In the next few posts, I’m going to cover how to write a curriculum vitae (CV) and a cover letter for when you finally apply for a Dutch speaking job. But before we get there, I will be using some vocabulary you will want to get acquainted with first. So have a look at the words below, you’ll be seeing them put to good use shortly.
de vacature : the vacancy/opening
de sollicitatie : the application
solliciteren : to apply for
betreffen : to concern
het sollicitatiegesprek : the job interview
de sollicitatiebrief : the letter of application (cover letter)
het curriculum vitae : curriculum vitae
de functie : the position
de positie : the position
de loopbaan : the career
de carrière : the career
de kandidaat : the candidate
de opleiding : the education
de werkervaring : the work experience
de ervaring : the experience
de vaardigheid (de vaardigheden) : the skill(s)
verantwoordelijk : responsible
de cursus : the course
het certificaat : the certificate
de assistent : the assistant
de adviseur : the advisor
het onderzoek : research
schrijven : to write
lesgeven : to teach
de manager : the manager
de teamleider : the team lead
de school : the school
de universiteit : the university
de afdeling : the division/department
de medewerker : the employee/worker
de vertegenwoordiger : the representative
Comments:
Peter Simon:
A very useful list indeed, thank you. On the other hand, let me add a few words about the downloadable byki list of the same vocab. Would it be possible for the maker of such a file to be a bit more meticulous? The user of this file is given alternatives divided by the slash, but then runs into “the position-function” and “the letter of application (cover letter)” and is baffled. And “de teamleider” translated into “the team lead” is plain idiotic. I make my own files (with the old version, which I prefer) so I know one has to check everything at least twice.
sarah:
@Peter Simon Hi Peter,
Thank you for your comment. Your complaints are, yet again, noted. We do our best. De teamleider being translated as the team lead is in fact correct.
Peter Simon:
Hi, Sarah, my first reaction was “no, unless we call a cheer leader ‘a cheer lead’ 😉 ” because ‘lead’ as a noun is very limited. Actually, no on-line dictionary knows about team lead, only Wikipedia makes a slight distinction from ‘team leader’. It’s very disturbing that a phrase possibly used in local jargon is put in the main stream (some of my earlier remarks are also of that nature and still true) – imagine that possibly more people actually use /du˄bljusi:/ for the toilet than otherwise – all Chinese believe that’s English ;)! Besides, that spelling of ‘carriere’ with the inverse accent grave cannot be written in the byki file, as no ‘e’ with the ‘umlaut’ can either, but I don’t know if it’s a relevant remark here. I guess byki writers should note this too for the sake of users. Hope somebody takes note. Thanks.
sarah:
@Peter Simon Peter,
Once again, I must reiterate that you are incorrect. A team lead is a commonly known position in management and IT. It is both correct in English and Dutch to use this terminology, and my translation comes from the Van Dale Groot Woordenboek. It is very important for those learning Dutch to be familiar with this term, as it is used a great deal. If you are doubtful, search for “teamleider” on http://www.monsterboard.nl and you will see that there are hundreds of positions that people would be missing out on if they were unaware of this terminology.
Your issues with Byki will be sent on to the correct people for that problem.
I also feel it necessary to say that this is a learning website. I am prone to my own set of language errors (most frequently with de/het, as some may have noticed). Corrections are always appreciated and facilitate learning on both ends. It would be wise of you to refrain from being insulting to others, especially other users, when you use this website. In this way we may all contribute to an atmosphere that is conducive to learning without fear of being insulted for making errors. Not all users are native English speakers, or native Dutch speakers, or have a propensity for learning languages. Insulting others will not be tolerated.
Regards,
Sarah
sarah:
@Peter Simon Hi Peter,
I’ve gotten a response from the Byki experts, of which I am definitely not. There is a page you can look at that explains how to use the key mapper in Byki. http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.337688/ctype.KB/it.I/id.38240/KB.5780/.f Perhaps this will solve the problem for you? Let us know. I’ve sent on the message that you are having issues with some of the characters specifically. Hope that helps.
Peter Simon:
Dear Sarah, I’m sorry but I try to do neither of what you accuse me of – I’m sure most of us your readers are not specialized in management, we’re trying to learn Dutch through English as non-natives and thus not all of us understand particular parts of your language. Now, after searches on the net I can see that it’s sometimes used in ads mixed in among team leader ads. At least I’ve learned something new but still can’t understand the difference. If teamleider means team lead, then what is Dutch for team leader? I would like to know the common phrase, you see.
I guess I could mention phrases from my special field that would mislead lots of others too. I only use VanDale Studiewoordenboek and Kramers Handwoordenboek, neither knows team lead in either language, and nor do other dictionaries that we can rely on. No need to be upset please. I would prefer to ask you about these outside the comment page but I don’t know you mail. Fortunately, perhaps you would say. Still, you haven’t told me that you’ve got nothing to do with the byki files linked to the post, which need some improvement. I’d rather talk substance. Or am I just misinforming and insulting the maker? I don’t think I’m in that ‘position-function’ …
sarah:
@Peter Simon Peter,
I will be leaving for the day shortly, but promise to do my best to address your questions when I return. I have updated my previous comment with further information, perhaps that will tide you over for now.
Regards,
Sarah
sarah:
@sarah Ok, very quickly before I go, you posed a great question!
For me, in English, team leader has the sound of someone working as the leader of a team in construction or manual labor. This is a feeling thing, not an actual definition, but using the words team leader sounds oddly out of place in our modern world of managers and levels of managers. Team lead and project lead are two terms that I’ve heard and used a great deal, but never team leader. Technically teamleider directly translates as team leader, but this is an awkward and outdated translation. Perhaps I would be prone to use the word foreman (de voorman) instead when dealing with construction teams.
Although it might not be your intention to be insulting, and I genuinely don’t doubt that you sincerely have no intentions that way, you must realize that how the written word sounds in your head is not necessarily how they are read by the reader. You and only you can know your tone, but if you are not careful it can easily be misunderstood. I want other readers to feel free to comment without feeling insulted. This is actually very important to me. Besides, learning a language can be a lot of fun, let’s keep it that way!
Keep posing the hard questions. They’re great! Your Byki concerns will be sent on to the people responsible for Byki. I add the terms to Byki as lists, so some of your concerns I address personally, but others are software issues that I can’t fix, but can find the people to do so.
Regards,
Sarah
sarah:
@Peter Simon Hi Peter,
I have sent your issues with special characters in Byki on to the appropriate people. The Dutch “umlaut” is actually called a trema, and they (the Dutch) can be quite particular about it not being called an umlaut. The use of the trema is to define where the stressed syllable in a word falls, rather than to change the sound or tone of a vowel or combination of vowels, as in German. Either way, perhaps the problem can be addressed by the right people.
Yosbel Buscaron:
Thanks! Great article Sarah!
Will share with friends! on
http://www.depipi.info
Hope you don’t mind.
sarah:
@Yosbel Buscaron Hi Yosbel,
Thanks for the comment! Feel free to share as much as you want, that’s what it’s there for. 🙂
Groetjes-
Sarah
Oliver Webber:
I have just come across these pages, and as someone who is considering applying for a job in the Netherlands, can I say how grateful I am for your efforts!
By the way, as a native English speaker, I hope you won’t mind my saying that I have in 41 years never heard the phrase “team lead”, (which is strictly speaking ungrammatical) – but perhaps it is just that it is not used in my field (education and music). It is strange how some phrases make their way into specialist vocabulary in a way you might never expect!
Thanks again for creating these pages.
Oliver