Maîtriser l’anglais des ressources humaines permet aux entreprises de recruter des talents internationaux. Cet article donnera quelques pistes aux recruteurs pour bien préparer un entretien d’embauche en anglais efficace.

                        NOW HIRING IN ENGLISH

Recruiting employees in English can be tricky business. This article, the first of a two-part piece, explores the importance of English proficiency in HR departments, recruiting in English, and also provides advice about how non-native English speaking recruiters can prepare for the interview.

Recruiting in English is Now a Necessity

Today’s economy is a global economy—that is a fact. More and more companies, big and small, are finding that it has become necessary to recruit personnel from different corners of the globe. This means that English proficiency in Human Resources processes is essential as English is most often the common language that connects candidates with recruiters. When HR departments are proficient in English, not only is communication more effective, but, perhaps more importantly, the talent pool widens significantly.

Having the linguistic capacity to recruit candidates from around the world means that companies can consider applicants who are potentially more skilled, more experienced and more compatible with the culture of the company. Additionally, cultural and linguistic diversity make a company more flexible, inclusive and modern.

If a company wants to expand into international markets, increase its talent pool, and take advantage of remote-working options normalized since Covid, HR departments need to be proficient in English in order to be able to recruit internationally

Recruiting in English : What to Do Before the Interview                                

NOW HIRING is music to the ears of job-hunters in a global market. However, if you’re a recruiter whose English is shaky, the interview scene can be terrifying and its accompanying soundtrack more suitable to a Hitchcock film. No need to panic. A little preparation goes a long way to ensuring the interview process is pleasurable and productive for you and the candidate. There are several things that non-native English speaking recruiters can do to prepare the interview in advance and limit linguistic mishaps :

1. Make and Review Job-Specific Vocabulary Lists : Knowing  the  technical terms linked to the position to be filled will not only help recruiters express themselves more fluently, but also enable them to better evaluate a candidate’s qualifications. Depending on the size and resources of the company, recruiters may be required to interview candidates for a variety of departments—this means more job-specific vocabulary, which is why making and reviewing such lists before an interview is important.
2. Create Standardized, Ready-to-Use Interview Questions : This particular step is useful for both native and non-native English speaking recruiters. Having a set of uniform questions prepared in advance guarantees consistency across interviews. Recruiters will be able to compare candidates in a way that is fair and focus on the candidate’s response rather than being distracted by eventual language issues that may arise on either end.
3. Role-Play with Family and Friends : If you are new to the recruiting game and lack confidence in your English language skills, perhaps you might enlist the help of a person you trust to sit in the candidate’s chair while you try out your standardized questions. Filming or recording the session can be especially beneficial.
4. Watch On-Line Interview Tutorials : Of course, all HR personnel should be properly trained by professionals to recruit in English, however, this is not always the case. When company resources are limited, employees can be left to manage on their own. An abundance of on-line videos which prepare job interviews are available. While most of these focus on the candidate’s role, ideas and information relevant to the recruiter’s role can be found if you have the time to search.
5. Screen Candidates’ English Level in Advance : Often, during the interview, recruiters are meant to be evaluating the candidate’s level and ability to communicate in English while simultaneously determining the quality of the candidate’s people skills and professional qualifications. This is a lot, especially if the recruiter is a non-native speaker. Requiring candidates to provide proof of a proficient level of English by including a certificate from a widely recognized institution in their portfolio would remove some of the pressure during the interview, not to mention filter out unqualified candidates in advance.
6. Consider Using HR Technology to Facilitate Recruitment : Applicant tracking systems (ATS) that propose multilingual options, AI-driven analytics, as well as online assessment tools can make the recruitment process easier and avoid some of the language-related issues that arise throughout.

Conclusion

Indeed, when HR departments are proficient in English, they can effectively recruit internationally and this is a great asset for companies. There are many things non-native English speaking recruiters can do in advance to ensure the interview is productive. Part 2 of this article will provide helpful tips for conducting the interview in a second language and discuss building a bilingual HR department.

Lexicon 

Tricky business : affaire délicate

Talent pool: vivier de talents

Music to the ears: son agréable

Shaky: faible

Soundtrack: bande sonore

Goes a long way: a un grand impact

Pour en savoir plus sur nos formations en anglais : visitez cette page.