Selection Process

1. Read the article.

Harry Smith is the recruitment head at a telecommunications company. He discusses the selection process that the company uses to recruit people:

"We advertise in newspapers. We check the applicants' backgrounds: their work experience and their educational qualifications. The most interesting candidates are invited for a group discussion. There are individual interviews for each candidate. After the interview, we ask the candidates to do psychometric tests. After this, we shortlist three or four candidates. We check their references by writing to their referees. If it turned okay, we ask the candidates to come back for more interviews. Finally, the job is offered to a successful candidate, and if they turn it down we have to offer it to another one. If they accept it, we employ them right away."

---

2. Vocabulary

selection process
--- the method used by a company to recruit people

applicant's backgrounds
--- a person's work experience, training and education

work experience
--- the experience that a person has worked in a specific field

qualifications
--- an official record showing that you have finished a training course or have the necessary skills

group discussion
--- when group of people talk about something and tell each other their ideas or opinions

psychometric tests
--- written test used assess a person's intelligence and personality

shortlist
--- a
list of people who have been judged the most suitable for a job or
prize, made from a longer list of people originally considered, and from
which one person will be chosen

referees
--- these are previous employers or teachers that candidates have named in their application

turn down
--- to refuse; to reject

---

3. Activity

Fill in the blanks. Use the following words below as your choices.

selection process
referees
turn down
work experience
psychometric tests
group discussion
qualifications
applicants' backgrounds
shortlist

1. They ______________ five candidates for the managerial position.

2. You should pass the _____________________ in order to move to the second screening.

3. He __________________ the job because he already accepted another offer.

4. The ____________________ is the method used in recruiting people.

5. His ___________________ as a teacher is impressive.