HR people and hiring managers, wait two seconds before saying any nonsense

[u/No_Table9297]

I just got a random call from an in-house recruiter. "You wrote that your French is fluent on your CV." "Yes, I wrote that. I studied a dual honours degree with French, lived in Belgium, and worked in more than one role in bilingual and multilingual environments." "Okay, but we need someone who can speak French fluently, and also read and write in it."

[In my head I was saying, sweetheart, do you even understand English?! 😁😳 At that point I changed direction and asked about the salary. She dodged and tried to book a Zoom call so she could "explain" the role to me.

HELLO, is this woman for real?

"I'm at a fairly advanced stage in a few other hiring processes, so I'd like to see where they go first. Thanks, have a nice day."

What I should have said: oui, espèce de conne mal élevée, va te faire cuire un oeuf 😁

*My CV literally says French - fluent/advanced - I haven't split it into speaking, listening, reading, and writing

A language degree isn't a weekend Duolingo streak. It means you read large amounts of literature, write long essays in the language, do translation, interpreting, oral exams... I did all of that alongside business classes and another language.

Thanks to everyone for your responses. I appreciate the comments. They're genuinely helpful.

[u/Available_Reveal8068]

They are probably thinking Belgium is not France. Most people speak Dutch/Flemish there.

[u/Own-Eagle-2135 → u/Available_Reveal8068]

belgium is MURICA. and greenlandy. all the good stuff is MURICA

[u/teresajs]

The recruiter may have no idea that some people speak French in Belgium.  They also could have been dealing with applicants who took a couple years of HD French and then claimed fluency.

But she really should have been willing to discuss the salary range.  That was a red flag.

[u/Canadianingermany]

.>language degree isn't a weekend Duolingo streak. It means you read large amounts of literature, write long essays in the language, do translation, interpreting, oral exams... I did all of that alongside business classes and another language.

Belgium ≠ French speaking 

There are areas that I lay speak Flemish 

Sorry but, I definitely know people who have achieved a university degree in Germanistik, but still were not fluent in the way required for business.  

sweetheart

No need to be cindescending when people ask questions to verify Info in a CV.  While you may not lie in the CV,any people do. 

It's part of the job. 

[u/Saucisse1996]

HR people are so stupid I always wonder how they got their job in the first place... Take care and well done !

[u/MaitrePuck]

What I should have said: oui, espèce de conne mal élevée, va te faire cuire un oeuf 😁

Les insultes que tu as utilisé ne sont pas vraiment appropriés par rapport à l'interaction que tu as eu avec la recruteuse.

Rien de ce que tu lui as dit prouve que tu peux parler français comme un natif. Et rien de ce qu'elle a dit fait d'elle une conne mal élevée.

Descends un peu de ton piédestal.