Lecture Four Resume Writing Course Outline Resume Writing

Lecture Four Resume Writing

Course Outline • Resume Writing • Assignments

Resume Writing • I think it is good to do a job that you are interested in and can make money from.

Classroom Discussion Discuss the below resume within your group and try to find its good points and problems by considering the following questions: a) What is the purpose of writing this resume? Is the writing purpose clear? b) What is the relationship between the writer and the reader? Is it close or distant? c) Is it to be read or to be spoken? What is the mode of the writing? d) What are the necessary semantic elements and optional elements in this resume? e) What are the common language features in resume writing? What kinds of expressions are usually used?

Classroom Discussion Resume Name: May Sheng Gender: female Address: Lin'an, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China E-mail: polar@163. com Telephone: 15088871234 Date of birth: September 8 th, 1989 Objective: English Teacher of Sunshine School Education background: 2010—present Zhejiang University, Received Master of Arts in English Language and Literature 2006— 2010 Shaoxing University, Received Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature Award and honor: 2006 "Excellent Student", Shaoxing University 2005 "Excellent Student", Changhua Middle School Work experiences; 2006— 2010 part-time English teacher in Shaoxing Middle School References: Available on request

Teacher’s Commentary 1) The resume is well-organized in its format and layout, with a very clearcut writing purpose. The purpose is to apply for the teaching post of Sunshine School, which is clearly stated in the objective part. 2) The reader is the personnel director or principal of Sunshine School and the writer is a college graduate (jobseeker). The relationship between a job seeker and a prospective employer would always be distant, for there is a respect element here. 3) The semantic structure is complete. The resume has contained the following necessary elements: personal information including the applicant's full name, address, phone numbers, email address; education background; work or professional experiences; awards and references. Thus, the general semantic structure for a resume can be summarized as follows: Personal information ^ education background ^ work or professional experiences ^ awards ^ references Sometimes, the optional elements such as the writer's age, sex, marital status, interest, hobby, health state could be omitted in an English resume.

Teacher’s Commentary 4) This resume has employed some noun phrases such as "Excellent Teacher", "a part-time English Teacher", and verb phrases such as "Received Master of Arts" which are very concise and this is the language characteristics of a resume in general. Unlike a business report which sets to record facts both favorable and unfavorable with a purpose to offer insights for decision making or solution formulating, a resume is primarily meant to convince the reader by creating a positive image of the resume writer. Thus, the language of resumes should be informative and factual on the one hand, and explicit on the other hand. Instead of using the personal pronoun "I" to state personal information of various types in complete sentences, the resume writer resorts to noun phrases and verb phrases to show his/her qualifications and experiences. For example: Received Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature.

Resume Personal Information: Name: Li Xiaohuan Sex: Female Date of Birth: Dec. 14 th, 1990 Major: English, Shaoxing University. Telephone Number: 15088872953 0575 -8181225 Address: 508 Huancheng West Road, Shaoxing, 312000 Zhejiang, China E-mail: Iisujuan 0222@126. com Objective: High School English Teacher Education: Sept. , 2008 —July, 2012 Shaoxing University, B. A. Sept. , 2005 — July, 2008 Jinyun High School Honors & Awards: 2009 First prize scholarship Shaoxing University Language Proficiency and Skills: English: CET-4, CET-6, TEM-4, TEM-8, skilled at listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation Computer Skills: Good at Windows, Office, and Internet Work experiences; 2010— 2011 part-time English teacher in Shaoxing Middle School 2009— 2010 a tutor five junior middle school students Interests: Swimming, table tennis and reading References: Available on request

Writing Principles (1) The Layout of a Resume A resume usually consists of five necessary items: personal information; objective; education background; work or professional experiences and references. It may also include optional information such as awards or interests, and other personal data such as sex, marital state, the time and place of birth. The ways information is organized in resumes are quite flexible, yet the five necessary items should be positioned as shown in the following two formats which also include optional elements such as awards, honors, and other personal data

Subentry Format RESUME Name: Address: . . . Phone Number: . . E-mail: . . . Objective: . . . (Qualifications): . . Experience: . . . (in reversed chronological order). . . . . Education: . . . (in reversed chronological order). . . . . (Awards and Honors): . . . . (Personal Data): Gender: Nationality: . . . Date of Birth: Place of Birth: . . . . Marital Status: Health State: . . Hobbies and Interest: . . . . References: . .

Tabular Format Resume Name Address Phone Number E-mail Objective Experience From…to Present (in reversed chronological order) Position: Name of Work Unit: Address of Work Unit: Responsibilities and Achievements: Education From…to … (in reversed chronological order) Department: Name of University: Degree: (Related Courses): From… to… Name of High School (Awards/ Honors) From…to… (in reversed chronological order) Name of Awards and Honors (Personal Data) Gender Nationality Date of Birth Place of Birth Health State Marital Status References

(2) The Semantic Structures of a Resume The semantic structure of a resume can be summarized as the following: personal information ^ objective ^education background ^ work or professional experiences ^(awards /honors/interest) ^references Personal information The identifying information such as name, mailing address, phone number, email address constitutes the heading of a resume. The name of applicant occupying a single line can be put in the middle at the top of the page in bold letters and sometimes the name may serve as a title. In this way, it will attract the reader and distinguish the resume from resumes written by other applicants (Sun, 2007: 147). In addition, since we Chinese put our family name at the beginning, Westerners sometimes mistake our given name for surname. To avoid misunderstanding, we may put a comma after our surname, e. g. , Zhang, Tong, or capitalize every letter of our surname, e. g. , ZHANG Tong. Other personal data such as gender, nationality, date of birth, place of birth, health state, marital status, hobbies and interest are optional in an English resume.

Objective The objective, sometimes called position sought or desired, is the intention of the applicant. Specific information must be filled in this part, such as the detailed position in a company that you intend to seek for, the degree in a university that you intend to pursue, the name and rank of the scholarship or grant you are applying for. Some useful expressions are commonly used for job objective: To work as. . . To employ my professional training in the area of. . . To devote my artistic talent as a. . . in a position with growth potential to. . . Major interest in a position in. . . with opportunity for further specialization. To apply my. . . experience in a position of. . Education List the names of school(s) from which you have received education, the degrees you got and the date. We list the schools we have attended in a reversed chronological order, that is to say, from the most recent backwards. Dates of attendance or degrees (The date may be placed either at the beginning or at the end in parentheses), names of degrees, majors and minors, memberships in organization, average grade point if impressive are offered in this part.

Work experiences Basic information about your past job(s) such as position, name of working unit or organization, sites, responsibilities and working achievements should be presented in the reversed chronological order to show the readers your previous work experiences. Here are some useful expressions that are commonly used for experience/employment record: Taught courses fn. . . More than. . . years of experience in. . . Additional experience. . . Participated in the research of. . . Highly skilled in all aspects of. . . with special emphasis on. . . Excellent interpersonal skills. . . Served as an expert in. . .

Awards/Honors Although they are optional elements in a resume, they could produce impressive effect on the reader. They usually include scholarships, prizes, and awards that you have received both at school and work. What awards you have received, when and where you received them should also be listed in the reversed chronological order. Here are some useful expressions that are commonly used: Received. . . Award. Recipient of. . . Scholarship. Achieved high score on. . . Test. Winner of. . . Contest Received certificate in. . . Having successfully completed company-sponsored training program in. . .

References This part usually comes last. These are the persons who know you well and can either offer information about you or write recommendation letters for you. Usually, it contains a single line to show the availability of references, e. g. , References: Available on Request. If it is required to include references, you can offer the full names, working positions and organizations, full addresses, and telephone numbers of two or three people who know you well and can be trusted to speak favorably about you. However, bear in mind that you must obtain their permission before you put down their names

Language Tips and Practice Stating Your Job Objective 行政助理的职位，能运用办公室管理方面的兴趣、训练与经验。 An executive assistant position utilizing interests, training and experience in office administration. 高级管理人员的行政助理，将用上速记和打字技能。 Administrative assistant to an executive where short-hand typing skills will be assets. 谋求能运用我的语言学方面的学识，并有晋升前途的职位。 A position which will utilize my educational background in linguistics, with prospects of promotion. 谋求一家中型公司的翻译职位。 Looking for a position as a translator with a medium-sized firm 担任跨国公司的推销员，期望在职位上有晋升。 To serve as sales promoter in a multinational corporation with a view to promotion in position.

Language Tips and Practice Stating Your Education 对英语教学有用的课程包括心理学、教学方法、语音学、修辞学、语法、写 作。 Useful Courses for English-teaching include: psychology, teaching methodology, phonetics, rhetoric, grammar, writing. 和外贸相关的专门课程： Specialized courses pertaining to foreign trade: 在相关的课程中我修过的有： Among the pertinent courses I have taken are:

Language Tips and Practice Stating Your Work Experience 董事长秘书。职责：接待访客、安排会议、笔录并打字、书写日常信函及报 告。 Secretary to president. Responsibilities: receiving visitors, scheduling meetings, taking and typing dictation, writing routine letters and reports. 暑假期间为北京国际旅行社当导游。负责外国游客在城区的观光旅游。 Tourist guide during the summer vacation for Beijing International Travel Service. Conducted tours foreign tourists on trip around the city.

Language Tips and Practice Stating Your Qualifications 在大学主修英语教育专业，在一家培训学校兼职三年。 Major in English education, three years of part-time work in a training school. 有 商管理的学历，主修秘书学，两年暑假的全职 作经验。 Educational background in business administration with a major in secretarial science and two summers of full-time work experience. 具有组织市场活动和督导员 的能力，并具有有效的交际能力和公关技巧。 Ability to organize marketing campaigns and to supervise employees. Effective communication abilities and public relations skills. 有五年在中学英语教学的 作经验和英语教学的学历背景。能倾听学生意见， 对学生的需求敏感。 Five year’s working experience in teaching English at a middle school coupled with educational background specialized in English Instruction. Ability to listen and sensitivity to the needs of students.

The Most Enviable Jobs in the World

The Most Enviable Jobs in the World

The Most Enviable Jobs in the World

The Most Enviable Jobs in the World

The Most Enviable Jobs in the World

The Most Enviable Jobs in the World

The Most Enviable Jobs in the World

The Most Enviable Jobs in the World

The Most Enviable Jobs in the World

The Most Enviable Jobs in the World

Assignments • Pick out one of the above most enviable jobs in the world, and write a job application letter.

Course Outline • Vocabulary Quiz • Job Application Letter Writing

Classroom Discussion Please read the job application letter below, discuss it within your group and try to find its good points and problems by considering the following questions: a) What is the purpose of writing this letter? Is the writing purpose clear? b) Who is the writer and who is the reader? Is the relationship between them close or distant? c) What are the necessary semantic elements and optional elements? Why do you think so? d) What are the common language features in job application letters? How can we express these semantic elements?

salutation qualifications for the job personal information School of Foreign Languages Shaoxing University heading Shaoxing, Zhejiang P. R. China 312000 November 12, 2012 Dear Mr. Smith, My name is Monica Zhou, an English major student from Shaoxing objective University. I am going to graduate this July. Incidentally, I see the ad in the gate. And I am writing this letter to apply for the position of being an interpreter. Since I entered college, I spent lots of time to improve my spoken English, so now it gets better. I have developed an interest in interpretation after I imitated VOA for one year. Besides, that's really a challenge to me as an interpreter. Like many other young people, I am very energetic and active. I took part in many extra-curricula activities, such as the English corner and the student union. And I was considered by teachers and my peers to be "very responsible". I am very enthusiastic to the job. I hope I can have a face-to-face interview. Thank you for your consideration. complimentary close Yours sincerely, expectations and thanks signature Monica Zhou

Teacher’s commentary 1) In general, this job application letter has realized its purpose. The last sentence of the first paragraph indicates the writer's writing purpose which is to apply for the position as an interpreter in a company or a joint venture. 2) The writer is Monica Zhou, an English major student of Shaoxing University who is going to graduate in July. The reader is Mr. Smith who might be a Human Resources manager, a general manager or a person in charge of recruitment. The social distance between Monica Zhou and Mr. Smith is not close. This determines the formal writing style of the letter. 3) This letter has included most of the necessary semantic elements such as heading, salutation, objective, personal information, qualifications for the job, expectations and thanks, complimentary close and signature. Missing is the inside address. 4) As for the language features, the writer correctly used some formal expressions, such as "Thank you for your consideration, Yours sincerely". However, in the body, the language is not properly used. Expressions like "Incidentally, I see the ad in the gate. " are not appropriate. And "I hope I can have a face-to-face interview. " is not polite enough. In addition to these, there are some errors in grammar and diction, such as "I spent lots of time to improve", "be very enthusiastic to the job", "be considered to be very responsible"

Writing Principles 1) What is a job application letter? A job application letter, also known as a cover letter, is a business letter written by job-seekers to a prospective employer to express their interest in a position, or explain their qualifications and suitability for the desired position. It is the first document an employer sees, so it is often the first impression the applicants will make. In job application letters, you may explain your experience in a story-like format that corresponds with the information mentioned in your resume; you may also offer an account of the essential skills required by the job; it is also a sample of your written communication skills. In a word, job application letters carry out multi-functions in your job hunting, and therefore, should be given full attention.

Writing Principles 2) What should be included in a job application letter and what is its semantic structure? Just like the other business letters, a regular job application letter is also composed of six parts. They are heading, inside address, salutation, body (purpose and qualifications for the job), the complimentary close and signature. According to the purpose and function of a job application letter, the body should contain the writing purpose, the writer's brief introduction, writer's qualifications for the job, writer's expectations and thanks. Therefore, the general semantic structure for the genre job application letter is as follows: heading ^ inside address ^ salutation ^ objective ^ personal introduction ^ qualifications for the job ^ expectations and thanks ^ complimentary close ^ signature

Objective is the purpose of the job application letter. The following expressions and sentences are frequently used to state the writer's writing purpose; a) I have read your advertisement in. . . (name of the newspaper/TV/radio) of. . . (date) for a. . . (position/post), and should be grateful if you would consider me favorably as an applicant for the position. b) Your advertisement for the position of. . . in. . . (name of the newspaper/TV/ radio) has greatly interested me. I feel that I could fill this post. c) I wish to apply for the position of. . . which you advertised in yesterday's. . . (name of the newspaper/ TV/radio). d) In answer/reply to your advertisement, I wish to apply for, . . e) I have learned from a friend of mine that your firm is looking for. . . I would like to apply for this job. f) I am very interested in exploring the possibility of obtaining a position as a. . . with your company. g) I am now looking for a job and I would like to know whethere is a vacancy within your unit, h) I read with interest your advertisement which appeared in. . . (name of the newspaper /TV /radio) and would like to take up the challenge as a. . . with your firm. i) I would like to inquire whethere is at present a vacancy in your company. j) This letter is to express my interest in. . .

Personal Information includes the applicant's basic information such as name, identity, educational degree (undergraduate, graduate or postgraduate) and major. This element is mostly put in the first paragraph of the body following the writing purpose.

Qualifications : 1) the applicant's educational background and working experiences. It should elaborate on one's specialty, one's graduation university, degree, specific courses, average score, etc. 2) If you are a postgraduate, you had better mention your research field, research interest and achievements, i. e. , papers you have published or projects you have done. 3) Do not simply list out all of your educational experiences. Focus on those which are related to the job you are applying for or which may best show that you are qualified to do this job well. 4) Relevant working experiences will help you to demonstrate that you are capable of doing the job you are applying for. You may mention details concerning your current job or position, your past working experiences (positions, specific tasks, specialty, etc. ), your achievements in the work, others' evaluations on your work performance. 5) If you are a college student who lacks relevant working experiences, mention your part-time job experiences, work experiences in summer vacations, internship, or even extra-curricular activities you have taken part in. Remember to support your claims with specific examples.

1. You need to back your claims up with specific examples. For example: 2. Rather than saying you increased the membership of a club, tell by how much—by 50 students, by 20%, and so on. 3. Rather than saying you worked with several offices, tell how many offices you worked with.

a) I am a quick learner. b) I am a quick learner. This past summer, I was commended by my supervisors at XYZ Company for my ability to learn about the organization and contribute to projects in a relatively short amount of time. a) I am a leader at school. b) I am a leader at school. As president of the University Math Club, I implemented several new programs, such as peer tutoring and a math competition—and increased membership by 30%. a) I am a good team player. b) I am a good team player. In fact, my supervisors at XYZ Company said that my teamwork skills are one of my strongest qualities and stated that I did an outstanding job collaborating with coworkers on my last project. a) No matter what a job demands, I am willing to work hard to succeed in that position. b) No matter what a job demands, I am willing to work hard to succeed in that position. Unlike my peers in the car insurance business, I entered the field with little knowledge of cars and claims adjusting. I consistently completed training courses at the top of the class. I also sought out mentors within the organization and spent extra time before and after work asking questions and practicing my adjusting skills. a) I have a lot of experience helping my peers. b) I have a lot of experience helping my peers. I was a student adviser for three semesters and a mentor for transfer students for two semesters. I also tutored other students at the Learning Skills Center.

Skills, strength and interest are optional in a job application letter. Only list relevant skills and strong points which you think might be helpful for your job hunting. 1) If you are applying for a position as a sales manager, your interpersonal communication skills and leadership skills will be helpful to you. 2) If you are applying to be a software programmer, it will be more beneficial to mention your problem-solving skills and analytical skills. In a word, you should tailor your skills, interest and strengths to make yourself the most prospective applicant.

a) I graduated with a BA degree in. . . from. . . (name of university) in. . . b) I was born in. . . and I graduated from. . . University majoring in. . . I have been working in. . . since my graduation, and have therefore attained a fair knowledge and experience in this field. c) My. . . years in the. . . (company) qualify me for a position as. . . d) Upon graduation, I first worked as. . . The following job was. . . and currently I am working for. . . e) I am currently/ at present/I am employed/ working as. . . f) I was employed as. . . (position) by. . . (company) from. . . (date) to. . . (date) g) During the time, I held the position of. . . / was responsible for. . . /my duties included. . . h) I have received training in. . . /completed an apprenticeship etc. . . i) My qualifications include. . . /! am presently studying/ attending a course. . . j) I have successfully/recently completed a course in (subject) at (place).

The following are the expressions and sentences which are often used to express the applicant's expectations and thanks: a) I am available for an interview every afternoon. Please contact me at. . . b) If you have any position available, please allow me to have an interview with you. Thank you for your time and consideration. c) May I have an appointment for an interview with you to discuss my qualification in detail? d) I would appreciate it if you could grant me an interview so that I could explain in more detail in person the relevance of any background and training. I look forward to seeing you. e) I can come for an interview at any time convenient to you. f) I hope that after reviewing my enclosed resume you will kindly give me an interview so that I can elaborate on my studies and working experience. g) I hope you would consider my application favorably and grant me an interview. h) If you are interested in my application, I would be glad to come for an interview. i) I will be glad to furnish you with any further information concerning my education and professional experience, j) I look forward to meeting with you soon.

Sample Analysis Please read the sample job application letter below and then fill in the underlined space with the required information based on the five questions. School of Foreign Languages Shaoxing University Shaoxing, Zhejiang 312000 May 15, 2012 John Smith Personnel Department Director Shanghai Import & Export Company 105 Renmin Road Shanghai, 100002 Dear Mr. Smith, I am Gary Chen, a student of English Specialty of Foreign Languages School of Shaoxing University. I am going to receive my B. A. degree in July this year. I am writing this letter intending to apply for a job as an interpreter in your company.

I entered Shaoxing University in 2008. During the four years of studies, I have remained one of the top students in my class consisting of 32 students. My average score is above 85, with English Writing, English Literature, Prose and Linguistics over 90. For the course of American Culture and Society, I wrote a paper entitled "On the Consumption in American Culture in 20 th Century", which was regarded by the instructor as "original" in presenting my points of view. I have developed a special interest in interpretation after taking the course "Translation and Interpretation". My score for this course is 92, the highest in my class. During summer vacation last year, I practiced as an interpreter in a company of foreign trade and was considered "very competent". Attached is the comment written by the manager of the company. I am an energetic person, being very active in spare time social activities. For example, I am a member in the university's Red Cross, which has cultivated my compassion for people in need. I am also the captain of the debate team of my class. Through my involvement in extracurricular activities at school, I have developed a sense of responsibility and a deeper understanding of how to communicate with people. Attached are my school records and two recommendation letters by my professors. Please contact me at the address above if there is any question concerning my application. I hope you will give my application favorable considerations. Thank you very much for your attention. Sincerely yours, Gary Chen

a) What is the purpose of writing this letter? Gary Chen wrote this letter to _____________________ apply for a job as an interpreter in Shanghai Import ________________ and Export Company. b) What is the relationship between the writer and the reader? The writer is Gary Chen, a college graduate and the reader is Mr. John Smith, the Personnel Department Director of Shanghai Import and Export Company. Their social distance is far. c) What is the mode of the letter? Is it to be read or to be spoken? It is written to be read in the form of an English business letter. d) What are the necessary elements and optional elements in the content? The necessary elements are heading, inside address, salutation, objective, personal information, qualifications for the job, expectations and thanks, complimentary close and signature. Optional elements are skills/strength; interests and references.

e) What are the language features in job application letters? Tenses The present tense is used as in the first and fourth paragraph of this letter. The second and third paragraphs use the simple past tense to describe events in the past when referring to education and work experiences. Verbs: The verb “BE" is frequently used, especially in offering personal information, describing interests and personality etc. For example, "I am Gary Chen", "I am an energetic person, being very active. . . " "1 am a member. . . " "1 am also the captain. . . " Besides verb "BE", action verbs are also frequently used to describe actions when referring to educational experience and working experience. For instance, "I entered Shaoxing University in 2001. . . " "I wrote a paper entitled. . . " "1 have developed a special interest in interpretation after taking the course. . . " "I practiced as an interpreter". Appropriate use of action verbs makes the letter sound dynamic, vivid and realistic. Set phrases: Many set expressions are used in writing this kind of business letters, such as "Dear X: " "Yours sincerely, " "I am writing this letter intending to. . . " "attached are. . . " etc. Proper use of set phrases will make your letter sound more professional, formal and concise.

Self-revision and Group Interaction Please revise your job application letter according to the above samples and writing principles, and show them to your group members so that they can find good points and problems in the letter you wrote.

Language Tips and Practice Action Verbs In writing job application letters, action verbs are used frequently to refer to the applicant's qualifications when describing his/her educational background and working experiences. They are used to show what the applicant has done and their function is to help the receiver to decide whether the applicant is suitable for the job or not. The following are a group of frequently-used action verbs organized in terms of skill categories. Some sample sentences are offered to better illustrate the proper use of these action verbs.

Management skills administer, analyze, assign, attain, chair, contract, consolidate, coordinate, delegate, develop, direct, evaluate, execute, improve, increase, organize, oversee, plan, prioritize, produce, recommend, review, schedule, strengthen, supervise, manage, co-sponsor, etc. * For example: a) In the third school year, I administered the first in a series of poetry, short fiction and essay contests, organized faculty lectures and co-sponsored visiting writers. b) I am also responsible for overseeing the whole business, and am generally noted for my good organizational and managerial skills. c) As the director, I managed the Center that provides family, personal, and career counseling to professional women and supervised staff of eight including a clinical psychologist, financial planner, psychiatric social worker, and philosopher.

Communication skills address, arbitrate, arrange, correspond, develop, direct, draft, edit, enlist, formulate, influence, interpret, lecture, mediate, moderate, motivate, negotiate, persuade, promote, publicize, reconcile, recruit, speak, translate, write, etc. For example: a) Through my work experience and my involvement in extracurricular activities at school, I have developed a deeper understanding of dealing with people. b) As Administrative Assistant at Taiwan Foods International, I wrote all outgoing correspondence and spoke with customers on the phone.

Research skills clarify, collect, critique, diagnose, discover, evaluate, examine, extract, identify, inspect, interpret, interview, investigate, organize, review, summarize, survey, systematize, work, use, research, conduct, perform, etc. For example: a) I worked for the BCE Museum examining their marketing strategies, as well as other institutions, in an effort to discover the most effective and efficient manner to promote their upcoming exhibition. b) In my recent research, 1 used anthropological and historical theories and methods, especially oral traditions, in study of the Art of southeastern Nigeria. c) Under the supervision of Dr. Sven Lindstrom, I researched data on adjustment of first semester National Merit Scholars and conducted psychotherapy in music. d) In 2000, after interviewing wives of prominent government officials, I wrote a monograph for social science research course at Cambridge University. e) In the lab, I have performed chemical reactions and I am currently using microscopes to observe many specimens. In environmental field studies, I have conducted outdoor labs to assess water chemistry.

Teaching skills adapt, advise, clarify, coach, communicate, coordinate, develop, enable, encourage, evaluate, facilitate, guide, inform, initiate, instruct, persuade, stimulate, assign, grade, adjust, deal, create, take, command, etc. * For example: a) All the papers, quizzes and tests I assigned to the students were immediately graded and returned to the students. b) I was always willing to adjust any parts of my lessons I thought could be improved. c) While teaching in Woodtown Elementary School, I took the initiative to create many colorful, creative and effective bulletin boards relating to the work being done and the units studied in class. d) My maturity in dealing with the students was evident and acknowledged by veteran teachers, and as a result, commanded real respect from the students.