1. Curriculum Vitae Raquel A. Vazquez
Personal Profile I am a multi-skilled individual, having worked within the Interpreting, Customer Service and
Secretarial/Technical fields. I am detail orientated, always seeking to better myself. Excellent
team player with a witty sense of humour, a quick learner and someone who is keen to learn new
skills. I am also a qualified Community Interpreter (English/Spanish) and have specialised in English
Law.
Skills & interests I enjoy writing poetry in English & Spanish. I’m a published Author in an anthologies book
‘Faith & Hope’ http://www.unitedpress.co.uk/read-poetry-online/faith-and-hope.
I am an animal lover and enjoy yoga & swimming.
Date of Birth 25th
February 1975 Contact R.A.V@myself.com
07950 432 931
Address 68A Tynemouth Rd
London N15 4AX
Employment
Aug 2013-present
Freelance
Interpreter
CAPITA Translation &
Interpreting
D.A Languages LTD
Freelance interpreting on behalf of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) for Courts & Probation bookings,
and on behalf of the National Health Service (NHS). I am qualified to work for the Medical,
Employment, Housing and Education sectors, but my expertise is English Law. My role as a
Community Interpreter is to facilitate an oral (face to face) interpretation, either simultaneously or
consecutively, among clients such as counsels, appellant/respondent/defendant, magistrates etc. I
do also ‘sight translate’ as required, reading relevant documents from a case and providing with an
instant translation at sight, and whilst working at the NHS, I interpret mainly on behalf of nurses and
patients. I hold an Enhanced CRB and NPPV and CTC security cleared requisites. My job as an
Interpreter is a face-to-face customer engaging role and I must always be professional, following a
strict code of practice, being tactful, efficient and neutral, even at very stressful situations.
Interpreting is only upon demand and therefore, it is an add on to my regular job at John Lewis.
Nov 2008-present
Interpreter/
Lingerie Adviser/Selling
Assistant
John Lewis PLC
My job as a Lingerie Adviser/Sales Assistant is once again, a very tactful role, especially when
helping customers with post-mastectomy bra fitting. We are trained to offer a professional advice to
customers in need of a bra fitting service, with different needs and wants, and it is also a great
opportunity to exceed sales and to engage at a personal level with our customers, whom more than
often, come back to us. I am also involved with the general management of the shop floor, cashier
role, sales enticement, wastage monitoring and have been involved with administrative work such as
staff rotas, ARP’s and customer service letter writing. I enjoy customer interaction and giving flawless
customer service. I am as well registered as an Interpreter for John Lewis stores, interpreting for
various departments and customers that are unable to communicate. I have worked at the electrical,
kitchen, fashion, lingerie, shoes, children, beauty, Customer Services & Business Protection
departments and on behalf of the Metropolitan Police, while working with the latter mentioned. I enjoy
the opportunity of interacting with customers and to experience different scenarios.
Mar 2006-Nov 2008
PA to the Head of
Communications, Team
Administrator and
bilingual wok.
The Teacher Support
Network
(TSN)
Working for ‘The Teacher Support Network’, a Charity founded in 1877. Working towards the well-
being & further development of Teachers and Lecturers. My duties were the following:
• PA support to the Head of Communications with diary management, travel arrangements,
typing of documents, record of expenses and any other ad hoc duty.
• Full support to the Communications Team by booking all travel and accommodation; input/
maintenance of data into the communications database; stock maintenance of promotional
material and distribution; communicating with supporters on behalf of the team; setting up of
video and telephone conferences plus taking weekly minutes of meeting.
• Responsible for the Charity’s enquiries inbox. Answering questions and or referring
Teachers and Lecturers to the right direction/information.
• Responsible for answering the switchboard calls and identifying callers for possible press
releases plus bilingual communication with Spanish Teachers & Lecturers.
• Helping the Fundraising Team with their Raiser’s Edge system, for donor management.

2. Sep 2005-Mar 2006
Secretarial and bilingual
assignments.
Temping work.
PA/Admin support for The National Childbirth Trust - Office Team Agency.
A charity looking after children and their parents previous to birth and postnatal.
• PA support to the Head of Policy Research.
• Taking all incoming phone calls for the HPR and dealing with messages accordingly.
• Looking after their filing system.
Bilingual (Spanish) Marketing Research Executive - The Language Business Agency.
Marketing Research for an editorial company, helping them to complete their new edition for an
international book of European Food & Drinks main supplier’s directory. My duty was to contact
suppliers in Spain and to check that their addresses remained unchanged since their last edition and
gaining as much other information as possible.
Jun 2005-Aug 2005 I took some time apart during this period to stay with my family back in Spain.
July 2004-May 2005
Team Secretary/PA
Haskoll LTD Architects
and Designers
Working for an architectural company with a team of Commercial Architects and Designers:
• Providing administrative and secretarial support to the Director and project team (typing of
letters, reports and other documents as required).
• Organising the Director’s schedule, diary and travel arrangements.
• Involved in client daily correspondence in regards to project performance.
• Organisation and maintenance of the filing system.
• Organising all visitor’s relevant arrangements.
• Dealing with incoming mail and main switchboard phone calls.
Nov 2003-July 2004
Bilingual Technical
Administrator
Petrochemical
International
Marketing Company
(PIMC)
Working for a petrochemical company, (sister company of “Orient Inspection LTD”), involved in the
marketing of various products obtained from National Oil Corporation (N.O.C) in Libya. My duties
included:
• Working with product specifications, Letter of Credits documentation and amendments.
• Preparing product offers and vessel nominations.
• Making travel arrangements, preparing Visas, Letter of Invitation, hotels & flights.
• Market Research in the polyethylene Spanish market. Identifying potential customers,
bilingual communication by phone/ e-mail and letter correspondence.
• Identifying Duty Free zones and product transport companies in Spain.
• Full administrative and secretarial support within the very technical background of
petrochemicals.
Jan 2002-Nov 2003
Bilingual Technical
Secretary
Orient Inspection and
Consulting LTD
Working for an inspection company, which issued certificates of product conformance upon approval
to an international standard of Quality Control Organisation (ISO 9002). Inspections were performed
mainly on vessels and a variety of food products. My duties included:
• Preparing requests to inspectors/subcontractors to set dates for inspections.
• Organising shipping documents such as Letter of Credit, Commercial Invoice, Packing List.
• Preparing Quality Control Certificates for our main buyer’s suppliers.
• Ensuring that the correct inspection documentation was supplied for the issuance of the
certificate draft.
• Checking laboratory test results for approval within specifications for each commodity.
• Bilingual communication by phone and e-mail with our Spanish clients such as ARCESA.
• Running the filing system for all Buyers/Suppliers.
• PA to the Technical Manager and Administrator to all the technical inspection team.
• Training new personnel.

3. Education
Languages & Humanities
London Borough of
Hammersmith and Fulham.
The College of
Kensington and Chelsea.
The College of North West
London.
The College of Waltham
Forest.
Chartered Institute of Linguists - Diploma
in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI) in
English Law, BSc (Hons) (Oct 2012 – June
2013).
Chartered Institute of Linguists -
Certificate in Bilingual Skills. (Sep 2000-
Jun 2001).
I am qualified as a Community Interpreter in
Medical, Legislation, Employment, Housing
and Education.
Intensive Secretarial Course
(Feb 2000- Jun 2001)
Creative Writing course (Poetry)
(Jan 2008 – April 2008)
BTEC Advanced – The College of North West
London. GNVQ Leisure and Tourism Level-3:
(1997-1999)
Spain
Minister of Education and Science
College Los Rosales (1990-1994)
14 GCSE’s: English, Spanish language,
Literature, Latin, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Art,
Biology, History, Geography, Ethics, Philosophy &
Classical Music - A Level standard education.
Referees
CAPITA Translation and
Interpreting
Ms. Samantha Scoltock, Recruitment Resourcer 0333 111 0060
LIN/09E6/DUFVY (Ref for legal assignments)
TRN/029290 (Ref for medical assignments)
John Lewis
300 Oxford Street
London W1A 1EX
Tel: 020 30730640
Ms. Liza Valmonte, Section Manager for Women Accessories, Lingerie, Hats and Shoes
Department
Liza.valmonte@johnlewis.co.uk Mb: 07856 564 840
Mr. Mark Mann, Head of Business Protection at Oxford Street. He is now working at Waitrose.
markmann67@googlemail.com
Referees and references are also available in my LinkedIn Profile: Raquel A. Vazquez
Bob Fitzsimmons, Senior Indirect Tax Manager
Bob.fitzsimmons@johnlewis.co.uk
I voluntarily helped Bob with a legal Spanish into English translation, of a delicate nature.
The Teacher Support
Network
Hamilton House, Mabledon
Place
London WC1H 9BE
Tel: 020 7554 5200
Ms Victoria Barlow, Head of Communications (currently HOC at ATL) - Mb: 07841 430 115
Ms Raffaella Cuccia, Marketing and Events Manager (currently Head of Schools’ Marketing at City
University London) -
Mb: 07720 689 465