another covering letter!

Hi, I 'm a newbie on this forum, and I'd like you to read through my cv and covering letter for a work placement in a translation company...

Thank you in advance!

(If I can help anybody in french...   )

Goulven LE GOFF

Born: 15-04-1985

Age: 21

Nationality: French

Mobile phone: 0033 ***

goulvenlegoff@***.fr

140 Bis, Rue Robespierre

29200 Brest

France

Education

Sept 2004 – Jun 2007   Bachelor in Modern Applied Languages (LEA)

                                      Université de Bretagne Occidentale - Brest, France

Spent one year abroad in Giessen - Germany as an Erasmus student

                                      in 2005-2006

2003-2004                     First year of a Bachelor in Biology

                                      Université de Bretagne Occidentale - Brest, France

2003                                       Baccalauréat  Scientifique (equivalent of an A level specialized in  Sciences)  with distinction

Employment

Jun to Aug 2004            Summer employee in a seed growing company

                                      Responsible for the transport of hives

Jul - Aug 2003               Summer employee in a nursery garden

Jul - Aug 2002               Summer employee in a nursery garden

Other Skills

          Languages: Mother tongue: French

                              Fluent in English and German

                              Basic knowledge of Spanish

          Computer literate:  good knowledge of Word, Excel, Power Point, PhotoImpact

                                         Able to use PCs and Macs

          Driving License

Interests

Reading, listening to music and watching movies (often in English)

Playing rugby

Traveling

Playing the guitar

Dear Sir, Dear Madam

Re: work placement

I study Modern Applied Languages (LEA) at the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest and I am currently looking for a 3-month work placement in a British translation company. This work placement will be the conclusion of my Bachelor.

My courses range from English and German to economics and law. I also passed a scientific Baccalaureate (the equivalent of the British A-Level): I had the chance to attend many different kinds of courses which is an advantage in translation.

I already had the occasion to see what the translator’s job is made of. I translated for example articles and lyrics for a band’s fan site. In my courses in France, I had different translation courses (translation from French to English or from English to French, consecutive interpreting…). I spent the second year of my degree abroad in Germany where I attended a German-English translation course.

Next year, I will apply for a master in translation either in France or abroad.

I’m actually available for this work placement from the 15^th February and always available for further questions or for a possible interview.

Yours sincerely

Goulven LE GOFF

Great!

Thank you!

Dear Mrs Romero

Firstly, I would like to thank you for answering so quickly.

 I’m actually doing a bachelor in Foreign Applied Languages (Langues Etrangères Appliquées= LEA).

We are taught two main languages (English and German in my case). We learn for example a whole range of economic terms by studying texts. We also have Anglo-American and German civilisation [culture would be better here] courses.

In addition to these language courses, we have translations courses, still in both languages. We translate texts from and into French. These texts are tourism brochures, technical instructions, newspapers’ articles etc… Our translation teachers are professional translators and are in charge of the Master in Translation and Technical Writing of the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest.

We translate texts but [no need to repeat] We also learn in the meantime the different “techniques” that are used by translators. For example, I’ve learned how to stick to the style, the presentation and the register(or language level???) [If "register" is a technical term, then use it] of the original text. I’ve also learned in particular the importance of collocations. We have regular exams but also some specific projects. In my first year in Brest, I and some others  had to translate with some other people a whole Welsh tourist website [OR tourism website for visitors to Wales].

This semester, I chose the option Consecutive translation. It’s harder than written translation but it is a very instructive exercise.

 Apart from languages, I have also  taken an international marketing course, a general course about global economics and a law course.

 The goal of LEA is to prepare us to a rather for a wide range of careers opportunities. It can lead to different kinds of Masters in Translation (Interpreter, translator, etc.) but also to Masters in international trading or marketing or Masters specialised in the tourism industry. The common point of all these masters is that all these masters they prepare us for an international job. That’s why teachers send some of us abroad to get some international experience, as part of the ERASMUS student-exchange programme . As I already said,  iIn Germany I had the occasion[ opportunity might be better here] to do a German-English translation course, which was quite tricky for me since none [neither - there are only  two languages mentioned]of these languages was my mother tongue.

 I know Although I am not yet studying exclusively translation in for a Master, but translating[ I would use "translation" here] is quite a big part of my bachelor.

I would like to add that the work placement has to be 3 to 6 month long to your convenience.between 3 to 6 months, as suits you best. I shall look forward to hearing from you.

 I hope I haven’t been too long.

 Kind regards,

Goulven LE GOFF

Good luck!