2. Put the interviewer’s questions in the right order and answer them with you own information.

1. ___ Can you tell me a little bit about the hotel you worked at?

2. ___ What makes you interested in the job of receptionist here?

3. ___ How did you find working there?

4. ___ Can I ask about your qualification?

5. ___ Have you graduated? What degree do you have?

6. ___ You are … (name and surname), aren’t you?

7. ___ Is there anything you would like to ask about the job?

8. ___ You’re interested in working for us as a hotel receptionist, aren’t you?

9. ___ What sort of work did you do at the hotel?

Exercise 9 Be ready speak about:

• The purpose of the interview.

• Books and courses which help applicants to get ready for the interview.

• Before the interview and during it.

• Answering questions in the interview.

• The tips for the best way to answer interview questions.

Module іі

Topics:

• Types of business organizations

• Corporate culture

• Business etiquette

UNIT I

Exercise 1 Read the following text and try to summarize the notion of the words «company» and «association».

Types of business organizations

A company is, in general, any group of persons (known as its members) united to pursue a common interest. The term is thus synonymous with association, but more often it is used specifically to identify associations formed for profit, such as the partnership, the joint-stock company, and the for-profit corporation. A company is not necessarily a corporation, and thus may not have a separate existence from its members.

A company might also not be able to sue or be sued in its own name, and thus would not be considered to be a legal person. Whether a company has either of these characteristics depend on the law of the jurisdiction.

Although associations of persons carrying on business must have existed from time immemorial, the oldest continually-operating business in existence is Japanese firm Kongo Gumi, which was founded in the sixth century.

A voluntary association (also sometimes called just an association) is a group of individuals who voluntarily enter into an agreement to form a body (or organization) .

Strictly speaking in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association, although it is difficult to imagine how a one person association would operate. In some jurisdictions, there is a minimum for the number of persons starting an association. Some jurisdictions require that the association register with the police or other official body to inform the public of the association’s existence. This is not necessarily a tool of political control but much more a way of protecting the economy from fraud. In many such jurisdictions, only a registered association is a legal person whose membership is not responsible for the financial acts of the association. Any group of persons may, of course, work as an association but in such case, the persons making a transaction in the name of the association are all responsible for it.

Associations that are organized for profit or financial gain are usually called partnerships. A special kind of partnership is a co-operative which is usually founded on one man - one vote principle and distributes its profits according to the amount of goods produced or bought by the member. Associations may take the form of a non-profit organization or they may be not-for-profit corporations; this does not mean that the association cannot make benefits from its activity, but all the benefits must be reinvested. Most associations have some kind of document or documents that regulate the way in which the body meets and operates. Such an instrument is often called the organization’s bylaws, regulations, or agreement of association.

In some civil law systems, an association is considered a special form of contract. In the Civil Code of Quebec this is a type of nominate contract. The association can be a body corporate, and can thus open a bank account, make contracts (rent premises, hire employees, take out an insurance policy), lodge a complaint etc. In France, conventional associations are regulated by the Waldeck-Rousseau law of July 1, 1901 and are thus called Association loi 1901, except in Alsace and Moselle where the law of April 19, 1908 applies (these countries were German in 1901). In Texas, state law has statutes concerning unincorporated nonprofit associations that allow unincorporated associations that meet certain criteria to operate as an entity independent of its members, with the right to own 44 property, make contracts, sue and be sued, as well as limited liability to it officers and members.

Exercise 2 Complete the text using the words below.

bankruptcy	corporations	creditors	issue	shares
losses	registered	partnership	sole trader	liability
financial	premises	prospectus	capital	files

The simplest form of business is the individual proprietorship or (1) _____: for example, a shop (US = store) or a taxi owned by a single person. If several individuals wish to go into business together they can form a (2) _____.; partners generally contribute equal capital, have equal authority in management, and share profits or (3) _____. In many countries, lawyers, doctors and accountants are not allowed to form companies, but only partnerships with unlimited (4) _____ for debts - which should make them act responsibly.

But a partnership is not a legal entity separate from its owners; like sole traders, partners have unlimited liability: in the case of (5) _____ a partner with a personal fortune can lose it all. Consequently, the majority of businesses are limited companies (US = (6) _____), in which investors are only liable for the amount of capital they have invested. If a limited company goes bankrupt, its assets are sold (liquidated) to pay the debts; if the assets do not cover the debts, they remain unpaid (i.e. (7) _____ do not get their money back.)

In Britain, most smaller enterprises are private limited companies which cannot offer (8) _____ to the public; their owners can only raise capital from friends or from banks and other venture capital institutions. A successful, growing British business can apply to the Stock Exchange to become a public limited company; if accepted, it can publish a (9) _____ and offer its shares for sale on the open stock market. In America, there is no legal distinction between private and public limited corporations, but the equivalent of a public limited company is one (10) _____ by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Founders of companies have to write a Memorandum of Association (in the US, a Certificate of Incorporation), which states the company’s name, purpose, registered office or premises and authorized share (11) _____.

(12) _____ (always with an ‘s’ at the end) - is the technical term for the place in which a company does its business: an office, a shop, a workshop, a factory, a warehouse, etc. Authorized share capital means the maximum amount of a particular type of share the company can (13) _____.

Founders also write Articles of Association (US = Bylaws), which set out the rights and duties of directors and different classes of shareholders. Companies’ memoranda and articles of association, and annual (14). _____ statements are sent to the registrar of companies, where they may be inspected by the public. (A company that (15) _____ its financial statements late is almost certainly in trouble.) In Britain, founders can buy a ready-made «off-the-shelf company» from an agent, that is, a company formed and held specifically for later resale; the buyer then changes the name, memorandum, and so on.

Exercise 3 Read the following text and list the steps in starting a business as well as explain four elements involved in every business.

The Steps in Starting a Business

Nearly every person who makes the decision to start a business is an entrepreneur because he or she is willing to take a risk. Usually people decide to start a business to gain profits and to «do something on their own» or to be their own boss.

Entrepreneurs then gather the factors of production and decide on the form of business organization that best suits their purposes. Anyone hoping to become an entrepreneur must also learn as much as possible about the business he or she plans to start. This process includes learning about the laws, regulations, and tax codes that will apply to the business.

Elements of Business Operation

To start a business, you must make potential customers aware that your services are available for a price. You could have one-page fliers printed to advertise your business and pass them out. You could also buy advertising space in the local newspaper.

Every business, regardless of size, involves four elements: expenses, advertising, receipts and record keeping, and risk.

Expenses

If you own a painting business, you will need to purchase brushes and paint. As your business grows, you might invest in paint sprayers so that you can complete jobs faster. This new equipment would add to your income, but will probably take more money capital than you have on hand.

Advertising

You will quickly find out that letting potential customers know that you are in business is costly. Once you have customers, however, information about your business will spread by word of mouth.

Receipts and Record Keeping

No matter how small your business is, having a system to track your expenses and income is key to your success. All receipts should be safely filed and saved.

Risk

Every business involves risks. You must balance the risks against the advantages of being in business for yourself - including profit versus loss.

Depending on the kinds of jobs you do, you will need equipment and replacement parts. At first, you might buy parts as you need them for a particular job: In time, you will find it easier to have an inventory. An inventory is a supply of whatever items are used in a business.

Probably one of the first things you want to do, if you have not already done so, is buy a computer. With the computer, you also should purchase the programs that will allow you to keep track of all your expenses and all your receipts. Many such programs exist and are relatively inexpensive. Programs write checks for you, calculate your monthly profit and loss, tell you the difference between what you own and what you owe (called net worth), and so on. As an entrepreneur, you are taking many risks, but the profit you expect to make is your incentive for taking those risks. For example, if you spend part of your savings to pay for advertising and equipment, you are taking a risk. You may not get enough business to cover these costs.

Whenever you buy a special part for a job, you are taking a risk. Suppose you do the work and your customer never pays you. You are even taking a risk with the time you spend. You are using time to think about what you will do, to write ads, to set up the bookkeeping, and so on. This time is an opportunity cost. You could have used it to do something else, including work for someone for a wage. If you work for someone else, you take only the risk of not being paid, which is usually small. As an entrepreneur your risks are great, but so are the potential rewards.

Exercise 4 After reading the text in Exercise 3, you should be able to fill in the missing word or words.

People who want to start their own businesses are regarded as (1) _____. The first step in starting a new business is to (2) _____. Along with the desire to be one's own boss, most people are motivated by the hope of gaining (3) _____ from the business. The second step involves gathering the (4) _____ and then choosing the most suitable form of (5) _____. New business owners must learn all they can about the laws, regulations, and tax codes that apply to their operation. Every business involves four elements. Through (6) _____, owners let others know about the business and the services offered. Once customers know a business, information spreads by (7) _____. As the business grows, there will be more (8) _____ incurred for supplies, raw materials, equipment, and so on. In time, an owner will want to have an (9) _____ of replacement parts to make the business more efficient. State and federal tax laws require that an owner keep (10) _____ for every expenditure. (11) _____ will enable an owner to keep track of all transactions related to the business. A computer and specialized software can help maintain business files. Finally, an entrepreneur needs to be aware of the (12) _____ of starting a business and balance them against the potential (13) _____.