careerbee.de ’s Post

Are you a company in Germany in looking to hire #talent? Do you see yourselves as #innovative and #agile and still find yourselves asking for German language skills at a minimum of B2? Are you actually sure why? Just listened to an englightening interview with Dr Martha Kojnok on the careerbee.de Talks podcast on how the German language requirements for many positions don't actually align with what is required to complete the task. It's well worth a listen but here's takeaway that could change the way you hire: The Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) defines #B2 as "Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation." Very few people are actually tested in their field of specialisation however - for most candidates who can demonstrate this level, it's mostly about generic language skills. If you need an engineer who knows what a "Verschleißteil" refers to, or an HR Professional who can discuss the "Beitragsbemessungsgrenze", then B2 isn't a guarantee. So why not hire someone earlier in their learning curve, at say A2, and then offer them targeted language training courses so they can familiarise themselves with the specialist terminology on the job? Yes, it's a cost but you'll find yourselves accessing a far bigger talent pool.

I was listening to the recent "Diary of a CEO" episode with Daniel Priestley, and it got me reflecting on this concept of generalists and specialists. 🎙️ In the podcast, they talk about building businesses, and how the dynamic changes when you get to a certain size: - At the beginning, with a small team, everyone wears many hats 🎩 and can be a bit of a generalist. - But then, as the company grows, it becomes more professional and needs to bring in specialists through the recruitment process. 💼 This made me think about how I might fall on this spectrum. As a language learner and teacher, I've always been drawn to the generalist side. In language classrooms, you can talk about anything, as long as you do it in the target language. There's a real sense of endless possibilities. 🌐 However, many of the people I work with are specialists in their fields. They have a specific job to do, and they do it really well. But then, they realise they need to learn English to communicate internationally, which becomes an extra skill for them. 📚🚀 It also made me think about a recent lesson I had with a Chinese client who is planning a business trip to Bangkok to survey a potential development site. His team's official interpreter has had visa issues, so he's been assigned as the group translator on top of his usual role as a financial specialist. 💰 There are various specialists in different departments, and he is concerned about not having the technical vocabulary or being able to understand and translate everything well enough. 🗣️🇬🇧🇨🇳 We went through some role-plays and ways he can ask for clarification, which he found useful and he plans to do more preparation and practice before the trip. ✈️ This experience resonated with the podcast episode, and got me thinking more broadly about the specialist-generalist concept. Is one necessarily better than the other? 🤔 I think most of us probably lean more towards one or the other, but maybe it's a bit of a yin and yang situation: every generalist will have some areas of specialization, and every specialist should ideally have some broader knowledge as well. ☯️ What are your thoughts? Are you a specialist or a generalist? 💬 #specialist #generalist #languagelearning #skills #careers #communication

I always find #podcasts an incredible source of information and inspiration. From knowing what’s happening in another part of the world to preparing for a job interview, they are the best. 🤝 Here's a curated list of the top 6 podcasts I found helpful in the last few months that will enhance your skills and broaden your perspectives: 1️⃣ Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques: Matt Abrahams, a Stanford communication expert, delves into real-world challenges. Learn to convey your message clearly, write effective emails, and manage your reputation. Communication is key to success in both business and life. 🎙️ Link: https://lnkd.in/gAW3ijNj 2️⃣ The New Humanitarian: Listen to this to Gain insights into conflicts, natural disasters, and humanitarian responses worldwide. TNH journalists in Geneva and global hotspots share stories that shape lives across the globe. 🎙️ Link: https://lnkd.in/gjid7nuT 3️⃣ Deep Dish on Global Affairs: Delve deeper into global issues with experts in foreign policy, national security, economics, and more. Stay informed about world events and their impact. 🎙️ Link: https://lnkd.in/gGStmhia 4️⃣ Stuff You Should Know: My personal favorite. Explore various topics, from champagne to chaos theory. Josh and Chuck provide engaging insights on a wide range of subjects. 🎙️ Link: https://lnkd.in/gT5Nsncc 5️⃣ The Take: Hosted by award-winning journalist Malika Bilal, The Take offers in-depth conversations with journalists and those directly affected by current events. Understand the context behind the headlines. 🎙️ Link: https://thetake-up.com/ 6️⃣ This Working Life: Lisa Leong explores the world of work, sharing ideas, experiments, and stories from experts. It's your digital water cooler for career insights and inspiration. 🎙️ Link: https://lnkd.in/grmQHqHH I'm curious, which podcast is your go-to for regular listening? 🎧 🎧 #communications #ngojobs #coaching #podcast

Blessed to launch NO Language Barriers reaching 5 continents and 20 countries within 4 months in 2023! Grateful for your continuing support, in the last episode of 2023, I reveal 5 secrets weapons to maximise your connections in 2024 with no language barriers, from 5 of the top played episodes on my podcast this year: 1. Laura Madrid (Founder of E.P.C.A - Environmental Professional Community of Australia ): We must master ourselves first before mastering connections in any language 2. Jen Liu (Founder of Australia Career Forum ): We can leverage our international background to expand our comfort zone in and outside of our native language. 3. From the first episode on my founding story of Multilingual Connectors: It is not your actual skills but relationship with a language that can impact the relationships with yourself and others. 4. Angel Iyke-Osuji (Career Blogger in male-dominated industries): Our unique value lies in our differences from those around us beyond our look and sound. 5. Ran Sun (Founder of Proudly Consulting): We actually limit ourselves from expanding connections by trying to fit in. I'd also like to also extend my gratitude to other guest speakers for enriching and promoting this podcast in our global community: Sunny Huang 黄蓉, Charles Liang, Sally Zhang and Taylor Tran . We cannot have come this far without you! Thank you all for being a supportive and inspiring follower! It is within YOU that I see the possibility of mastering connections across cultures without mastering one or more foreign language, to create this international podcast for Best wishes and see you next year! #podcast #nolanguagebarriers #Multicultural #connecting #connections #daisywu

What if we told you that NO recruiter has ever heard of a TOEIC? This is something Coco Lee reiterates over and over again - English Proficiency exams are NEVER a guarantee of your skill as a communicator. Especially in #professionalcommunication , where we are not talking about your ability to use the language, but to use it to explain your ideas, sell your services, present yourself and impress your audience. Here is a teaser to a a our first podcast guest for Ask Coco Podcast, Grant Sundbye. Grant is a career development coach who has placed over 200 talented Korean professionals in global companies abroad. In this episode, we will talk about the top 3 challenges non-native English speaking professionals face when going after their dream career abroad and how we can overcome these. This is an episode you don't want to miss - especially if you have ever thought of working abroad one day! Tune in here 🎧https://t.ly/o0LBB Our episode uploads tomorrow at 12pm! Make sure to follow & rate our podcast 😊 #askcocopodcast #international #careerdevelopment #careercoach #workingabroad

You've got to STOP doing this! 🛑 Memorizing grammar rules and vocabulary! These won't help you develop confidence and become fluent in English. Instead, try doing this👇 Focus on practising real-world communication and developing your language skills in a way that is relevant to your job or industry. Here are some effective strategies to improve your English skills: 🔺read industry-related materials 🔺listen to podcasts 🔺watch videos on topics relevant to your field 🔺engage in conversations with colleagues or industry professionals. Have you tried them out? Let me know how you are doing. Please send me a message if you need help finding relevant material, podcasts, or videos. Happy to help 😊 #DACH #Geschäftsführer #Marketing #Vertrieb

Next week I am pulling back the curtain to show you how to become a sought-after speaker. In this 60 minute masterclass I will be breaking down the 3 steps to commanding live and virtual stages with a signature talk that will transform audiences into opportunities in your business or in your profession. You may be an expert at what you do but if you don't SOUND like an authority you are missing out on opportunities every single time you speak. That's why this masterclass is for anyone who wants to get better at speaking on stage (live stage, online, podcasts, interviews, presentations, speeches, etc). I'll be sharing with you the exact steps required to captivate and connect with audiences, to make an impact, to influence and even convert from the stage. If you have a message in your heart and if you know that speaking on stages will give you the visibility your business or profession needs right now then join me for my free masterclass. Reserve your spot here: https://lnkd.in/g-EcMsbK #publicspeaking #speaking #communication #communicationskills #voice #authority #expert #entrepreneur

Jehan Casinader is spot on. If memory serves, #MichaelJordan won 6 out of 15 #NBA championships - were the 9 he didn't win failures or practice? Human minds are built to amplify the negative. Whilst in some situations this keeps us safe, in many it can stop us moving forward. The great news is we can train our minds to change. Starting with "everything is practice - nothing is wasted" .... Start reframing your thoughts today

“I just think that you need to work on your grammar when you speak” This is the “feedback” that was told to Jamie Gartner by a manager. As someone that grew up in a bilingual household - I felt like my Spanish was never “good enough” nor did I feel my English was “good enough.” Having an English speaking mother, however, did help me feel more confident when communicating in English, obvio. However, I grew up speaking a lot of Spanglish (seen above). Because of that, I became self conscious with how I spoke in professional settings - I feared being seen as someone that wasn’t “well spoken” (whatever that means) and especially feared these kind of comments/“feedback”. It made it difficult when doing presentations, speaking in front of people etc - I became shy and disengaged from work. “Feedback” that tells you that you need to have better English grammar is not only vague, ineffective and unactionable, but it’s insensitive and offensive! Textio actually has found that Black and Latine people receive 2.4x MORE FEEDBACK THAT'S NOT ACTIONABLE, compared to white and Asian people (link of the findings in the comments). All employees deserve access to equitable, actionable, and effective feedback so that they can continue to improve and grow in their careers and companies. This podcast episode of Corporate Pero Latinos discusses this topic that many of those that grew up in bilingual households face. (Check it out below) #feedback #performancereviews #performancefeedback #careers

Intercultural communication, empathy, growth and the power of embracing vulnerability to truly connect: Our Noblahblah- trainer Sophia Gruner was interviewed by Marina de Boer from Back to La Tierra, based in Mijas, Spain.   We´re super proud of her 🤩   Here are some key takeaways from the Podcast: 💭 Effective communication is about truly connecting with your audience. Effective trainings can take place when people feel safe to open up to new ideas and practices. Feeling comfortably uncomfortable.   💭The ability to listen and make others feel heard is a superpower in communication.   💭 Personal biases shape our reality and influence our communication. Recognizing and acknowledging them can lead to deeper, more meaningful conversations.   💭The Disruption Factor: Disrupting your daily routine is a catalyst for personal growth and building resilience.   💭 Intercultural Work Environments: Investing in language and cultural integration may require extra effort and resources, but it pays back by fostering a more inclusive and connected environment. The link to the podcast is in the comments.