Last updated on December 20th, 2023 at 01:10 pm
Here at Live-French.net we know how difficult having a job interview in French can be. What happens in other languages also happens with French, job interviews are a very stressful time for everyone.
Most of the time we’re not even aware of the mistakes we’re committing. It’s a horrible feeling realizing we could’ve done way better in that interview once it’s already finished.
Fortunately, we can list some of the most common mistakes people commit at a job interview in French and give you some recommendations in order to avoid them at all costs.
We know how difficult it can be to do an astounding performance at a job interview in French, especially when:
- The position is very good and you want the job at all costs
- You’re very nervous
- French is not your mother language
However, keeping an eye on the following mistakes will give you some advantage at building your own path to achieve success in your job interviews in French from now on.
1 – Making a Weak First Impression
Making a weak first impression is one of the most frequent mistakes people commit in job interviews. Mostly due to how nervous they get from being in front of one or more strangers. The truth is that putting your thoughts together at such an awkward situation is very challenging.
Nevertheless, you can keep in mind some tips so your wording sounds as natural and professional as always:
- This is the perfect time to feel comfortable about yourself, about all the efforts you’ve done in order to get to where you are. Feel proud of every little thing you know and the experiences that led you to learn it
- Make as much eye contact as you can. The idea here is not to look like a psychopath, but making eye contact will make you look more confident in front of your potential employer
- Rehearsing is a key aspect you need to work on when you want to make a remarkable performance at your job interview in French
You should always keep a smile on your face so as to look welcoming and in a great position to answer any questions your interviewer has.
2 – Not Knowing Anything about the Company
It may be surprising but it’s actually a very common thing. People go to interviews without having a solid idea of the activities carried out by the company. This is understandable in some cases, for example, when they contact you for an interview instead of you being the one applying. But if you’re the one who’s supposed to be showing interest then it doesn’t make sense you don’t even know what the company does.
Before you go to a job interview in French you should always do some research about the company. Point out the activities they perform on a daily basis, the market they’re targeting, the kind of products they sell or the kind of services they offer, where they’re located (if it’s a big company with many branches then you can memorize a couple of them). Keep in mind that displaying some knowledge about the company will make you look more committed.
3 – Talking too Much or too Little during your Job Interview in French
The main objective of a job interview in French is to sell yourself to the employer and to another extent prove that your French level is good enough for the job. Therefore, you should be very careful with every word that comes out of your mouth, never over-extend, you might give information that isn’t quite relevant or let out a weakness you’re not too aware of.
Answer every question they ask in a confident way and make your body language follow and back up what you’re saying.
If you want to ensure your success in your next job interview in French then you should take some classes with us! Here at Live-French.net, we have native French tutors to assist you and help you improve your French for the business world!
