If you’re looking for a job or internship abroad- even without significant work experience – you’re in the right place. Yeleen Lacou, International Recruiter for Suez Qatar, and former international candidate herself, shares her tried tips and tricks to get the job.
From this interview you will learn:
· 3 must-dos before applying for an international position;
· 3 key competencies international recruiters are seeking for in candidates’ applications;
· An underrated tool to ace your interviews;
· How your multicultural background can become your competitive advantage;
· A simple, yet effective approach to apply and follow-up;
· 4 soft skills recruiters are prioritizing.
Can you tell us about yourself?
Living abroad is at the root of my story. I am mixed with French and Senegalese. I was born in France, but my parents have always worked as expatriates all throughout Africa. Growing up, I lived in Senegal, Ivory Coast, Congo, Gabon, Nigeria and Mauritania. It was not until after my baccalaureat (French high school diploma) that I returned to France. My family also moved elsewhere: back to Senegal. After high school, I still wasn’t sure about my career plans. I entered a “classe preparatoire” – preparatory class – in hopes of being accepted to a French accredited business school. That way, I would give myself more time to decide and avoid closing any doors.
Yeleen Lacou, HR Project Manager
I was accepted to EM Strasbourg Business School. My favorite thing about the institution was that students are required to live a minimum of one year abroad. It was a perfect fit for me due to my international background. For my required year abroad, I went to Howard University in Washington D.C. where I first discovered what really intrigued me. It happened during my International Human Resources class. I had an epiphany about how much I loved the Human Resources (HR) field and wanted to continue exploring it, which is why I interned at the NGO Search for Common Ground for six months. This is when I really started to hone in on HR. I was most intrigued by the opportunity to be able to have practical experience in an international organization that specializes in international conflict management. Upon returning to France, I finished out my last year of my degree. I declared Human Resources as my major and worked as an apprentice with Dassault System in Recruitment and School Partnerships. After graduating, I continued at Dassault for a year in a position focused on HR sourcing. Then, I decided to switch into a position focused on international recruitment. I worked with Total SE, where I was responsible for the mobility and recruitment of the Volontariat International a l’Etranger (V.I.E.), a French international internship program. My experience was fulfilling and pushed me to pursue this opportunity for myself. Now, I am an international volunteer through this program at Suez Qatar, where I help run HR.
You talked about having a “revelation” during your international Human Resources class at Howard, can you tell us more about that?
I loved the dynamic of the class. The approach was completely different from what I was used to in France. The way students confronted and debated their ideas in class was a novelty for me because it was very different in France. I noticed how we all have different ways of understanding and reacting to similar issues. This was not solely the case in the United States. Being multicultural, I have even seen it happen between my parents; they have a different vision on things. I find it interesting that everyone can bring a new perspective and solution to a problem. This quality is what attracted me to international recruitment. I had a ‘light bulb’ moment at Howard when I realized that geopolitical issues were tightly tied to intercultural issues. In fact, you cannot manage human resources the same way in the United States, as in Europe or the Middle East. I see so many different issues at my position at Suez Qatar every day.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the differences that you noticed throughout your experiences?
In the United States, the way of communicating, working or managing issues is more direct than in France, in Europe or even in the Middle East, where many things are swept under the rug. I feel that was especially true in the Middle East. There are many things that are implicitly said that you should understand. Common issues are totally different. For example, hunting a falcon could be an HR issue. The way you apprehend things are different. In the U.S., what matters the most is your performance and results; almost nothing else matters. In the Middle East, what matters the most are human relationships. Performance matters too, but that’s not the most important. If you offend a Qatari sponsor, you can be sure that you’ll struggle a lot at work. If your collaborator has hurt feelings, chances are he/she will not want to work with you. Knowing all these differences points to how intercultural communication is a very important factor when you work abroad.
Is there any intercultural communication training at your company?
Not enough. At Suez, we send a small guide to an incoming expatriate. It’s not the easiest country to move into, but I personally think it’s awesome! The biggest problem that companies have when it comes to expatriation is making sure that the life partner/significant other of the employee has a smooth transition experience. Integration of the employee’s life partner/significant other is the biggest reason why an expatriation fails.
That’s very interesting. Now, for our readers who want to live an experience abroad like you, since you were on both sides as a candidate and as a recruiter, do you have any advice when applying for an international position?
First, you should seek information about the resume format because expectations may differ by country. For example, should I put a headshot on my resume or not? Usually, English-speaking cultures do not put a headshot on their resume because it is considered discriminatory, whereas non-English speaking European and Latin cultures often do require one. When translating your resume from one language to another, there is a lot to consider. Whereas in English, you should use action verbs, in France you describe your experiences in a passive voice. As I mentioned before, English speakers are more direct. They need strong action verbs. Another good tip would be to use keywords that a recruiter is looking for. If you want to make an impression with your resume, think about it this way: you have less than 10 seconds to catch a recruiter’s attention. We receive a massive number of resumes in our inboxes. To me, a resume that stands out is crystal clear and refined.
Second, your application and resume really depend on what you are looking for. It is really important to know the culture and values of the company you’re applying for. When you know and understand a company’s values, you can use strategic keywords in your resume that relate to them.
Another important aspect is ensuring that you mention your soft skills in both your resume and cover letter. Some recruiters believe cover letters are old fashioned and outdated, so they won’t even take the time to read them. However, I believe that it can really add value to your application, if well written.
I agree. Especially for those who don’t have much real-world experience. It’s a way of telling your story, emphasizing your interest in the company and showing your communication, which is one of the most important skills for recruiters. What are some other key competencies that a recruiter is looking for?
Absolutely, having a well-written cover letter can help you stand out. Though you should be careful because, again, it differs depending on the position and the specific recruiter or hiring manager. For example, if you’re applying for an accounting job, being the best verbal communicator may not be the most important soft skill. On the other hand, being a good verbal communicator would be essential to working in the events industry. During the interview, the recruiter or hiring manager’s role is to see if the personality of the candidate fits with the personality of his/her team. It’s important to know that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers during an interview. I can give advice to improve your interviewing, but the objective is to always highlight your unique strengths and weaknesses.
It’s also important to know that an interview is an exchange. People are not here to judge you. Of course, we will try to assess a candidate’s personality, but we generally only have one to two hours with them. As a candidate, it’s key for you to own your story and remember that YOU are the narrator.
Yes, storytelling is a really important aspect of your application. Speaking of candidates, were you impressed with any of your candidates? If so, what do you think made them stand out?
Definitely! In my opinion, candidates who stand out are those who are connectors and possess a strong sense of team spirit and empathy. I think that the workplace is hard enough for everyone, so if I notice a candidate who is willing to do whatever possible to make other team members feel good about themselves, I think that’s a fantastic candidate. For example, recognizing and leveraging team members’ strengths and weaknesses, so the whole team performs at its best.
Volunteering is a strong example of highlighting this team spirit quality I seek. But what I’m really going to be looking at is a candidate’s use of their experiences to show how they interact with others. Someone who is kind, authentic, and empathetic will be able to understand others, adapt and facilitate things between a team, business partners or clients.
What specific advice would you give to candidates with a multicultural identity? Can you tell us how you use your double identity as a competitive advantage?
Of course. I talk about this so often in my interviews. Being mixed is something that shapes my personality. Beyond being mixed, living abroad in several countries also impacted me. I have taken away the positives from each culture. Although some may not acknowledge how being mixed gives you a real competitive advantage, someone who has a double or triple culture will be able to address the same problem with different angles and can bring innovative ways of solving issues to the table. Furthermore, I believe someone who’s used to facing different cultures, personalities, and environments, is someone who’s going to be extremely flexible under unprecedented circumstances. Therefore, I believe VIEs are an incredible source of talent. VIEs stay for up to two years abroad in a completely different environment with new rules. These candidates reassure companies because if someone has a successful VIE, there is almost no doubt that they can work in another country. However, an experience abroad is not the only factor. Personality and intercultural skills are also very important.
Immigrants shouldn’t underestimate their language skills. Knowing how to speak several languages is highly valued.
If you have an unusual career path, it’s also a huge strength. It’s not the most classic, but it shows you’ve faced challenges, made mistakes, and struggled to get what you want. It also shows persistence because you never gave up.
Now let’s talk about getting the interview. What approach would you recommend? How about the follow-up?
When it comes to applying, you should go through the company’s website, so you can be in the database. A direct message on LinkedIn can also be effective. But, it is important to know that recruiters are busy and get a lot of messages, so we might not be able to answer all of them.
Candidates should know that follow-ups are not considered inappropriate. Recruiters are often super busy managing up to 30 positions at a time. We may not answer right away due to the volume of candidates we manage, but a well-written follow-up can be an effective way to be kept in the radar. The recruiter will respond eventually. Never give up!
I think a candidate should typically follow-up between 10 to 14 days after the interview to reiterate his/her motivation and have a definitive response about the application. The way the follow-up is written can add value to his/her application.
A simple, yet effective example:
“I’m very interested in this position for X,Y, Z reasons. I wanted to reach out because I can really see myself in this position. I’d love to know what the next steps are in the process.
Thank you.”
So, what you recommend is basically reaching out on several communication channels, follow-up and don’t forget the obvious, applying on the career website.
Yes, there are also other ways. I source my candidates in different ways. Typically, I can source candidates on LinkedIn or job boards where I have access to a large pool of candidates. Then, I also go on forums. Forums are great because they are a direct contact with recruiters. In this case, we assess candidates for the first time and collect resumes. It’s not uncommon to recontact people who came to forums. We also get candidates through our networks. Finally, we try to poach candidates from other companies. They are much more difficult to recruit, but that’s a part of the strategy.
Can you tell us a little bit more about referrals in HR.
Referrals is a system that brings a good amount of applications. Oftentimes, for specific roles. For example, at Dassault, we had positions extremely difficult to find good candidates for on the market. In this case, referrals worked very well. We’ll have high quality profiles pushed by people we know. These people won’t recommend just anyone because their ultimate goal is to get their candidates hired. It’s a really good first filter. For referred candidates, I recommend staying humble and not being too pushy with the recruiter(s). Do not forget that a recommendation is not enough. You also have to prove your skills.
Now, something I love to talk about: immigration and identity. Can you tell us how your experiences abroad have shaped your identity?
I think going abroad has completely shaped my identity. It allowed me to increase my empathy and my ability to listen, which are both very important to me. As a recruiter, most of my job is to listen and understand each candidate I meet. What people need to understand is that a recruiter will not try to corner a candidate. On the contrary, a recruiter tries to spot the discrepancies. If you are not a “good fit,” you will find a company that is. Be careful with word choice and how you present your soft skills. Be aware that all the questions you’ll have in an interview are to assess your soft skills.
You mentioned soft skills a lot. Are there any soft skills you are looking for in most occupations?
Independence is usually something I seek in most occupations. The level of independence fluctuates depending on the manager. I have questions to assess this quality. As I have said before, team spirit is a soft skill I look for often. Synthesis is also a good soft skill. A candidate’s ability to synthesize their experiences and show what they learned from each of them is great. Finally, a candidate’s ability to re-evaluate themselves. The candidate will be able to tell me that he/she does great things, but also constantly reassesses his/her way of doing things. Doing something for a long time doesn’t necessarily mean it’s done right. Too many candidates come to interviews trying to sell themselves. However, reflecting on how you could have done something differently and seeking new solutions seems more authentic and says a lot about a candidate’s personality.
When I was a student, I didn’t really know what career I wanted. What would you advise to young professionals or students who are just getting started?
Personally, what helped me was talking with people; hearing about their careers, experiences and, most importantly, their reasons. When I graduated high school, I kept as many doors open as possible, which allowed me to do ‘trial and error’ to figure out what I didn’t like. Eventually, I found what I loved. People who love their job are happy to go to work. It’s important for not only the person, but also their team and company. You need fulfillment in the work you do. There are a lot of tips and resources related to your specific major or field. Just be curious and open!
Also, testing the job on the ground is a good way to figure out what you like or don’t like. Internships and apprenticeships are good experiences to have.
Any final words?
The most important thing for candidates to know: you all have amazing experiences to talk about, so own them. You should be the narrator of your own story and stay true to yourself.
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