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Job Interview: what would you do?

Job Interview: what would you do?

Old Mar 2nd 2014, 2:32 pm
  #1  
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Default Job Interview: what would you do?

Hello,

I finally have my first interview for a decent job in a couple of days.

The advert and the job description for the vacancy was in English and I'd have to work with native English colleagues and customers, so I sent my CV and cover letter in English.

However once I rang the recruiter and she picked the phone answering in Dutch and we kept chatting in Dutch. It might have been the case that for this reason she has called me for an interview with the boss, who is also Dutch and since then all out correspondence has been in Dutch.

My question is: if I am given given the choice, should I have my interview in Dutch or English? Obviously my English is much better than my Dutch and my perspective employer would like to check on my English, as I'm not a native English speaker.

On the other hand the whole middle management is from the Netherlands and, to a certain extent, I could, sort of, "bond" with them better if I speak their language, although not very well.

Has this ever happened to you? What's the etiquette in these circumstances? And what would you do?
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Old Mar 3rd 2014, 7:04 am
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Default Re: Job Interview: what would you do?

For my current job, I insisted that my interview was in English. Although the recruiter was dutch, the position was posted in English and was to support customers around the world. The first interview was indeed in English. Then my second interview was separately with 3 of the higher managers. Again I wanted to interview in English as I was not confident enough in Dutch. The first manager did interview in English and that was fine, the second asked how my dutch was so we started conversing in dutch and eventually did the interview about 50/50. Then the third manager we just spoke dutch the whole interview and I was even complimented on my Dutch.

Since all of my direct colleagues are Dutch, I talk Dutch all the time in the office, but when on the phone to customers, sometimes I will need to switch back to English.

You could do it as I did, however since the correspondence has been Dutch so far, I would start the interview in Dutch, then after a short time, suggest to change to English since the vacancy was in English and you would have to be working with native English colleagues and customers. I expect they will say either ok (then to your advantage as your English is better) or they will feel there is no need (they feel comfortable talking to you in Dutch and trust your language skills)
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Old Mar 5th 2014, 3:53 pm
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Default Re: Job Interview: what would you do?

Hi,

Can't offer any better advice than you just got. But I do just want to wish you veel succes!

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Old Mar 12th 2014, 8:28 am
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Default Re: Job Interview: what would you do?

Update: I announced myself at the reception in Dutch. The interviewer welcomed me in English and we kept the rest of the conversation in English. I was then rejected on the ground they were looking for somebody who could speak a bit of Dutch, but no mention of it at the interview stage.

I guess they had a lot of time on their hands and they knew already who would have the job.
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