Re: A resume question

[Chris Boehm <Chris -dot- Boehm -at- INEACORP -dot- COM>]

I do include my German proficiency on my resume. It helped me get a job
in Germany. I have also gone on interviews where they appreciate it
being there, because so many companies are going international.

Fluency can be hard to judge. I can get along in German (hold a
conversation, buy groceries, open a bank account, rent an apartment,
etc.), but I still wouldn't call myself fluent. I let them judge fluency
for themselves, but I also provide the facts that I have earned a
language certificate and advanced language certificate from my alma
matter (Michigan Tech). I also state that I passed the first level of
the Goethe Institut's certification test.

The Goethe Institut (in Ann Arbor, MI?), will test people at many
different levels ( in German), and is a good way to gauge fluency. I'm
sure other languages have such tests and certification.

A university in your area that has a foreign language program should be
able to tell you what kinds of certification is available.

I would encourage your coworkers to take the certification tests (and
get the company to pay for the testing). I think it lends a bit of
credibility.

Hope this helps,
Chris




>----------
>From:  Tony Caruso[SMTP:tcaruso -at- IX -dot- NETCOM -dot- COM]
>Sent:  Thursday, January 23, 1997 10:00 PM
>To:    TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject:       A resume question
>
>Hello all,
>
>I'm not sure if the following question I have about employee resumes
>may or may not pertain to how your company uses them, but here goes...
>
>Our company has 1-page resumes for all employees.  The resumes are
>usually included in various marketing, proposal, and business-related
>ventures.
>
>It's a pretty standard format with the person's name, job title,
>educational experience, any special license or certification, and
>followed by a summary of their current work, and followed with their
>previous work experience.
>
>Now with the company rapidly expanding into the international
>marketplace, a question arose about how to also indicate a person's
>foreign language experience.  For example, the resume could have ---
>Language(s)  Spanish and German
>
>On the other hand -- and considering it's a 1-page resume -- just what
>does this mean to a prospective client regarding the person's
>proficiency with the language?
>
>After this loonngg lead-in, my question is:  If your company is involved
>international work, does it include a mention on an employee's resume
>about a foreign language?  His or her level of proficiency??  Any
>suggestions??
>
>Thanks to all --
>
>Tony -----    tcaruso -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com
>
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