Elisabetta : Italian customer support officer at Hermès

Can you introduce yourself and tell me about your professional background?

I worked in the luxury hotel business for several years in Italy; my last experience was at Relais & Château between 2015 and 2020, for 3 years I was a receptionist, then for 2 years I worked as a receptionist manager. Then, I came to Paris, where I had an interview with Misterbilingue, then with Hermès. Today, I work at the CRC (customer relations centre) of Hermès. I am in charge of calls from Italian shops and Italian partner websites.

Why did you come to France?

I like France very much, I'd like to speak French better (laughs)... I like everything that revolves around luxury, fashion... I also like the hotel business a lot, but I like my job at Hermès very much.

Which consultant were you recruited by? How did they help you prepare for your interviews?

Camille recruited me, she was very nice and very available. She helped me a lot and gave me lots of advice to make my interviews with Hermès a success. She also helped me redo my CV to adapt it to the position I was applying for and to the codes of luxury!

Would you recommend Misterbilingue to friends?

Yes, of course I would!

How did you find out about MisterBilingue?

It was Camille who called me while I was in Italy and looking for a job in France.

Did you notice any differences between your country of origin and France in your job search?

The Italian CV is very different from the French one; in Italy a CV is several pages long, it is very detailed, in France it is different, everything has to fit on one page, and only the important points are noted. Job interviews are also a bit different; I have the impression that Italians focus more on personality and less on professional experience.

Did you encounter any difficulties in your job search?

None at all!

What was your first impression when you started working in France?

As far as relationships at work are concerned, I think it's the same as in Italy. However, when I was working in Italy, I was working for small family businesses, so it's very different from Hermès. Nevertheless, beyond the size of the companies, I think that the French have a much more advanced organisation than in Italy.

Any advice on how to integrate well into a new French company?

A bit like everywhere else, you have to be kind, know how to be available, and have team spirit!

What are the differences between the French way of working and the Italian one?

As far as working hours and number of hours per week are concerned, it's more or less the same as in Italy; however, I have the impression that everything is more formalised in France than in Italy..

The French word you have the most trouble pronouncing?

I find it difficult to pronounce all verbs in the third person plural, because you don't have to pronounce everything (laughs). The word "absolument" is also a bit complicated, because in Italian we say "assolutamente", I often feel like saying "absolutament" when I speak French (laughs).

Is there a French film or series that you recommend?

I watched the series Lupin on Netflix, it's super interesting, there are very beautiful views of Paris, and it's great to progress in French!