The item “Fluent in English” on your CV does not guarantee you a high position in an international company. English teacher and phonetician Peri Abrahamyan told socialbites.ca why not all English creates career opportunities.
The first myth is that a certificate verifies your level of language proficiency for life.
“There are many global systems for assessing adults’ English proficiency, but the most popular international exams are IELTS and CAE/FCE (Cambridge Exams). In the labor market, the presence of such certificates has long been considered a winning addition to a resume; There are two important “buts” that applicants choose to ignore: statutes of limitations and the actual use of their information. First of all, language is a living skill that cannot be mastered once and for all. Regular practice is required, improving fluency and classical pronunciation, as well as updating phonetic, lexical and grammatical knowledge. Second important point: Academic knowledge does not guarantee a high level of language proficiency. Given the current situation with failure to pass international exams, recruitment policies are already being revised: internal tests are being administered by companies, interviews are conducted in English, and certificates continue to lose their validity.
The second myth concerns the idea that fluency is measured quickly.
“Many people mistakenly confuse fluency with speaking speed. “In everyday speech, the use of trending words, knowledge of the rules of combining words and, of course, mastery of the classic English pronunciation – Modern Received Pronunciation (Modern RP) are valuable,” noted the expert.
It’s also a misconception that accent doesn’t matter.
“It’s easy enough to imagine: an interview at a large holding company, the HR manager has your ideal CV in hand, and then you’re asked to switch to English. You start speaking and your voice is pronounced [ze] instead of a refined interdental [ðe] – the impression will unfortunately be spoiled. The truth is that mastering classical pronunciation is not only about clarity of speech, but also about respect for the sociocultural values carried by the language. “And so neglecting these shows that you are not really fluent in the language,” he added.
Finally, speaking a language is not just about knowing a lot of words and grammar rules.
“True knowledge of a foreign language is not the size of the vocabulary or the number of tenses used, but how flexibly you can use English. “This includes understanding different dialects and accents by ear, understanding the communication context correctly, and solving any problems using the language,” he said.
When training the next word section, remember to check how the word sounds in classic RP and try to remember the correct version immediately.
“Proficiency in a language cannot be final because it is a language system that is different from your native language and is constantly being updated. To make the English language a real advantage over your employer, pay attention not only to vocabulary and grammar, but also to fluency and purity of pronunciation,” concluded the phonetician.
existed before was created Neural network for meeting with managers.