Renske: Dutch Ecommerce Customer support officer at Hermes

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

I am originally from the Netherlands, where I studied in fashion! After my training I worked in Amsterdam, still in fashion, and I dreamed of working in the luxury industry. So Paris was an obvious choice, I really wanted to be hired in the fashion and luxury sector.

Why did you come to France?

I moved to Paris a year ago. It was for personal as well as professional projects, I'm delighted to have moved to France.

How were you recruited by this company?

I applied on the Misterbilingue website and I have been contacted by Margaux (recruitment consultant at MisterBilingue)! Margaux was really great, she helped me to adapt my CV to the French recruitment. She also helped me a lot to prepare for my job interview, she really gives me confidence.

How did you get to know MisterBilingue?

When I arrived in France, I didn't speak French at all. So I looked for a job where I could speak mainly Dutch, and while waiting to find a job, I took French lessons. While looking for jobs where Dutch was required, I came across Misterbilingue and applied!

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

The way of looking for work is extremely similar. On the other hand, the contracts that exist in France are very different from those in the Netherlands. Also, in France there are a LOT more administrative formalities than in the Netherlands (laughs).

What difficulties did you encounter in your job search?

The difficulties I encountered were due to the period; indeed, I arrived in France at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic, so it was difficult for me to look for and find a job. Furthermore, I had no command of French when I arrived, so going to job interviews without speaking French was complicated.

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

To be honest, I didn't have a different impression from when I worked in the Netherlands; having arrived at Hermès during the pandemic, I had to adapt quickly to teleworking, and have myself trained remotely. But it all went very well, and in the end it wasn't due to France.

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

I would say that you have to be open-minded! Afterwards, the Hermès team is very international, it was very easy to integrate me. I have Dutch or Belgian colleagues, and there are also many nationalities within the group. It was really easy to integrate into this group.

What are the differences between the French way of working and that of Dutch’s one?

The way of working is very similar. Concerning the dress code, as I work in the luxury industry, the dress code is quite sober, but it's the same all over the world. The few differences I've noticed concern the number of working hours; in France the average is 35 hours a week, in the Netherlands it's more like 40 hours a week. Paid holidays are also very regulated and more numerous in France than in the Netherlands. As far as pay is concerned, I have the impression that it is more or less the same between France and the Netherlands.

Which French word do you find hardest to pronounce?

Actually there are a lot of them (laughs). But "arrondissement" is the worst, it's always complicated even though we use it often!

What do you miss most about your home country?

There's nothing very specific that I particularly miss, I like France very much. The only thing I miss a bit is the outspokenness of the Dutch (laughs). I have the impression that the Dutch are warmer and more talkative than the French.