False Friends - Taschen Guide by Stephanie Shellabear Page B
Authors: Stephanie Shellabear
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↓
Useful vocabulary
catch on
Schule machen; sich durchsetzen
recipient
Empfänger
opposite number
Gegenspieler; Verhandlungspartner
cringe
schaudern
Your CV
This is an interesting challenge: trying to fit the details of a large part of your life on just one or two pages. That is why it pays to get it right first time. There is not much you can do wrong with your personal details, but things like your education and work experience need a little care.
Example 1: CV containing false friends
Education
1992 – 1994
Promotion in Business Administration, University of Bayreuth
1987 – 1991
Diploma in Business Administration, University of Bayreuth
1979 – 1986
Unting Gymnasium
Be careful!
When you talk or write about the achievements in your educational history, do find the correct translation. The English word ‚promotion‘ means Beförderung in German. The qualification you gained was in fact a ‚doctorate‘ or ‚PhD‘ . ↓ ↓
‚Diploma‘ is a universal word. It can be used for all kinds of qualifications after various lengths of study and/or work experience. If you studied for several years at a university, though, it is safe to call your final qualification a ‚degree‘ . ↓
Do not say you went to school at the ‚gymnasium‘. That is the hall in which you do sports activities and exercise (Sporthalle). You can choose between ‚secondary school‘ and ‚high school‘ to refer to Gymnasium . ↓ ↓ ↓
lmportant
Did you know that ‚bachelor‘ also means Junggeselle? Say ‚He's got a bachelor in Chemistry‘ or ‚He did his bachelor's in architecture two years ago‘. If you say ‚He's a bachelor‘, you might need to explain whether you mean he has this qualification, or that he is unmarried.
Example 2: CV containing false friends
Employment
01/2009 – date
Expanded company into Austria – overtook WeWillDesign . Now Managing Director of three companies
12/2008
Built second company Olidesign , specializing in floors
01/2005
Grounded and led own decorating company Außen.Innen with German state's existence grounding money
01/2003 – 12/2005
Apprenticeship as decorator
Is s/he or isn't s/he?
The information in this CV is confusing (irritierend) not: ‚irritating‘).
Let us start with the oldest piece of information: ‚decorator‘. Does this person mean ‚decorator‘ as in Maler/ Tapezierer or perhaps ‚interior designer‘ ( Dekorateur )? ↓
The next thing we see is that this person founded (not ‚grounded‘ – aus dem Verkehr ziehen) his own company. ↓
Leiten is sometimes ‚to lead‘ but in this context it is better to write ‚managed (my) own company‘ . ↓
The Existenzgründer support is better explained as a state grant given to people to set up their own businesses. Existenz in this case is not ‚existence‘ but ‚one's own company‘ . ↓ ↓
Bilden is a verb you see often, but it is better translated as ‚ to form‘ . You can build a factory (Fabrik ) but you form (or found ) a company. ↓
Does the company Olidesign specialize in floors (Böden) or hallways (Flure) ? ↓
Lastly, ‚to overtake‘ means überholen. It is better to say ‚ took over WeWillDesign‘, or better still: ‚ acquired‘ . ↓ ↓
lmportant
If you really want to get the job you are applying for, ask someone with excellent English – someone who knows you well – to check your CV before you send it. As the English saying goes: better safe than sorry (Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht).
The interview
Has an interviewer ever tested your English during a German interview? Or have you attended an interview that was held entirely in English? Some people love to demonstrate their knowledge of a foreign language and have no trouble speaking with confidence. Nevertheless, look out for false friends!
Some typical questions
Here are just a few of the types of question you will be confronted with in interviews. What is wrong with the answers?
Why would you like to work for us?
Even before
Useful vocabulary
catch on
Schule machen; sich durchsetzen
recipient
Empfänger
opposite number
Gegenspieler; Verhandlungspartner
cringe
schaudern
Your CV
This is an interesting challenge: trying to fit the details of a large part of your life on just one or two pages. That is why it pays to get it right first time. There is not much you can do wrong with your personal details, but things like your education and work experience need a little care.
Example 1: CV containing false friends
Education
1992 – 1994
Promotion in Business Administration, University of Bayreuth
1987 – 1991
Diploma in Business Administration, University of Bayreuth
1979 – 1986
Unting Gymnasium
Be careful!
When you talk or write about the achievements in your educational history, do find the correct translation. The English word ‚promotion‘ means Beförderung in German. The qualification you gained was in fact a ‚doctorate‘ or ‚PhD‘ . ↓ ↓
‚Diploma‘ is a universal word. It can be used for all kinds of qualifications after various lengths of study and/or work experience. If you studied for several years at a university, though, it is safe to call your final qualification a ‚degree‘ . ↓
Do not say you went to school at the ‚gymnasium‘. That is the hall in which you do sports activities and exercise (Sporthalle). You can choose between ‚secondary school‘ and ‚high school‘ to refer to Gymnasium . ↓ ↓ ↓
lmportant
Did you know that ‚bachelor‘ also means Junggeselle? Say ‚He's got a bachelor in Chemistry‘ or ‚He did his bachelor's in architecture two years ago‘. If you say ‚He's a bachelor‘, you might need to explain whether you mean he has this qualification, or that he is unmarried.
Example 2: CV containing false friends
Employment
01/2009 – date
Expanded company into Austria – overtook WeWillDesign . Now Managing Director of three companies
12/2008
Built second company Olidesign , specializing in floors
01/2005
Grounded and led own decorating company Außen.Innen with German state's existence grounding money
01/2003 – 12/2005
Apprenticeship as decorator
Is s/he or isn't s/he?
The information in this CV is confusing (irritierend) not: ‚irritating‘).
Let us start with the oldest piece of information: ‚decorator‘. Does this person mean ‚decorator‘ as in Maler/ Tapezierer or perhaps ‚interior designer‘ ( Dekorateur )? ↓
The next thing we see is that this person founded (not ‚grounded‘ – aus dem Verkehr ziehen) his own company. ↓
Leiten is sometimes ‚to lead‘ but in this context it is better to write ‚managed (my) own company‘ . ↓
The Existenzgründer support is better explained as a state grant given to people to set up their own businesses. Existenz in this case is not ‚existence‘ but ‚one's own company‘ . ↓ ↓
Bilden is a verb you see often, but it is better translated as ‚ to form‘ . You can build a factory (Fabrik ) but you form (or found ) a company. ↓
Does the company Olidesign specialize in floors (Böden) or hallways (Flure) ? ↓
Lastly, ‚to overtake‘ means überholen. It is better to say ‚ took over WeWillDesign‘, or better still: ‚ acquired‘ . ↓ ↓
lmportant
If you really want to get the job you are applying for, ask someone with excellent English – someone who knows you well – to check your CV before you send it. As the English saying goes: better safe than sorry (Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht).
The interview
Has an interviewer ever tested your English during a German interview? Or have you attended an interview that was held entirely in English? Some people love to demonstrate their knowledge of a foreign language and have no trouble speaking with confidence. Nevertheless, look out for false friends!
Some typical questions
Here are just a few of the types of question you will be confronted with in interviews. What is wrong with the answers?
Why would you like to work for us?
Even before
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