TOPIK II Core Vocabulary · Education & Careers ②

Building a CV — 자격증, 경험, 평가, 졸업하다, 도전하다

These words are about qualifications and experience. You often see them in résumés and personal statements.

01자격증jagyeokjeung🔊 [자격쯩]

certificate, license · an official document that shows you have a qualification.

Note The ending -증 means a document that proves something: 자격증, 학생증, 신분증, and 영수증. 자격증을 따다 means to earn a certificate or license.

Examples 자격증을 따다 (to earn a certificate) · 자격증을 취득하다 (to get one, formal) · 자격증 시험 (a certification exam)

이번에 자격증을 하나 땄어요. I recently earned a certificate.  |  취득하다 is the more formal verb

자격증이 많다고 해서 반드시 유리한 것은 아니다. Having many certificates is not necessarily an advantage.  |  유리하다 = to be advantageous

02경험gyeongheom

experience · knowledge or skill you gain by doing or living through something.

Note 경험 covers everything a person has experienced. 경력 means only work experience. Use 경험을 쌓다 to say you are gaining experience.

Examples 경험을 쌓다 (to build experience) · 경험이 많다 (to be experienced) · 경험하다 (to experience)

해외에서 산 경험이 있어요. I have experience living abroad.  |  -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 describes a past experience

실패한 경험도 돌아보면 값진 자산이 된다. When you look back, even a failed experience can become a valuable asset.  |  돌아보다 = to look back on

03평가pyeongga

evaluation, assessment · the act of judging quality, value, or performance.

Note 평가 is not only for education. You also use it for policies, systems, and works of art. 높게 평가하다 means to evaluate highly or to value highly.

Examples 평가를 받다 (to be assessed) · 높게 평가하다 (to rate highly) · 평가 기준 (the assessment criteria)

이번 발표는 평가가 좋았어요. The presentation was well received.  |  발표 = a presentation

성적만으로 학생을 평가하는 방식에 대한 비판이 이어지고 있다. The practice of judging students by grades alone continues to draw criticism.  |  성적 = grades · 방식 = a way of doing something

04졸업하다joreopada🔊 [조러파다]

to graduate · to complete a course of study at a school or university.

Pronunciation [조러파다]. The final consonant ㄹ moves to the next syllable. Then ㅂ joins with ㅎ and becomes ㅍ.

Note Use 을/를 with 졸업하다: 대학교를 졸업하다. Do not use 에서. A graduation ceremony is a 졸업식.

Examples 대학교를 졸업하다 (to graduate from university) · 졸업식 (a graduation ceremony) · 졸업생 (a graduate)

내년에 대학교를 졸업해요. I graduate next year.  |  The school you graduate from takes 을/를

졸업한 뒤에도 배움은 끝나지 않는다는 말이 있다. They say learning doesn't stop at graduation.  |  배움 = learning

05도전하다dojeonhada

to take on, to challenge · to try something difficult or new.

Note The thing you take on takes 에, as in 시험에 도전하다. 도전 정신 means a willingness to take on challenges. You often see it in job advertisements and personal statements.

Examples 시험에 도전하다 (to take on an exam) · 도전을 하다 (to make an attempt) · 도전 정신 (a spirit of challenge)

올해는 새로운 일에 도전해 보려고 해요. This year I plan to try something new.  |  -아/어 보다 = to try doing something

도전하지 않으면 실패도 없지만 얻는 것도 없다. If you never take on a challenge, you will not fail, but you will not gain anything either.  |  얻다 = to gain

Quick check3 questions

Fill in each blank in Korean.

1. 실패한 __________도 돌아보면 값진 자산이 된다. (knowledge gained by doing)
2. 내년에 대학교________ 졸업해요. (which particle? a small word added after a noun)
3. 올해는 새로운 일________ 도전해 보려고 해요. (which particle?)

Show answers

1. 경험   2. 를   3. 에

졸업 takes 을/를, 도전 takes 에

Study tip The ending -증 marks a document that proves something: 자격증, 학생증, 신분증, and 영수증. You also see the ending -서 in document names such as 진단서 and 신청서.