Selina : Recruitment researcher at HTI

Can you present your professional background?

First of all, I studied languages at a university in Germany.

My course was also focused on teaching, so when I graduated I went on to train to teach German in France. I arrived here in 2020 and was able to teach German at several universities, including in Versailles.

I then changed jobs and landed a CDI as a language project coordinator at Datawords. And then I ended up working for HTI thanks to MisterBilingue.

How would you rate these previous experiences? What did they bring you (in terms of skills, etc.)?

My studies have enabled me to master several foreign languages in addition to German.

My teaching experience has taught me how to interact with people of different ages, as well as public speaking.

As my permanent position is very different from anything I've done before, I've learned a lot, including how to organize myself, set priorities and express myself in English, as well as customer contact.

Have you encountered any difficulties in your job search? If so, which ones?

Not really, because I'd already found out about the different ways of looking for a job in France.

I had known about MisterBilingue for some time before applying for the Recruitment Researcher position at HTI. I was contacted very quickly by Alexandra, who was very friendly and put me at ease straight away, which made the process much easier.

What do you think of the French application process (e.g. CV standards and cover letter)?

There are several differences between the French and German processes. First of all, the CV is longer in Germany. It can be up to 3 pages long, whereas a French CV is limited to one page. As a result, I had to select the most relevant experiences from my résumé in order to comply with this rule.

As far as interviews are concerned, I find that people in France are more aloof than in Germany. They don't necessarily try to create links with their candidates, but this may also be linked to the language barrier.

It can also vary from company to company, as Alexandra from MisterBilingue was on the contrary very welcoming.

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

I've never worked in a company in Germany, so I didn't really have a clear idea of what it would be like in France.

But there were some things that surprised me when I arrived, notably the hierarchy, which is much more pronounced here. The salary is also much lower after a Master's degree (50k in Germany, 35k in France for the same position).

Any advice on how to settle into a new (French) company?

My advice would be to take the time to talk to your colleagues, go for coffee with them, eat with them…

You have to interact as much as possible and work on your interpersonal skills, because that's the most effective way to blend in.

I'd also have a word of advice for Germans in particular: be careful not to give your opinion on other people's work straight away, as it could be taken the wrong way. It's better to take the time to observe first.

Can you describe your job as an Event Officer?

I'm in charge of finding suitable candidate profiles in the healthcare sector.

What do you like best about your job today?

I didn't start very long ago, but I think the atmosphere with my colleagues is great, it's very family-like.

I also learn a lot through my assignments.

Do you meet up with any expatriates from your home country?

Yes, I have a lot of German friends here. I also have a colleague at HTI who is Swiss and speaks German. It's nice to be able to talk to her in my mother tongue.