Get A Job— Answers

#1   ANSWER:   True – "Kwan – Sang," the reading or viewing of facial features is an accepted practice with many South Korean employers. The facial characteristics of a person are analyzed and matched against job requirements.

#2   ANSWER:   C – These are common mistakes made by Germans speaking English. They use "grounded" to mean, "founded;" "prove" to mean "check up on:" and "until" to mean "by."

#3   ANSWER:   True – While those chins might need to be tucked in Los Angeles, they are considered a sign of dignity for a senior powerful position in Ghana. (Be aware that the life expectancy is currently around 40 in Ghana so a senior image may connote even more wisdom than it traditionally holds.)

#4   ANSWER:   D – As in many Hispanic countries, many Bolivians consider relatives to be the trustworthiest employees, even if they are less qualified. Tuesdays in general are viewed as unlucky, as the aphorism goes, "En martes, ni te cases ni te embarques." ("On Tuesday, neither marry nor embark.") Tuesday the 13th is especially unlucky, as it's the Hispanic equivalent of the English Friday the 13th. There is also a bias against left-handed people ("zurdos"). Not all Bolivians adhere to all three of these beliefs, but many believe in one or more.

#5   ANSWERS:   A = 3; B = 1; C = 2

#6   ANSWER:   True – Bona fide occupational qualification requirements and Equal Employment Opportunity laws don't always extend outside the US.

#7   ANSWERS:  B – Thai people divide the day into seven segments, including two mornings and two afternoons.

• Early morning – 1 am to 6:59 am
• Late morning – 7 am to 11:59 am
• Noon – 12 pm to 12:59 pm
• Early afternoon – 1 pm to 3:59 pm
• Late afternoon – 4 pm to 6:59 pm
• Evening – 7 pm to 11:59 pm
• Midnight – 12 am to 12:59 am

If a Thai tells you to meet him at one o’clock in the afternoon, this could mean 1 pm (the first hour of early afternoon) or 4 pm (the first hour of late afternoon). To avoid confusion, use a 24-hour military clock (4 pm is 1600 hours) or physically point to your watch and ask.

#8   ANSWERS:   True – The French look at handwriting analysis as a valid means of ascertaining personality characteristics and their related job skills. In the US, the analysis of penmanship is generally reserved for criminals or the disturbed.

#9   ANSWERS:   B – In Mexico, along with most of Latin America, the Indian subcontinent, Asia, and many other parts of the world, your family name and your social standing are important assets in your job search. Your family and friends are a significant part of who you are. It's not uncommon for a sales candidate to be asked more about his or her family and network of friends/contacts than his or her income. Companies are more concerned about what new contacts and sales they will bring to the firm, rather than what they made last year.

#10   ANSWERS:   True – Employing the workers' young children is a benefit that Indian firms provide. As a US employer, child labor is against the law, but some US companies overcome that problem by offering tuition for employees' children to attend school until they are old enough to work.

Terri Morrison is a popular speaker, author, and president of Getting Through Customs, the leading web-based training and software firm for international business travelers. Contact Terri directly at TerriMorrison@getcustoms.com. For information on Getting Through Customs' books, database and seminars, visit www.getcustoms.com, call 610-725-1040 or fax 800-529-8167.

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