Ben Owen Erickson,  Copenhagen, Denmark

 

Career Sequence

2006                                    Error Prefilter Consultant, Nokia, Copenhagen, Denmark

                                            I am responsible for receiving, prioritizing, and routing mobile telephone software errors.  I conduct tests of mobile telephone software and maintain various databases.  I am a key person in the communication link between international organizations within Nokia.

 

Freelance Localization Specialist

                                            I participate in various localization projects for international companies and do transcription of sound files.  My client base consists of Nokia, IBM, Microsoft, Electrolux, DFDS, Montana Reoler, etc.

 

2004 - 2005                        Group Leader, Alm. Brand, Copenhagen, Denmark

                                            I was responsible for the daily functioning of a department of 8 employees, who were involved in the testing of a new insurance IT-system and manual conversion of data from the earlier system to the new one.  I was responsible for the technical competence of the group, reports, resource planning, as well as the personnel matters of the department.

 

2001 - 2003                        Software Specialist, IBM, Copenhagen, Denmark            

I was responsible for translation and localization of the numerous departments’ documents and systems.  I ensured that detailed and complex software structures were in compliance with established standards and restrictions.  I was a fundamental key person, who established and maintained contact between the software development laboratories, sales and marketing, and distribution communities.  I consulted and advised in software structure and was responsible for the content of announcement letters.  I worked on teams and projects with international colleagues.  I was responsible for the department’s documentation, quality control, and ISO-documents.  I was team leader for a group, who created Error & Fault reports and conducted SWOT analysis.

 

2000 - 2001                        Project Manager and Localization Specialist, Lingsoft OY, Helsinki, Finland

I sat on a team of linguists, who created the grammatical part of language technology for large customers such as Microsoft and Nokia.  I created linguistic topics for the Nordic languages and performed testing and debugging for the Nordic, Finno-Ugric, and Slavic languages.  Additionally, I was responsible for project coordination and the department’s project-status documentation.  I also had a great deal of customer contact with weekly telephone conference calls and customer visits.

                                           

1999 - 2000                        Coordinator, Kristensen International Travel & Tours, Minneapolis, USA

I created educational study tours and business trips for Scandinavian, American, and South American companies, clubs, and schools to USA, the Nordic countries, South America, and Australia with a Danish-owned travel bureau.  I maintained budgets and travel documents.  I gave lectures and represented the company at travel conferences, fairs, and festivals.  I was responsible for the maintenance of the company’s internet homepage and was involved in marketing and advertising.

 

Career during studies

2000 – 2001                        Language Instructor, Galimatias OY, Helsinki, Finland

                                            I gave private and group language instruction in English and Danish at a Finnish language school. 1998 – 2001                                    Translator, Northside Records, Minneapolis, USA

I translated song texts and poems from Finnish and the Scandinavian languages to English for an American record company.

1998 – 1999                        Contract employee, Norwest Mortgage, Minneapolis, USA

I was responsible for the entry of the company’s year-end reports as well as administrative tasks.  I produced diagrams and reports on the department’s accounting and performance.

1998                                    Contract employee, Beckman Coulter Immuno-Diagnostics, Mpls, USA

I was responsible for archiving of documents and communication between the department of Clinical-and-Regulatory-Submissions and the FDA, which is the American Food & Drug Administration

1997 – 1998                        Contract employee, DataCard Corporation, Minneapolis, USA

I had two positions with this German company, who develops electronic security solutions.  In the Latin American Marketing group, I performed SWOT-analysis of the competitors’ technology-based marketing.  I performed translation from Spanish to English.  In my other position I prepared documents for the tax authorities of shipments to Northern Europe.  I prepared data and packing documents and maintained communication with transport contractors and shipping companies.

1996 – 1998                        Sales and Marketing Consultant, Paulstad Communications, Mpls, USA

I handled customer orders via telephone, mail, and email for this Norwegian company, who imported and exported Nordic gifts and books.  I represented the company at fairs and festivals.

1995 – 1997                        Assistant, Department of Horticultural Science, University of MN, Mpls, USA

I performed secretarial tasks such as mail sorting and delivery and purchasing of office supplies.  I organized the institutes library and coordinated ceremonies and parties.  I also worked in the department’s Call-Center.

                     

Living Abroad

2000 - 2001                                       Helsinki, Finland – studies and job

2000                                                  Vaasa, Finland - studies

1999 - 2000                                       Denmark from USA - studies

1993 – 1994                                      Exchange student to Grindsted, Denmark (Rotary International Youth Exchange)

1991                                                  Exchange student Valle de Bravo, Mexico (SCI – Sister Cities International)

 

Education

1999                                                  Bachelor of Arts, Finnish Philology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
1999                                                  Bachelor of Arts, Danish / Swedish, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA 

 

Courses

2003 - 2005          Courses in Thai language, Københavns Aftensskole, Copenhagen, Denmark

2000 - 2002          Courses in Finnish Philology, Århus Universitet, Århus, Denmark

2000 – 2001         NordPlus Stipendium, Courses in Finnish Philology, Helsingfors Universitet, Helsinki, Finland

2000                     Courses in Finnish Philology, Åbo Akadamiet, Turku, Finland                                   

2000                     Courses in Finnish Philology, CIMO (Center for International Mobility), Vaasan Yliopisto, Vaasa, Finland

1999                     Certification in HTML, Benchmark, Minneapolis, USA

1999                     Certification in File Maker Pro, Science Museum of Minnesota Computer School, Minneapolis, USA

 

IT-competence

Expert in PC and Macintosh applications including: 

Microsoft Office, Lotus Smart Suite

Database:  Access, FileMaker Pro, DB2, SAP release 3, S390, AS400, TIA insurance system

Graphics:  PhotoShop, Photo Editor, Visio, Adobe PageMaker

Unix, Emacs, HTML

 

Linguistic Abilities

American English                           Native language, command perfectly both orally and written

Danish                                             Fluent in both oral and written

Swedish                                           Fluent in both oral and written

Finnish                                             High level of competencey in both oral and written

Spanish                                            High level of competencey in both oral and written

I am also able to read Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, and German.