The level of knowledge of the language is technical. How long will it take to learn a foreign language? Vocabulary and grammar tests

Surely many have heard about the international level system of the English language, but not everyone knows what it means and how to classify it. The need to know your level of English may arise in some life situations. For example, if you need to pass an interview at work or at the embassy, ​​if you need to pass any international exam (IELTS, TOEFL, FCE, CPE, BEC, etc.), when applying to a foreign educational institution, when getting a job in another country, and also for personal use.

The international system for determining knowledge of the English language can be conditionally divided into 7 levels:

1. Beginner - Initial (zero)... At this level, the student knows practically nothing in English and begins to study the subject from scratch, including the alphabet, basic reading rules, routine greetings and other tasks of this stage. After completing the Beginner level, students can usually answer questions easily when meeting new people. For example: What is your name? How old are you? Do you have brothers and sisters? Where are you from and where do you live? etc. And they can also count to a hundred, spell their name and personal data. The latter is called spelling in English.

2. Elementary - Elementary... This level follows immediately after zero and implies knowledge of some of the basics of the English language. Elementary level allows students to use previously learned phrases in a more free form, and also instills a whole range of new knowledge. At this stage, students learn to briefly talk about themselves, about their favorite colors, dishes and seasons, about the weather and time, about the daily routine, about countries and customs, etc. In terms of grammar, at this level, an initial acquaintance with the following tenses occurs: Present Simple, Present Continuous, Past Simple, Future Simple (will, to be going to) and Present Perfect. And also some modal verbs (can, must), different types of pronouns, adjectives and the degree of their comparison, categories of nouns, forms of simple questions are considered. Having firmly mastered the Elementary level, you can already take part in the KET test (Key English test).

3. Pre-Intermediate - Below Average... The level following Elementary is called Pre-Intermediate, literally translated as Pre-Intermediate. Having reached this level, students already have an idea of ​​how many sentences and phrases are constructed, they can speak briefly on many topics. The Pre-Intermediate level adds confidence and expands learning potential. There are longer texts, more practice exercises, new grammar topics and more complex sentence structures. Topics encountered at this level can include difficult questions, Past Continuous tense, different forms of future tense, conditional sentences, modal verbs, infinitives and gerunds, repetition and consolidation of Past Simple tenses (regular and irregular verbs) and Present Perfect, and some others. In terms of oral skills, having passed the Pre-Intermediate level, you can safely go on a journey and look for any opportunity to use your knowledge in practice. Also, a firm command of English at the Pre-Intermediate level makes it possible to participate in the PET (Preliminary English Test) test and the BEC (Business English Certificate) Preliminary exam.

4. Intermediate - Medium... At the Intermediate level, the knowledge gained at the previous stage is consolidated, and a lot of new vocabulary is added, including complex ones. For example, personal characteristics of people, scientific terms, professional vocabulary and even slang. The object of study is the active and passive voice, direct and indirect speech, participial and adverbial expressions, phrasal verbs and prepositions, word order in complex sentences, varieties of articles, etc. From grammatical tenses, the difference between Present Simple and Present Continuous, Past Simple and Present Perfect, Past Simple and Past Continuous, as well as between various forms of expression of the future tense is examined in more detail. Intermediate texts become longer and more meaningful, and communication becomes easier and more fluent. The advantage of this stage is that in many modern companies, employees with knowledge of the Intermediate level are highly valued. Also, this level is ideal for avid travelers, as it allows you to freely understand the interlocutor and express yourself in response. From international exams, after successfully passing the intermediate level, you can take the following exams and tests: FCE (First Certificate in English) for the B / C mark, PET Level 3, BULATS (Business Language Testing Service), BEC Vantage, TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) at 4.5-5.5 points and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) at 80-85 points.

5. Upper Intermediate - Above average... If students move to this level, it means that they can understand fluent English fluently and communicate easily using the vocabulary they have already acquired. At the Upper-Intermediate level, it becomes possible to use English much more in practice, since there is a little less theory, and if there is, it basically repeats and consolidates the Intermediate level. Among the innovations, we can note Narrative Tenses, which includes such difficult times as Past Continuous, Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous. It also discusses the future tenses of Future Continuous and Future Perfect, the use of articles, modal verbs of assumptions, verbs of indirect speech, hypothetical sentences, abstract nouns, causal voice and much more. The Upper-Intermediate level is one of the most demanded in both business and education. People who are fluent in English at this level can easily go through any interviews and even enter foreign universities. At the end of the Upper-Intermediate course, you can take exams such as FCE for A / B, BEC (Business English Certificate) Vantage or Higher, TOEFL for 100 points and IELTS for 5.5-6.5 points.

6. Advanced 1 - Advanced... Advanced 1 is required for professionals and students who want to achieve high fluency in English. In contrast to the Upper-Intermediate level, many interesting phrases appear here, including idioms. Knowledge of tenses and other grammatical aspects studied earlier is only deepened and viewed from other unexpected angles. Discussion topics become more specific and professional, for example: environment and natural disasters, legal processes, genres of literature, computer terms, etc. After the Advanced level, you can take a special academic exam CAE (Cambridge Advanced English), as well as IELTS for 7 and TOEFL for 110 points, and you can apply for prestigious work in foreign companies or a place in Western universities.

7. Advanced 2 - Super advanced (native speaker level)... The name speaks for itself. We can say that there is nothing above Advanced 2, because this is the level of a native speaker, i.e. a person who was born and raised in an English-speaking environment. With this level, you can pass any interviews, including highly specialized ones, and take any exams. In particular, the academic exam CPE (Cambridge Proficiency Exam) is the highest test of English proficiency, and as for the IELTS test, it can be passed at the highest score of 8.5-9 with this level.
This grading is called ESL (English as a Second Language) or EFL (English as a Foreign Language) level classification and is used by the ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe). The level system can vary, move around depending on the country, school or organization. For example, some organizations reduce the 7 levels presented to 5 and call them a little differently: Beginner (Elementary), Lower Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, Lower Advanced, Upper Advanced. However, the meaning and content of the levels do not change from this.

Another similar system of international examinations under the abbreviation CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) divides levels into 6 and has other names:

1. A1 (Breakthrough) = Beginner - Beginner
2.A2 (Waystage) = Pre-Intermediate - Below Average
3. B1 (Threshold) = Intermediate - Medium
4. B2 (Vantage) = Upper-Intermediate - Above Average
5.C1 (Proficiency) = Advanced 1 - Advanced
6.C2 (Mastery) = Advanced 2 - Super advanced

A resume or CV (Curriculum Vitae) is not at all a document of strict standardization, however, when working on its preparation, it is worth considering generally accepted rules, standards and norms. One of the important points of the resume is information about language proficiency. Here you can find such incomprehensible designations as A1, B2, C2 and more understandable Beginner, Intermediate and others. These are the levels of English proficiency. How high the level of knowledge of languages ​​of the applicant should be is determined by the employer, depending on the proposed position.

You can determine the level of language proficiency using the Common European Framework of Reference - the Unified European Assessment System, which implies 3 levels and 6 grades:

Description of the levels of English proficiency

To indicate how great your language skills are on your resume, you must first determine your level. To indicate the degree of proficiency in English, the gradation below is most often used.

Elementary / Basic / Beginner... What does it mean? This means that you have basic knowledge of the language, you once studied English at school, remember common phrases, you can communicate a little with the dictionary, but in life you practically did not use it.

Pre-Intermediate- means that your knowledge of the language is slightly higher than the basic one. You are able to express yourself using simple phrases, as well as facial expressions and gestures. Most likely, you will understand what is written in a letter or text in English, but you can write your letter or compose a text using a dictionary.

Intermediate- this is the middle level. Having a command of the language at this level, you are not afraid to speak, build simple speech structures in English. The size of the vocabulary is small, but these words are enough to express yourself in a simple way. Such a level in the professional sphere allows you to compose a letter in English yourself, to speak English boldly, to solve some typical problems using English, without affecting the subtleties.

Upper-Intermediate- means confident knowledge of the English language. As a rule, this is the level of foreign language graduates. Most graduates often exaggerate their knowledge and indicate that they speak English at the Advanced or Fluent level. Meanwhile, Upper-Intermediate implies the ability to speak fluently, the presence of a fairly rich vocabulary, but at the same time, the lack of knowledge of professional terminology, the presence of minor errors in speech. Typically, for positions involving the use of English, Upper-Intermediate is allowed.

Advanced or Fluent- means fluent English. A candidate who is proficient in the language to such an extent can easily use both oral and written English, and simultaneously translate from / into English. This level is required for the position of a translator.

• If you mark the levels of English proficiency in your resume, then one HR (Human Resource) manager knows how it will be decoded. However, there is no need to be humble on a resume. After all, as you know, a person is never as close to perfection as during a job interview.
• If in a conversation they ask about the level of English, it is better to answer with understandable expressions such as "confident", "fluent", "fluent", "I speak well, but I do not understand well", etc. English "," I speak English confidently "," I speak the language at the everyday level. "
• When knowledge of the language is an important point in employment, then you should prepare for the fact that the interview will be held in English. And then even if you indicate the C2 level and submit a bunch of certificates, potential employers will judge their language proficiency by the interview.
• Sometimes it is worth demonstrating knowledge of the language by writing a CV in it. However, this requirement is rather the exception than the rule. Most often, it is enough to note only a few points in the resume:
  • the level of proficiency in a particular foreign language (basic / intermediate / fluent / native);
  • bias in writing or speaking (if any);
  • availability of certificates confirming knowledge (if any).
• It is important to indicate real knowledge of the language in the resume, since in practice this can be quickly verified by finding out your true knowledge.
• When submitting a resume to foreign companies, it is considered that the applicant has TOEFL, FCE / CAE / CPE, BEC certificates, which are issued when passing international exams.
• In a working resume, indicating the level of English, it is better to choose one of the following options:
  • Basic
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
  • Fluent

CEFR encoding is optional. But if you had to pass the international exam for English proficiency, then a good result must be indicated by all means: TOEFL iBT 105, IELTS 7.5.

And be extremely honest when filling out the box on the level of knowledge of the English language: remember that the lack of real knowledge will quickly become apparent. When preparing for an interview in English, try to improve your language at least to the intermediate level (Intermediate).

When starting to study any foreign language, you always want to be able to track how the process is progressing and how quickly the accumulation of knowledge and the acquisition of communication skills is progressing. Simply put - at what level are you. A whole system has been developed for this purpose. She will be discussed in this article.

How is knowledge of foreign languages ​​determined?

Many people mistakenly believe that reaching a certain level of knowledge of the language means learning some previously agreed volume of words. For example, for the initial level you need to know any 100 words, for the average 1000… and so on. This is fundamentally wrong. In fact, each level consists of a set of skills: lexical, grammatical, pronunciation, speech, listening, as well as writing and reading skills. A student of a foreign language should be proficient in all of them, and the difference between the various levels lies in the breadth of knowledge and a variety of skills.

There is an officially accepted classification created by the European organization ALTE, which tests the levels of proficiency in foreign languages. This classification includes 6 levels, arranged in ascending order: from almost zero to close to native speakers.

ALTE knowledge levels

Consider this generally accepted classification. This system of levels of proficiency in a foreign language consists of the following stages.

A1 (Breakthrough) means the ability to answer the simplest questions in a foreign language, to tell in the simplest sentences about yourself and other people, to know the basic vocabulary, to understand the main meaning of what has been said, to answer in the right place.

A2 (Level 1) presupposes a clearer and closer pronunciation to native speakers, slightly complicated grammatical constructions, knowledge of vocabulary for reasoning on abstract topics, and not just about oneself or the current situation.

B1 (Level 2) means free expression of your thoughts and ideas, the ability to write different types of texts, an almost complete understanding of someone else's foreign speech, the minimum number of grammatical and lexical errors. Upon completion of this level, you can start taking international exams to confirm your knowledge of the language and obtain a certificate.

B2 (Level 3) assumes that the student speaks not only almost without mistakes, but also uses all the richness of the language (proverbs, sayings, idioms, jokes, etc.), understands from the first time almost all the information he heard, can reasonably and fully express his opinion on a broad circle of questions.

C1 and C2 levels (4 and 5 respectively) means mastering a foreign language at the most advanced levels necessary for living or working abroad, freely communicating with foreign business partners and friends, working in the field of translation services, writing and journalism in a foreign language and other professional application of such skills. A foreigner possessing the highest levels of knowledge is not much different from educated native speakers of this language.

Beginner to advanced

There is another classification that overlaps with the above. These level names are more common because they are used by the authors of European textbooks, in particular, in English.

If you decide to learn this language from scratch and go to foreign language courses, then the first textbook that comes into your hands will be a book labeled Beginner or Starter. This is followed by 6 more levels. Some of them coincide with the ALTE classification. Full and exact match is shown in the table.

Now let's take a closer look at each of the levels. We will be able to compare the proposed description with our own skills and knowledge.

Beginner, Starter

All levels of foreign language proficiency begin with it. In this case - English, but the principle of assessing knowledge in any case will be similar.

To define yourself as a beginner, you need to have some skills. This implies the following:

• give your name, age and other simple data;
• answer the appropriate questions ("What is your name?", etc.);
• count up to 100;
• know the alphabet, be able to name letters in any word;
• understand the simplest sentences.

Elementary

We pass to the next step, which is included in the levels of proficiency in a foreign language. Here oral skills are greatly expanded, and written skills are added to them.

Self-speaking:

• with simple and understandable pronunciation;
• expressing your feelings and thoughts in a form understandable to other people;
• telling briefly about yourself, another person, your family, etc .;
• message of simple information on abstract topics (weather, impression of what you read, explanation of the situation, answer to a question in the text, etc.)

Understanding someone else's speech:

• capturing basic information from educational listening;
• deliberate reading of short texts, understanding of the main idea.

Basic Intermediate (Pre-Intermediate)

We continue to analyze the levels of proficiency in a foreign language. If you have reached this stage in your study, then when you travel abroad you will definitely not be lost.

What does the basic intermediate level include?

Self-speaking:

• with clear, good pronunciation;
• with orientation in basic situations (the ability to answer a question, maintain a conversation or report what is not clear to you);
• with the ability to clearly express their thoughts and feelings on various occasions.

Understanding someone else's speech:

• distinction of sounds, intonation and stress;
• full understanding of the meaning and ideas of texts that are more complex than at the previous stage.

Writing Skills:

• about yourself, another person, situation, impressions;
• write a postcard, personal and official letter of different types;
• to construct and coordinate sentences grammatically correctly.

Medium (Intermediate)

This level is characterized by the totality of everything that was mastered in the previous steps, only now it has been brought almost to perfection. The grammatical structures and vocabulary that a person owns are already quite complex. The skill of composing various types of texts (response to a personal and official letter, congratulation, request, claim, apology, etc.) and reasoning on various social topics is strengthened.

Upper Intermediate

This stage closes the levels of proficiency in a foreign language, which in aggregate are sufficient for full-fledged and problem-free communication on any topic. It is no coincidence that the first exams for obtaining certificates of knowledge of the language begin to take, just after having mastered this level.

If you have mastered the final intermediate level, then you are able to:

• clearly convey thoughts to the interlocutor;
• maintain a dialogue or discussion with two or three partners;
• correctly use the formal or informal style as appropriate;
• make relatively few mistakes, be able to immediately notice them and correct themselves;
• from the first time to understand the main theses of someone else's speech and the attitude of the speaker towards them;
• conduct a telephone conversation;
• understand 95% of the information from the text and draw conclusions about what has been read;
• use simple and complex syntactic constructions;
• write letters, reviews, reviews, resumes, etc .;
• use elementary artistic techniques when writing stories, essays.

Basic advanced

An in-depth study of foreign languages ​​begins from this level. For this stage, everything is the same as for the previous one, and a number of new skills are also added. Advanced level means:

• errors should be minimized;
• rich speech, free use and understanding of idioms, proverbs;
• knowledge of the realities of the language, recognition of many quotes and allusions that are well known to native speakers;
• free reading and listening to foreign media, watching films with maximum understanding of speech and situations;
• the ability to express your thoughts not only with the help of vocabulary and grammar, but also with intonation and logical stress;
• free discussion of well-known topics;
• writing various types of texts, using stylistic techniques.

Professional foreign language

This level of proficiency in a language that is not a person's native language is also an interesting phenomenon, but it is encountered somewhat less frequently than the ability to speak on general topics. The very name of this direction implies that speaking (writing) in a foreign language for a person is necessary for the implementation of professional activities. To carry it out successfully, you need to know the language at the highest level, as well as possess specific knowledge and skills related to the use of this language. What areas of professional activity can be involved?

Where are languages ​​taught?

Teaching foreign languages ​​is carried out using various methods.

Foreign languages ​​for children

School study is not particularly effective, although it sometimes lasts for 8-10 years. A foreign language begins to be studied in elementary school, usually from grade 2. As a rule, this is English.

Currently, it is popular to include a foreign language in the preschool child development program (from 3-5 years old). Therefore, it happens that by the time they start learning English at school, some children already have a Starter or even Elementary level.

The article was prepared on the basis of the monograph "Common European Competencies of Foreign Language Proficiency: Studying, Teaching, Assessment", a Russian translation of which was published by the Moscow State Linguistic University (http://www.linguanet.ru/) in 2003.

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment

The document of the Council of Europe entitled "Common European Framework of Reference: Learning, Teaching, Assessment" reflects the result of the work of experts from the countries of the Council of Europe, which began in 1971, including representatives of Russia, on the systematization of approaches to teaching a foreign language and standardization of assessments of language proficiency levels. "Competencies" in an understandable form determine what a learner needs to master in order to use it for communication purposes, as well as what knowledge and skills he needs to master in order for communication to be successful.

What is the main content of this project carried out within the framework of the Council of Europe? The participants in this project tried to create a standard terminology, system of units, or a generally understandable language to describe what constitutes the subject of study, as well as to describe the levels of language proficiency, regardless of what language is being studied, in what educational context - which country, institution, school , on courses, or in private, and what techniques are used in this case. As a result, it was developed a system of language proficiency levels and a system for describing these levels using standard categories. These two complexes create a single network of concepts that can be used to describe in a standard language any certification system, and, consequently, any training program, starting with the setting of tasks - learning objectives and ending with the competencies achieved as a result of training.

Language proficiency system

During the development of the European level system, extensive research was carried out in different countries, the assessment methods were tested in practice. As a result, we came to an agreement on the number of levels allocated for organizing the process of learning a language and assessing the degree of proficiency in it. There are 6 major levels, which represent the lower and higher sublevels in the classic three-level system of basic, intermediate and advanced levels. The level diagram is based on the sequential branching principle. It begins by dividing the level system into three major levels - A, B and C:

The introduction of a pan-European system of levels of language proficiency does not limit the possibilities of various pedagogical teams to develop and describe their system of levels and training modules. However, the use of standard categories in the description of their own programs helps to ensure the transparency of the courses, and the development of objective criteria for assessing the level of language proficiency will ensure the recognition of the qualifications obtained by students in the exams. It can also be expected that the level system and the wording of the descriptors will change over time as experience is gained in the participating countries.

In a generalized form, the levels of language proficiency are presented in the following table:

Table 1

When interpreting the scale of levels, it should be borne in mind that the divisions on such a scale are not the same. Even if the levels appear to be equidistant on the scale, they take different times to reach them. So, even if the Waystage is halfway to the Threshold Level, and the Threshold is halfway to the Vantage Level, experience with this scale shows that that it takes twice as long to move from the "Threshold" to the "Threshold" advanced level than it takes to reach the "Threshold" level. This is due to the fact that at higher levels the range of activities is expanding and an increasing amount of knowledge, skills and abilities is required.

A more detailed description may be required to select specific learning objectives. It can be presented as a separate table showing the main aspects of language proficiency at six levels. For example, Table 2 is compiled as a self-assessment tool to identify your knowledge and skills in terms of:

table 2

A1 (Survival Level):

A2 (Pre-threshold):

B1 (Threshold level):

B2 (Threshold Advanced):

C2 (Proficiency level in perfection):

In practice, you can focus on a certain set of levels and a certain set of categories, depending on specific goals. Such detailing makes it possible to compare the training modules with each other and with the system of common European competences.

Instead of highlighting the categories underlying speech activity, it may be necessary to assess language behavior based on individual aspects of communicative competence. For example, table 3 is designed to assess speaking, therefore, it is aimed at qualitatively different aspects of the use of the language:

Table 3

A1 (Survival Level):

A2 (Pre-threshold):

B1 (Threshold level):

B2 (Threshold advanced level):

C1 (Professional level):

C2 (Proficiency level in perfection):

The above tables for assessing the levels are compiled on the basis of the bank "Illustrative descriptors", developed and tested in practice, and subsequently graduated by levels during the research project. Descriptor scales are based on detailed system of categories to describe what language proficiency / use means and who can be called language proficient / user.

The description is based on activity approach... It establishes the relationship between the use and learning of a language. Users and language learners are treated as subjects social activities , that is, members of society who are decisive tasks, (not necessarily language related) in certain conditions , in a certain situations , in a certain field of activity ... Speech activity is carried out in a broader social context, which determines the true meaning of the utterance. The activity approach allows one to take into account the entire range of personal characteristics of a person as a subject of social activity, primarily cognitive, emotional and volitional resources. Thus, any form of language use and its studies can be described in the following terms:

• Competencies represent the sum of knowledge, skills and personality traits that allow a person to perform various actions.
• General competences are not linguistic, they provide any activity, including communicative.
• Communicative language competence allow you to carry out activities using linguistic means.
• Context- this is a range of events and situational factors against which communicative actions are carried out.
• Speech activity Is the practical application of communicative competence in a particular field of communication in the process of perception and / or generation of oral and written texts, aimed at performing a specific communicative task.
• Types of communication activities imply the implementation of communicative competence in the process of semantic processing / creation (perception or generation) of one or more texts in order to solve the communicative task of communication in a certain field of activity.
• Text - it is a coherent sequence of oral and / or written statements (discourse), the generation and understanding of which occurs in a specific area of ​​communication and is aimed at solving a specific problem.
• Under sphere of communication a wide range of social life is understood in which social interaction takes place. With regard to language learning, the educational, professional, public and personal spheres are distinguished here.
• Strategy Is a course of action chosen by a person to solve a problem.
• Task- This is a purposeful action necessary to obtain a specific result (solving a problem, fulfilling obligations or achieving a goal).

Multilingualism concept

The concept of multilingualism is central to the Council of Europe's approach to language learning. Multilingualism arises as the cultural aspect of a person's linguistic experience expands from the language used in the family to the mastery of the languages ​​of other peoples (learned at school, college or directly in the language environment). A person “does not keep” these languages ​​apart from each other, but forms communicative competence based on all knowledge and all linguistic experience, where languages ​​are interconnected and interact. In accordance with the situation, the individual freely uses any part of this competence to ensure successful communication with a specific interlocutor. For example, partners can move freely from one language or dialect to another, demonstrating the ability of each to express a thought in one language and understand in another. A person can use knowledge of several languages ​​to understand a text, written or spoken, in a language that he did not know before, recognizing words that have similar sounds and spellings in several languages, in a "new form."

From this point of view, the purpose of language education is changing. Now perfect (at the level of a native speaker) mastery of one or two, or even three languages, taken separately from each other, is not the goal. The goal is to develop a linguistic repertoire that has room for all linguistic skills. Recent changes in the language program of the Council of Europe are aimed at developing a tool with which language teachers will contribute to the development of a multilingual personality. In particular, the European Language Portfolio is a document in which the most diverse experience of language learning and intercultural communication can be recorded and formally recognized.

LINKS

Full text of the monograph in English on the website of the Council of Europe

Gemeinsamer europaischer Referenzrahmen fur Sprachen: Lernen, lehren, beurteilen
German text of the monograph on the website of the Goethe German Cultural Center

An important point when looking for a job is a resume or CV (curriculum vitae) - a short form of presentation of the main personal and professional data of the applicant. This type of self-presentation is already quite firmly entrenched in the Russian labor market, but, unfortunately, a well-written resume is still a rarity.

When writing a resume, it is necessary to remember that your success in finding a job largely depends on how you present your professional experience in it. A resume is the document from which the employer receives the first information about the applicant for a vacancy and makes up his opinion about him. Acquaintance with the CV takes on average 2-3 minutes, so the information contained in it should be presented in such a way as to immediately attract attention. The resume should be typed on the 1st page, in a clear, well-readable font, preferably on a computer, but by no means handwritten. It is important to take into account that the employer will receive your resume by fax, and fax machines significantly degrade the print quality, so the font should be at least 11.

A resume in English (or any other) language is made up only if you are applying for a vacancy in a foreign company. A Russian company or recruiting agency should send a resume in Russian, because it can get to a person who does not speak a foreign language, and at best it will be put aside, and at worst it will fly straight into the trash can.

An exception may be resumes of specialists who are fluent in a foreign language, or for whom knowledge of the language is one of the selection criteria (believe me, a driver's resume in English looks at least funny). But in this case, it is better to duplicate the resume: one in Russian, one in English. Thus, you will be able to simultaneously demonstrate both knowledge of the language and respect for the person to whom your resume will go.

Now let's dwell in more detail on those points that should be contained in the resume.

Personal data... Full name, age (date of birth is preferable), marital status, address and telephone number.

Target... This paragraph usually formulates the vacancy for which the applicant applies.

Education- consists of two sections: basic (secondary, specialized secondary, higher, 2nd higher) and additional (internship courses, trainings, seminars, etc.). In both cases, it is necessary to indicate the name of the educational institution, faculty, specialty according to the diploma (if we are talking about courses, then the specialization or the name of the course is indicated).

work experience... It contains information about previous jobs. It is more convenient for an employer or employee of a recruiting agency if they are arranged in descending order, i.e. starting with the last one. You indicate the month and year of joining and the month and year of dismissal, the name of the company, the field of activity of the organization and your position. Pay particular attention to the indication of the field of activity of the company in which you worked. It is not enough to write "production" or "trade". Be sure to disclose what exactly the company was selling and what exactly was produced by the company. Do not use such general concepts as "food" or "consumer goods", try to specify as accurately as possible the group of goods or services with which you worked, because very often such a narrow specificity is of fundamental importance for the employer.

Professional skills include a list of the knowledge and skills that you acquired in the course of your professional activity. This point is essential for those specialists who have built their careers in one direction and specialized in one area. If your work experience in different organizations differs significantly from each other, it is more expedient not to separate it into an independent section, but to give a short list of the main functions for each place of work.

Knowledge of foreign languages... You indicate all foreign languages ​​and the degree in which you speak them. Adhere to the following formulations: "perfectly" - knowledge of the language at the native speaker level, proficiency in simultaneous translation "fluently" - proficiency in consecutive translation, the ability to communicate fluently in a foreign language within any subject. "good" - the ability to correctly express your thoughts in a foreign language, as well as to understand the interlocutor. "spoken" - communication at the everyday level, the ability to understand simple speech, to convey known information to the interlocutor. "basic" - knowledge of the elementary foundations of the language, communication at the level of "How are you?", "Today is good weather", the ability to understand a simple text.

Computer skills contains information about your PC skills (user, power user, operator, programmer), as well as programs, environments, languages, databases with which you worked.

Additional Information... Here you provide the information that you consider necessary to convey to the employer: the presence of a driver's license, a personal car, a passport, the possibility of business trips. Here you can also include interests and hobbies and personal qualities, it is also permissible to single them out as a separate item.

A properly written resume should look something like this:

GORINA SVETLANA IGOREVNA

Personal information: Date of birth: April 28, 1970 Marital status: married, son born in 1994 Address and phone number: Moscow, st. Pechatnaya, 35, apt. 98, tel. 765-09-78

Purpose: Applying for the position of assistant secretary

Basic education: 1988-1993 Moscow State University, Faculty of Philology. Specialty: philologist, teacher of Russian and English languages.

Additional education 1995 (40 hours) Computer courses 1993 (2 months) City training center Specialty: secretary-typist

Work experience:

02.1997 - present CB Alliance (banking) Secretary-Assistant to the Chairman of the Management Board 1995 - 1997 OJSC "Turtrans" (travel company) Secretary-assistant deputy. Director General

1994 -1995 LLP "Lavalier" (trade in exclusive furniture) Secretary-assistant

1993 - 1994 LLP "Bateks" (trade and service of refrigeration equipment) Secretary

Professional skills: Professional document management. Planning the day of the leader. Organization of meetings and negotiations. Interpretation and translation. HR administration. Typescript - 250 beats / min. Mini-automatic telephone exchange, office equipment.

Computer: Windows user "95, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Corel Draw, QuarkXpress.

Foreign languages: English - fluent. The German language is spoken.

Additional information: The presence of a driving license of category B. The presence of a passport.