CGO2 : work experience

Talking about your internship/ work experience (5 minutes)

I*Introduce yourself (Studies, plans for the future)
The company you worked for (Type of activities, field of specialization, location : )

II*Explain how you prepared your work experience
How you chose the company(Did you write a cover letter ? Send a CV ?)
Did  you get an interview with  your boss or human resource manager ?
What you expected from this experience

III*Describe your activities
Department you worked in ? What tools did you use ?What did you have to wear ? How many people worked with you (Did you work on your own or with a team ?) ? What did your tutor do ? What were your working hours (Were they flexible ?) ? Working space ? Have you received a salary ?

IV*Describe the problems you  had to face : technical problems, human relationships...

V*Analyse the results
a-For yourself: in terms of professional skills, what did you learn or improve ?
In terms of personality : what qualities did you develop ? (Self-reliance, team work, efficiency, oral communication skills, prioritizing, multi-tasking, problem solving skills...)
 Did you adapt quickly to your new environment ? Did you make any friends ?

What you liked or didn't like (I enjoy +/resent -)
Has your vision of working life changed ?  Your choice of career ?

b-What did you bring to the company ?

VI*Conclude by deciding if it was a positive or negative experience (Feedback) : do you think this experience gives  you a better opportunity to get a job ? Could you get a position in this company ?

Useful expressions :
A tutor=supervisor
The staff= employees
To master new skills
To expect (s'attendre à)/ I was expected to .../ I had to/ I was told to/ my job consisted in+Ving/ I was in charge of...

To draw the benefits of the internship

I think= I believe= in my opinion=to my mind
I liked/ I appreciated/ I enjoyed/I developed a taste for +       - I resented/ I didn't like/ I disapproved of/
capacities=abilities=expertise
The internship gave me.../ It enabled me to.../ I was able to...
(Concession) However=yet=nevertheless=on the other hand= on the contrary