Job Discussion Forums

[JN]

I couldn't find any topics on this. Has anyone given out a certificate for private students and had a stamp made to put on the certificate? I have a student wanting a certificate with a stamp.

If anyone has done this, have you put your own picture on the stamp or some kind of logo or something else? I'm trying to decide what to have on the stamp I will have made.

[nomad soul]

It sounds like she's expecting some sort of official-looking documentation confirming her successful completion of the course. This would be in lieu of a signed letter from you stating she completed X number of hours of instruction along with a brief description of the course and your relevant credentials and contact info, which is somewhat similar to what my practicum supervisor for my master's degree program provided when I asked her for a recommendation letter.

Some questions to consider... How does your student intend to use the certificate? Are you licensed/registered to teach (as a business) complete with a business name, logo, letterhead, etc.? What exactly did the course entail? Were there standardized assessments as evidence of learning? Did you develop the course or was your primary role as tutor? Regardless, a letter would be more appropriate in this situation. Otherwise, a certificate of completion might come across to those viewing it as suspect, especially if you include a stamp with your image on it.

[JN]

The student just wants to have record that she attended the course, which I have been designing. I am a free-lancer. I am a kleinunternehmer (so a business you could say), as it's called in German. There really isn't a problem with being allowed to give her a certificate, as far as I know. German's love certificates and stamps. The certificate would just cover what we did in the course, how many hours, etc. It wouldn't be anything official, like IELTS. I haven't thought of standardized assessments, so I will think about that-thanks.

I just really want to know if people have had a stamp made and, if so, what they put on it? I really wouldn't want to put my image on it.

[nomad soul]

Unless you have a logo that you use for your business card or correspondence, I suggest not putting anything about yourself on the certificate except your typed name, title, and signature. However, what about a circular stamp or colored embossed seal with something like the following stated on it:

seal [or stamp] of achievement
achievement
successful completion
outstanding student

[Kofola]

Hi,

I know nothing about German-speaking countries's laws and customs etc. But perhaps a central European perspective will help. (There are often cultural similarities.)

Here in Slovakia I have to stamp student attendance acknowledgement letters, bills and pretty much anything you can name. Interestingly, this is not actually a legal requirement, but it is so embedded in the culture that a bill or letter that is not stamped is immediately seen as suspicious and will get you nowhere fast. ("Unofficially") a freelancer stamp "must" have the following: name and address (as in trade licence), self-employment no and tax no. That's what I have on mine.

It might well be worth finding out what freelancers have on their stamps where you are. There may well be cultural expectations as to what it should contain. (And of course the recipient can then check the commercial register using this information to see if you are legit.)

Hope it helps.

[JN]

Thanks Nomad Soul and Kofola for the helpful information. I have also checked with some people here in Germany and will check with a couple of others, in case there are legal ramifications of putting my name or a business name (which I don't have yet) on a stamp. I wouldn't want to get into trouble here, since it seems they have so many rules that it is easy to not know all of them. I do know that we don't have to have a stamp on every document. I only put my tax number on invoices, but not as a stamp.