Translating my CV

[Suenneil]

Originally Posted by Tallulah

Or, and it's an obvious one a nicely presented double sided CV - in both languages - with your qualification equivalents?! That should save on the copying/print outs!!

Good luck.

Tallulah.x

Hi Tally ...

I think the thing to bear in mind here is that if you present a CV in any language - there is an assumption made that you read / write / speak that language. In the past when I have reviewed incoming CV for positions I have advertised for - I would certainly make that assumption - and then would be flabbergasted if someone turned up for the interview not being able to communicate!!

Personally, I think the CV should be presented in English with the information that her spanish is "basic / moderate / fluent" noted on there ..... unless of course you were applying to a Spanish company based on your fluency of that language.

Sue

[jojo]

It also would depend on what position is being applied for. An airline pilot for example needs to be able to speak and read in English, but should also know enough Spanish. A brain surgeon... well that I guess wouldnt matter too much if accompanied by excellent references. By the same token a bar maid/waitress need not be totally fluent in either language, but should know enough to get by??????

Jo xx

[Suenneil]

Thats my point Jo ..... you wouldnt apply for a job that required Spanish if you didnt speak Spanish! If you did and you applied for the job your CV would be in that language .... but if you were applying for a telemarketing position as a property company,with the position advertised in English ... you wouldnt send a Spanish language CV in for that ..... also if you DID apply to a Spanish company for a Spanish speaking job, you would only send in your Spanish CV if you could actually communicate at the interview!

ooooooh Ive confused myself now ! lol xxx

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by emma1986

Regarding supplying a CV in Spanish and therefore getting interviewed in Spanish - would it be acceptable to send out English CVs? I just assumed that whatever happened, I would need to be sending out CVs in the native language?

Thanks

An awful lot depends on what kind of job you're applying for. If you're looking for a management position with multinational companies, an English CV works fine - especially if they are looking for someone to be a liaison with the home office in London or the US. (You would still put your languages on the CV with the level at which you speak, write and understand.)

For jobs where the employer is most likely to be looking among the local population for a candidate, the CV needs to be in the local language because chances are the interviews will be in the local language.
Cheers,
Bev

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by Suenneil

Thats my point Jo ..... you wouldnt apply for a job that required Spanish if you didnt speak Spanish! If you did and you applied for the job your CV would be in that language .... but if you were applying for a telemarketing position as a property company,with the position advertised in English ... you wouldnt send a Spanish language CV in for that ..... also if you DID apply to a Spanish company for a Spanish speaking job, you would only send in your Spanish CV if you could actually communicate at the interview!

ooooooh Ive confused myself now ! lol xxx

which is why I suggested to the OP that she translates it herself

she says she has an 'intermediate' level of spanish, so she should be able to manage it

[Xose]

Originally Posted by emma1986

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if any of you knew where I could get my English CV translated into Spanish? I have intermediate Spanish skills but really wouldnt want to attempt translation myself!

Thanks

Hi again Emma,
As you can see, the Forum is a little quiet lately and so a post such as yours can generate all manner of responses, most of which, due to the lack of targeted information, are looking to cover every possible angle.

In the interest of actually being able to help you, can you give us some idea of what area of work you are looking into? Also, if you will be targeting the whole employment market or purely the English speaking only businesses.

Having said that, I apologise for the earlier link to the Degree Homologation service as it may well be completely irrelevant to your actual needs.

Xose

[Suenneil]

Originally Posted by Xose

Hi again Emma,
As you can see, the Forum is a little quiet lately and so a post such as yours can generate all manner of responses, most of which, due to the lack of targeted information, are looking to cover every possible angle.

In the interest of actually being able to help you, can you give us some idea of what area of work you are looking into? Also, if you will be targeting the whole employment market or purely the English speaking only businesses.

Having said that, I apologise for the earlier link to the Degree Homologation service as it may well be completely irrelevant to your actual needs.

Xose

You arrived and rescued us Xose! lol ..... I think we were trying too hard!

Sue

[emma1986]

Wow this thread has gone a bit mad! Youve all scared me now!

The kind of work im looking for would be either as an administrator, in customer service or in sales - preferably real estate. But initially my plan was going to be to get some bar work or waitressing work at night to tide me over, and spend my days knocking on doors to see what is about. I have been looking at all of the spanish job sites so obviously, the posts are all in spanish. They dont specify as to whether the position needs a fluent spanish speaker or not. But as the posts are in spanish I would assume that they would like applications in Spanish as well, regardless of whether the post is for an english or a spanish speaker? To be honest im confusing myself at the minute! I can speak spanish friends and my boyfriend, not fluently but they seem to understand! Im learning more all the time and im taking lessons to brush up on what I learned at A-Level (I do hope to be fluent eventually), but I dont think id feel confident being interviewed in Spanish as interview situations are high pressure enough without having to seriously concentrate on what you are saying and what the interviewer is asking. My dilema is, if I send in an english CV to a Spanish company, will they even bother reading it?

[Suenneil]

Originally Posted by emma1986

Wow this thread has gone a bit mad! Youve all scared me now!

The kind of work im looking for would be either as an administrator, in customer service or in sales - preferably real estate. But initially my plan was going to be to get some bar work or waitressing work at night to tide me over, and spend my days knocking on doors to see what is about. I have been looking at all of the spanish job sites so obviously, the posts are all in spanish. They dont specify as to whether the position needs a fluent spanish speaker or not. But as the posts are in spanish I would assume that they would like applications in Spanish as well, regardless of whether the post is for an english or a spanish speaker? To be honest im confusing myself at the minute! I can speak spanish friends and my boyfriend, not fluently but they seem to understand! Im learning more all the time and im taking lessons to brush up on what I learned at A-Level (I do hope to be fluent eventually), but I dont think id feel confident being interviewed in Spanish as interview situations are high pressure enough without having to seriously concentrate on what you are saying and what the interviewer is asking. My dilema is, if I send in an english CV to a Spanish company, will they even bother reading it?

Hi Emma

I think we are responsible for some of your confusion! lol so apologies !!!!

OK .... and this is only my opinion based on what you have written.

If you see a job advertised in a Spanish paper, written in Spanish (with no mention of the applicant needing to speak English). Then I would assume they would expect a Spanish CV and a fluent Spanish speaker. Therefore the interview would also be in Spanish.

Most job ads will specify the languages they need. If its not specified then assume they want you to communicate in the language in which the ad is written.

Spanish written ad - Spanish speaker required - interview in Spanish
English written ad - English speaker required - interview in English

You say you would not yet be comfortable being interviewed in spanish ..... just remember that this may also apply to the person interviewing you!! If they only Speak spanish - they arent going to be able to interview you in English either! so you would have to sit there in silence

I would be guided by the job advertisement as to what language you use.

Sue .... and good luck to you!!!! keep up the Spanish !

[jojo]

My point on all this was simply that I think your spoken and written Spanish should be as good as your CV!

Jo xx