How do I check and describe my language skills in my CV?

Job offers without required foreign language competence are rare nowadays, and the foreign language section has become a permanent feature of properly drafted CVs. Are you sure you know how to describe your language skills? What really stands behind the symbols A1, B2 or C1??

Language skills in the CV

We asked the Eklektika – Language Means Business – school, experts in language training for companies, for information on current trends and guidelines in this area.

Why is it so important?

Every employer conducts thorough screening before inviting a candidate for an interview. The more they know about a potential employee, the quicker they can determine whether or not that person will fit into the organisation. A carefully designed CV is therefore the first step on the road to success. Vague or even incorrect descriptions of language skills can negate a candidate’s chance of developing a career at the chosen company.

From our observations amongst the students of Eklektika – Language Means Business and an analysis of job advertisements, it is clear that English has become one of the basic requirements of employers. Knowledge of other languages additionally increases a candidate’s chances, and this is especially true if the job is to involve customer contact, if the company operates on foreign markets or has partners abroad and subsidiaries in other countries.

When applying for certain positions, language skills are checked at one of the first stages of the recruitment process and may determine whether you are invited to an interview. Phone calls and online meetings with a recruiter in a foreign language, the language level declared in the CV can be quickly verified.

Common mistakes when describing language skills in a CV

If you feel that your CV is not perfect, there is no reason to panic. Candidates very often repeat the same mistakes. Below, you will find some good practices that will help you avoid a slip-up.