Unit 35 — Jobs and Applications

Read a job advertisement, study a CV, follow an interview and report what happened.

Step 1 — The job advertisement

Receptionist — Seaview Hotel, Brighton

Full-time · 37.5 hours a week · Some weekend work

Seaview Hotel is looking for a friendly, organised receptionist to join its front-desk team.

Main duties

Welcome guests and answer their questions.
Manage room bookings and update guest records.
Answer telephone calls and emails.
Work with colleagues to solve problems.

What we are looking for

Good spoken and written English.
Confidence using computers and email.
A polite, helpful manner and good communication skills.
Previous customer-service experience is an advantage, but hotel experience is not essential.

To apply: Send your CV and a short email explaining why you are interested.

Check your understanding

1. What job is advertised?

2. How many hours a week will the person work?

3. Is previous hotel experience essential?

4. What must applicants send?

Step 2 — Alex Morgan’s CV

Alex Morgan

Brighton, East Sussex
alex.morgan@example.com

Skills

Customer service
Email and word processing
Making bookings
Teamwork

Interests

Walking, reading and volunteering at a community centre.

Curriculum Vitae

Personal profile

I am a reliable and organised person who enjoys helping people. I communicate clearly and learn new systems quickly. I would like to develop my experience in a hotel environment.

Work experience

2023–2026 · Reception assistant, Brighton Health Centre

Welcomed visitors and answered enquiries.
Managed appointments and updated records.
Answered telephone calls and emails.
Helped resolve problems politely and efficiently.

2021–2023 · Shop assistant, Greenway Stores

Served customers and processed payments.
Checked deliveries and kept stock records.
Worked with colleagues during busy periods.

Education and qualifications

2021: Certificate in Business Administration, Brighton College of Further Education.

2019–2021: Secondary education; GCSEs including English and Mathematics.

Does Alex match the job?

1. What relevant experience has Alex got?

2. Has Alex worked in a hotel before?

3. When did Alex obtain the certificate?

4. Why might Alex be suitable for the job?

Step 3 — The interview

Alex has been invited to an interview with Ms Patel, the hotel manager.

Ms Patel: Have you worked with the public before?
Alex: Yes, I have. I've worked at Brighton Health Centre for three years, and before that I worked in a shop.
Ms Patel: What did you do at the health centre?
Alex: I welcomed visitors, managed appointments and answered telephone calls and emails.
Ms Patel: Have you ever dealt with a difficult customer?
Alex: Yes. Last year, a visitor was angry because an appointment had been cancelled. I listened carefully, explained what had happened and helped arrange another appointment.
Ms Patel: When did you obtain your Business Administration certificate?
Alex: I obtained it in 2021. The course included word processing, spreadsheets and business communication.
Ms Patel: We use a booking system that you may not know. How quickly do you learn new computer systems?
Alex: I usually learn them quite quickly. At the health centre, I learned a new appointment system in about a week.
Ms Patel: Thank you, Alex. We'll contact you next week.

Understanding the interview

1. Has Alex worked with the public before?

2. Why was the visitor angry?

3. When did Alex obtain the certificate?

4. How long did it take Alex to learn the new system?

Step 4 — How did it go?

When Alex gets home, Alex’s partner, Jamie, asks about the interview.

Jamie: How did it go?
Alex: I think it went well. Ms Patel asked me if I'd worked with the public before.
Jamie: What did you say?
Alex: I explained that I'd worked at the health centre for three years and that I'd worked in a shop before that.
Jamie: Did she ask you about a difficult customer?
Alex: Yes. She asked me whether I'd ever dealt with a difficult customer, so I told her about the visitor whose appointment had been cancelled.
Jamie: Did she ask when you got your certificate?
Alex: Yes, she asked me when I'd obtained it. I explained that I'd obtained it in 2021.
Jamie: What happened at the end?
Alex: She thanked me and said that they'd contact me the following week.

Report what the interviewer asked

1. Report: “Have you worked with the public before?”

2. Report: “When did you obtain your certificate?”

3. Report: “I've worked at the health centre for three years.”

4. Report: “We'll contact you next week.”

5. Report: “Have you ever dealt with a difficult customer?”

Step 5 — Choose the correct form

Complete each sentence using the verb in brackets. The context helps you choose the form.

1. ______ with hotel guests before? (you / ever / work)

2. When ______ your certificate? (you / obtain)

3. She asked me if I ______ with the public before. (work)

4. I ______ the certificate in 2021. (obtain)

5. She said that they ______ me the following week. (contact)

Step 6 — Prepare your own application

Use Alex’s CV as a model, but write about your own experience and ambitions. You do not need to share personal details with anyone. If you prefer, invent an applicant.

Planning prompts

What kind of job would you like to apply for?
What skills or experience would be useful for it?
What have you done that shows you have these skills?
When did you gain your qualifications or experience?
What would you say if an interviewer asked about a challenge you had faced?

1. Write two or three sentences for a personal profile.

2. Write one sentence about experience you have gained.

3. Write one sentence about a completed event, including when it happened.

These final tasks are open-ended, so there is no automatic right-or-wrong marking.