Melanie Wittwer (asker) Feb 13, 2011:

Thanks everyone for the interesting discussion In the end I asked the agency to ask the client for clarifications. Turned out to be a Bürokauffrau. Thank you all for your help.

784512 (X) Feb 12, 2011:

Yes, that would be a Diplom-Kauffrau. Sales executive is probably what I would use - because although a little "übertrieben", sales clerks often do use such words to talk themselves up.

philgoddard Feb 10, 2011:

Yes, Kim, you're right. And I don't think this discussion is serving any purpose because we've had it so many times before. By the way, Andrew, I like your suggestion best!

Kim Metzger Feb 10, 2011:

But wouldn't graduate sales executive be Dipom-Kauffrau?

784512 (X) Feb 10, 2011:

I'm too unsure to stick to any answer, but I agree with Kim and Lirka's comments on the leading answer. I translate a lot of CVs, and actually, it tends to be more along the lines of a graduate sales executive, or similar.*

*EDIT: Note, that is when there is a context, and that is what the context often points to.

Put simply, if they are a successful "businesswoman" - they will have another, more appropriate name for their profession. Businesswoman can mean entrepreneur, Kauffrau usually does not.

Kim Metzger Feb 10, 2011:

David - nobody's saying it's the Bible. We'd just like to know that it's been consulted before the question has been posted.

David Hollywood Feb 10, 2011:

we have to be aware that the Kudoz glossary is not the Bible and indeed a lot of the entries are posted by those (including me) who have been awarded points for the "right" answer when it may (or may not) be accurate

Lancashireman Feb 9, 2011:

Kauffrau - no context A woman who likes to shop (and then go to lunch): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladies_who_lunch

Kim Metzger Feb 9, 2011:

Kaufmann without context Here's a previous example showing the various approaches.
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/german_to_english/business_commerc...

Mack Tillman (X) Feb 9, 2011:

@George: I would say this link narrows it in a bit more to fit the hint Kim gave with his first link in the already existing glossaries: http://www.kvschweiz.ch/Jugend/Berufswahl/Berufsbilder/Kauff...

Melanie Wittwer (asker) Feb 9, 2011:

OK Point taken.

philgoddard Feb 9, 2011:

If you checked the glossaries, You should have said "I checked the glossaries and don't feel that any of the eight entries fits my context". Otherwise it just looks like you forgot.

Melanie Wittwer (asker) Feb 9, 2011:

Thanks Kim. Just what I suspected. And just to confirm, I did check the glossaries first.

Kim Metzger Feb 9, 2011:

A Kaufmann/Kauffrau can be anything from a clerk to a university graduate with an MBA. There is no broad term that covers all the possibilities.

philgoddard Feb 9, 2011:

Someone told me recently that if you enter a question and a similar or identical one has already been posted, it tells you. I don't know if that's true.

Melanie Wittwer (asker) Feb 9, 2011:

Well, it could be in retail or in an office environment. Of course, I saw that entry, but it does not answer my question. Retail assisitant or management assistant would narrow it down to a context, which is not given.

Mack Tillman (X) Feb 9, 2011:

@Kim and Phil I haven't posted questions yet. So I don't know whether or not every question asker is prompted to check the glossary before he goes on to enter his/her question.

philgoddard Feb 9, 2011:

Well spotted Kim! If anyone answers this, they're condoning the practice of posting questions without checking the glossary:-)

Kim Metzger Feb 9, 2011:

I counted eight entries in the glossary. Here's one of them. http://www.proz.com/kudoz/german_to_english/human_resources/...