The Art of 'Polishing' Your CV & Boosting Your Value: 箔が付く (haku ga tsuku) ✨

Have you ever wondered why many people covet a degree from a prestigious university or work experience at a major corporation, even if the work itself isn't vastly different?

In Japanese, there's a perfect phrase for this: 箔が付く (haku ga tsuku).

What is 箔 (haku)?

箔 (haku) literally means "gold leaf" or "foil" – thin sheets of metal used to decorate objects, making them look more luxurious and shiny. 付く (tsuku) means "to be attached."

➡️ Together, 箔が付く means "to be gilded" or "to gain prestige." It refers to adding an experience, a title, or a qualification to make one's resume (CV) and personal value appear more credible and impressive to others.

It's not strictly about actual ability, but more about the 'surface value' or 'brand recognition' that an achievement brings.

Let's see it in action!

Imagine you're talking about careers:

• Friends are discussing someone who is about to study in the US. Someone might say:

  「へー、アメリカに留学か。それで箔を付けて、帰国後は外資系を狙うのかな。」 (Oh, studying abroad in America? I guess they're going to 'add some prestige' to their name and then aim for a foreign-owned company after returning.)

• When changing jobs, having experience at a big company is an advantage:

  「やっぱり大企業で働いた経験は、転職のときに箔が付くよね。」 (As expected, experience at a major corporation really 'boosts your profile' when you're looking for a new job, doesn't it?)

• When you're wondering whether to get a new certification:

  「この資格を取れば、少しは箔が付くかな？」 (I wonder if getting this certification will 'add a bit of luster' to my resume?)

In Conclusion

箔が付く is a very realistic and somewhat 'raw' way of talking about how society works, where 'branding' and 'credibility' can sometimes be just as important as actual skill.

Next time you want to talk about doing something to enhance your 'personal brand,' try using 箔が付く! 😉 You'll sound very knowledgeable and in-the-know!