Writing a job application

1. Starting Up
a. Look at the list of jobs below. Do any members of your family do these jobs?
accountant bank teller builder cook dentist doctor engineer

factory worker farmer flight attendant lawyer manager

model musician nurse pilot police officer receptionist

reporter shop assistant soldier teacher veterinarian waiter/waitress

b. Choose a job from the list and write it on a piece of paper. DON’T LET YOUR FRIEND SEE IT!
Your friend will ask up to 10 “Yes/No Questions” to guess the job, such as “Do you work indoors or
outdoors?”, “Do you wear a uniform?”, “Is your salary high?”, etc. Swap roles when you finish.

2. Reading – a job application

a. Read the job application email. What job
is Michael Smith applying for? To: [Link]@[Link]
b. Match the headings to the four parts From: m.j.smith78@[Link]
Subject: Application for full-time position
in the email:
------------------------------------------------------------------
Experience and skills, Reason for writing, Dear Jason Wong,
Closing statement, Conclusion and thanks,
I am writing to apply for the full-time chef
c. Now read the email again and answer the position at the Sheraton Hotel. I read your
questions as True/False (T/F): advertisement in the China Daily newspaper on
Monday 28th March.
i. Michael heard about the job from a friend. T/F I have four years’ experience working as a cook.
ii. He has worked as a chef for four years. T/F I have worked for two famous restaurants in
iii. He has experience working in East Asia. T/F Hong Kong. I specialize in cooking Asian
iv. He is good at cooking European dishes. T/F cuisine, including Chinese and Japanese dishes. I
v. He is independent and likes to work alone T/F am enthusiastic, reliable, and good at working in
a team.
vi. His résumé is attached to the email. T/F
Thank you for considering my application. I have
d. Find words in the email that mean the same as: attached my CV for your convenience.
i. job ii. well-known iii. focus on iv. included I look forward to hearing from you soon.
v. reviewing vi. benefit Yours Sincerely,
Michael Smith

Professional English Elementary 3 – Writing Skills Lesson 4

 Writing a job application
3. Language focus – qualifications, experience, skills and abilities
a. Make a list of different qualifications/certificates in your country. How many can you think of?
Bachelor’s degree _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________
Now survey five friends about their qualifications and enter the results in the table. For example:
Q: “What qualifications do you have?” A: “I have a Bachelor of Commerce” .
Q: “When did you graduate?” A: “I graduated in 2008.”
Qualification 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Graduated

b. Look at Joanna’s timeline below. Use the present perfect and past simple to write sentences
about her experience. e.g. From 1994 she studied a Bachelor of Arts, graduating in 1998.
Study Bachelor of Law Work in law firm Travel in Asia Manager at London bank Financial journalist

1994 Part-time cook 1998 2001 2003 2011 Volunteer teacher

c. Look at the pictures of the famous people below and discuss the questions in pairs or groups:
What are his/her skills? What is he/she good at? What does he/she specialize in?

d. Ask your partner questions about their experience and skills/abilities. Report back to the class.

4. Writing – a job application

Choose a job from the Job Advertisements and plan a job application email. Make notes in the
Planning Sheet and ask your teacher for help with any difficult vocabulary. Complete the final copy
at home or in class.

5. Speaking – job interviews

Refer to the Role Play (on the Job Advertisements sheet) and follow the instructions.

Professional English Elementary 3 – Writing Skills Lesson 4

 Teacher’s Resource: Job advertisements

Role play – Job interviews

Student A: You are the candidate. You are going to apply for one of the jobs in the
advertisements above. Once you have decided which job you want, take 5 minutes to
prepare for the interview. You will answer the interviewer’s questions about your
qualifications, experience, skills, motivations, personality, etc. Then sit opposite the
interviewer (Student B), introduce yourself, and start the interview!
Student B: You are the employer. You will interview the candidate (Student A) for one of
the jobs above. When Student A has chosen which job to apply for, take 5 minutes to
prepare a list of questions that relate to that job (about qualifications, experience, skills,
motivations, personality, etc). Then, sit opposite the candidate, introduce yourself, and
start the interview. At the end, decide if you will offer Student A the job.

Professional English Elementary 3 – Writing Skills Lesson 4

 Planning sheet: writing a job application
Date:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
1. Salutation/Greeting
Dear...

2. Introduction/Reason for writing/How you know about the job

3. Qualifications/Experience/Skills/Strengths

4. Conclusion/Thank the reader/Mention your CV is attached

5. Closing/ending the email

I am looking forward to...
Sincerely,
(Your name)

Professional English Elementary 3 – Writing Skills Lesson 4

 Writing a job application – Teacher’s
Notes*
*Please note that this is only a guide. You do not need to follow this lesson plan exactly as it is written. As a teacher,
you are always free to use your initiative when planning lessons and to make adjustments that you think will benefit
your students.
1. Starting up
Lead in. Before handing out the sheet, you could play an A-Z “knockout” game. Say a job beginning with “A” (such as
“architect”) and then look at the student sitting to your immediate right and say “B”. They should answer with a job
beginning with “B”, such as “builder”. Continue around the class, giving each student no more than 4-5 seconds to
produce an answer with the next letter of the alphabet. If a student fails to do this, they are “out”, and the game
continues without them until the end of the alphabet.
a. Get students to read through the list of jobs and clarify any that they might not know (such as “veterinarian”, which
can be explained as “animal doctor”). Then get them to ask their friend which of the jobs are done by a family member.
Take feedback at the end.
b. Demonstrate this in front of the class by writing a job on a piece of paper and not showing anyone. Then choose a
strong student and get them to ask Y/N questions to guess the job. After they successfully guess the job you chose,
brainstorm some different Y/N questions with the class, then put them in their pairs to play the game.
2. Reading – a CV
a. Conduct this a gist-reading question with a strict 1 minute time limit. Answer: a chef position
b. Show students that there are four parts to the email (three paragraphs and then the final “I look forward...”
sentence). Get them to match the headings to each paragraph/part and check in pairs.
Answers: 1. Reason for writing 2. Experience and skills 3. Conclusion and thanks 4. Closing Statement
c. Get students to read again in pairs and answer the True/False questions.
Answers: i. F (newspaper) ii. F (a cook) iii. T iv. F (Asian dishes) v. F (likes team-working) vi. T
d. Now get students to match the vocab with similar words in the email. Take feedback at the end.
Answers: i. position ii. famous iii. specialize in iv. attached v. considering vi. convenience
3. Language focus – duties, responsibilities and achievements
a. Write “qualification” on the board and elicit the meaning (a period of study that is recognized with a certificate).
Brainstorm some different qualifications on the board. Answers include: master’s degree, Phd (or doctorate),
technical college certificate/diploma, apprenticeship (or trade). Now demonstrate the survey activity and instruct
students to stand up and ask five friends around the room about their qualifications following the model dialogue, and
fill in the information. Take feedback at the end.
b. Get students in pairs to read Joanna’s timeline and write some sentences using the appropriate form . Possible
answers: She was a part-time cook from 1994 to 1998. She worked in a law firm between 1998 and 2001. She
travelled in Asia from 2001 to 2003. She managed a London bank between 2003 and 2011. She has been a financial
journalist and volunteer teacher since 2011.
c. Lead in by identifying each of the famous people by name (this can be a group competition). Answers (L-R): Usain
Bolt, Kristen Stewart, Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, Cristiano Ronaldo, Barack Obama. Now get students in groups to talk
about the skills/abilities/specialization of each person and come up with one or two sentences for each and put some
examples on the board. Possible answers (L-R): He is a specialist in sprinting/fast running. She can act well. He
specializes in computer software. She is a good singer and dancer. He can play football very well. He is good at public
speaking. d. Do this as a pair/group activity and take feedback at the end, correcting mistakes where necessary.
4. Writing – a job application
Hand out the Job Advertisements and get students to advise each other on a good job to apply for. Then hand out
a Planning Sheet to each student and have them make notes about what they will say in their job application email.
Monitor closely and give them ideas as they do this. Then, either get them to write the final copy in class or at home.
5. Speaking – job interviews
At the bottom of the Job Advertisement sheet is the Role Play. Divide the class into two, Students A and B and give
them time to read the advertisements. When Student A has chosen their job, refer students to the roles and clarify
the instructions if need be. Go around and monitor closely as students prepare (and help out with vocab, etc), then sit
them opposite each other for the job interview. At the end, ask each Student B if they will make a job offer.

Professional English Elementary 3 – Writing Skills Lesson 4