How to market/use my Spanish skills when applying or in LS? Forum

[aliarrow]

Also, if claiming fluency in Spanish on your resume, don't be surprised if much of your interview is conducted in that language.

Heh, I had Spanish on my resume for a position with some insurance company and the interviewer started sprinkling in spanish questions. All I could say was 'eh.... Como se dice.... Este.... Este... No se"

[Ikki]

@IKKI: This is not my experience. Those fluent in Portugeuse seem more adept at "handling" Spanish than vice-versa. In fact many English/Spanish fluent acquaintances have remarked at the difficulty of handling even non-sophisticated conversations in Portugeuse. Spanish fluency does, however, allow for easy transition (and translation) into Italian, based on my limited experience.

I am aware that most universities Spanish departments are "Spanish & Portugeuse", but that may be due to geographical proximity in the Iberian Peninsula & in South America.

Most of my Mexican friends that have studied either in Sao Paulo or Rio have picked up Portuguese fairly quickly. I still think if you're a Spanish native speaker, learning Portuguese and Italian shouldn't be that hard.

Al otro lado, once I do get into a good school (my desire is to head to the west coast and study corporate/contract law) how would I leverage any skills like that in the competitive market of internships and jobs? I have no great desire to practice immigration law, and that's the first thing that jumps out at me... especially if I end up in SoCal.

Op, what the hell is that supposed to mean?

[BeachandRun23]

Al otro lado, once I do get into a good school (my desire is to head to the west coast and study corporate/contract law) how would I leverage any skills like that in the competitive market of internships and jobs? I have no great desire to practice immigration law, and that's the first thing that jumps out at me... especially if I end up in SoCal.

Op, what the hell is that supposed to mean?

It means "on the other hand." I dont know why he just started using spanglish though.

[Ikki]

Al otro lado, once I do get into a good school (my desire is to head to the west coast and study corporate/contract law) how would I leverage any skills like that in the competitive market of internships and jobs? I have no great desire to practice immigration law, and that's the first thing that jumps out at me... especially if I end up in SoCal.

Op, what the hell is that supposed to mean?

It means "on the other hand." I dont know why he just started using spanglish though.

That's a pretty shitty use of Spanglish, I've never heard that expression. He could have used "por otro lado", "no obstante", "sin embargo", "mas", "Aunque", etc.

[blsingindisguise]

Al otro lado, once I do get into a good school (my desire is to head to the west coast and study corporate/contract law) how would I leverage any skills like that in the competitive market of internships and jobs? I have no great desire to practice immigration law, and that's the first thing that jumps out at me... especially if I end up in SoCal.

Op, what the hell is that supposed to mean?

It means "on the other hand." I dont know why he just started using spanglish though.

That's a pretty shitty use of Spanglish, I've never heard that expression. He could have used "por otro lado", "no obstante", "sin embargo", "mas", "Aunque", etc.

"Al otro lado" does not mean "on the other hand." Classic bad Spanish, and I'm not even "low fluent."

[Stringer Bell]

Pregunte un abogada de una empresa grande si Espanol es beneficial en su trabajo. Ella dijo que un companero de trabajo que habla espanol recibe tareas pequenas que utilizarlo con frequencia de companeros con antiguedad.

My Spanish obviously isn't very good. Hopefully that made sense.

[AlabamaIceman]

Pregunte un abogada de una empresa grande si Espanol es beneficial en su trabajo. Ella dijo que un companero de trabajo que habla espanol recibe tareas pequenas que utilizarlo con frequencia de companeros con antiguedad.

My Spanish obviously isn't very good. Hopefully that made sense.

Lo entendió tan bien, pero es difícil sin los acentos lol.

Que es lo que intentas decir por "compañeros con antigüedad?"

[Ikki]

"Al otro lado" does not mean "on the other hand." Classic bad Spanish, and I'm not even "low fluent."

Wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, don't think he tried to say this:

[Ikki]

Pregunte un abogada de una empresa grande si Espanol es beneficial en su trabajo. Ella dijo que un companero de trabajo que habla espanol recibe tareas pequenas que utilizarlo con frequencia de companeros con antiguedad.

My Spanish obviously isn't very good. Hopefully that made sense.

Lo entendió tan bien, pero es difícil sin los acentos lol.

Que es lo que intentas decir por "compañeros con antigüedad?"

I'm guessing he meant "senior partners".

[AlabamaIceman]

"Al otro lado" does not mean "on the other hand." Classic bad Spanish, and I'm not even "low fluent."

Yeah I just got sloppy and misused the noun, it should be "parte" not lado.

I have been well-understood the majority of the time on most every topic when speaking to native speakers, and vice-versa. That's why I say "low-end fluency."

I don't claim to have professional capacity without further training, I was just wondering if the skill would potentially be of any use.

[AlabamaIceman]

Pregunte un abogada de una empresa grande si Espanol es beneficial en su trabajo. Ella dijo que un companero de trabajo que habla espanol recibe tareas pequenas que utilizarlo con frequencia de companeros con antiguedad.

My Spanish obviously isn't very good. Hopefully that made sense.

Lo entendió tan bien, pero es difícil sin los acentos lol.

Que es lo que intentas decir por "compañeros con antigüedad?"

I'm guessing he meant "senior partners".

Aha, gotcha.

Are you a native speaker?

[Bluben]

Yo hablo español. Por favor deme un trabajo que paga mucho. Es todo.

[Ikki]

Pregunte un abogada de una empresa grande si Espanol es beneficial en su trabajo. Ella dijo que un companero de trabajo que habla espanol recibe tareas pequenas que utilizarlo con frequencia de companeros con antiguedad.

My Spanish obviously isn't very good. Hopefully that made sense.

Lo entendió tan bien, pero es difícil sin los acentos lol.

Que es lo que intentas decir por "compañeros con antigüedad?"

I'm guessing he meant "senior partners".

Aha, gotcha.

Are you a native speaker?

Yeah, I lived in Mexico for 14 years, moved to the U.S. when I started high school.

[AlabamaIceman]

Yeah, I lived in Mexico for 14 years, moved to the U.S. when I started high school.

Mmm. People like you are the reason I suspect I should bother at all, you are worlds better than I'll likely ever be, it just ain't fair lol.

[CanadianWolf]

Two consecutive years of living in a Spanish speaking environment after taking at least three continuous years of college level Spanish should give you "proficient" (not fluent) ability. It is, however, important for non-native speakers to continue studying Spanish or to be using the language daily to remain proficient. (Use it or lose it.)

@IKKI: Spanish to Italian is quite simple. Spanish to Portugeuse is certainly facilitated if the fluent Spanish speaker is living & working or studying in Brazil. Certainly Spanish sharpens one's ear for Portugeuse, but the transition to Portugeuse typically requires more work than to Italian. Portugeuse is quite valuable in today's international economy, while Italian is less so.

[Ikki]

Two consecutive years of living in a Spanish speaking environment after taking at least three continuous years of college level Spanish should give you "proficient" (not fluent) ability. It is, however, important for non-native speakers to continue studying Spanish or to be using the language daily to remain proficient. (Use it or lose it.)

@IKKI: Spanish to Italian is quite simple. Spanish to Portugeuse is certainly facilitated if the fluent Spanish speaker is living & working or studying in Brazil. Certainly Spanish sharpens one's ear for Portugeuse, but the transition to Portugeuse typically requires more work than to Italian. Portugeuse is quite valuable in today's international economy, while Italian is less so.

Not to be an asshole, but it's "Portuguese". You're probably right, I've talked with Brazilians that don't speak a word of Spanish and it's funny how well we could understand each other, but I know being fluent would probably take more work than learning Italian. But yeah, Italian is basically Spanish with a lot of hand movement.

Mmm. People like you are the reason I suspect I should bother at all, you are worlds better than I'll likely ever be, it just ain't fair lol.

You would be surprised at the wonders that getting a Mexican girlfriend that doesn't know English could do for your Spanish.

[CanadianWolf]

Yes, you're correct. Looks like I was using the Italian spelling.