Certified foreign language correspondent

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A certified foreign language correspondent in Germany is a publicly recognized training qualification in accordance with the Vocational Training Act . The nationwide examination takes place on the basis of a special statutory ordinance before the examination board of a Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). In order to be admitted to the exam, certain conditions must be met. The most frequently checked languages ​​are English , French and Spanish .

job profile

Foreign language correspondents handle commercial tasks in their mother tongue and in at least one foreign language. This includes the conduct of correspondence, translations, oral communication in foreign languages ​​and general office processes that result from a company's international contacts.

The profession of foreign language correspondent is an alternative to training as an office clerk. Foreign language correspondents work primarily for internationally oriented companies in a wide variety of economic sectors, e. B. Production, trading or service companies or for international companies and authorities with foreign contacts. You have a varied area of ​​responsibility and usually work as an assistant to executives, in project work or in the secretariat.

In addition to large companies, many medium-sized and smaller companies in Germany need employees who have been trained in foreign languages. Foreign language correspondents often have a position of trust.

Admission requirements

Only those who can prove a recognized commercial, administrative or service-related training occupation as well as foreign language knowledge and skills will be admitted. Alternatively, it can be demonstrated in another way that the required knowledge is available. These can be certificates from recognized courses. The standard route to the additional qualification foreign language correspondent leads through commercial training, for example that of the commercial assistant foreign languages .

Exam content

The exam is divided into the three sub-areas of translation , correspondence and oral communication .

In the translation section , a foreign-language text of around 1200 characters has to be translated into German. Another text of the same length must be translated into the foreign languages. Both texts are business-related and therefore require special vocabulary knowledge.

In the Correspondence area , the writing of inquiries, offers and orders in the foreign language is taken care of. In addition, a foreign-language economic text must be summarized in German.

The oral communication area is only accepted if the translation and correspondence areas have been passed. This includes a conversation in the foreign language about business-related topics as well as a business phone call in the foreign language about an issue that was previously set out in a German text. The oral exam takes about 30 minutes.

Areas of application of foreign language correspondents

After successfully passing the exam, foreign language correspondents have a wide range of possible occupational fields. As a rule, foreign language correspondents work in the export and import trade for international organizations or service companies.

literature

  • Ulrike Beyler: Dream jobs with foreign languages: Requirements for starting a career. Redline Economy, 2008, ISBN 3-636-01581-8 .
  • German Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Certified Foreign Language Correspondence Clerk, Certified Foreign Language Correspondence Clerk: Framework plan with learning objectives. IHK - advanced training. DIHK, 2006.

Web links