Job Discussion Forums

[guerrita]

I sent out some emails to various ESL schools in the city I want to teach in(in South America). Since I speak Spanish, I wrote these emails in Spanish. Now, one school has replied and asked for me to send my resume to them.

I know I would not be able to properly translate my resume into Spanish on my own....but since it's an ESL school I assume an English resume is expected and acceptable.

Would it seem strange to now send a resume in English after we have already communicated in Spanish?

thoughts?

thanks

[MELEE]

To me it would seem strange that you communicated with them in Spanish at all. You are applying for a job as an English teacher. Send your resume in English. Tell them if they have trouble reading it you would be happy to answer questions about it in Spanish. But probably the person doing the hiring is fluent in English.
Good Luck!

[Justin Trullinger]

Go ahead and send it in English. Unless they're very atypical, the hiring person can at least read a resume in English. And even if they couldn't, there would be somebody around the school who could.

What does everybody else think about the idea of writing the first letter in Spanish?

Best,
Justin

[guerrita]

thanks for the feedback everyone

[Glenski]

I agree. You seem to be from Canada. Writing to an ESL school in Spanish may sound like a courtesy when applying to South American schools, but they will expect it in English. The reasons they have not responded may include...

no one there reads Spanish,
your Spanish is not good enough to be understood,
they are confused why a Canadian didn't write in English.

I'd write again in English, even to the same places. Remind them that you sent a Spanish letter previously, and were just following up. If nothing else, it'll give them a chance to see how well you write in English. That's the language you are being hired to teach anyway.