Translating UK CV into US Resume
Apr 6th 2012, 12:56 pm
#17
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Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
That is age 17 and/or 18 depending on whether or not their birthdays arrive before July or after. Also depends on when they started school since if your birthday falls just after the cutoff date for enrollment, you will be starting school a year after those who celebrate their 5th year in the same year as you but have their birthday before the cutoff date.
Apr 6th 2012, 1:18 pm
#18
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: East Seaxe
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Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
My school had a sixth form, but for some reason my parents took me out and me to a MAD, INSANE sixth form college in London full of international students, some of whom where political refugees, or those who had left other English schools often for, um, misbehaviour. We used to go boozing at lunch and after school, often with the teachers, as we talked about life and Shakespeare.
Apr 6th 2012, 2:25 pm
#19
I have a comma problem
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Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
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Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
I always remembered when watching Grange Hill that the school seemed to be set up differently than mine. Though I went to a grammar school and that was a comprehensive. Is that where the differences are?
Excuse my ignorance ...
Apr 6th 2012, 4:10 pm
#20
Under blue skies
Joined: Mar 2011
Location: East Anglia->New England
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Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
It gets complicated because you get different levels of classes in US high school, the higher levels definitely compare with A-levels in my view. However, the requirements for just graduating high school are fairly basic. So it would be difficult to generalize. You can get college credit for AP (advanced placement) subjects so perhaps A-levels are viewed in this way - Lion in Winter's experience suggests so. Just not sure A-levels could be seen as the whole of an Associate Degree.
I attended high school in America & the AP high school classes were Associate Degree level, which equal the first two years in an American university. That's why high school students who pass the AP exams are able to earn American university/college credits for those courses.
My daughter did the IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma course at Sixth Form in England. The courses were very like the AP courses in an American high school, down to the exams at the end, but the AP courses are 1 year each, whereas the IB couses are mainly 2 year modules.
Last edited by WEBlue; Apr 6th 2012 at 4:13 pm.
Apr 6th 2012, 4:42 pm
#21
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Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
That is age 17 and/or 18 depending on whether or not their birthdays arrive before July or after. Also depends on when they started school since if your birthday falls just after the cutoff date for enrollment, you will be starting school a year after those who celebrate their 5th year in the same year as you but have their birthday before the cutoff date.
My school had a sixth form, but for some reason my parents took me out and me to a MAD, INSANE sixth form college in London full of international students, some of whom where political refugees, or those who had left other English schools often for, um, misbehaviour. We used to go boozing at lunch and after school, often with the teachers, as we talked about life and Shakespeare.
I don't know - mine was a comprehensive too.
Apr 6th 2012, 4:49 pm
#22
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Google Town
Posts: 7,532
Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
My A levels meant that a major US university let me do a four-year degree in three years.
Honestly, I would seek out help in americanizing your cv from a professional cv writer, or at least look at examples online. It's more than just explaining qualifications - there is a whole different way of presenting oneself here that is far more directly and explicitly self-promoting than is usual in the UK, and it's very difficult for us to get that right. I've been here a long time, and for my next job search I still want someone else to look at it.
Honestly, I would seek out help in americanizing your cv from a professional cv writer, or at least look at examples online. It's more than just explaining qualifications - there is a whole different way of presenting oneself here that is far more directly and explicitly self-promoting than is usual in the UK, and it's very difficult for us to get that right. I've been here a long time, and for my next job search I still want someone else to look at it.
Apr 6th 2012, 4:56 pm
#23
I have a comma problem
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Apr 6th 2012, 6:29 pm
#24
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Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
My teachers always went to the pub on Friday lunchtimes, so we frequently had drunk teachers on Friday afternoon lessons.
Apr 6th 2012, 6:41 pm
#25
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Google Town
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Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
I remember us all getting drunk with our teachers on a trip to France
Apr 6th 2012, 8:02 pm
#26
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
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Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
I'd a chemistry teacher who bummed a smoke off me once or twice. Actually, our A-level class was apparently responsible for causing him to take up smoking again after he quit over Easter break in my final year ...
I'd a history teacher who would routinely not show up when we had him last thing in the day because he buggered off to the pub instead!
I'd a history teacher who would routinely not show up when we had him last thing in the day because he buggered off to the pub instead!
Apr 6th 2012, 8:34 pm
#27
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: East Seaxe
Posts: 72,552
Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
Ours took turns buying the drinks, too, including for those who weren't yet 18.
It didn't seem to matter, we did quite well in our As, although there was a certain amount of, er, fraternizing that I'm sure would get people suspended/fired/arrested these days. It was a mellow time - happy days.
Apr 6th 2012, 8:36 pm
#28
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Google Town
Posts: 7,532
Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
Ours took turns buying the drinks, too, including for those who weren't yet 18.
It didn't seem to matter, we did quite well in our As, although there was a certain amount of, er, fraternizing that I'm sure would get people suspended/fired/arrested these days. It was a mellow time - happy days.
It didn't seem to matter, we did quite well in our As, although there was a certain amount of, er, fraternizing that I'm sure would get people suspended/fired/arrested these days. It was a mellow time - happy days.
Apr 6th 2012, 8:39 pm
#29
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Translating UK CV into US Resume
Sure, things get complicated...sure, you're going to get different answers for different requirements.
For the sake of a resume, just list the school and state something along the lines of "Attaining A-levels, equivalent to US Highschool Diploma".
Might want to make it sound more fancy, but basically you're just conveying you've got at the very least a GED and making it as simple as possible for HR drone to understand you're not thick and you tick a box.
For the sake of a resume, just list the school and state something along the lines of "Attaining A-levels, equivalent to US Highschool Diploma".
Might want to make it sound more fancy, but basically you're just conveying you've got at the very least a GED and making it as simple as possible for HR drone to understand you're not thick and you tick a box.
