CV Spelling Mishaps

Here at Euro London we applaud Kent’s mystery spelling superhero, dubbed ‘Grammar Man’ in a recent article. Ok, so he may have a loose grasp of capital letters but his campaign to correct the bad spelling and grammar of Kent’s graffiti is nothing less than admirable. On a similar theme, and following on from our blog Spelling Faux Pas, we wanted to bring you the funniest, silliest and most bizarre bad spellings that we could find.

Our main sources for misspellings were the many CVs sent into our offices everyday. Although candidates know that their applications are going to be scrutinised, spelling slip ups still manage to sneak their way in.

Here’s one way to make a bad impression – a candidate once boasted of ruining the sales department as opposed to running the sales department, proof that one letter can drastically change the meaning of a well-intentioned sentence. Another claimed celery reasons as the rather novel explanation for why she could not accept a job role –she must have had her weekly food shop on her mind. The list goes on, with one of the most common mistakes being costumer services instead of customer services. If an applicant is unable to spell their own job title, it is a definite way to set alarm bells ringing regarding their employability.

So here is some advice for when you’re sending off your next CV…

Firstly, please don’t rely on your phonetic understanding of language to determine its spelling – this can only lead to spelling disasters such as qcumber instead of cucumber and noledg instead of knowledge. Not only is it confusing to read but it can also undermine any claim made to fluency in English and good attention to detail.

Instead, use a reliable English dictionary to verify all spellings or grab a friend to proof read your written work. Often having someone to take a fresh look can uncover mistakes you may have overlooked. Sticking to these principles should help you avoid any spelling set backs and ensure your CV makes the best first impression.

Looking for a job opportunity that will utilise your language skills? Then visit our website www.eurolondon.com for all our vacancies.  Just remember to proof read that CV!

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What better reason to learn French – to win the X Factor of course!

When we came across this story at Euro London, we couldn’t help but read on. A British student winning the French X Factor?! It sounds absurd, but Matthew Raymond-Barker touched the European nation’s hearts with his renditions of pop classics in the native language. Although admitting being less than perfect at the language when he arrived in the country, with the X Factor winner’s crown at stake Matthew quickly found his fluency with French.  

The story is a perfect example of how language learning can open up opportunities that you may never have dreamt possible. Ok, this is a rather exceptional example but nonetheless illustrates that you do not need to let language be a barrier to your ambitions.

Learning a language may just be the X Factor you need to find your dream job!

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The complete guide to INTERVIEWS

A potential Ikea interview?

An important part of the service at Euro London is preparing our candidates for the interview process – a prospect that strikes fear into many and leaves others running for the door! By talking candidates through possible interview questions, as well as giving them tips on how to make a positive impression, we aim to make our candidates feel confident to tackle the real thing.

After all, interviews should be viewed as the perfect opportunity to show off your personality and make a positive impact. 

Follow these simple tips and you may be one step closer to bagging your dream job…

Appearance – You’ve heard it all before, but it’s true! First impressions count. So, make sure to dress professionally. If you are unsure about the company’s dress code, always verge on the side of caution. After all, it is better to be too smart rather than too casual.

Timing – Set that alarm and find that watch, because being on time is essential. It may sound simple but lateness is the quickest way into the interviewer’s bad books. Plan your journey and familiarise yourself with the location to ensure that you arrive promptly. If a situation arises in which being late is inevitable, remember to keep the interviewer informed.

Research – Just like the well known Scout motto, always be prepared. Take time before the interview to research the company as much as possible. Information can range from the business’s main competitors to their core company values. The more clued up you are the better. Doing your homework will also highlight your enthusiasm and interest in the company, which can only be a good thing.

Mobile – Turn off your phone. It may seem simple but here at Euro London we’ve come across our fair share of interviews interrupted by bleeping mobiles.    

Listen – Take time to consider your answers. Pacing yourself demonstrates thought and control, qualities the interviewer will value over rushed and confused answers. Keep information relevant and ask if you do not understand the question – this is particularly applicable if not being interviewed in your mother tongue.

Questions – Always ask questions. An interview is a two way process; not only is it an opportunity for the interviewer to find out about you but also for you to gain information about them and the available role. Being inquisitive demonstrates a thirst for knowledge as well as an interest in the role.

Finally, remember to stay positive and do your best!

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What could your language degree do for you?

This article will be part of a series of blogs focusing on language graduate employment.

Here at Euro London, we often encounter students who are unaware of the career opportunities available to language graduates – with many perceiving translation or teaching as the only options to utilise their language skill. We aim to dispell this myth!

Although a career in translation is a viable option for many multilingual individuals, it only represents a small minority of the employment opportunities available. We deal with companies that want multilingual individuals for a diverse range of sectors, recruiting professionals with languages into banking, office support, igaming, HR, marketing, sales, IT and customer service – proof that languages are a valuable commodity within a wide range of careers!

While a language will not always be advertised as essential to a role, it can be advantageous to an employer. In particular, languages provide an important means of communication to businesses with overseas clients. Within international businesses it is also increasingly expected to trade in the buyer’s language, therefore fueling the need for those with language skills.

So whether you wish to to be in HR or PR, an accountant or an actuary, your language may have a niche value. Taking a look at these broader options will enlighten you to the alternative career choices that your language degree could hold!

Don’t forget to check out next week’s blog for ways that you can add value to your language degree…

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5 easy ways to make sure your language skills don’t go rusty

If you’re a multilingual jobseeker, your language skills are your bread and butter. In a competitive market, particularly with many bilingual and multilingual graduates out of work, it’s important that, if you’re not a native speaker of your chosen language, you keep your skills as honed as possible.

With that in mind, we’ve come up with five effortless ways to make sure you stay on top of your language skills!

1.       Stop watching films in English (unless, of course, you’re not a native English speaker!) – watch some European cinema instead! Even if you’re watching an English film, change the audio track to your second language. Doing this a couple of times a week is an easy way to immerse yourself in the sound of the language without being in the country.

2.       Talk to your friends! For example, if German is your second language, keep up the regular conversations with native German-speaking friends. Ask them to point out any mistakes and make a note of them at the end of the conversation.

3.       Read a book or a magazine in your second language. Doing this will give you the time to pause and check on any grammar or vocabulary you’re not sure of.

4.       Learn a new word every day – even native English speakers feel the need to increase their English vocabulary so why not do the same with a second language? The more articulate you are, the greater the edge you have over other candidates.

5.       Play games! Sites like Sporcle are great resources for language quizzes for those times you feel like brushing up (and competing against yourself).

Keeping yourself at the top of your game doesn’t have to be a big effort, nor does it have to change anything about your regular routine, apart from the soundtrack!

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The top five reasons to learn a second language

With English fast becoming a global language, and certainly the language of business, many people have taken on the attitude that it’s unnecessary to learn a second language. After all, if everyone speaks English, who needs to make the effort?

Here at Euro London Appointments, we seriously disagree! We are always talking about how language skills can increase your employability but that’s not the only reason why language skills are beneficial. Here are the other top five reasons you should learn a second language:

1.       Studies have shown that being bilingual actually structurally changes the brain and increases intellect, especially for people who have been bilingual from an early age. Therefore bilingual people are more likely to have a rounded intelligence than monolinguals.

2.       Language is not just about semantics. Having access to a language means having access to another culture and coming to truly understand it. This is great for business as different cultures have different ways of doing things and makes you more desirable to potential employers!

3.       Knowing a second language increases your knowledge of the English language. Many non-native English speakers are sticklers for grammar – the same goes for language students. Learning a language from scratch makes you more aware of your native language’s grammatical structures.

4.       Language skills get you into university. Some UK universities are now rejecting applicants without at least a GCSE in another language. Degrees are generally a path to a better job, therefore learning a language is a ticket to a better career!

5.       Last, but by no means least, learning a language widens your appreciation of art, cinema, travel, music and the list goes on. By learning another language, you’re giving yourself access to a whole world of culture and art that you may have never experienced!

So don’t rely on the language skills of others. Take matters into your own hand, learn a language and open lots of new doors!

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So you want to be a pharmacist?

Here is the next post in our ‘so you want to be a…’ series. Hope you find it useful!

What does the role entail?

This role that we recruited for recently was a Wholesale Licenser/Pharmacist, which required someone to work for a Japanese pharmaceutical company and trade medicines from suppliers in Europe to the UK wholesale market.

What languages are needed?

As this role was for a Japanese company, it required a Japanese speaker who understood how business operates in Japan and could communicate effectively with people at the company’s headquarters. However the person needed to liaise with suppliers in EU counties and so any European languages were also beneficial.

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So you want to be a poker customer services representative?

You may have seen our recent post explaining that we are going to be profiling a range of the different jobs you can do with languages here on our blog. Our first one was on life as a football researcher followed by life as a video games tester. Here is the third one – carry on reading to find out about life as a poker customer services representative. (Remember: these aren’t roles we’re actively recruiting for – just a selection of jobs we have recruited for in the past to give you an idea of the wide range of jobs you can do with a language!)

What does the role entail?

Being a poker customer services representative will see you providing customer support via email to customers; this may be assisting them with depositing funds into their account, navigating them around the site or explaining how to play in tournaments. You will also be involved in updating and translating web content and watching live poker games online to ensure there is no cheating.

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Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

This year’s series of ‘The Apprentice’ is in full swing, and as the candidates disappear each week, the tasks get that much harder. Last week’s show saw the remaining candidates flown to Hamburg to try their luck at inventing and selling two new flavours of crisps.  So how did they get on in Germany?

Synergy, led by investment banker Chris got off to a shaky start by all claiming they couldn’t speak any other language than English, and Christopher claimed quite simply that he didn’t like the Germans. Apollo, led by Stella were not much better. Whilst none of them too could speak German they did have Stuart on board who was willing to give the language a go.  Not speaking a second language is all too common it appears and this episode served to highlight this.

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So you want to be a video games tester?

We hope you found our first blog post on life as a football researcher interesting and that it sheds some light on the kind of exciting opportunities that languages can offer. Here is the second one – carry on reading to find out about life as a video games tester.

What does the role entail?

Being a video games tester involves testing computer games to see if there are any issues, and if so reporting any bugs so that they can be fixed prior to being released. You will also be involved in translating the content and scripts into different languages.  You will spend a large part of your time playing the video games so an interest in gaming is a must!

What languages are needed for it?

A range – we have previously recruited for roles requiring German, Dutch, French, Turkish, Italian, Norwegian and Danish.

What’s the typical pay?

Depending on your experience you can expect to be paid between £14,000 and £26,000 a year.

What skills and qualifications will you need?

A passion for gaming is a must as you will be spending a large amount of time testing out games. You will also need to be fluent in a specific language, e.g French if you are going to be translating scripts that are in French.  A translation qualification or a degree is an added advantage but not a must for this role.

Why is it a great job?

For those of you that love to play video games, what better opportunity is there to work doing something you love – playing video games for a job surely can’t be bad?

How can I apply?

If you are interested in working as a video games tester look for QA or localisation roles on the online job boards. Alternatively, keep an eye out on our website for the latest vacancies we have on offer or contact w.tritton@eurolondon.com .  Good luck!

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