Bewerben auf Englisch Experten-Interview mit Cornelsen-Autor Jackie Pocklington
Beispielinterview (Abdruck frei, Beleg erbeten)
Are there fundamental differences between American, British and German applications? There are in fact a number of fundamental differences between traditional American, British and German applications although it must be noted that recently in Great Britain and even Germany there has been a clear tendency towards adopting the American style of application. At least up until recently the German style of application has been to create one standardized "Lebenslauf" for all applications. By contrast, the American resume and the British CV is always individually tailored to the targeted position. All required qualifications are highlighted for easy recognition through boldfacing, underlining and bulleting as well as through the reverse-chronology listing of jobs and stages of education. The traditional German "Anschreiben" on the other hand presents all of the qualifications of the applicant, whereas the American cover letter and the British covering letter highlight merely two or three of the key qualifications that are relevant for the targeted position in order to generate interest in the application. Another distinctive difference to traditional German "Lebensläufe" and British CVs is the fact that American resumes contain neither photos nor personal details as a precaution against discrimination lawsuits. However, exceptions are readily made for non-American applications which contain these items. There are still a few minor application distinctions worthy of note: Traditional British CVs contain the heading "CV" or "Curriculum Vitae" whereas American resumes employ the name of the applicant. Moreover, American resumes and British CVs are seldom dated and never signed as in German "Lebensläufe". Finally, like in the German "Anschreiben", the subject line in American letters appear above the salutation line (Dear ...) whereas in British letters it appears below this line and is underlined to distinguish it from the ensuing body of the letter. What are the typical mistakes made by German-speaking applicants and how can they be avoided? Frequently applicants fail to assess their own qualifications and abilities realistically: in such cases they waste a lot of time applying to positions for which they are not qualified. Worse yet, when applicants only have a vague understanding of their career aspirations, all too frequently they come to regret their career decisions because the gained position does not correspond with their hopes and expectations. Moreover, many applicants overlook the opportunities that networking offers. Since the great majority of openings are filled internally or on the basis of recommendations, i.e. without advertising, it pays to make and maintain contact with company employees who can inform job-seekers about potential openings. Applicants also fail to inform themselves sufficiently about the company and the targeted position resulting in application documents that are ineffectively customized to the targeted position. Finally, applicants often overestimate their own language abilities when applying in English. Not only should they have their application documents checked by Dr. Jackie Pocklington, born in Waukegan, Illinois and raised in Los Angeles, earned a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics at Occidental College and his doctorate in English Linguistics at the University of the Saarland in Saarbruecken, Germany. Since 1988 he has been teaching practical English skills at a number of German universities and in 2000 received his call for a Professorship in Business and Technical English at the University of Applied Sciences "TFH Berlin".
Neu im Cornelsen Verlag erschienen: Jackie Pocklington, Patrik Schulz, Erich Zettl: Bewerben auf Englisch, ISBN: 3-464-03125-X Drei Verlosungsexemplare pro Redaktion!
friends with good English skills (preferably native speakers), the job interview requires intensive language preparation.
If I were one of your graduates preparing for a job interview in English, what advice would you give me? Collect information on the company and the targeted position in order to 1) demonstrate your interest in the position through your extensive knowledge, for example by providing reasonable answers to questions like "What do you know about our firm?", 2) prepare relevant questions for gaining a better understanding of the company and the targeted position in order to present your relevant qualifications more effectively, as well as 3) put yourself in a position to make an informed decision when accepting or rejecting a possible job offer. Gain clarity about which qualifications the employer expects of you. Remember the aim you are trying to achieve at the interview: You have to persuade the employer that you possess precisely these relevant qualifications. With this objective in mind, work out your answers to anticipated interview questions, and have your formulations checked by friends skilled in English. Simulate interviews a number of times with these friends. As first impressions are usually decisive, pay careful attention to making a impression of friendliness and self-confidence at the beginning of the interview, in particular the greeting, the small talk and your answer to a typical lead-off question like "Tell us about yourself". How can I inform myself about the job market of the country I wish to apply to regarding qualifications, requirements, salary overviews, work permits etc.? For information about entry regulations and work-permit regulations it is best to consult the embassy and consulates of the country concerned directly. Many of these institutions place such information on their Internet websites. Links to the websites of embassies can be found at Jounalistenlinks.de. The qualifications that are required in order to enhance your chances for finding a position in a particular profession in a particular country depends on the current situation in the employment market there, and naturally also on the branch of business/industry as well as on the specifically desired job profile. You can find comprehensive information regarding these matters in the US market for example at the website of the Occupational Outlook Handbook or Wetfeet.com. There is also a lot of information available on the Internet concerning various branches of business/industry as well as large companies. Along with the familiar company directories Vault and Hoover's, the American website Job-Hunt.org presents a valuable starting point for research of the employment market. The amount of salary you can earn in your profession abroad can be determined by way of salary reports and salary calculators at numerous websites free of charge, at least for the American market (however unfortunately not for the rest of the world). One website that is frequently employed by jobsites is Salary.com. For salary reports as well as for many other employment-related fields, the Riley Guide provides valuable information and lists of links as an effective starting point for your research.
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Pressekontakt: Christine Jesse Cornelsen Verlag Mecklenburgische Str. 53 14197 Berlin Tel: 030/ 89 78 55 90 Fax: 030/ 89 78 55 99 christine.jesse@cornelsen.de
Tel (030) 89785590 / Fax (030) 89785599
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Berlin, 09.03.2004