[quote] (01-22-2012 11:20 PM)Alpha Wrote:
[quote='Hencredible Casanova' pid='147620' dateline='1327291813']Definitely don't say you worked somewhere you've never worked, or attended a school you never attended, or possess a qualification you do not have. These type of lies can become easily discovered.[/quote]
[quote] (01-22-2012 11:20 PM)Alpha Wrote:
This is exactly what I meant when I said don't lie. If you put that you speak Portuguese to be impressive, but you can only ask for the bathrooms and you know damn well you don't really speak Portuguese, just know that one day there will be a Portuguese customer, and everyone will watch you not translate.[/quote]
This is crucial. I've actually been called out on my language knowledge in a couple of interviews, Spanish and Portuguese. With Portuguese, which I can speak at a basic conversational level, I once interviewed for a job where the interviewer actually worked as a translator in college. She was from France and spoke five languages. She called me out on Portuguese. I told her "Eu falo Portugues mas eu preciso para a practica." Luckily, just that alone convinced her I knew my shit and she didn't go any further. It could have gotten ugly. Since that experience, I've taken the additional step of stating the level of proficiency I have in each language.
Again, to everyone reading this, just don't bite off more than you can chew. If you're going to exaggerate, lie, or embellish, be sure you can "own" that detail if you're ever called out on it.
[quote='Hencredible Casanova' pid='147620' dateline='1327291813']Definitely don't say you worked somewhere you've never worked, or attended a school you never attended, or possess a qualification you do not have. These type of lies can become easily discovered.[/quote]
[quote] (01-22-2012 11:20 PM)Alpha Wrote:
This is exactly what I meant when I said don't lie. If you put that you speak Portuguese to be impressive, but you can only ask for the bathrooms and you know damn well you don't really speak Portuguese, just know that one day there will be a Portuguese customer, and everyone will watch you not translate.[/quote]
This is crucial. I've actually been called out on my language knowledge in a couple of interviews, Spanish and Portuguese. With Portuguese, which I can speak at a basic conversational level, I once interviewed for a job where the interviewer actually worked as a translator in college. She was from France and spoke five languages. She called me out on Portuguese. I told her "Eu falo Portugues mas eu preciso para a practica." Luckily, just that alone convinced her I knew my shit and she didn't go any further. It could have gotten ugly. Since that experience, I've taken the additional step of stating the level of proficiency I have in each language.
Again, to everyone reading this, just don't bite off more than you can chew. If you're going to exaggerate, lie, or embellish, be sure you can "own" that detail if you're ever called out on it.