The process of globalization along with investment from countries outside the territory makes foreign languages a mandatory requirement.
Opportunities from foreign businesses
Multinational companies appear more and more in localities along with an open-door policy to encourage investment from foreign capital.
That process opens up great opportunities for individuals with good foreign language skills. Education and training programs are increasingly focusing on improving foreign languages for students.
In addition, foreign language centers, and exams for foreign language certificates such as HSK, Topik, etc. are expanded with the increasing frequency of exams. That shows that foreign languages are increasingly becoming a mandatory factor in the job search. Even universities and colleges have been stipulating foreign language output standards that students must complete before being awarded a diploma.
This trend makes many young people besides their major, also pursue at least one other foreign language. However, there is still a certain gap between learning and using it in work.
Level of foreign language proficiency
So what is the need for foreign language skills in a CV, and how do you actually work?
It is because of the fact that contacting customers, the work of using foreign software, or simply communicating in the office with foreigners, foreign languages become a plus point for you to proficient use.
Write a CV in a foreign language
No translation
It is because of the fact that contacting customers, the work of using foreign software, or simply communicating in the office with foreigners, foreign languages become a plus point for you. Usually, besides the English CV, you will prepare yourself a CV in another language (if require). It may be Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, etc.
You should note when writing a CV in a foreign language that you should use the language of that country to write your CV, not a reverse translation from English to a foreign language.
There are quite a few cases I have observed that even though countries have different language expressions when preparing CVs, many candidates are still using the motif of translating from English to a foreign.
That makes the information in the text very awkward and unnatural. To prepare a CV using a good foreign language requires you to have a good vocabulary and grammar. However, there are still some tips for you to prepare a good foreign language CV.
CV layout
Please refer to foreign CVs, specifically CVs in the country where you use the language to write. Having worked at two foreign companies and been in contact with Europeans and Chinese, I have noticed that their language of expression is not the same, and the layout of the CV is the same. CVs from Europe are generous in nature with free expression, not too restrictive.
But look at the CVs coming from China. I assume that filling out information is a hobby of Chinese applicants and actually I have read quite a few CVs that share the same tabular format. That’s just a small example of my very limited knowledge, but it also shows that culture more or less affects the difference in expression. Or refer to information from the country where you use the CV writing language.
Use academic language
In addition, foreign languages also have common everyday usage and scientific-academic terms. However, understanding and classifying these languages is very difficult. You can use the Internet to search for job descriptions for positions similar to your work experience to study and gradually learn the vocabulary.
In addition, referring to information from academic articles on topics related to your work, reputable official newspapers, etc. can both help you to expand your knowledge and expertise accumulated quite a suitable vocabulary.
However, actually expressing a CV well in a foreign language only gives you an advantage in the screening process in recruitment.
Using foreign languages at work
It is still important to apply your language to work.
Frequency of use
Determining whether a position uses a foreign language often or not is still a very difficult problem.
Besides the mandatory positions of using foreign languages such as translators and interpreters, although working in multinational companies, there will still be situations in which foreign languages are rarely used.
One of those factors may be that the Company has a very large team of interpreters in all departments, and these people will receive the task of conveying information and opinions from all levels to you to implement work.
There can also be other reasons such as the company has been established for a long time and the team of foreign experts has returned home, the current manager is a native. Therefore, except for the daily contact with each other and the occasional use of email or corporate communication tools, you will never need to use many foreign languages.
Therefore, your foreign language skills may not be very good, but job opportunities at these units are still open. You always have the opportunity to learn and improve your foreign language in these environments.
This is much the opposite of new businesses investing outside, but personally, in my opinion, especially those that have just invested in another country for the first time. Especially for some industries creating new products and services that the current market does not have much.
The search for high-quality human resources for enterprises operating in these fields is not much, and therefore most of the important positions, engineers, etc. will be gradually trained in technical expertise. This makes foreign languages a very important factor in your study and career development at these companies.
Through the basic technical knowledge you already have and a good foreign language, you will have a huge competitive advantage in developing with the company and future promotion opportunities. Therefore, like the example I gave, the foreign language CV now plays an extremely important role. And your ability to practice foreign languages will be much more demanding than other businesses.
Requires practical qualifications
However, going a little deeper into foreign languages, you should give yourself a considerable amount of confidence at your own level. Many of you actually, even though you study a foreign language, still get stuck in interviews with employers and foreigners.
The psychology of being suppressed by the burden of using sentences, of good grammar that needs to be applied when learning has made you lose a part of your perspective because of “fear of being wrong, fear of others not hearing, I’m afraid that I’ll say others don’t understand.”
In fact, no matter how good you are at a foreign language, if you are not a native speaker, you can absolutely make mistakes. In addition, in the process of working, I am sure that there will also arise some words and phrases that are heavy on expertise that only when you do, communicate, and are explained can you fully understand clearly. This is most evident in specialized positions.
That’s why it’s important to be confident because most recruiters won’t check too deeply into your professional expression unless you’re applying for management or translation positions. What they want will be your ability to express yourself with everyday problems at work, and your ability to use a foreign language to explain a problem.
So don’t worry if you don’t use standard grammar or sentences that are not really correct.
