Emilie: Dutch-speaking Customer Care Specialist at JobTeaser

Could you please present your professional background?

I graduated in June 2022 in Event Management. I feel at home in the hospitality industry and I have worked part-time at various events.

In Spring 2022, I did my first internship in a Belgian company active in corporate wellbeing and organizing sports events, but I wanted an international opportunity to challenge myself even more later on.

How long have you been in France for?

I have been in France, Paris to be precise, since September 2022.

How did you find a job in this company?

I googled international recruiting agencies and ended up on MisterBilingue's website. I applied for another company first, but Margaux reached out to me and thought that JobTeaser's offer would suit me more, and she was right. They were looking for a Dutch speaker and their company culture suits me.

Did you encounter any difficulties in your job search? If so, which ones?

Every application is a challenge, so it is okay to not be selected from the very start. As this was the first time I was looking for a full-time job, I was not always very confident during interviews.

I was not really sure if the position I applied for really matched what I was looking for, but if you never try, you never know. In the end, if you get rejected, it means that better opportunities are out there waiting for you.

What skills did you acquire throughout your career path and that seem essential for the position you hold now?

Communication is one of the main skills I have acquired. Not only on a regular basis, so making sure you keep your colleagues informed about your work, but also in quality: building your arguments up, giving valuable feedback, showing understanding and being assertive if needed.

How would you describe the hiring process you experienced? How many steps did it take?

I first got a phone call from JobTeaser’s Talent Acquisition Manager. She asked me if the offer appealed to me and if it did, she would schedule an interview with my potential future manager. We talked about the missions as well as my soft skills using the STAR-method, and how I would fit the position. Following this, I had an interview with the Sales Operations Manager, with whom I talked about the operational structure of JobTeaser. I also had to do a small case study with 10 minutes of preparation and we discussed my results together. Finally, I had an exchange with the head of department. He asked me some questions to get to know me better.

What advice can you give to somebody who is going to integrate into a new company in France?

They should definitely inform themselves about the administrative things you have to do: social security number, health insurance and more. The Bureaucracy in France has a lot of demands, so it might be difficult sometimes even as an European citizen. Get information about the procedures in your own country to live and work abroad.

I have underestimated the search for an apartment, so I advise you to do your research about it beforehand so you can understand the market better, especially in Paris.

What are the differences in the "everyday life" that surprised you the most in France?

People usually have dinner here at 7:30PM or 8PM, whereas in Belgium it is around 6:30PM. In Belgium, we have 30-minute to 1-hour lunch breaks, and they are about an hour and 30 minutes in Paris.

What do you miss the most about your home country?

Paris is a bustling metropolis. It is amazing and there are a lot of things to do, but sometimes I miss biking to the office safely without having to worry about the traffic.