Saturday, March 21, 2020

Finding a Job for English Learners

Finding a Job for English Learners Understanding your potential employer can help you get the job you are looking for. This section focuses on developing interviewing skills that will help you prepare for a job interview in an English speaking country. The Personnel Department The personnel department is responsible for hiring the best possible candidate for an open position. Often hundreds of applicants apply for an open position. In order to save time, the personnel department often uses a number of methods to select applicants who they would like to interview. Your cover letter and resume must be perfect in order to ensure that you will not be looked over because of a minor mistake. This unit focuses on the various documents required for a successful job application, as well as interviewing techniques and appropriate vocabulary to use in your resume, cover letter and during the job interview itself. Finding a Job There are many ways to find a job. One of the most common is looking through the positions offered a section of your local newspaper. Here is an example of a typical job posting: Job Opening Due to the enormous success of Jeans and Co., we have a number of job openings for shop assistants and local management positions. Shop Assistant:  Successful candidates will have a high school degree with at least 3 years working experience and two current references. Desired qualifications include basic computer skills. Key responsibilities will include operating cash registers and providing customers with any help they may need. Management Positions:  Successful candidates will have a college degree in business administration and management experience. Desired qualifications include management experience in retail and thorough knowledge of Microsofts Office Suite. Responsibilities will include management of local branches with up to 10 employees. Willingness to move frequently also a plus. If you wish to apply for one of the above vacancies, please send a resume and cover letter to our personnel manager at: Jeans and Co.254 Main StreetSeattle, WA 98502 The Cover Letter The cover letter introduces your resume or CV when applying for a job interview. There a few important things that need to be included in the cover letter. Most importantly, the cover letter should point out why you are particularly suited to the position. The best way to do this is to take the job posting and point out the highlights in your resume that exactly match the desired qualifications. Here is an outline to writing a successful cover letter. To the right of the letter, look for important notes concerning the layout of the letter signaled by a number in parenthesis (). Peter Townsled35 Green Road (1)Spokane, WA 87954April 19, 200_ Mr. Frank Peterson, Personnel Manager (2)Jeans and Co.254 Main StreetSeattle, WA 98502 Dear Mr. Trimm: (3) (4) I am writing to you in response to your advertisement for a local branch manager, which appeared in the Seattle Times on Sunday, June 15. As you can see from my enclosed resume, my experience and qualifications match this positions requirements. (5) My current position managing the local branch of national shoe retailers has provided the opportunity to work in a high-pressure, team environment, where it is essential to be able to work closely with my colleagues in order to meet sales deadlines. In addition to my responsibilities as manager, I also developed time management tools for staff using Access and Excel from Microsofts Office Suite. (6) Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to the opportunity to personally discuss why I am particularly suited to this position. Please telephone me at after 4.00 p.m. to suggest a time that we may meet. I can also be reached by email at petertnet.com Sincerely, Peter Townsled Peter Townsled (7) Enclosure Notes Begin your cover letter by placing your address first, followed by the address of the company you are writing to.Use complete title and address; dont abbreviate.  Always make an effort to write directly to the person in charge of hiring.Opening paragraph - Use this paragraph to specify which job you are applying for, or if you are writing to inquire whether a job position is open, question the availability of an opening.Middle paragraph(s) - This section should be used to highlight your work experience which most closely matches the desired job requirements presented in the job opening advertisement. Do not simply restate what is contained in your resume. Notice how the example makes a special effort to show why the writer is especially suited to the job position opening posted above.Closing paragraph - Use the closing paragraph to ensure action on the part of the reader. One possibility is to ask for an interview appointment time. Make it easy for the personnel department to conta ct you by providing your telephone number and email address. Always sign letters. enclosure indicates that you are enclosing your resume. Finding a Job For ESL Learners Finding a Job - Writing a Cover LetterWriting Your ResumeThe Interview: BasicsExample Interview QuestionsListen to a Typical Job InterviewUseful Job Interview Vocabulary

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Sociology Theories of Deviance and Deviant Behavior

Sociology Theories of Deviance and Deviant Behavior Deviant behavior is any behavior that is contrary to the dominant norms of society. There are many different theories that explain  how behavior comes to be classified as deviant and why people engage in it, including biological explanations, psychological explanations, and sociological explanations. Here, we review four of the major sociological explanations for deviant behavior. Structural Strain Theory American sociologist  Robert K. Merton developed structural strain theory as an extension of the functionalist perspective on deviance. This theory traces the origins of deviance to the tensions caused by the gap between cultural goals and the means people have available to achieve those goals. According to this theory, societies are composed of both culture and social structure. Culture establishes goals for people in society while social structure provides (or fails to provide) the means for people to achieve those goals. In a well-integrated society, people use accepted and appropriate means to achieve the goals that society establishes. In this case, the goals and the means of the society are in balance. It is when the goals and means are not in balance with each other that deviance is likely to occur. This imbalance between cultural goals and structurally available means can actually encourage deviance. Labeling Theory Labeling theory is one of the most important approaches to understanding deviant and criminal behavior within sociology. It begins with the assumption that no act is intrinsically criminal. Instead, definitions of criminality are established by those in power through the formulation of laws and the interpretation of those laws by police, courts, and correctional institutions. Deviance is therefore not a set of characteristics of individuals or groups, but rather a process of interaction between deviants and non-deviants and the context in which criminality is defined. Those who represent forces of law and order and those who enforce the boundaries of proper behavior, such as the police, court officials, experts, and school authorities, provide the main source of labeling. By applying labels to people, and in the process creating categories of deviance, these people reinforce the power structure and hierarchies of society. Typically it is those who hold more power over others, on the basis of race, class, gender, or overall social status, who impose rules and labels on others in society. Social Control Theory Social control theory, developed by Travis Hirschi, is a type of functionalist theory that suggests deviance occurs when a person’s or group’s attachment to social bonds is weakened. According to this view, people care about what others think of them and conform to social expectations because of their attachments to others and what others expect of them. Socialization is important in producing conformity to social rules, and it is when this conformity is broken that deviance occurs. Social control theory focuses on how deviants are attached, or not, to common value systems and what situations break people’s commitment to these values. This theory also suggests that most people probably feel some impulse toward deviant behavior at some time, but their attachment to social norms prevents them from actually participating in deviant behavior.​ Theory of Differential Association The theory of differential association is a learning theory that focuses on the processes by which individuals come to commit deviant or criminal acts. According to the theory, created by Edwin H. Sutherland, criminal behavior is learned through interactions with other people. Through this interaction and communication, people learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior. Differential association theory emphasizes the interaction people have with their peers and others in their environment. Those who associate with delinquents, deviants, or criminals learn to value deviance. The greater the frequency, duration, and intensity of their immersion in deviant environments, the more likely it is that they will become deviant. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.