English for Ophthalmic Opticians (Englisch für Augenoptiker) 75th exercise

This last part of the 20th century has shown us all that there are no longer jobs for life. Few of us would be inspired by the idea of doing the same job year in, year out. We have adjusted to a recognition that we have to continually renew our direction in order to prepare for the rapidly changing work environments of the future. In seeing life as full of opportunities, it pays to remind ourselves that a career path is a lifelong learning process in which we re-shape ourselves to meet the challenges of the future. This view frees up the thinking so we can be active participants in determining next career steps as opposed to merely reacting to market forces.

(…) Learning about other workplaces and spheres of endeavour can only add to your knowledge and experience. Curiosity is a healthy human instinct, which is all too often left behind in childhood. Taking an active interest in researching the world around you will broaden your outlook, perspective and understanding of your own situation as well as the world of possibilities. It will always be helpful to your work and your capacity to network to know as much as possible about other companies, trends, theories and strategies.

To take charge of your own career is to become self-aware, to be your own advocate, to be engaging and interested in the people and organisations around you. Having secured results in the workplace and demonstrated your abilities and confidence, you will be well placed to create your next career move when you hear from the headhunters.

text found in: „How to get headhunted“, by Armanda McArdle, N. N. (Australian Magazine), 1999

Most opticians and optometric technicians are employed by the optical industry or by optometrists, opticians, and ophthalmologists. Graduates may also work for an optical laboratory or for a lens, frame contact lens, or instrument company. The U. S. department of Labor, for instance, has listed this job category as excellent for the next several years.

“Employment of dispensing opticians is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2010 as demand grows for corrective lenses. The number of middle-aged and elderly persons is projected to increase rapidly. Middle age is a time when many individuals use corrective lenses for the first time, and elderly persons require more vision care than others.

Fashion, too, influences demand. Frames come in a growing variety of styles and colours – encouraging people to buy more than one pair. Demand also is expected to grow in response to the availability of new technologies that improve the quality and look of corrective lenses, such as anti-reflective coatings and bifocal lenses without the line visible in old-style bifocals. Improvements in bifocal, extended wear, and disposable contact lenses also will spur demand.

The need to replace those who leave the occupation will result in additional job openings. Nevertheless, the total number of job openings will be relatively small because the occupation is small. This occupation is vulnerable to changes in the business cycle because eyewear purchases often can be deferred for a time. Employment of opticians can fall somewhat during economic downturns.” (www.daybyday.de/ mail/msgedit.html 07/2002)

When looking for a new job as an optician you will probably look for advertisements in optical magazines and/or newspapers. Some examples for publications in English language are: “2020”, “Visionmonday”, etc. . (For examples see ads in figure 75.2., 75.3).

Nowadays a lot of job offers can be found on the internet. Search engines will give you lots of results of institutional or commercial websites with job ads.

Some examples of sites:

international/

suche/

int/comm/dgs/education_

culture/publ/pdf/

directory.google.com/Top/World/

Deutsch/Gesellschaft/

Arbeit_und_Beruf/

Arbeiten_im_Ausland/

jobs-im-ausland.html

(For examples of search results see ads in figure 75.3.)

Direct application to employers remains one of the most effective job search methods. About one third of workers are employed in retail optical stores that manufacture and sell prescription glasses, and another third work in optical laboratories. The remainder work in optical goods wholesalers or in optical laboratories that manufacture lenses for other optical instruments, such as telescopes and binoculars.

Private firms are listed in the yellow pages under Optical Goods, Opticians – Dispensing, and Optometrists. Job openings can be found at various online job-listing systems (for California/USA including CalJOBSSM at www.caljobs.ca.gov or at America´s Job Bank at www.ajb.dni.us).

Now it´s your turn! Here are some jobs and questions:

1. Read the examples of advertisements on these pages and find the English translations for the German words and expressions listed below!

dear mr white i would like to apply for the job of technical consultant advertised in science and technology since completing my eduaction i have been working for wittmann gmbh a car component supplier where i am technical assistant to the sales director my duties include quality control and budget planning i feel that my technical knowledge and in particular my language abilities in english french and spanish are ideally suited to a position in an internationally operating company if you need any further information please write or call me yours sincerely carsten berger

If you are writing a job application in English, don´t be misled by your experience of English casualness and humour. In dealings as impor-tant as this, the British are as serious as the Germans. So abandon any idea of catching a prospective employer´s attention with a “I am the person you´re looking for” approach. Your application can be just as eye-catching if it is succinctly and correctly written.

to be continued

Harald Eggl, München