order.

All items need to be clear and easy to understand

A physical portfolio can include anything that is portable! Anything flat can be folded into a
portfolio, but you are not restricted to things that can fit inside the portfolio! If an item is too large
to take to the interview take high quality photos of it to show with close ups to elicit details.

45
What should my portfolio include?

A good portfolio would probably have most of the following:

An index of the contents

Your CV including your interests and any evidence of project
management skills. Your CV should give the impression that you think
like a designer.
Perhaps a profile or personal statement
Your key achievements and skills
Examples of your work of course with good documentation. Place the
best and most relevant work first and start and finish with strong
pieces of work.
Include a variety of examples of work you have done.
Your main example needs to reflect your strengths and your creative
approach and flair.
Items that show your thought process and development of ideas are
valuable: sequence of photos for example.

II. Pair Work. In pairs create a portfolio about the project you carried out during Unit 1 and then role-
play an Interview Portfolio.

Just in case!
If you need more information and examples about
portfolios, go to this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNRSjpCx864

46
 Job Interview

I. Vocabulary. Interview language. Write ‘I’ for Interviewer, or ‘A’ for Applicant.

Please, take a seat 

 What´s the salary? 
When can you start? 
How are you today? 
What are my duties? 
Tell me about yourself 
 We will (we´ll) be in touch 
Do you have any questions? 
Thank you for your time 

II. Speaking. Make a conversation between a job candidate and a job interviewer. Use the
vocabulary provided below:

Good afternoon!
Hi! Please, take a sit!
Thank you!
How are you today?
I am fine, thanks
Tell me about yourself
My Name is Ben Smith and I am from England.
I am 35 years old.

Do you have any questions about the job?

Yes, what does your company do/make?

We will be in touch We design /create/make/manufacture products

Thank you for your time! What do your salespeople do?
Bye Bye They call clients, take orders, sell products and
organize meetings.
That sounds interesting!
Any other questions?
No, that´s all

47
III. Group work. Answer the following questions and then share them with the class.

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. What are your strengths?

3. What are your weaknesses?

4. What are your short term goals?

5. What are your long term goals?

6. Do you work well under pressure?

7. Are you better at anticipating or reacting to problems?

8. What types of people do you have trouble getting along with?

9. What do you do when you have a problem with a co-worker?

10. What do you want to be doing five years from now?

48
 Unit 3 Self-assessment
Mark each of the following statements as they apply to you in terms of Achieved (A), Fairly Achieved (FA) or
Not Achieved (NA).

A FA NA
I can create and modify a business card
I can create and modify a resume
I can make a profile and build a network in LinkedIn
I can make a cover letter including all aspects covered in the unit
I know how to make a portfolio
I can express myself clearly during a job interview

Use your responses to complete the table below.

My strong points.

My weak points.

What I can improve.

49
 References

1. Marion Grussendorf. English for Presentations. Oxford University Press.

2. Kenneth Thomson. English for Meetings. Oxford University Press.

3. David Gordon Smith. English for Telephoning. Oxford University Press.

4. Virginia Evans, Jenny Dooley, Henrietta P. Rogers. Art & Design. Express Publishing.

Web References

www.kickstarter.com

www.projectmanager.com

www.thebalance.com

www.targetjobs.co.uk

www.englishlive.com

www.google.cl

www.youtube.com

www.lifewire.com

www.kent.ac.uk

50