PRIME Recruitment Blog

Latvia: What fails the candidate when recruited by a Foreigner?

This is a most tricky question and I again ran across this attending a networking where the question was raised. I listened in and it was the same question I have battled with for years, namely the issue to be able to sell oneself at an interview.

For some, and the problem may start already with us professionals, and I would even say in the average situation - I am not sure the recruiter/personnel person actually wants the candidate to be too advanced? -I mean, maybe we can't handle an open-minded candidate who may in fact be more clever than we? Very possible!

I agree it is not easy. But then again it is not our job to be the most clever, but be able to sense or see the fit! So I am sure that part of the problem lies here. And how we coach the candidate for the next step! However, the rest is undoubtedly with us as candidates at the interview. -And it is not easily and immediately soluable - it is a matter of local culture and the history Latvia has suffered. You see, if we are growing up in an open and free society where we don't fear but are encouraged to speak our mind and allow debate we will have stronger personalities about us and certainly dare say more at interviews!

-Sadly again, the culture here does not seem to allow us to say: '' I am the Best in Latvia'', or ''with my MBA degree coupled with my past 10 years as a Production Manager' , I am an ideal fit''. 'Or my 5 years working in Norway at the same time taking night school in the language, has opened my eyes and opened new doors coming back that H et M could benefit from', or 'my work for this Danish web solutions company in Aalborg, working with various nationalities, allowed me to enhance my intra cultural understanding something I believe makes me ideal for the role as Team Leader for Tele Optique's (name made up) international expansion'.

- I mean WOW! -If I could have some say these things at an interview, instead of my sometimes having to ask the same question thrice from different angles, and literally pull the answer out like at a dentist's with a tong, it would show passion for the job. And it is passion and belief in oneself another of my clients recently expressed that the only answer I could get when asking how good he /she was was ' I am good' . Now we all know this is also a matter of how confident we are with our foreign language abilities - and here the educational system is lacking. -We have got to have much more interactive training in English, and blend foreigners who are locally to come and speak to our students at their institutes.

Now as you know the sun is not without its spots so you walk a fine balance between the interviewer running the interview and yourself, as the candidate, taking over. About this you need think intelligently and allow the interviewer back in, but this is another discussion I have covered in a previous blog 'Talking yourself out of the job interview...(Sept 24, 2014) '. This we are discussing here is the fact that the foreigner-interviewer who may well be your next Boss, expects that you also can handle yourself in a wider situation than just locally., that you can speak with partners in the company or externally and in fact hold your own in a presentation to an international auditorium. Thus to manage this situation good skills in English are a must - IN CONVERSATIONAL form and learning more adjectives. Longman's dictionary on synonyms is a good help, reading literature in English and seeing non-dubbed television and film yet others. Just suggestions!

In any case to conclude as this is very important feedback something must be done so intelligent people stand a better chance. getting the jobs they want - my best advice is try to break the paradigm and say what 's on your mind and be open and honest - and be as a sales person don't ''THINK'' you are good - SAY I AM! -Remember, we have all been there one time or other...:)

P.s. If this made sense, kindly press 'LIKE' or why not comment?

Thank you:)
/Henrik

PRIME Recruitment has operated in name in Latvia since 1999, however traces back to 1995. Operating fore mostly in Recruitment in Latvia and Pan-Baltic, the company also is the license holder for THOMAS (DISC) and supports companies entering the country setting up and finding partners, offices & other services via its large partner network The B2BLiST. . www.prime.lv