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Uktous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Qualify or be qualified?

Hi,

Question:
Should I say "qualify" or "be qualified" in my sentence?

Sentence:
I want to qualify / be qualified as an accountant.

My opinion:
According to my dictionary, "qualify" should be used. However, someone suggests that "be qualified" should be used.

Background:

Describing an official recognition by some official entity

Situation:
I write the sentence on my resume's career objective part

Thanks
  

Top answer

Greetings, Uktous, thank you for giving the details of your situation. If the intended meaning you wish to convey is 'I want to become officially recognized as an accountant by undertaking a course and passing examinations' ', which is the most plausible interpretation if the sentence is part of a curriculum vitae, then you are welcome to use 'qualify', and not 'be qualified' . The active construction is preferable here.

— Andriy Lapin

  • Greetings, Uktous, thank you for giving the details of your situation.
  • If the intended meaning you wish to convey is 'I want to become officially recognized as an accountant by undertaking a course and passing examinations' ', which is the most plausible interpretation if the sentence is part of a curriculum vitae, then you are welcome to use 'qualify', and not 'be qualified' .
  • The active construction is preferable here.
  • However, you may say 'I want to become a qualified accountant, where the word in bold is an adjective used attributively.
  • Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff
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8 Answers
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Greetings, Uktous,

thank you for giving the details of your situation. If the intended meaning you wish to convey is 'I want to become officially recognized as an accountant by undertaking a course and passing examinations'', which is the most plausible interpretation if the sentence is part of a curriculum vitae, then you are welcome to use 'qualify', and not 'be qualified'
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Hi,

Question:

Will you use "qualify or be qualified" in the following 2 cases?

Background:
I talk to the interviewer in an interview.

I tell the interviewer:

1) I want to qualify / be qualified as an accountant
2)
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Uktous,

the meaning of qualify in the examples you mention in your latest post is not any different from that in my previous. The thing is: when someone qualifies, they pass the examinations that they need to be able to work in a particular profession. This is what you will probably mean during a job interview.

NB: you may say I want to qualify as
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Gleb_ChebrikoffThe thing is: when someone qualifies, they pass the examinations that they need to be able to work in a particular profession.
I agree.

Is there an exam you need to take to be qualified? Is there an organization that reviews your qualifications (test scores, years of experience, academic record, whatever) and certifies you
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Hi,

Is there an exam you need to take to be qualified?
Yes, 10 exams

Is there an organization that reviews your qualifications (test scores, years of experience, academic record, whatever)

Yes, 3 years of experience of working

What is required to become "qualified"?
Passed 10 exams and work for 3 years

Thanks
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Are you referring to a Certified Public Accountant?

The problem with your current sentence is that, where I live, you can be an accountant simply be doing accounting work. However, 3 years and 10 exams sounds like a CPA.
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"3 years and 10 exams sounds like a CPA."

yes.
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Then your goal should state that you want to become a CPA, not a "qualified accountant."
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