"You will hear from us..." : what you should know when applying for a job in another EEA country.
Date: 2009-09-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
Subjects: EU Member State, employment policy, free movement of workers, job mobility, labour market, user guide

“You will hear 
from us...”

What you should know when applying
for a job in another EEA country

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ISBN 978-92-79-11643-8

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what you should know  
when applying for a job  
in another eea country

European Commission
Directorate-General for Employment, 
Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities 
Unit D.3
Manuscript completed in February 2009

The contents of this publication has been provided by the Public Employment 

Services in the EEA Member States. Neither the European Commission nor any 

person acting on behalf of the Commission may be held responsible for the use 

that may be made of the information contained in this publication.

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Cataloguing data as well as an abstract can be found at the end of this publication.

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2009

ISBN 978-92-79-11643-8
doi 10.2767/2838

© European Communities, 2009
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

Printed in Germany

Printed on 100% recycled PaPer

Foreword by Dixie Dansercoer, Belgian explorer and athlete

In  our  frantic  mod-
ern  world,  everyone 
seems to hyperactive-
ly attempt to do more 
in less time. 

Quality  is  forced  to 
give  way  to  quan-
tity;  grace,  style  and 
thoughtfulness  dis-
appear  with  each  hastily  written  e-mail  or  text  message. The 
sheer  volume  of  the  information  thrown  at  us  daily  can  be 
overwhelming.

M
A
F
O
S
©

My intense and lengthy polar expeditions have shown me that 
nature does not follow this pattern. During the treks I was privi-
leged to make in and around the North and South Pole regions, 
I was forced to slow down and humbly focus on those things 
which are truly important. 

It takes a free, strong spirit to be able to endure nature’s harsh 
conditions in the Arctic and the  Antarctic,  and  I  left each ex-
pedition a richer human being. I now view things from a com-
pletely different perspective, and find myself longing for diver-
sity when life becomes too monotonous: such is the result of 
any exposure to different cultural or geographical conditions, 
and it can be enormously rewarding.

As with any pursuit of passion, hard work is necessary to achieve 
the dream. It takes a good three to four years to prepare for a po-
lar  expedition,  a  process  which  involves  an  intricate  network  of 
collaborators from around the globe. I imagine that looking for a 
job abroad, building up your contacts and making your dream a 
reality feels like a similarly mammoth project. The successes that I 
have enjoyed on my many expeditions have never been achieved 
alone.  Besides my obvious expedition partner(s) and the techni-
cal  support  staff,  we  have  often  agreed  to  be  accompanied  by  
scientific and educational missions which add weight to our already 

3

 
heavily laden sledges. This extra effort out in the field – whether 
we are asked to dig a 2-metre deep pit in the snow and ice or to 
record temperature readings from barren landscapes – may seem  
fatiguing, but it provides great satisfaction at the end of a gruelling 
expedition. We can’t achieve our goals alone; a support network is 
essential and there is a great sense of satisfaction when we manage 
to overcome our obstacles. I urge you all to embrace the challenges 
you face, which can be exciting as well as daunting, and to consider 
how enriching and beneficial living and working in another coun-
try and experiencing things from a different perspective can be. 

Dixie Dansercoer was born in 1962 in Nieuwpoort, a town on the 
Belgian coast, and is married with four children. In the mid-1980s 
Dixie travelled twice around the world in different directions. Since 
the end of the 1990s he has completed a 4000 km ski crossing of 
the Antarctic continent with Alain Hubert, and crossed the Arctic 
Ocean from Siberia to Greenland – over 1800 km in 106 days. He 
is experienced in long-distance and ultra-marathon running and 
has climbed Mont Blanc and Mount Everest. In 2008 he completed 
‘In the wake of the Belgica’, a commemorative sailing expedition 
to the Antarctic peninsula, where he re-enacted the 20 landings 
made by Adrien de Gerlache 110 years previously. In 2009 he set 
up  a  project  concerning  the  ecological  consequences  of  climate 
change  called  `Antarctic  matters’.  Dixie  has  published  13  books  
– some about his expeditions, as well as a book on how to run a 
business like an expedition, a motivational book co-authored by 
his wife, photo books and youth adventure books. Dixie Danser-
coer is the ambassador for Unicef Belgium and has been awarded 
the title of High Officer in the Order of the Crown by the Belgian 
King HM Albert II. He was patron of the first Mont Blanc expedi-
tion led by one-legged female climber Kristien Smet, patron of the 
Umicore Solar Team in 2007 and a member of the EOS magazine 
(Scientific American) advisory committee. Dixie’s extensive experi-
ence of exploration has taught him above all that co-operation 
and flexible adaptation to a new environment are indispensable 
for survival.

Visit Dixie Dansercoer’s website at www.circles.cc. 

4

Contents

Foreword ............................................................................................ 3

Introduction ....................................................................................... 7

Nurturing Europe-wide mobility...................................................... 9

Application procedures in the EEA .................................................11

1.  Bulgaria ........................................................................................13
2.  Belgique / België (Belgium) ..................................................20
3.  Česká republika (Czech Republic) ......................................26
4.  Danmark (Denmark) ................................................................34
5.  Deutschland (Germany) .........................................................39
6.  Eesti (Estonia).............................................................................45
7.  Éire / Ireland ...............................................................................50
8.  Elláda (Greece) ...........................................................................55
9.  España (Spain) ...........................................................................59
10.  France ..........................................................................................64
11.  Ísland (Iceland) .........................................................................68
12.  Italia (Italy) .................................................................................76
13.  Kýpros / Kıbrıs (Cyprus)  ........................................................81
14.  Latvija (Latvia) ..........................................................................85
15.  Liechtenstein  ...........................................................................90
16.  Lietuva (Lithuania) ..................................................................94
17.  Luxembourg..............................................................................99
18.  Magyarország (Hungary) ................................................... 104
19.  Malta ......................................................................................... 109
20.  Nederland (Netherlands) ................................................... 115
21.  Norge (Norway) .................................................................... 126
22.  Österreich (Austria) .............................................................. 134
23.  Polska (Poland) ...................................................................... 141
24.  Portugal ................................................................................... 153
25.  România (Romania) ............................................................. 166
26.  Schweiz / Suisse / Svizzera / Svizra (Switzerland) ..... 172
27.  Slovenija (Slovenia) ............................................................. 179
28.  Slovensko (Slovakia) ............................................................ 191
29.  Suomi / Finland ..................................................................... 195
30.  Sverige (Sweden) .................................................................. 203
31.  United Kingdom  .................................................................. 208

A word of thanks  ...........................................................................216

5

Introduction

The world is changing; people no longer expect to have a job 
for  life,  and  accept  that  work  may  mean  they  need  to  move 
abroad. The experience of working abroad, either short or long 
term,  enables  individuals  to  gain  essential  skills,  to  expand 
their minds and to interact with many different cultures. Many 
people  find  it  to  be  a  very  enriching  experience  which  can 
enable  them  to  find  a  better  job  when  and  if  they  decide  to  
return home, due to the skills they have gained working abroad. 
However, going to work abroad is not a decision which anyone 
should make overnight – it is something which needs careful 
consideration and reflection. Being well prepared is essential. 

EURES  gives  you  the  tools  to  fulfil  this  quest  for  enrichment. 
With  web-based  vacancy  and  CV  databases  and  a  human 
network  of  over  750  fully  trained  EURES  advisers,  the  service 
works with employers and jobseekers to match skills with jobs 
on  a  European  level,  provide  information  to  those  who  are  
interested in living and working abroad, and monitor the ever-
shifting  labour  market.  EURES  has  been  matching  skills  and 
jobs throughout Europe for the last 15 years, having developed 
due to the need for a coordinated service to facilitate one of 
the four fundamental freedoms of the European Union – the 
free  movement  of  people.  We  are  able  to  provide  essential 
advice, support and motivation in your home country, not to 
mention assisting you in your research and preparing you for 
interviews – but the help does not stop there. Because EURES 
is present in 31 European countries (namely the 27 EU Member 
States and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, not 
to mention over 20 dedicated services in cross-border regions), 
once you arrive in your host country you will still have access to 
EURES’ expertise. We can provide advice regarding your social 
security  arrangements,  further  information  about  the  labour 
market, or local tips: EURES is always within reach.

This  book  has  been  produced  because  EURES  would  like  to 
bring together in one place some of the pearls of wisdom that 
have been gathered by the network over the years, to enable 
all  European  citizens  to  benefit  from  this  knowledge  and  to  

7

refer  to  it  as  the  need  arises. This  book  is  perhaps  most  use-
ful  for  jobseekers,  providing  them  as  it  does  with  a  concrete 
resource  to  aid  job-hunting  and  to  break  down  some  of  the 
perceived  cultural  barriers  in  Europe.  However,  it  will  also  be 
useful  for  employers  to  find  out  a  little  more  about  their  ap-
plicants’ cultural backgrounds. 

The network is EURES’ greatest strength. This manual has been 
coordinated by VDAB (the Flemish public employment service) 
together with the other Belgian public employment services, 
but  the  whole  network  has  contributed;  without  their  con-
tribution  and  expert  observations  this  book  would  not  have 
been possible. We hope you find it useful, and wish you happy 
and fruitful European labour mobility! 

8

Nurturing Europe-wide mobility

Life never stands still: every day we all learn something new or 
face a new challenge. The European labour market is no differ-
ent – workers are getting older, while employment rates often 
change  rapidly  from  year  to  year.  Here  at  EURES  we  want  to 
make sure that you get the best out of your rights and oppor-
tunities in Europe, whatever the next day throws at us. 

European labour mobility is steadily increasing: although some 
countries initially put restrictions in place for workers from new 
EU  Member  States,  most  have  now  been  lifted.  Most  people 
no longer have ‘a job for life’ – and this can be seen as an ex-
citing  opportunity  to  explore  a  whole  range  of  sectors,  roles 
and locations. With flexibility and an open mind, both employ-
ers  and  employees  can  benefit  from  the  constantly  develop-
ing labour market patterns in Europe: jobseekers can explore 
the exciting range of working patterns developing, including 
distance working and job shares, while employers can ensure 
a diverse, vibrant workforce by readily embracing applications 
from abroad and ensuring that employees are able to achieve 
a  healthy  work-life  balance. With  the  right  help  and  support, 
employers and jobseekers alike can find job and recruitment 
opportunities  outside  of  their  immediate  environment.  This 
book  aims  to  give  you  a  wide  range  of  tips  and  background 
knowledge to allow you to benefit from these opportunities.

EURES  is  in  a  unique  position  to  see  the  great  opportunities 
available to everyone in Europe, but also, crucially, the remain-
ing  obstacles  facing  people  before  and  after  a  move  abroad. 
Many  of  these  are  related  to  cultural  understanding  –  what 
makes Europe richly diverse can also cause confusion for those 
planning  to  explore  its  opportunities.  As  citizens  of  a  united 
Europe, we can still seem foreign to one another, especially in 
such an important situation as a recruitment process. 

We wrote this manual especially for people who want to find a 
job outside their own country – either through moving abroad 
or  becoming  a  cross-border  worker  –  as  well  for  employers, 
whom  it  will  enable  to  become  acquainted  with  the  cultural 

9

background  of  an  applicant. This  book  offers  an  overview  of 
each Member State, detailing the main information and essen-
tial dos and don’ts which you need to consider when applying 
for jobs, or recruiting from abroad. 

EURES’  labour  mobility  experts  have  proved  to  be  an  essential 
source of information while writing this book. It is thanks to the 
know-how  of  this  800-strong  European  network,  as  well  as  the 
regularly  updated  information  on  our  website  (http://eures.eu-
ropa.eu),  that  we  are  able  to  present  you  with  the  information 
that follows, which we think is indispensable to those planning 
a  move  abroad.  Of  course,  we  would  also  encourage  you  to  
consult the network or the website for help with any further ques-
tions or tailor-made assistance. We hope you enjoy the book!

10

Application procedures in the EEA

Bulgaria

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Bulgarian
Parliamentary republic
110 910 km²
Sofia
Lev
EU
+ 359
.bg

1. 

Popular application procedures in Bulgaria

The normal application procedure is that candidates apply for 
a job and are then invited for an interview with the employer 
and/or his/her representative.

Applicants  should  be  aware  that  the  period  between 
the  moment  the  vacancy  is  published  and  the  day  the 
job  starts  is  determined  by  the  employers’  requirements. 
However,  the  time  between  the  selection  period  and  the 
starting  date  of  the  job  rarely  takes  several  months.  The 
only  statutory  period  is  determined  in  Article  17,  Para-
graph  4  of  the  Employment  Promotion  Act,  which  states 
that  an  employer  is  obliged  to  inform  the  local  labour  
office in writing about the results of the selection procedure. 

13

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
First contacts and general rules when a candidate looks for a 
job through a local labour office directorate:

•	
•	
•	

•	

•	
•	

•	

Listen to the jobseeker and get them to feel at ease.
Review the documents submitted by the jobseeker.
Introduce  the  documents  necessary  for  registration  at 
the labour office to the jobseeker.
Input the jobseeker’s data in the automated information 
system.
Discuss job preferences.
Give  information  about  appropriate  job  vacancies  to 
the jobseeker.
Give a summary and obtain jobseeker’s confirmation of 
the services of the local labour office directorate most 
appropriate for the candidate.

Points to be noted in electronic applications:

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

It is very important for the candidate to assess whether the 
content of the job is compatible with his/her own interests. 
Some websites are oriented to specific occupations; other 
sites are oriented to jobseekers in specific regions.
Another  important  aspect  is  that  on  some  websites  it 
may  be  possible  for  the  candidate  to  post  his/her  CV 
and for the employer to register. If there is special inter-
est in a particular company, a website for that company 
alone could be used; 
It is very important to look for a job on websites that are 
regularly updated.
A  candidate’s  electronic  CV  should  be  in  line  with  the 
general European CV format.
If  an  application  form  is  to  be  filled  in  make  sure  it  is 
done correctly.
Electronic  documents  (CV,  covering  letter,  application 
forms,  etc.)  should  be  sent  within  the  period  stated  in 
the job advertisement.

Points to be noted in written applications:

•	
•	
•	

Make a paper CV using the European format.
Write a covering letter.
Apart  from  the  CV,  some  other  documents  may  be 
requested by the employer.

14

•	

•	

Give a stylish layout to paper documents to impress the 
employer.
Keep to the deadline for submitting the documents. 

Points to be noted in telephone contacts:
In general it is not recommended to apply for a job by phone, 
as it allows the employer to rule out the candidate more easily. 
The aim of a phone call is to fix an appointment for an inter-
view with the employer. The following things are important in 
the telephone call.

•	
•	

•	

•	

Candidates should introduce themselves.
Candidates should clarify which position they are inter-
ested in and their motive for the call. 
They should focus on why they are suitable for the posi-
tion briefly and clearly.
They should try to fix a date for an interview. 

In  general,  for  an  application  to  be  successful,  the  candidate 
should address the most important requirements mentioned 
in  the  job  advertisement  (without  copying  them  word  for 
word) in the description of his/her own skills.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview 

The recruiter expects candidates to have the necessary edu-
cation,  qualifications  and  work  experience.  For  some  posi-
tions,  it  may  be  very  important  to  have  a  command  of  one 
or more foreign languages, to show PC proficiency, a driving 
licence, etc. 

The  duration  of  the  procedure  depends  on  the  employer’s  
requirements as to the application period. 

General rules for the application procedure via a local labour 
office: 
•	

preliminary selection of appropriate candidates for the 
job vacancy; 

15

•	

•	

•	

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

first  contact  with  the  candidates  selected,  who  are 
invited to a meeting with the employment officer in the 
local labour office;
meeting  the  jobseekers  and  interviewing  them  —  the 
aim  is  to  make  a  profile  in  accordance  with  the  job 
vacancy;
assistance  for  the  jobseekers  in  preparing  the  CV  
and  other  documents  according  to  the  employer’s 
requirements; 
preparing jobseekers for the interview with the employer; 
preparing references;
organising an interview with the employer; 
carrying out the actual interview with the employer; 
feedback from both the jobseeker and employer on the 
result of the application. 

The  employer  pays  attention  to  accuracy,  appearance, 
composure,  confidence  and  gestures  during  the  inter-
view. The employer or their representative is in charge of 
the interview. 

If the interview is held at the local labour office, the partici-
pants are the labour officer, the candidate and the employer 
or their representative. If the interview is held at the compa-
ny, the participants are the employer or their representative 
and the candidate. 

The  meeting  takes  half  an  hour  to  one  hour  at  the  most. 
Where an employer insists on the candidate taking a practical 
test after the theoretical one, the procedure will be longer. 

Do not show signs of nervousness (do not roll your eyes, do not 
wring your hands, do not tremble, do not play with your hair, etc.). 
Speak clearly and not too quietly. Do not smoke or chew gum. Do 
not use jargon. Do not be self-critical. Be brief in your answers. Do 
not criticise your previous employers. Do not use clichés. Do not 
compare yourself with the other candidates applying for the job. 
Do not discuss personal and financial problems. 

During the interview, a drink of water may be offered and accepted. 

16

A  candidate  can  ask  questions  at  the  end  of  the  interview. 
Questions  may  cover  the  following  fields:  the  management 
structure of the company; a typical working day of the employ-
ee  in  that  position;  the  deadline  for  receiving  feedback;  the 
company’s staff training and qualification programmes. 

The most common structure of this meeting is: 

•	
•	
•	

•	

•	

The candidate and employer meet and greet each other.
The candidate takes a seat.
The  employer  and/or  his/her  representative  ask  ques-
tions, which the candidate answers.
At the end of the interview the employer gives the can-
didate a chance to ask questions if they have any.
During  the  interview,  the  employer  will  try  to  have  a 
normal conversation with the candidate. The applicant 
is expected to be self-confident and composed.

The  ratio  between  non-professional  and  professional  topics 
addressed during the interview depends on the requirements 
of the job vacancy. 

Candidates should explain their motivation, tell the employer 
more  about  themselves  and  about  their  strengths  and  inter-
ests. The Employment Promotion Act forbids direct or indirect 
discrimination  in  job  application  procedures.  The  employer 
does not ask for information on candidates’ private lives. The 
Law on Personal Data Protection provides that private informa-
tion is defined as any information about an individual person 
that can be traced through an individual number.

The  applicant  needs  to  know  about  the  activity  of  the  com-
pany,  the  management,  the  clients  and  competitors  and  the 
opportunities for development.

•	
•	
•	

Frequent questions asked by the employer are:
Why are you applying for this job?
What can you contribute to our company?
Tell me something about yourself. Who are you? What 
distinguishes you from other people?
What sort of pay do you expect?

•	

17

Some time after the interview the candidate can contact the 
employer  (personally  or  by  phone)  in  order  to  ask  for  the 
result of the interview, unless another agreement was made 
in advance. 

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

It is not advisable for candidates to state their pay requirements 
immediately during the interview. Depending on the contract, 
payment is made by the hour or by the month. The level of pay 
is  determined  by  the  duration  of  the  work  or  by  production 
figures. The amount of pay for one item (the production quota) 
is negotiated between the employee and employer and can-
not  be  less  than  the  amount  set  out  in  the  collective  labour 
agreement. 

Some companies ask candidates for a one-day trial period, but 
it is not widespread practice. 

The application procedure finishes when a labour contract is 
signed or when the candidate hears that he/she has not been 
selected. An employer is obliged to inform the local labour of-
fice about the result of the selection procedure within seven 
days. When  the  local  labour  office  has  an  active  role  in  the 
organisation of the interview, they are expected to inform the 
candidates about the rejection by the employer.

4. 

Do you need references?

Previous employers can act as referees. These references prove 
that the candidate is suitable for the job vacancy. 

A copy of the diploma may be insisted on during the interview. 
Some employers may require letters of recommendation. 

18

Whether or not ‘proof of good conduct’ is needed depends on 
the nature of the work. 

5. 

Making a good impression

The correct address of the company and how to get there by 
public  transport  must  be  checked  beforehand.  Make  sure  to 
write down the correct time and bring along all the necessary 
documents. Always confirm that you will be coming for inter-
view.

You can only be absent for the interview for a valid reason. In 
this case you should apologise for not being able to come to 
the interview and explain the reasons.

Clothes should be elegant: no sportswear, short skirts or bright 
colours. Clothes should be clean and shoes should be polished 
and should match the clothes. No strong deodorants and per-
fumes. Attention should be paid to details like clean hair, nails, 
hair style. Men should be clean shaven or have a well-groomed 
beard. Do not wear eccentric jewellery. 

Candidates should be polite, friendly and smile, should make 
eye contact with the interviewer, listen carefully to the ques-
tions,  answer  each  question  (up  to  two  minutes),  speak  dis-
tinctly,  self-confidently  and  calmly,  briefly  summarise  their 
strengths, compare their experience with the requirements of 
the position they are applying for, thank the employer for the 
time taken or even write a letter of thanks to the employer. 

19

Belgium

Official language 

Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Dutch (North), French (South),  
German
Constitutional monarchy
30 528 km²
Brussels
EUR
EU
+ 32
.be

1. 

Popular application procedures in Belgium

An  application  procedure  generally  starts  by  collecting  in-
formation about the vacancy or about the contact persons 
if you are applying spontaneously. You can contact the com-
pany  to  get  more  information  about  the  vacancy  and  you 
can search for information about the activity of the employ-
er. If you consider the vacancy to be suitable, you can write 
a covering letter and a CV, and submit these to the employer 
in the agreed way.

If  the  employer  is  interested  in  your  profile,  one  or  more 
interviews might follow. Assessments, skill and psychologi-
cal testing may be applicable as well. The last phase is the 
decision  phase  by  the  employer  and  feedback.  Follow-up 

20

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(feedback)  can  even  be  requested  by  the  candidate  and 
may show an extra factor of motivation and interest to the 
employer.

The  most  commonly  used  procedure  is  a  selection  on  the 
basis  of  CV  and  covering  letter.  Note  that  all  vacancies  in 
Belgium  are  open  for  both  males  and  females. There  is  no 
age limit.

The average recruitment period between publishing the va-
cancy  and  starting  the  job  depends  on  several  factors:  the 
number of interviews or assessments, public or private sector, 
fixed vs. short-term contract, period of notice required for the 
employee at the previous employer, time needed for reloca-
tion, etc. The average recruitment time for all kinds of vacan-
cies is six weeks, but for some jobs (e.g. vacancies where there 
is a shortage of applicants) this can be much shorter.

When you apply by e-mail, use a ‘professional’ e-mail address. 
Employers do not like too much imaginativeness in your ad-
dress.  Make  sure  you  put  a  clear  reference  in  your  mail  and 
use a covering letter. Take care with the layout of both cover-
ing  letter  and  CV.  Use  Belgian  standards  (if  known)  to  write 
your  covering  letter.  Use  clean  paper  if  applying  by  regular 
mail. When  you  telephone  the  employer,  introduce  yourself 
briefly and clearly and speak in the required language. If you 
are  making  a  spontaneous  application,  introduce  yourself 
and make clear what kind of function you are applying for.

You  show  your  motivation  by  knowing  the  function  and 
the company. Also be sure to prepare answers to questions 
about your strong and weak points. 

The CV is the most important document. Other documents 
are  usually  not  required  in  Belgium  at  the  time  of  apply-
ing.  Employers  believe  what  you  say  about  your  diploma, 
certificates,  etc.  However,  some  of  them  might  need  to  be 
submitted when signing your contract. So be sure to have a 
translated diploma ready, but do not send a copy with your 
application.

21

Take the initiative yourself for the follow-up to the interview. 
This  is  an  important  motivational  factor  from  the  employer’s 
point  of  view.  You  can  contact  the  employer  yourself  if  you 
have not heard from them after two weeks (unless you know 
that the decision period will be longer). 

Be polite, honest and professional. Never lie to the employer. 
Speak only about facts that might be of interest to the employ-
er.  An  interview  can  be  seen  as  a  form  of  negotiation,  rather 
than as a question and answer session. 

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

For the employer your attitude, assertiveness, politeness and 
the way you present yourself are the first points to focus on. 
You  will  be  a  representative  for  the  company  and  you  have 
to  fit  in  with  the  team. The  interviews  may  be  attended  by 
two  or  three  persons. The  first  interview  is  mainly  done  by 
a  psychologist.  Afterwards  you  may  have  an  interview  with 
the manager who will be your direct superior or even with a  
future  colleague.  The  last  practical  interview  (negotiation 
of  salary,  etc.)  will  be  carried  out  by  a  representative  of  the  
human  resources  department.  Assume  45  minutes  for  an  
interview and half a day for testing. 

Both  verbal  and  non-verbal  communication  play  an  impor-
tant  role  in  the  selection  process. You  can  accept  coffee  or 
water, if offered. At the end of the interview you can ask for 
additional information about the position and the company. 
You can also ask for practical information about the job.

Interviews normally start with the interviewers introducing them-
selves. Then candidates will be asked to present themselves. The 
interviewer  will  move  from  very  general  to  very  detailed  ques-
tions. At the end of the interview the candidate can ask additional 
questions and the interview will be concluded by making practi-
cal arrangements for the decision period and feedback.

22

The atmosphere at the meeting is normally formal and profes-
sional. Be sure to act professionally, both before and after the 
interview. Be consistent in your answers. Take note of the way 
interviewers  presents  themselves.  Use  their  first  name  only 
if  they  do.  The  atmosphere  at  an  interview  does  not  always  
reflect general company culture.

The main focus during the interview will be on professional issues. 
Expect a ratio of 80:20 between professional and private questions.

It is important to convince the employers of your competence 
and skills. Talk about them during the interview. Expect to be 
asked  to  prove  your  motivation  and  skills  by  practical  exam-
ples, hobbies, voluntary work, etc.

The employer needs to respect the privacy of the candidate. You 
do not have to answer questions about religion, sex, desire to 
have children soon, etc. A candidate is allowed to ‘lie’ about these 
topics, as long as they are not work-related. Not willing to an-
swer too delicate questions can also be proof of being assertive 
towards the employer and can be a strong point. There is legisla-
tion against discrimination in Belgium. You can make an official 
complaint if you feel you have been discriminated against. 

Employers appreciate it if candidates inform themselves about 
the company. You can search the Internet for information about 
the sector, recent company projects, etc.

Most questions will be about your motivation, personality and 
skills. Take  care:  there  is  a  reason  for  every  question.  Always 
think to yourself: why does the interviewer want to know this? 

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Salary negotiations usually take place in the final phase of the 
recruitment procedure, when the applicant has the opportunity 
to ask questions. The salary in Belgium is normally expressed as 

23

gross pay, per month or per hour, depending on the type of con-
tract. Do not be afraid to ask for clarification of the exact content 
of your salary package. An extra 13th or even 14th month’s sal-
ary may be negotiable within the annual salary. These are not 
included in the salary advertised. In Belgium salary negotiations 
are only possible in the private sector.

The main extras over and above statutory benefits in Belgium are: 
meal vouchers, hospital insurance, company car, mobile phone, 
computer, refunding of transport costs for commuters. Negotia-
tions take place between the applicant and an HR representative. 
From a legal point of view, a one-day ‘work trial’ is not possible, 
unless it is arranged via a temporary jobs agency (This means that 
you will be paid for that day). Practical testing at the workplace is 
possible, but no longer than needed to test your skills.

The  application  procedure  can  be  considered  as  being  closed  
after the feedback. Take the initiative and ask for feedback yourself. 

4. 

Do you need references?

There is not a culture in Belgium of working with references. 
They can be requested, but this does not happen very often. 

A copy of your diploma is needed for certain registered jobs, 
or if the level of your diploma reflects your salary level (in the 
public sector). 

Letters of recommendation are not used in Belgium. Proof of 
good conduct may be required in some cases: e.g. jobs where 
you will have to work with children, prison inmates, etc.

24

5. 

Making a good impression

Always  be  punctual.  Be  five  minutes  early,  but  never  late.  If 
you expect to arrive late, due to traffic, train delays, etc., let the  
employer  know.  Be  sure  to  have  a  contact  number  with  you 
when travelling to the interview.

It is very polite and professional to confirm that you can come 
for interview, so that employers know they can expect you. If 
you are not available at the time suggested for your job inter-
view, contact the employers as soon as possible and arrange a 
new appointment. 

In  Belgium,  most  people  commute  to  work  every  day.  That 
means that most employers expect that you can be present at 
a job interview. Distances are so short that commuting to an 
interview should not be a problem.

There is no fixed dress code. Try to dress in the way you would 
expect  someone  to  do  in  the  position  you  are  applying  for. 
Do not wear a suit and tie if you are applying to be a plumber. 
Do not come in shorts or jeans if you are applying for a job as 
sales representative. Jewellery or perfume should match your 
clothes. Do not overdo it. Remember that the way you present 
yourself reflects your personality.

Asking  for  follow-up  shows  the  employer  that  you  are  mo-
tivated.  If  an  employer  has  promised  to  give  you  feedback 
within one week, do not call earlier, but if the employer has not 
called you after two weeks, you can call them and ask for the  
feedback.

25

czech repuBlic

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Czech
Parliamentary republic
78 866 km²
Prague
Czech koruna (CZK)
EU
+ 420
.cz

1. 

Popular application procedures in the Czech Republic

The normal application procedure is to respond to job offers 
that  are  published  on  the  Internet,  in  newspapers  and  at  la-
bour offices. The employer usually mentions his/her e-mail ad-
dress  to  which  interested  candidates  are  asked  to  send  their 
CV and covering letter. Many of the employers use services of 
private employment agencies and you can get job offers when 
you register with them.

When you send your application to an employer, you can ex-
pect an answer within several days or weeks, and the employ-
er will usually invite you to a personal interview. It is not ex-
ceptional that you do not receive any answer if the employer 
is not interested in your profile. There is a special obligation 

26

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
for  all  employers  in  the  Czech  Republic  to  report  vacancies 
that have not been filled within 10 days to the labour office. 
The labour office website contains the largest database of job 
vacancies.

The time between the moment of publication of the vacancy 
and the day the job starts may vary from one vacancy to an-
other. The advertisement may state an exact starting date for 
the contract or the starting date may be agreed on by the em-
ployer and the applicant.

You  should  as  soon  as  possible  reply  to  a  job  offer  you  have 
chosen and take into account the basic criteria mentioned in 
the job offer. You want to attract the employer’s interest, and 
the first contact with the employer is very important. 

You  can  apply  for  the  job  electronically  (structured  CV  plus 
covering  letter  by  e-mail,  online  application  on  employer’s 
website, job portals, etc.). Limit yourself to one page. Do not 
send your application from your present employer’s mail box, 
by e-mail with a nickname or by mass mail. Fill out the subject 
of the e-mail, e.g. name of job position. You should clearly de-
scribe the attachments to the mail. Send your CV as a separate 
attachment.

Your written application should contain the correct address of 
the company, the date, the job you are applying for, informa-
tion on where you found the job advertisement, what you can 
offer (qualifications, work experience), a request for a personal 
interview, your name and contact details. You should enclose 
a structured CV. 

Telephone contact information can be found in the job adver-
tisement or on the company’s website. Be prepared for the em-
ployer’s questions — make sure you have a pen, a notebook 
and  your  CV  at  hand. Try  to  speak  to  the  person  responsible 
for your field. Reply briefly and to the point to the questions 
and  ask  for  the  opportunity  to  visit  the  employer  personally. 
Do your best to accept the time suggested by the employer. It 
is better to phone at the beginning of the working day.

27

If you want work in a particular company, even if it did not pub-
lish a job vacancy, you can still write an application and focus 
on  your  idea  about  a  possible  job  in  the  company  and  your 
interest in working at that company.

Recruiters  expect  applicants  to  be  informed  about  the  com-
pany (company’s structure, scope of activities) and about the 
details of the position on offer. They will ask the applicant why 
they  want  to  work  in  the  respective  company. The  applicant 
must also be prepared to answer the questions related to his/
her  expert  knowledge  and  any  other  qualifications  (personal 
qualities, ability to work individually or in a team, their reliabil-
ity,  adaptability,  previous  experience  etc.). To  verify  an  appli-
cant’s personality some employers also require that they pass 
some psycho-diagnostic tests.

During  the  job  interview,  the  applicant  is  required  to  submit 
their qualifications and educational documents (diploma; lan-
guage courses, driving licence, welding licence etc.); copies of 
diplomas and documents are usually submitted after signing 
the  job  agreement.  Employers  also  usually  require  proof  of 
good conduct.

To start the application procedure, applicants usually send a CV 
and a covering letter. After a few days or weeks the employer usu-
ally contacts the shortlisted candidates and invites them to a per-
sonal interview. The interview has the following structure: (i) pres-
entation of the company and working position by the recruiter; (ii) 
test of the applicant’s specialist knowledge and/or skills and/or a 
psycho-diagnostic test; (iii) individual interview. The result of the 
job interview is made known by letter or phone call.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

When  you  come  to  an  interview,  you  may  expect  approxi-
mately  one  to  three  interviewers  there.  The  length  of  the 
meeting,  behaviour  and  style  at  the  meeting  may  vary  ac-

28

cording  to  the  position  you  are  applying  for  and  the  type 
of employer involved. At the ‘average’ interview you may be 
asked questions (especially about education, experience and 
motivation) first and be encouraged to ask questions yourself 
afterwards. Some interviews have more levels that you have 
to pass to get the job. It is important to behave confidently, 
show your interest in the job and the company. The question 
of pay may be tricky. It is better to wait with these questions 
until  employers bring it up themselves  or  tell  you that  they 
want to employ you. 

Generally, a meeting with applicants does not have a specific 
structure. It could be arranged as an interview, a test, a selec-
tion procedure or something else. The meeting is usually ar-
ranged as an interview. Depending on the company structure, 
the company owner, personnel officer or head of department 
(or  all  of  them)  may  be  present  during  the  interview.  Most 
meetings  start  with  a  short  introductory  interview  about 
personal details, with the CV not yet being discussed at this 
stage. This  is  followed  by  questions  which  help  the  person-
nel  officer  to  obtain  additional  and  more  detailed  informa-
tion about the applicant, their expectations and career aims. 
These questions focus on education and job experience. The 
next part of the interview is about the position involved. This 
part  of  the  interview  gives  the  applicant  information  about 
the company and internal relationships in order to allow the 
applicant to have an idea about the company’s activities and 
working  environment.  The  end  of  the  interview  can  cover 
non-professional questions or the applicant is given the time 
to explain their motivation for the job, and to show their skills 
and  knowledge.  The  ratio  between  non-professional  and  
professional items is 20:80 %.

There  are  no  separate  anti-discrimination  laws  in  the  Czech 
Republic. Discrimination-related issues are included in several 
statutory regulations (e.g. Labour Code, employment law, etc.). 
Of course there are some questions you do not need to answer, 
e.g. questions related to religion, minorities, health, number of 
children, marital status, property matters, etc. You can respond 
by asking: ‘How does this relate to the job I am applying for?’

29

You can prompt the employer’s interest by proving your inter-
est in working for the firm. You should try to learn as much as 
possible  about  the  company.  Knowledge  of  the  company  is 
very important (history, business field, exports, production, job 
description, number of employees, etc.) Sources of information 
are the company’s website, for example.

•	
•	

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

The most common questions asked during the interview:
Can you tell us something about yourself?
Have  you  ever  done  the  same  (or  a  similar)  job  as  the 
one you are applying for?
Why do you want to work specifically for our company?
What do you expect from a job in our company?
Why do you think we should employ you?
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Are you willing to travel?
What kind of job are you looking for?
Why did you leave your last job?
What do you know about our company?
What  did  you  do  during  the  time  when  you  were  
unemployed?
When can you start work?
What are your salary expectations?
Are you willing to work overtime?
What is your relation to IT?
Have you got any references?
Have you got any questions?

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

The following questions should not be asked during an inter-
view/test:

•	

•	
•	
•	

What is your political orientation? Are you a member of 
a political party?
Questions about religious affiliation
Questions about family situation and property
Partnership relations, weddings

For  an  interview/test  it  is  highly  recommended  to  make  a  
preliminary appointment with the personnel department. 

30

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Some  time  after  the  interview  at  the  employer’s,  you  receive 
their decision (which should be in writing). If this is positive and 
you have decided to take the job, contact the personnel officer 
(HR manager) of the company, tell him/her about your decision 
to take the job and negotiate the date when you start work and 
other important details of the employment contract.

Employment is based on a contract between employer and 
employee. The employer is obliged to make a written con-
tract (Labour Code). The employment contract must include 
basic  conditions:  kind  of  work,  place  of  work,  date  when 
work  begins,  duration  of  contract.  To  avoid  future  misun-
derstandings it is recommended to incorporate the employ-
ee’s/employer’s duties and rights, description of work, work-
ing hours, trial period, holiday entitlement, period required 
when giving notice and salary scale and conditions into an 
employment contract.

You  can  negotiate  your  pay,  but  it  depends  on  the  situation. 
It  is  good  to  have  salary/wage  awareness.  This  differs  from 
branch to branch and from place to place. It is better that the 
employer  brings  up  the  salary  first  during  the  interview  and 
the applicant waits for his/her offer. There is a better chance to 
negotiate your salary/wage with private and smaller employ-
ers. In large companies, public or state administration or budg-
et-dependent institutions, the salary scale is prescribed by the 
tariff  level.  Remuneration  is  expressed  in  hourly  or  monthly 
rates, rarely in annual figures — except in the case of top man-
agement positions.

The basic rules for paid holidays are set out in the Labour Code. 
Both  can  be  modified  by  a  general  agreement  between  em-
ployer  and  trade  unions  in  the  company.  In  some  cases,  an-
nual bonuses and conditions can be negotiated, mostly where 
managers’ contracts are involved.

31

Special financial benefits based on results can be a kind of perk, 
e.g.  the  possibility  for  employees  to  purchase  a  company’s 
product at a reduced price, reduced price luncheon vouchers, 
vouchers for theatres, swimming pools, for reductions, holiday 
allowances. There is room to negotiate between the employer 
and the trade union of the company.

It  is  stated  in  the  Labour  Code  that  the  probationary  period 
cannot be longer than three months. Employers mostly use a 
probationary period, including it in an employment contract. 
There is some room to negotiate the length of a probationary 
period  (i.e.  making  it  shorter  than  three  months).  Generally, 
however, applicants accept the company’s proposal.

4. 

Do you need references?

References  or  letters  of  recommendation  are  usually  not  re-
quired. Employers verify information about the applicants’ last 
jobs by means of a phone call to their former employer. 

During the job interview recruiters usually check only diploma 
or documents. Copies of applicants’ diplomas and documents 
are normally submitted after signing the job agreement. 

Employers generally require proof of good conduct. 

5. 

Making a good impression

It would be very undesirable for an applicant to be late for the 
job interview. Usually five minutes is acceptable but not more. 
Employers  react  on  the  basis  of  need.  Normally,  you  will  not 
get an interview if you are late. Attendance is mostly confirmed 
by both sides, mainly by e-mail or phone. You can be absent 
but only if you inform the employer in advance.

32

The most common type of interview is in person. The first round 
of interviews may be done by e-mail. New media resources are 
only just starting to be used.

It  is  recommended  to  wear  clothes  that  are  suitable  for  the 
position you are interested in. For top positions it is better to 
choose  more  conservative  clothes,  while  for  positions  which 
require creative thinking, it may be acceptable to choose more 
original or individual clothes. A dark suit, plain tie, high-quality 
leather shoes and briefcase is generally recommended for men. 
For women, a sober two-piece suit, trouser suit or coat and skirt 
is recommended (the skirt should be knee-high) together with 
high-quality court shoes, discreet make-up and a hair style that 
suits you. Jewellery, only as an accessory to your suit, might be 
a small brooch, fine necklace and small earrings.

Do  not  bring  anything  to  bribe  the  personnel.  Do  not  come 
drunk, dirty, or dishevelled.

Try  to  find  out  as  much  information  as  possible  about  the 
company,  people  and  company  culture.  Prepare  well  for  the 
interview, be positive, try to adapt to the culture of the com-
pany.  Do  not  talk  too  much.  Be  clear  in  your  answers  to  the 
employer’s questions. 

33

Denmark

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Danish
Constitutional monarchy
43 098 km²
Copenhagen
Danish krone (DKK)
EU
+ 45
.dk

1. 

Popular application procedures in Denmark 

Employers will publish the vacancy online on their own web-
sites or on the official website jobnet.dk. Vacancies for foreign 
jobseekers  can  also  be  found  on  www.workindenmark.dk 
where you can also submit your CV. Sometimes employers re-
quest vacancies to be sent to specific national websites or they 
might contact a recruitment agency to handle the first screen-
ing of candidates. 

Contacts  between  the  candidate  and  the  employer  are  usu-
ally direct. The procedure for application is described in the job  
advert, and should be adhered to. The period between the day a 
vacancy is published until the job starts varies, depending on the 
sector, is approximately one to one and a half months. 

34

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
When an application is sent (usually electronically) it is very im-
portant to personalise the application to the specific employer. 
Only  contact  the  employer  in  the  language  requested  in  the 
advertisement. Always make the contact yourself. The recruiter 
expects  the  applicant  to  meet  the  qualifications.  Documents 
in a foreign language must be proved to be authentic. The re-
cruiter does not expect any follow-up to the application. Typi-
cally, candidates respond to an advertisement directly to the 
employer. This is always described in the advertisement.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

Employers  pay  specific  attention  to  the  applicant’s  ability 
to  meet  the  qualifications  demanded.  The  employer  is  in 
charge during the meeting. How many people attend an in-
terview or test varies, normally from one to five. A meeting 
will typically take up to one hour, with the candidate often 
being offered a cup of coffee or tea. It is not acceptable to 
smoke during a meeting. 

At  the  end  of  the  meeting,  the  applicant  can  ask  questions 
about the position, salary, working conditions, contract, holi-
days, extra entitlements etc.

There is a specific structure for the meeting. First you talk brief-
ly about the weather, how you got to the meeting, or another 
general subject. Then the company gives a short introduction 
and applicants have the opportunity to ask questions and to 
present themselves. Finally the meeting ends with information 
about what the next step will be. In general, the atmosphere 
is friendly and straightforward, and the applicant’s attitude is 
expected to match this.

The professional topics during the interview are the most im-
portant ones. Topics might also involve non-professional items 
such  as  pets/children/sport  and  other  interests  as  additional 
material, or as small talk at the end of the interview.

35

You  need  to  prepare  and  explain  your  motivation  for  apply-
ing, why you are applying and what they will gain if they offer 
you the job. There are anti-discrimination laws in Denmark in 
conformity with EU rules, relating to sex, age, disability, race, 
religion and political opinions. You do not have to answer all 
the questions. Sexual orientation and whether you are going 
to  have  more  children  are  considered  to  be  strictly  private 
matters. The most common questions include your weak and 
strong points, as well as where you will be three to five years 
from the time of the interview. There are no trick questions.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

There  are  standard  employment  contracts,  but  the  company 
might use their own. Use the standard contract to make sure 
that nothing will be forgotten in your individual contract. It can 
be purchased in any bookshop. 

It is common to negotiate salary or working hours, as well as 
fringe  benefits,  depending  on  the  level  of  the  job  offer.  Re-
muneration  may  be  per  hour,  week  or  month,  rarely  annual. 
Holiday pay is according to the statutory requirement. If there 
is a bonus system, it should be mentioned separately. There is 
room to negotiate extra benefits, depending on the level of the 
job. The most common ones are free telephone, newspapers, 
car,  Internet,  etc.  Negotiation  is  with  either  the  head  of  the 
company or the HR department. 

It is not customary to be asked for a one-day trial period, ex-
cept in very few professions. You can refuse. It is common to 
have a probationary period of three months in your contract. 

There  is  no  compensation  for  costs  incurred  in  attending  
interview. At the end of the meeting you will be informed by 
the employer of the subsequent procedure. 

36

4. 

Do you need references?

The  need  for  references  depends  on  the  situation.  Referees 
will be contacted if the employer is uncertain or if a vacancy 
is  involved  where  a  high  level  of  professionalism  is  needed, 
managerial, academic post etc. References may be from former  
employers or colleagues (they are expected to answer a pos-
sible request for a reference from the employer).

A copy of your diploma is needed and must be sent with your 
application and CV. 

A letter of recommendation can be useful. A good recommen-
dation  is  always  helpful.  If  you  wish  to  work  with  children  or 
the elderly or in the financial sector, proof of good conduct is 
needed. 

5. 

Making a good impression

Danes are very punctual. Preferably turn up five to 10 minutes 
in advance. You are not expected to confirm your attendance. 
You  cannot  be  absent  and  make  a  new  appointment  unless 
you  hold  unique  qualifications  worth  waiting  for.  Dress  fairly 
conservatively, not too flashy, not too relaxed. Jewellery should 
be discreet and generally no visible piercings.

It is common to call or meet again for evaluation, in order to 
know in which areas the applicant can improve.

37

What is absolutely not done during an application procedure? 

•	
•	
•	
•	

Misspelling of name and address of company.
Errors in the application.
Being disloyal towards former employers.
Turning up late for interview.

Think about:

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Good eye contact at interview.
Firm handshake at interview.
Write the application yourself.
Answer in the language suggested in the vacancy.
You  do  not  need  to  be  able  to  cover  all  the  qualifica-
tions, but you do need to speak the language suggested 
in the vacancy.

38

germanY

Official language 
Government 

Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

German
Federal parliamentary  
republic
357 021 km²
Berlin
EUR
EU
+ 49
.de

1. 

Popular application procedures in Germany

In Germany, a written application is customary. Before you start 
writing  your  covering  letter,  you  can  ask  in  advance  for  some 
more information about the vacancy by phone. Make sure that, 
for your written applications, you create a complete file contain-
ing your application letter, your CV, a photo and some letters of 
recommendation. Make sure that there are no spelling mistakes 
in any of your documents and that your file looks perfect.

You  can  also  apply  directly  through  the  job  offers  that  are 
published  on  an  employer’s  website.  Make  sure  that  you  an-
swer  all  the  questions  if  there  is  an  application  form  that  is 
to be completed. If you  send your application by e-mail, it is  
recommended  that  you  send  your  covering  letter,  CV,  photo 

39

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
and letters of recommendation all in one document. If, during 
your application procedure, you make one or more telephone 
calls with the employer or the human resources department, 
make  sure  you  are  always  polite,  always  give  them  your  full 
name (= first name and surname). Prepare your answers in ad-
vance and answer to the point.

In cases where you are considering spontaneous applications 
without  properly  knowing  if  there  are  any  job  offers,  pre-
pare what you want to say very well and be sure that you can  
sufficiently explain why you are applying in this way.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

There is no general way of preparing for an application, the 
documents  you  need  and  the  different  steps  of  an  applica-
tion procedure. Every situation is very specific and depends 
on  the  individual  situation  of  the  employer  who  published 
the vacancy.

It  is  very  important  for  the  employer  that  you  turn  up  to 
the  interview  on  time.  The  employer  pays  a  great  deal  of  
attention  to  the  way  you  present  yourself  at  this  meeting. 
Clothing, hair style, jewellery, etc are looked at very closely. 
During the  interview you have to pay attention to your attitude,  
your  body  language,  eye  contact  and  the  way  you  express  
yourself.

Interviewers  expect  you  to  shake  hands  when  you  enter  the 
interview room. Before entering you must switch off your mo-
bile.  If  they  offer  you  something  to  drink  (coffee,  water,  etc.) 
feel free to accept. Persuade them that you are very motivated 
to  get  the  job. You  can  prove  your  motivation  by  asking  dif-
ferent  questions  during  the  interview.  Be  careful  not  to  criti-
cise things or people. Even if they ask you to express criticism 
about something or someone, try to make the best of it and 
put things as positively as possible.

40

On average, the interview is conducted by at least two people. 
Depending on the size of the enterprise the number may in-
crease up to six and the following people may take part in the 
interview: the company’s owner or general manager, people in 
management functions, HR staff, peer colleagues. The interview 
usually takes about an hour, but it may vary, depending on the 
sector and the individual situation during the interview.

The interview is usually very well structured. It starts with the 
introductions,  including  the  representatives  of  the  company, 
followed  by  a  short  presentation  about  the  company  itself. 
Then  it  is  the  applicant’s  turn.  From  that  moment  on  a  com-
pany representative will ask all kinds of questions. Towards the 
end of the interview the applicant has the opportunity to ask 
the firm’s representatives some more questions. At the end of 
the  interview,  the  applicant  is  given  some  more  information 
about the application procedure and the time taken to inform 
the applicant of the company’s decision.

After a company has decided to hire you for the job, it will nor-
mally communicate the decision by phone. Once you have signed 
your contract you can be absolutely sure about the agreement.

During the interview the representatives of the company may ask 
you a wide range of questions about various items. You can be 
pretty sure that you will be asked one of the following questions:

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

•	
•	

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Why did you choose to work for our company?
Why should we select you instead of someone else?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What do you expect from your job, your team, etc?
Can  you  tell  us  some  success  stories  about  yourself  or 
examples of good practice?
Why do you want to work in Germany?
What  does  your  family  think  about  you  working  in 
Germany?
How long are you intending to work for us?
Why did you leave your job or your country?
Why were you fired by your last employer?
Are your qualifications not too high for the job we have to offer?
Are your qualifications not inappropriate for this job offer?

41

Always bear in mind that some of these  questions  are  tricky. 
Especially questions about strengths and weaknesses or about 
inappropriate qualifications need to be answered carefully and 
diplomatically.  Try  to  present  your  weaknesses  as  strengths. 
For example when you know that one of your weaknesses is 
that you are impatient with your colleagues, tell the employer 
that you are used to keeping your colleagues to deadlines or 
frequently  asking  for  their  results.  Employers  might  think  of 
this as a strength, especially when you are applying for a job.

If you are asked whether you are not over-qualified for the job 
you are applying for, you might answer that it is quite possi-
ble that this is the case at the moment, but that you are sure 
that  after  you  have  become  integrated  in  the  company,  the  
employer will no doubt find a job or task that is a more suitable 
match for your qualifications.

In  the  event  that  the  interviewers  ask  you  some  questions 
about your knowledge of their company, always try to know 
in  advance  what  the  company  specialises  in  and  what  prod-
ucts it makes, an estimate of the number of employees, their  
locations inland and/or abroad.

In general, employers or interviewers expect you to answer all 
their questions. Germany has anti-discrimination laws known 
as  the  AGGs, 
i.e.  Allgemeines  Gleichbehandlungsgesetz 
(General Equal Treatment Law). This law lays down that ques-
tions about strictly private situations that have nothing to do 
with  the  job  are  not  permissible.  Questions  about  your  gen-
eral health, a planned pregnancy, financial situation, religion,  
sexuality, etc. are considered to be strictly private matters.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Contract  negotiations  very  much  depend  on  the  company 
and  the  sector  in  which  the  company  operates.  Apart  from 
fixed payment jobs, pay can be taken as negotiable. When you 

42

start to negotiate, remember that in Germany pay is expressed 
as  hourly  or  monthly  rates.  Questions  of  pay  are  negotiated 
by  the  executive  responsible  (zuständige  Führungskraft).  
Besides your pay, you can negotiate some extra benefits in ad-
dition to the statutory requirements, such as holiday pay and  
annual bonuses — provided they are not already included in the  
company’s contract.

Some companies may ask you for a one-day trial period. It is 
recommended  not  to  refuse.  Some  companies  might  com-
pensate you for the costs incurred when coming for interview. 
There is no general rule on this and it is not considered to be 
a right for which reimbursement is due. You can only wait and 
see if they offer you reimbursement of your expenses.

4. 

Do you need references? 

Testimonials that prove that you are an efficient, hard-working 
employee  are  a  must  to  convince  your  potential  employer 
that you should be hired for the job. References and letters of 
recommendation are not used in most sectors or companies. 
Only in very exceptional cases will your new employer contact 
your  employer  to  find  out  something  about  you  or  your  job 
performance. 

You must send the testimonials and the copies of your diplo-
mas together with your covering letter and your CV.

For a job in the public sector, you will need proof of good con-
duct,  available  from  your  local  police  station.  For  other  jobs, 
you usually do not know in advance if you need this proof of 
good conduct. The employer may ask for it when you sign your 
contract.

43

5. 

Making a good impression

Punctuality is very important to the employer. Employers ex-
pect you to confirm that you will be attending the interview. 
Normally  employers  will  ask  you  themselves  to  confirm.  If 
things go completely wrong and you are not able to make it to 
the interview, you can apologise by phone and try to make a 
new appointment. Only in very exceptional cases can you use 
e-mail to apologise and make a new appointment.

Application interviews are mostly organised on the company’s 
premises.  In  some  application  procedures,  where  companies 
are looking for several new employees at the same time, they 
might organise the interviews in hotels or other public build-
ings  near  the  company’s  headquarters.  In  exceptional  cases 
and depending on the kind of job it is possible to make your 
first  interview  by  phone.  SKYPE  or  other  VOIP-tools  are  only 
used  by  very  few  companies  and  even  there  it  is  only  very  
exceptional.

When  you  turn  up  for  an  interview  make  sure  that  you  are 
dressed in line with the business and function that you are ap-
plying  for.  For  example,  bankers  or  bank  employees  need  to 
wear a tie. Eye-catching jewellery is to be avoided.

Normally, at the end of the interview, the employer will explain 
to you the subsequent steps of the application procedure and 
the time they will take. They expect you to respect this timing 
and wait for them to take the initiative to inform or invite you. 
If the period that you agreed on has elapsed without you hear-
ing anything from the employer or recruiter, you can contact 
them yourself and ask for some more information.

44

estonia

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Estonian
Parliamentary republic
45 228 km²
Tallinn
Estonian kroon (EEK)
EU
+ 372
.ee

1. 

Popular application procedures in Estonia

In  Estonia,  finding  a  suitable  job  vacancy,  sending  a  CV  and 
covering letter and making an appointment with the employer 
are the most common steps in an application. You should ex-
pect an average of one month between the publication of the 
vacancy and starting the job.

Electronic applications should be short and specific. It is advisa-
ble to use electronic applications, but do not add attachments, 
as some companies might not open them for fear of computer 
viruses. A written application should be legible, grammatically 
correct, short and to the point.

45

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
When you prepare a phone call, be sure to have the vacancy, 
skills  list,  CV  and  a  notebook  to  hand.  Find  the  right  contact 
person — a human resources specialist.  Show interest  in  the 
vacancy and ask where you can send the necessary documents 
to. Be polite, listen, speak slowly and clearly, giving specific an-
swers and information about references. Be proactive.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview:

The applicant must be familiar with the company’s background, 
field of activity and the vacant position. You should bring diplo-
mas and qualification certificates with you if possible, copies are 
accepted. You should present the diploma of highest qualifica-
tion only. You do not need to present a diploma older than 10 
years if it is not related to the vacancy and the skills required. 

Keep a record of the vacancies you have applied for, as you will 
need this in case the employer contacts you. 

During  the  interview,  the  employer  will  try  to  discover  more 
about  your  motivation,  previous  background,  previous  em-
ployment experience, why you want to work in this company, 
what you have to offer the company etc. 

Normally the official representative of the employer and per-
sonnel  specialist(s),  sometimes  other  applicants  are  present 
when a group interview is involved. If you are taking part in a 
test, expect there to be two to 10 candidates. Tests usually take 
30 minutes to one and a half hours. 

A  handshake  is  acceptable  as  a  greeting;  remember  to  wait 
for the employer to offer you the handshake first. Be friendly 
and  open,  stand  or  sit  up  straight,  speak  audibly  and  clearly, 
keeping eye contact. You can accept non-alcoholic drinks (for 
example water); alcohol and cigarettes are not acceptable. Ad-
ditional  information  about  the  vacancy  and  the  company  is 
usually asked for at the end of the interview.

46

At the beginning of the meeting expect a short warm-up (gen-
eral questions), then specific questions about your personality 
and motivation. You then give a brief introduction about your-
self. You may then be asked about your  strengths  and  weak-
nesses, why you are interested specifically in this vacancy, with 
questions  about  education,  training  and  previous  employ-
ment experience, hobbies, job conditions and salary. You are 
expected to be frank and friendly but not too familiar. 

According to the Constitution there should be no discrimina-
tion  on  grounds  of  sex,  age,  race  and  nationality.  It  is  desir-
able  to  answer  all  the  questions  asked,  especially  those  that 
concern the job. Questions about private life (e.g. information 
about sexual orientation, creed, pregnancy, sickness, financial 
circumstances) are considered to be strictly private matters. 

A  candidate  should  have  some  basic  knowledge  about  the 
company,  i.e.  a  general  profile  of  the  company:  scope  of  
activity,  conception  of  development,  number  of  workers 
etc.  Expect  questions  about  duties,  job  conditions,  future  
colleagues,  bonuses,  salary  and  general  information  about 
your previous job, your duties there and the reason for leav-
ing your previous job.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Contract negotiations can involve the date you start work, sal-
ary  and  bonuses. The  salary  may  be  negotiable,  but  that  de-
pends on the position and company. Pay is generally expressed 
in weekly terms. Holiday pay is included in the remuneration 
and regulated according to Estonian law. Yearly bonuses can-
not be negotiated separately.

The following perks are common: company car, reimbursement 
of travel expenses, compensation for sporting activities (gym, 
pool, etc.). In the private sector these extras can be negotiated. 
Extra benefits are negotiated with your direct superior. 

47

There are no trial periods of work in Estonia; the duration of a 
probationary period is usually four months and six months for 
state/government positions. 

There  is  no  compensation  for  costs  incurred  when  attending 
interviews. Most (60 %) companies let you know the result of 
the application procedure during the two weeks following the 
interview. The others (40 %) do not send any feedback.

4. 

Do you need references?

References  can  be  from  previous  employers  (name,  com-
pany,  profession,  work  number).  They  can  confirm  the  CV 
and  give  background 
information  about  the  candidate  
(professional only).

You should bring your diploma with you to the first interview, 
copies are accepted.

Proof of good conduct is obligatory for policemen, public serv-
ice employees etc. Some professions need police confirmation 
of a lack of criminal record (e.g. drivers with regard to previous 
traffic offences etc.)

5. 

Making a good impression

You  should  confirm  that  you  will  be  attending  the  interview. 
If  you  cannot  attend,  it  is  advisable  to  inform  the  employer 
as  soon  as  possible.  Interviews  preferably  take  place  on  the 
company’s premises. Being punctual at the interview is highly 
recommended. Delay without a valid reason is not permissible. 
You should arrive a few minutes early; this will show your punc-
tuality and interest in the vacant position.

48

Normally  there  is  no  dress  code.  Usually  it  depends  on  the 
function. Dress in a conventional and comfortable style. Jewel-
lery can be worn. 

The  employer  may  expect  you  to  do  the  follow-up  yourself. 
You can ask after the interview when you can expect feedback. 
If you do not receive any feedback within the promised time 
you can call the employer and ask for the results. After the in-
terview you can send an e-mail to thank the employer for the 
interview — this will show that you are interested and will help 
the employer to remember you. 

Be  self-assured,  focused,  smile  and  do  sufficient  preparatory 
work. Take a pen and notebook with you so that you can make 
notes during the interview. Do not take a seat before it is of-
fered. Chewing gum is not advisable. Do not use slang words. 
Be self-confident and persuasive.

49

irelanD

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Irish, English
Republic
70 273 km²
Dublin
EUR
EU
+ 353
.ie

1. 

Popular application procedures in Ireland

There  are  two  types  of  applications  procedure  normally  in  
Ireland:
(i) Candidates will be asked to submit their CV for a job. 
(ii) The  company  may  supply  an  application  form  relating  to 
the position on offer.

The time between publication of the vacancy and start of the 
job depends on the type of job. Some jobs can be advertised 
one day and filled the next. However, the employer may wish 
to  make  background  checks,  validate  certificates  and  qualifi-
cations and seek references. In this case it would normally be 
necessary to allow six weeks between the vacancy being pub-
lished and starting the job.

50

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In an electronic application it is essential that all the fields are 
correctly completed and that all the contact details of the job-
seeker are available. All qualifications should be clearly speci-
fied and a note should be made stating that qualification cer-
tificates are available on request.

A  written  application  would  normally  consist  of  a  typed  CV, 
with  an  accompanying  cover  letter.  Photocopies  of  relevant 
qualifications should accompany the CV.

It is not normal to telephone an employer other than to ask for 
an application form or for details of how to apply.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview?

The recruiter will expect the applicant to have spent some time 
researching the company. They will also expect the jobseekers 
to be very knowledgeable about the position on offer.

Recruiters will expect copies of all relevant diplomas, etc, and 
will normally check their authenticity. The applicant may also 
be asked to bring originals of diplomas etc., with him/her on 
the day of the interview.

The recruiter will be expected to clearly outline the timetable 
of the procedure to the jobseeker, and will also be expected to  
inform the jobseeker of any further interviews or tests associ-
ated with job.

Recruiters will expect applicants to submit their application before 
the end of the closing date. They will expect the applicant to respect  
and obey the criteria outlined in the original advertisement. 

During  the  interview,  the  employer  will  pay  attention  to  
applicants’ appearance, their level of preparation, that they are 
clear and articulate and that their qualifications are appropriate 
to the post. The employer is always in charge of the process.

51

Normally two or three people will conduct the interviews and, 
if testing is involved, this will usually be conducted by one or 
more  personnel  members.  Interviews  are  normally  of  about 
40 minutes’ duration. The time taken for tests depends on the 
type of test being used.

Applicants should be clear and concise in their answers. They 
should avoid using jargon or acronyms. Eye contact is very im-
portant. While a coffee or water may be offered, it is not normal 
practice. You will be offered the opportunity to ask questions 
but if there is a second interview in the process you should wait 
until this interview to ask any relevant questions.

Usually an interview will be held in a private office. One of the in-
terviewers will take the role of chairperson and introduce them-
selves, the panel and the interview procedure. Normally you can 
expect a very formal atmosphere, and the applicant would be 
expected to treat the process formally and with respect.

The vast majority of the interview will concentrate on professional 
items, with perhaps 10 % of the time being spent on non-profes-
sional issues. It would be important for the candidate to be able to 
show his/her reasons and motivation for applying for the job.

There are very strict anti-discrimination laws in Ireland — these 
laws form the basis of the process. You cannot be asked a ques-
tion  which  would  be  considered  discriminatory  and  you  can 
refuse to answer such a question — e.g. What age are you? Most 
personal matters, such as your age, religion, skin colour, sexual 
orientation, etc. are considered to be absolutely private.

In general applicants will be expected to have researched the 
company, to know their product and market, etc.

Any question can be asked, e.g. why did you apply for this job, 
what are your expectations, what can you bring to the position 
on offer, etc. It is not normal to try to ‘trick’ the applicant. The 
purpose of the interview process is to find the most suitable 
person for the job. However, you may be asked questions like 
‘Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?’

52

The employer will explain the follow-up procedure at the first 
interview and your obligations will be made very clear to you 
at  that  point.  Employers  will  offer  feedback  to  unsuccessful 
candidates on request. 

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Normally the remuneration package is stated before the proc-
ess takes place. For this reason, there is not a lot of room for fi-
nancial or other negotiations. Remuneration can be expressed 
in hourly, weekly, monthly or yearly terms. Usually professional 
and  clerical  jobs  are  expressed  as  a  yearly  salary,  while  jobs 
in  building,  retail,  hotel  and  catering  are  expressed  in  hourly 
terms. Holiday, benefits and other non-pay issues are included 
in the pay listed. In general, the personnel officer/manager ne-
gotiates pay and any extra benefits. You may be asked to work 
for a trial period of three to six months or do a probationary 
period of anything up to one year. The process will continue up 
to the time you receive notification of success or failure. 

4. 

Do you need references?

In Ireland it is very common to use references — usually two — 
one of which will be a personal reference about your character, 
etc. and the second from your previous employer about your 
work. Employers will not contact referees unless they are go-
ing  to  make  you  a  job  offer.  Candidates  should  have  cleared 
the inclusion of a referee with the person in question prior to  
including them in their application. Previous employer, priest, 
vicar,  Garda  (police)  could  be  good  references.  They  are  ex-
pected to complete a written or telephone reference with the 
employer on behalf of the applicant.

A diploma is needed at the time of application.

53

While all jobs require that the applicant is of good moral stand-
ing,  there  are  nevertheless  certain  jobs  which  will  require 
greater proof of character, e.g. childcare, care assistant — some 
of which may require Garda references.

5. 

Making a good impression

Employers will not tolerate candidates  who  are not  punctual 
for their interview, as it may intimate that there is a problem 
with their pattern of work.

You should usually confirm your attendance pre-interview and 
at reception on arrival for interview.

Dress  neatly  and  tidily  is  the  rule  of  thumb,  face  and  body 
piercings are not desirable. 

Employers  expect  people  to  present  themselves  in  the  best 
possible  way.  You  should  be  respectful  and  courteous.  Any 
other behaviour will not be tolerated.

54

greece

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Greek
Parliamentary republic
131 990 km²
Athens
EUR
EU
+ 30
.gr

1. 

Popular application procedures in Greece

Normally you send a CV, contacting the employer by phone, e-mail 
or in person. Then wait for an interview, meet the employer, agree 
or decide to look elsewhere. The time between publication of the 
vacancy and the day the job starts can be up to one month.

In  electronic  applications,  send  an  e-mail  to  the  human  re-
sources department or to the company’s relevant department. 
A covering letter signed by the applicant and giving the rea-
sons for applying must accompany the CV.

The main points to remember in telephone contacts are that 
you  should  be  polite,  show  that  you  are  interested,  listen  
carefully and be honest.

55

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. 

How to prepare for the interview

The  recruiter  expects  the  applicant  to  deal  with  language  is-
sues as well as accommodation and family issues and to be on 
time. He/she should have all the necessary documents (diplo-
mas,  certificates,  letters  relating  to  job  experience)  available 
and validated. Show professionalism and dignity.

During an interview, the recruiter wants to learn what the skills 
of the applicant are and the possible terms of recruitment. The 
department manager or the HR manager is in charge during this 
meeting. On average one or two people attend these meetings 
or the tests that are normally organised twice and last about one 
hour. Drinks are acceptable. During the first meeting you can ask 
your questions about the job profile, shifts, company profile.

In general the atmosphere during interviews or tests is relaxed, 
friendly and exploratory. The ratio of non-professional to pro-
fessional  items  which  are  addressed  during  the  interview  is 
about 30:70 % respectively. You have to answer all the ques-
tions  asked,  but  questions  about  your  political  position  and 
personal life are considered strictly private.

Normally  the  employer  takes  the  initiative  in  organising  a  
follow-up to the interview.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Standard contracts include terms of duration, general remuner-
ation and holiday pay. You can negotiate your pay and annual 
bonuses separately. The most common additional benefits are 
extra salary at the end of the year, extra medical coverage, a 
company car and commission. These subjects are negotiated 
by the HR staff or a department manager.

56

Usually you will be asked for a three-month paid probationary 
period. If you refuse you may not be offered the job.

These procedures usually take about a month.

4. 

Do you need references?

These are not normally needed, but a previous employer could 
be a referee. They are expected to strengthen the applicant’s  
position,  to  confirm  the  good  quality  and  skills  of  the  appli-
cant. 

A copy of your diploma is not always needed. It can be shown 
at a second stage of the procedure. 

Letters of recommendation are not usually required. Proof of 
good conduct might be necessary for security jobs and high-
level jobs.

5. 

Making a good impression

What do you have to know about making an appointment for 
an interview?

•	

•	

•	
•	

•	

Be  sure  to  know  the  name  and  address  of  the  com-
pany and the name of the interviewer when making an 
appointment for an interview.
The applicant must be punctual. You should not expect 
the same punctuality from the employer’s side.
Confirm that you will be attending the interview.
In the event that you cannot attend the interview, you 
must  ask  for  a  new  appointment,  two  to  three  days  in 
advance, if there is a valid reason.
In Greece you are expected to present yourself for the 
interview on the employer’s premises.

57

•	
•	

Dress soberly. Jewellery is not necessary.
The applicant must play an active part in the interview 
and listen carefully to the employer’s questions. Do not 
be aggressive or grimace.

58

spain

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Spanish
Constitutional monarchy
504 030 km²
Madrid
EUR
EU
+ 34
.es

1. 

Popular application procedures

Depending  on  the  worker’s  qualifications,  job  application 
procedures can vary. However, the most common application 
method is: send the CV, do an aptitude test on practical train-
ing for professions to show skills and knowledge, have an inter-
view with the person in charge of the human resources depart-
ment. Depending on the size of the enterprise, interviews will 
be in conducted by the employer or one person belonging to 
the executive level of the enterprise or HR  division. The time 
between  the  publication  of  the  vacancy  and  the  day  the  job 
starts depends on the needs of the employer.

For electronic applications, unless you are told to do it by mail, 
do not send large files or files that you did not test before using 

59

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
the  mail.  (When  someone  receives  photographs  or  scanned 
documents it is necessary to have a lot of space on the compu-
ter: remember that there is usually more than one candidate). 
It is better to only send a CV first, referring to the possibility of 
sending more information or more files or photographs.

If your application is handwritten, make it legible, as employers 
are not graphologists. Try not to use very small or very colour-
ful letters as the person reading it may be not very young.

For telephone contacts, find out who the person on the phone is 
and say who you want to talk to before stating who you are. Some-
times people have to go back to the initial information when they 
hear a name and profession before knowing what it is all about.

When applying spontaneously, try to make the employer think 
that having an interview with you will be worth it. Try to give 
first the skills, knowledge and experience you have that match 
the employer’s requirements, and then go on to tell them all 
your other information.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview 

How you prepare for the interview depends a lot on the posi-
tion.  If  experience  is  important,  it  is  useful  to  have  worked 
at well-known enterprises or with well-known brand names 
—  bear  in  mind  that  they  may  not  be  the  same  as  in  your 
country of origin and explain this point as soon as possible. 
It  helps  to  know  the  name  of  tools,  software,  protocols  etc. 
in the original language and if possible in Spanish or at least 
their equivalent in Spain.

In  the  case  of  university  degrees,  due  to  the  differences  be-
tween universities it always helps to give a brief description of 
the main subject areas or, if you know this, a brief description 
of those that match better with what you are expected to do 
or to use at work.

60

It  is  usually  best  to  have  the  authenticity  of  documents  con-
firmed by the Spanish authorities, if possible.

When you come to Spain, prepare yourself for a waiting game, 
while remembering to take into account regional differences. An 
employer  who  comes  to  the  PES  needing  personnel  yesterday 
can wait more than one month before making an initial response. 
(Remember that business is business and recruitment is not usu-
ally so urgent.) Of course, you may be fortunate enough to ex-
perience a ‘perfect’ situation, with candidates sending good CVs 
that actually meet employers’ needs and with employers answer-
ing yes or no within three or four days, but this is not the norm.

Depending on the size of the enterprise, interviews will be con-
ducted by the employer or another person belonging to the ex-
ecutive level of the enterprise or HR department.

As anywhere in the world, remember that your non-verbal com-
munication  is  almost  as  important  as  things  you  actually  say: 
do not make rocking movements, do not talk too much, do not 
be so shy that the interviewer becomes nervous, listen carefully 
to what you are told, try to answer the actual question, ask for 
more explanation whenever you are not sure about the ques-
tions, remember to go to the toilet before the interview and that 
drinking anything increases the likelihood that something will 
go wrong. Remember also that, in Spain, people ‘like to be close’: 
Spanish people usually leave less space than north Europeans 
when  meeting  someone.  People  usually  shake  hands  at  the 
beginning and the end of the meeting. It is usual to ‘touch’ the 
other person (shoulders, arms) and, whenever there are women 
in the group, it is not uncommon to kiss each other (twice). If the 
Spanish person opposite you tries to do it, try not to run away, 
but you should not be the first one to do the kissing.

Smoking is banned by Spanish law almost anywhere, and there 
are Spanish people who actually hate smoking, but there are 
others who do smoke and who do it during a long interview if 
they feel it would help to create a more relaxed environment or 
if they are tired, provided they are allowed to. What this means 
for  candidates  is  that  you  should  not  do  it,  even  if  you  are  

61

invited to, unless the employer insists or will not smoke unless 
you do, but it is something you should avoid. Saying anything 
negative  about  smokers,  non-smokers  or  anybody  else  is  of 
course not recommended.

Being motivated for the job is a very essential point. Foreign 
jobseekers should know that Spanish employers are not will-
ing to train either anyone who will leave in a short period of 
time or ‘marry’ the candidate (in Spain it is not easy to end a 
labour contract).

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Salaries  are  normally  thought  of  in  terms  of  monthly  salaries  
(12 months + 2 extra basic salaries in December and June/July) or 
an annual total (ask whether you will be paid for 12 or 14 per year).

Normally it should be mentioned in the job vacancy. If it is not, 
it would be a good idea to ask a trade union (it does not mat-
ter if you are registered or not) about the legal and the normal 
salary you could expect (in Spain there is a national minimum 
wage and collective agreements that vary a lot, depending on 
the region). If the employer asks you how much you want to 
earn, try to give two figures or keep open the possibility of ne-
gotiating: at the initial stage n euros, but when you have dem-
onstrated your competence, it will change. 

4. 

Do you need references?

A candidate should bring all these documents along when at-
tending the interview (in case the employer asks for them). It 
is better to have them and not need them rather than being 
asked and having to answer ‘I will send them to you’ or ‘I don’t 
know if I can’.

62

5. 

Making a good impression

Spanish  people  are  often  not  very  punctual,  but  candidates 
should not be late (but try not to come too early: arriving 10 or 
five minutes beforehand is good enough to have time to look 
for the person you are going to meet). 

If you cannot come, please phone. You should have the contact 
details with you just in case the bus is late or something pre-
vents you from coming. 

Depending on the size of the company it is normally necessary 
to turn up at the company’s premises for the interview, but in 
some  cases  it  may  be  possible  to  use  one  of  the  new  media 
resources (e.g. video conferences, SKYPE etc.).

Going to an interview is not like going to a party. You should 
attend the interview thinking that you are going to work there. 
Too formal or too casual dress is not appropriate. It is usually 
sufficient to be clean and tidy. Graduates or executives usually 
wear ties, if they are men, and heels, if they are women. Span-
ish people dress in neutral colours but not black (in Spain black 
clothes are for funerals, parties or waiters and waitresses). Avoid 
eye-catching things (gold jewellery, bright red clothes, etc.).

63

france

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

French
Presidential republic
674 843 km²
Paris
EUR
EU
+ 33
.fr

1. 

Popular application procedures in France

The most common way of applying in France is by handwritten 
covering letter (as the employer may want to do a graphological 
analysis), accompanied by a typed CV, or by e-mail (this is still a  
minority  of  the  cases,  depending  on  the  type  of  job  you  
apply for).

The application procedure generally includes an initial inter-
view, although it is possible for the candidate to make the first 
contact  by  phone. This  first  interview  may  be  followed  by  a  
second or third interview. The time between the publication 
of  the  vacancy  and  actually  starting  the  job  can  vary  from 
eight days to three months.

64

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. 

How to prepare for the interview

During the interview, the employer will be sensitive to:

•	
•	

the punctuality of the candidate (be on time, etc);
the dress code and general presentation.

The  first  interview  (in  larger  organisations)  is  generally  con-
ducted by a representative of the HR department. The second 
one  might  involve  other  persons:  future  boss,  manager,  etc. 
The interview can vary from half an hour to two hours.

Smoking is absolutely out (there is a ban on smoking in com-
panies  and  public  places  in  France),  nor  should  you  present 
yourself  as  a  smoker. The  same  goes  for  drinks.  Do  not  even 
think about bringing presents to the interview in France.

During the first interview it is customary for the employer to 
outline the company and the future job. Then it is the candi-
date’s turn to show why they should be given the job. Ques-
tions  are  generally  asked  by  the  employer,  but  the  candi-
date can also ask the interviewer for additional information. 
The  interview  almost  exclusively  deals  with  professional 
aspects, i.e. whether the interviewee is the ideal candidate 
for the position. 

There is very clear anti-discrimination legislation in France. It 
is  desirable  to  answer  all  the  questions,  but  some  could  be  
considered strictly private, provided they are not relevant for 
the job (such as do you have children, what age, etc.).

It  is  advisable  that  candidates  inform  themselves  about 
the company before the interview (activity, structure, etc.). 
Tricky  questions  should  not  be  any  problem  for  a  sincere 
candidate.

65

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Financial aspects are in general negotiable at the end of the in-
terview (should be appropriate to the candidate and the post). 
The  salary  may  be  negotiable  or,  in  some  cases,  fixed  by  the 
salary tariffs of the company. Remuneration is expressed as a 
monthly or annual gross rate. 

In  France,  the  probationary  period  normally  lasts  one  month 
(three months for managers).

Transport costs for the interview are only very rarely refunded. 

The recruitment process can be considered to be finished on 
the first day of employment, when the contract is signed, but 
the  agreement  is  often  made  orally  and  the  contract  itself 
comes at the end of the process.

It is generally the employer who decides on the steps to take 
before recruitment (phone call, second interview, etc.). Howev-
er, the candidate should not leave the employer before being 
sure that the next step in the procedure is fixed. It is a bad sign 
when this point is not addressed. 

4. 

Do you need references?

It  is  recommended  to  mention  some  references  if  they  are  
relevant. Letters of recommendation are traditionally common 
in France. However, in the last 10 years their use has decreased. 
Some employers try to investigate whether the information giv-
en by the candidate is true, although this is forbidden by law. 

Copies of diplomas are very rarely used in the first interview. 
They are normally required at the moment of recruitment. 

66

For  some  jobs  (government,  security,  etc)  proof  of  good  
conduct is required.

5. 

Making a good impression

The dress code depends on the job you are applying for. A can-
didate  for  a  secretarial  job  should  be  perfectly  dressed  (with 
or without jewellery); a blue-collar worker can be less careful 
with  their  clothing.  Never  smoke  or  be  impolite  during  the  
interview.

67

icelanD

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Icelandic
Parliamentary republic
103 000 km²
Reykjavik
Icelandic krona (ISK)
EEA
+ 354
.is

1. 

Popular application procedures

The best steps for people who do not speak Icelandic to take are 
to use the EURES services. There are a number of ways of start-
ing your job search. Visiting the EURES job mobility portal is a 
wise first step: www.eures.europa.eu. You can find more specific 
information  on  the  Icelandic  EURES  website  www.eures.is.  For 
all  EURES  job  vacancies  in  Iceland,  you  are  requested  to  fill  in 
an online application form at www.vinnumalastofnun.is/eures. 
Make sure that you complete the form in as much detail as pos-
sible. It is important that you list all previous job experience and 
education, both in your home country and abroad. It is very im-
portant that your contact details are accurate and the telephone 
numbers and the e-mail addresses active. If you have a CV, you 
can attach it to the application form. Nevertheless you should 

68

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
fill in all the fields in the form as it enables EURES to find your 
application when a job that meets your qualifications becomes 
available. The form must be completed in English.

There are also other ways of applying for a job in Iceland. You 
may, free of charge, register with one or more private employ-
ment agencies (ráðningarþjónustur). They often have vacancies 
for specialists. Read the (classified) job advertisements in the 
local newspapers: in some cases it may pay to put in your own 
advert for employment.

Note that almost all job advertisements are in Icelandic. You can 
contact the local branch of your trade union (stéttarfélag): they 
have information on the current employment trends within your 
profession and can give advice on where to start looking.

However,  reading  the  job  advertisements  in  the  newspapers 
and then sending a CV and a covering letter is the most com-
mon procedure when applying for a job. This may be difficult for 
people who do not speak Icelandic since most of the vacancies 
are published in Icelandic. Also word-of-mouth is a very power-
ful tool in a small community like Iceland, and many jobseekers 
find work through family contacts or other personal networks. 
This is also difficult for people who are not Icelandic, as they usu-
ally do not have a large personal network in Iceland. 

Icelandic employers have a tendency to look for employees af-
ter they find out that they need help. This means that there is 
usually a short period between the publication of the vacancy 
and the day the job starts. When filling out an electronic ap-
plication it is very important that you fill out all the appropri-
ate fields, listing your most recent experience first and making 
sure that your contact information is correct. A CV in Iceland 
should never exceed two pages and should be to the point and 
recently updated. The CV should be accompanied by a cover-
ing letter stating why you are interested in the particular va-
cancy and why you are the right person for the position. When 
applying  by  phone  you  need  to  know  that  Icelandic  people 
are not very formal, but even so it is usual to state your name 
and  the  reason  for  your  phone  call  at  the  beginning  of  the  

69

conversation. Please be careful that you do not speak for too 
long and never interrupt the person you are talking to. 

When you apply spontaneously or speculatively, it is very good 
if you hand in your application directly to the person who will 
be in charge of the recruitment/selection procedure. Of course 
this is often not possible, but if you can, then you will make a 
better impression, as that person has seen your face and has 
even exchanged some words with you.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview 

Recruiters/employers  expect  their  applicants  to  know  some-
thing about the company, about the job they are applying for 
and have the necessary skills to successfully complete the tasks 
they are asked to do.

You  should  have  your  diploma  assessed  for  equivalence  and 
recognition in Iceland. The basic principle is that valid qualifi-
cations for practising a particular profession in your homeland 
are also valid in other EU/EEA countries. Higher degrees, three 
years of academic studies (BA, BSc, BS) and vocational studies 
with a secondary school education, should be ones recognised 
all over the EU/EEA.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture is responsible for 
the coordination of recognition procedures in Iceland. However, 
the  ministry  does  not  process  all  applications  for  recognition. 
Individual ministries handle the recognition for their respective 
spheres, for instance the Ministry of Health is responsible for the 
recognition of medical and health professions. The best place to 
begin collecting the information you will need is on this website: 
www.menntagatt.is which is the national reference point for as-
sessment and recognition of qualifications.

An  assessment  of  equivalence  of  your  diplomas  will  make  it 
easier for Icelandic employers to evaluate your knowledge and 

70

skills. It may also help you to get a better job with higher pay. 
It is wise to follow up on an application as soon as possible. If 
you have not received a confirmation that your application has 
been  received  it  is  better  to  contact  the  employer  and  ask  if 
they have received your application. That will also be a good 
opportunity for you to ask if they have any idea of when the 
applicants will be contacted. Usually only applicants who are 
being considered for a job are contacted.

There are no overall rules about application procedures. There 
are some privacy rules regarding the handling of applications 
but none that applicants should be concerned about.

Before you go to a job interview it is good to do your home-
work first. Do some reading about the company. You can usu-
ally  find  good  information  on  the  company’s  webpage.  Be 
prepared to answer any question they might bring up. These 
questions could be: What are your strengths and weaknesses? 
How  would  you  describe  yourself  as  a  worker? Why  did  you 
leave  your  last  job  and  so  forth.  It  is  also  very  important  to 
show up on time and to be dressed casually but smartly. Show 
that you are interested in knowing as much as possible about 
the company and the vacancy.

Usually  there  are  one  to  four  persons  from  the  employer’s  side 
present during an interview. This varies very much, but it seems 
that the more specialised the job the more people conduct the 
interview. This is by no means set in stone, though. Interviews usu-
ally take about 30 minutes to one hour. Any questions from you 
regarding the nature of the job are appreciated, but it is better to 
wait until you know for sure that you have got the job before ask-
ing about the salary, unless the employer brings it up first. 

There  is  no  specific  structure  for  interviews. The  atmosphere 
depends on who is conducting the interview. It is good to bear 
in mind that the person you are seeing will be meeting you for 
the first time and therefore might be just as shy and uncom-
fortable as you are. The best thing to do is to present yourself 
as honestly as possible and not to ‘oversell’ or ‘undersell’ your 
skills. Be polite and try to be calm.

71

Employers  want  to  discover  who  you  are  during  the  inter-
view. Do not be surprised if they ask you questions regarding 
your personal life. The non-professional items usually take up 
a small part of the interview and are normally used simply to 
make the atmosphere more relaxed. If you are at an interview 
the employer should by then know basic things about your ex-
perience from your CV. Use this opportunity to speak in greater 
depth about your skills and why you are the suitable candidate 
for the job. Also try to convince them that you will contribute 
something that will enhance the quality of their company and 
that you are willing to work hard to do this. 

There are anti-discrimination laws in Iceland and they are quite 
clear.  There  are  some  questions  that  employers  can  ask  and 
some that they cannot ask. They can ask you if you are married 
or if you have children. They cannot ask you questions regard-
ing your sexual orientation, your political views or if you intend 
to have children or not. The best thing to do if these questions 
come up is to point out politely that these questions make you 
uncomfortable  and  that  you  question  if  they  are  legal.  At  the 
end of an interview the employer usually tells you when you can 
expect to hear from them again. If they do not, the odds are that 
they are not interested. If the employer has not contacted you 
within the period you were told, the best thing is to simply con-
tact them and ask for feedback. 

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

The  kinds  of  contract  negotiations  that  take  place  vary.  Some-
times salaries and contract length may be negotiated in the job 
interview and sometimes negotiations take place after the recruit-
ment has been decided upon. Icelandic labour law states that you 
should have a job contract not later than two months after your 
job has started. The job contract should state what your salary is. 

There is always room to negotiate your pay. You are entitled to 
one interview with your employer every year to discuss pay. The 

72

most common criterion on pay is that you discuss your monthly 
salary. If you have a job where you often work overtime, nego-
tiating  an  hourly  rate  would  be  a  good  idea.  Holiday  pay  and 
bonuses are fixed, so that they do not have to be negotiated.

Who is in charge of negotiations varies from one company to 
another, but usually it is the human resource manager or the 
general manager.

In Iceland you should be paid for every day that you work. It is 
common  to  have  a  one-month  probationary  period,  but  you 
should be paid during that period. Ask if you will be paid for 
your probationary period. If the employer does not intend to 
pay you for it then you should refuse and inform the Directorate 
of Labour or a trade union about this employer’s practices. 

Applicants are hardly ever compensated for any expenses in-
curred as a result of the interview. If that is the case, the em-
ployer will tell you. It is completely up to the employer. 

Employers do not like to contact people to tell them that they 
have not been hired. Therefore it is a good idea to contact the 
employer  one  week  after  the  application  deadline  is  over  to 
find out what the status of the vacancy is. A good rule of thumb 
is that if you have not been hired one month after the applica-
tion deadline has elapsed, they do not want to employ you.

4. 

Do you need references?

It is very important to name at least two people who will give 
you  a  good  reference.  State  the  names,  company,  job  title, 
telephone numbers and e-mails of these individuals. Contact 
your references and make sure you have their approval. These 
references should be from people who know how you work 
and can attest that you have the skills and attitude to work 
which you claim. These can be your previous employer and/
or your teacher. 

73

You should be able to present a translated copy of your diplo-
ma at your job interview if the employer wishes to see it. You 
will have already listed your diplomas in your CV, so that pre-
senting them is simply a matter of verifying that they are valid. 
The  best  thing  to  do  is  to  get  them  validated.  Use  the  www.
menntagatt.is website, as mentioned above.

Letters of recommendation can help you a lot. However, they 
should not be sent in the initial application phase when you 
send in your CV and covering letter. Bear in mind that employ-
ers need to go through a lot of applications and therefore do 
not  want  extra  reading.  You  should  mention  that  you  have 
these letters of recommendation in your CV and then present 
them at your job interview. 

Some employers want verification from your local authorities 
that you do not have a criminal record. This is particularly com-
mon in care and cleaning jobs, where you are left on your own, 
often in private homes or offices. Therefore it is a good idea to 
ask for confirmation from your local authorities that you have 
no previous criminal record. 

5. 

Making a good impression

Icelanders are very punctual. It is therefore imperative that you 
show up on time for your interview. 

If you are contacted and scheduled for an interview, confirm that 
you will be there on time. If you are not able to attend let the em-
ployer know as soon as possible and in good time. Also use this 
opportunity to apologise for your absence and schedule another 
interview. Try to do this at least one day before the interview.

Video conferencing is not common but is growing in popular-
ity in Iceland. If you cannot attend the interview check if the 
employer can conduct the interview as a conference call. Re-
member  that  you  can  always  present  yourself  better  in  per-

74

son, which means that video conferences and conference calls 
should be avoided. 

Dress  casually  and  smartly  or  conventionally.  Avoid  wearing 
too much jewellery. Jewellery on men, except for an engage-
ment or a wedding ring, is frowned upon in Icelandic society. 

75

italY

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Italian
Parliamentary republic
301 338 km²
Rome
EUR
EU
+ 39
.it

1. 

Popular application procedures in Italy

The  most  common  steps  in  an  application  procedure  are 
searching  for  job  vacancies  in  the  field  of  interest  and  send-
ing an up-to-date CV together with a covering letter, by e-mail 
or regular mail, in which they briefly explain who they are and 
why they are applying for that particular position. 

The  time  between  publishing  the  vacancy  and  starting  the 
job  depends  on  the  employer,  but  usually  the  job  begins  as 
soon  as  possible,  depending  on  the  availability  of  the  newly  
recruited employee. 

Usually the first contact is made by a phone call or by a short 
e-mail.

76

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The most important points to note for electronic applications 
are: making reference to the job position you are applying for; 
checking the e-mail address of the recipient of your application 
so as to avoid it being lost; activating the reading confirmation 
option in the settings of your e-mail account. 

In  written  applications  the  layout  and  the  appearance  of  the 
covering  letter  itself  are  very  important.  The  covering  letter 
should be better structured than an electronic application. 

If the first contact is made via phone call you should give the 
impression that you are polite and speak fluently and correctly. 
Ask for a personal appointment right away and do not forget to 
ask for their contact details. 

If you are applying spontaneously for a job that has not been 
advertised as vacant, your application must be correct in gram-
mar and choice of words, but it must also be really motivating. 
How else could you capture the attention of an employer if the 
position for which you are applying has already been filled? 

If  the  application  you  sent  is  of  interest  to  the  company,  the 
employer should contact you within a few days. If not, it means 
that you have not been selected. However, CVs are often stored 
for a long time, and you might receive a phone call for a job 
vacancy which you applied for the previous year. 

A common rule for an application procedure is to prepare and 
send a well-written (check grammar and choice of words) cov-
ering letter with your most recent CV. Check the receipt status 
of your application by a phone call.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview 

Before  leaving  your  home  country,  you  should  bring  all  the 
documents that prove authenticity with you. Recruiters expect 
you to have them. (Italian bureaucracy is very strict).

77

During an interview the employer pays attention not only to 
the way you speak and act, your previous job experience, but 
also  whether  your  appearance  and  dress  are  suitable  for  the 
kind of vacancy involved. 

Depending  on  the  job  vacancy,  the  person  in  charge  of  this 
meeting  may  be  the  employer,  the  head  of  department,  hu-
man resources officer or even a person specially appointed to 
conduct  such  interviews. Thus,  either  one  person  or  a  group 
of people could be attending the interview with the job appli-
cant. In the case of written tests, they are usually carried out by 
all candidates in groups at the same time. A meeting or a test 
usually lasts from 15 minutes to a maximum of one hour. 

Your poise, the way you speak, your vocabulary, your appear-
ance, your behaviour in general (the way you move your hands, 
the way you sit, whether you make eye contact with the inter-
viewer, etc.) are all very important aspects of verbal and non-
verbal communication. It is better not to accept or offer things, 
or to drink or smoke during your interview. 

After the employer has explained the duties and the work that 
has to be carried out, the applicant can ask questions on what-
ever issue is not clear. They can ask about the nature and du-
ration of the contract proposed, pay conditions and anything 
else they want to know about the job. 

Interviews or tests are usually held on the company’s premises. 
Generally they take place in a meeting room or in the office of the 
interviewer (HR manager, head of department or employer). Often 
interviews are held in a separate room from the place where the 
job is carried out; the candidate sits in front of the person or per-
sons who conduct the interview, which usually starts by talking 
about the previous job experience listed in the candidate’s CV.

The overall attitude of both sides during the interview is formal. 
It  is  up  to  the  interviewer/employer  to  make  the  atmosphere 
more  relaxed.  Professional  items  are  discussed  in  more  depth 
than non-professional ones during the interview (consisting of 
between 70 % and 90 %).

78

As a candidate it is always worthwhile giving a better explana-
tion of your motivation for the job and some brief information 
about yourself. 

Normally every applicant should feel free not to answer ques-
tions  about  their  personal  life. The  employer  should  not  ask 
for  strictly  private  information  (the  right  to  the  protection  of 
privacy). 

If you are hired, it will be up to your new employer to communi-
cate this to you. If you want to have follow-up of your interview 
or ask more questions, you can do so by phone or by e-mail. 

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

In Italy, financial and contract conditions are not negotiable. If you 
take the job, you will sign a contract, where you will find all the 
information and the description of financial and work conditions. 

Negotiation of pay, holidays, bonuses, etc. depends on the em-
ployer  and  on  collective  agreements  (CCNL).  Some  examples 
of  the  most  common  non-statutory  benefits  in  Italy  are  meal 
vouchers,  a  company  mobile  phone  or  a  car.  Negotiations  on 
pay and non-statutory benefits are conducted with human re-
sources staff. 

The employer may ask for a one-day work trial or a probation-
ary  period. You  have  the  option  of  refusing  if  the  period  ex-
ceeds the statutory period.

In  some  cases,  for  some  positions,  the  candidate  may  be  of-
fered  a refund of the costs incurred by coming for  interview. 
The employer may reimburse some of the travel expenses. 

The  application  procedure  can  be  considered  to  be  finished 
when the job interview takes place. The employer should spec-
ify how much time will be needed to make a decision. 

79

4. 

Do you need references?

It  is  always  an  advantage  to  the  candidate  to  provide  refer-
ences or letters of recommendation to support their previous 
job experience. Former employers or university professors can 
write references to testify to the applicant’s skills and abilities. 

Candidates should be able to present a copy of a diploma to-
gether with the CV, if requested.

5. 

Making a good impression

It is advisable to confirm that you will be attending the inter-
view. Punctuality is very important. If you are prevented from 
coming to the appointment you should give notice as soon 
as possible. 

In some companies there may be a dress etiquette. The same 
goes for jewellery. The general rule is: if you do not know any-
thing more specific, go for the smart casual look. 

If you are particularly interested in the position offered, collect 
information about the company or the employer; think about 
what they would like to hear from you. Being sociable, willing 
and enthusiastic could be an advantage.

80

cYprus

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Greek, Turkish
Presidential republic
9 251 km²
Nicosia
EUR
EU
+ 357
.cy

1. 

Popular application procedures in Cyprus

In  Cyprus  the  application  procedure  can  differ,  depending  on 
the kind of job that applicants are seeking. However, the most 
common procedure is a typed letter of application accompanied 
by a CV. For unskilled occupations the application procedure is 
usually verbal. In cases where the applicant is sent by the public 
employment services, a standard reference letter is issued which 
has to be completed by the prospective employer (stating their 
final decision) and submitted to the labour office.

After  the  agreement  between  the  two  parties,  the  job  usually 
starts by the beginning of the next calendar month (for occupa-
tions paid on a monthly basis) or by the beginning of the follow-
ing week (for unskilled occupations paid on a weekly basis).

81

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It  should  be  noted  that  in  Cyprus  most  establishments  are 
small-sized units where the owner is at the same time the di-
rector and the personnel manager.

The first contacts are usually made by phone. Candidates look 
for  vacancies  either  through  the  EURES  site  (Cyprus  section), 
the  public  employment  service  offices  (if  they  are  already  in 
Cyprus), private employment agencies or newspapers.

For electronic applications, where the vacancy is found on the 
EURES site (Cyprus section), the national reference number of 
the vacancy should always be mentioned. Both electronic and 
written  applications  should  include  a  covering  letter  which 
should be short (no more than one page) and to the point and 
must be typed. This covering letter, addressed  to the  organi-
sation advertising the post or the potential employer, should 
contain important data not included in the CV and, unlike the 
CV, should always be signed. 

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

Usually  recruiters  expect  candidates  to  be  suitably  qualified 
and available for the specific job. Of course the possession of 
relevant qualifications, language skills, etc. is also important. 

Authenticity  of  documentation  is  rarely  necessary  except  for 
regulated  professions  for  which  registration  is  required  (i.e. 
doctors, architects, engineers, etc.).

Usually employers pay attention to the candidate’s general ap-
pearance/dress. Therefore candidates are advised to dress in a 
‘smart casual’ style and to avoid extremes. They should present 
themselves self-confidently and politely. 

There is no specific structure for the job interview. Usually the 
interview is conducted by the director or the personnel man-
ager  of  the  company.  Interviewees  may  be  asked  to  present 

82

themselves, discuss their positive and negative sides as well as 
the qualifications and experience they have in relation to the 
work that needs to be done.

In  Cyprus  there  are  laws  against  discrimination  and  for  the 
protection  of  personal  data.  During  an  interview  the  candi-
date is not obliged to answer strictly private questions or give  
confidential information (e.g. sexual orientation).

The applicant should have a general idea about the company 
(activities of the company, size of the company).

Questions  are  most  often  related  to  qualifications  and  ex-
perience (e.g. Why do you feel you are suitable for this job? 
What is your experience in this field? What are your expecta-
tions of this job?). Of course for low-skilled professions, the 
employer may ask the candidate to demonstrate their skills 
on-site.

Usually  the  follow-up  to  the  interview  is  carried  out  by  the  
employers themselves.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

The relevant legislation lays down that the employer is obliged 
to inform their employee in writing about the terms and condi-
tions of employment offered within one month from the com-
mencement of employment. This document should include the 
salary,  hours  of  work,  annual  leave,  etc.  In  Cyprus,  terms  and 
conditions of employment are usually determined in collective 
agreements. Candidates are encouraged to be informed about 
the terms of these agreements.

Remuneration is usually negotiated with the personnel man-
ager of the company. Most companies ask for a probationary 
period  of  one  month.  No  compensation  is  paid  for  expenses 
incurred by attending a job interview.

83

The  application  procedure  is  completed  when  the  employer 
informs the candidate that the final decision of whether or not 
to hire the candidate has been made.

4. 

Do you need references?

References and letters of recommendation are commonly used 
for high-level jobs. These references are given for work which 
the applicant is proud of and give a positive image of the appli-
cant. When listing such references, the applicant should inform 
the relevant person in advance, and ask for their permission to 
include  their  name,  phone  number  and  position  in  the  com-
pany in the applicant’s CV. 

A copy of the diploma is always needed, usually at the very be-
ginning of the application. 

Regulated professions usually need proof of good conduct (no 
record of criminal convictions).

5. 

Making a good impression

In Cyprus most employers ask for a personal interview. Punctu-
ality is important, therefore candidates are encouraged to be 
on time for their interview. If you cannot attend the interview, 
it is better to give notice of this in advance. Video conferences 
and  SKYPE  are  rarely  used  in  Cyprus. The  dress  code  used  is 
smart casual.

84

latvia

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Latvian
Parliamentary republic
64 589 km²
Riga
Lats (LVL)
EU
+ 371
.lv

1. 

Popular application procedures in Latvia

The normal application procedure starts with finding appropriate 
vacancies. It is advisable to use every possible means and meth-
od to this end — Internet, media, personal contacts (very effec-
tive in Latvia). You cannot be sure of being invited to an interview 
even if you have sent your CV to different companies. It is more 
effective to establish close contact with the personnel manager 
of the company and to make a phone call to find out more about 
the application procedure. The covering letter is a very important 
part of the application procedure; it describes the jobseeker’s ex-
perience, knowledge and literacy skills. Letters of recommenda-
tion, CV and covering letter have become increasingly common 
in the formal application procedure in Latvia during the last few 
years; there are no particular standards for writing them.

85

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As mentioned above, the most common way of finding work is 
social networks and personal contacts. A CV and covering letter 
are usually required to support the application. They are usually 
sent by e-mail, sometimes by post, but rarely delivered personally. 
If you apply for seasonal work or unqualified work you can so do 
by phone, because employers usually pre-select for jobs like this. 

The  optimum  time  between  publication  of  the  vacancy  and 
starting  the  job  is  one  month.  However,  it  depends  on  the  
position, on the labour market situation, occupational field, etc.

It does not really matter which way you apply, (by handwritten let-
ter, telephone, e-mail, etc.). The most important thing is to define 
precisely which job you are applying for and proceed as request-
ed. Do not forget to enclose a covering letter (explaining who you 
are and why you are applying). Although most Latvian businesses 
are keen to adapt their process to west European standards, which 
are less formal (in most cases), most Latvian companies are still hi-
erarchical in structure and management culture. This is also true of 
their attitude to the application procedure.

A  covering  letter  is  considered  a  very  important  part  of  the 
application  because  for  employers  and  personnel  selection 
specialists  it  is  like  the  candidate’s  voice. Therefore  the  letter 
should  be  reliable  and  convincing.  Employers  look  for  a  per-
son  who  understands  their  business,  mission  and  market. 
Fraudulent job experience or other incorrect information is not  
acceptable. The candidate should not talk to the employer in a 
high-brow, ‘bookish’ way. 

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

Interviews and tests to elicit psychological features, character 
traits  or  practical  skills  are  generally  used  in  all  companies. 
Employers not only focus on professional aspects but also on 
human  qualities.  The  kind  of  interview  that  is  held  depends 
on  the  position,  the  specific  job  and  company  policy  or  on 

86

whether it is a small local company or international company. 
Usually there are three interviewers, including the head of the 
company or a particular division and a personnel specialist. An 
interview usually does not take more than half an hour for one 
candidate. Still or sparkling water may be available. Questions 
are very similar for all applicants if the interview is official and 
formal.  The  candidate  is  expected  to  have  prepared  for  the 
interview, and to know the company and the position. Candi-
dates  are  allowed  to  ask  questions  about  the  job,  the  duties 
etc. to which they have not yet obtained an answer.

Interviews are usually formal in Latvia, but it depends on many 
factors  —  job,  employer,  staff,  shortages,  human  factors,  etc. 
Employers may conduct so called ‘test interviews’ which may 
be conducted by phone or in a group for the purpose of iden-
tifying the leader. ‘Off-peak’ interviews are becoming increas-
ingly popular e.g. over dinner.

It is very important to show your motivation for the job, your 
ability and willingness. You must be honest and explain what 
you can improve and how. You must show that you would re-
ally like to work for the company. 

There  are  various  documents  banning  any  discrimination  on 
grounds of race, ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, sexual ori-
entation,  sex,  social  class,  language,  political  opinions,  etc.  One 
part of Latvian society considers that there is no discrimination in 
Latvia, at least that it is not a problem. The other part usually asso-
ciates it with national issues. At any rate, in reality statutory rights 
are usually not impaired, but there is some hostility to diversity.

People  usually  try  to  answer  all  the  questions  in  an  interview 
with a potential employer, even those that they do not want to. 
They feel that concealment may seem negative or affect the em-
ployer’s attitude to them. This is a matter of self-confidence.

Discriminatory  questions  and  queries  about  people’s  pri-
vate lives are those which ask the candidate about marital 
status  or  the  possibility  of  children.  Questions  regarding 
age,  marital  status,  personal  information  (height,  weight 

87

and  shape)  may  also  be  considered  to  be  discriminatory. 
Sometimes tricks are used: employers can ask to be sent a 
full body photo; employers can conduct a ‘stress interview’, 
during which they test how a potential employee behaves 
in an uncomfortable situation, how creative a person is, etc. 
This  is  an  interesting  method,  but  the  boundary  between 
legitimate techniques and the violation of applicants’ rights 
is slim.

The potential employee should know the image of the com-
pany, for example whether it is an international company or 
not, what language is used, etc. 

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

According to Latvian labour legislation, only written work con-
tracts can protect employees’ and employers’ rights. 

If an employee agrees on working conditions with an employer 
orally, their labour relationship will only be governed by civil 
laws, and the employee may lose rights to social security. 

Before a written employment contract is concluded, employ-
ee  and  employer  discuss  all  the  working  conditions:  salary, 
how often the employee receives a salary, working hours and 
overtime, probationary period, extra benefits and other top-
ics.  Working  conditions  can  be  accepted  or  refused  by  the 
worker. The decision is up to the individual. Usually salary is 
paid once or twice a month in Latvia. 

An employer can ask the employee for a probationary period. 
This is usually included in the employment contract, and it may 
last one to three months. 

Benefits in addition to statutory rights may include health insur-
ance, travel expenses or living costs, visits to a sports complex, 
etc. All bonuses depend on the goodwill of the employer.

88

4. 

Do you need references?

In Latvia letters of recommendation allow the jobseeker to find 
a  job  more  easily  because  personal  contacts  are  a  very  com-
mon and effective way of finding a job. References and letters 
of  recommendation  can  also  be  part  of  a  formal  application 
procedure. They can come from your previous employer or col-
leagues, but not from relatives. 

If requested, copies of your diplomas and other proof of your 
qualifications are necessary. 

For  some  positions  it  is  compulsory  to  supply  proof  of  good  
conduct. 

5. 

Making a good impression

The employer expects you to be on time for the interview. It shows 
your  punctuality  and  sense  of  responsibility.  It  depends  on  the 
company whether you have to confirm that you will be attend-
ing the interview. If you have a plausible reason for not being able 
to make it to the interview, you can make a new appointment.  
However, it usually depends on the willingness of the employer. 

Dress code rules depend on the field of occupation and on the spe-
cific position. If the employer is a bank or a state institution or you 
apply for an office position or similar, your dress style should be 
conventional. In general, you should be neat and well groomed. 

It depends on the employer whether you are given feedback, 
but candidates can usually call or e-mail the employer and ask 
for the results or feedback.

Impolite behaviour is of course completely out of the question.

89

liechtenstein

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 

Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

German
Constitutional monarchy
160.4 km²
Vaduz
Liechtenstein franc
Swiss franc
EEA
+ 423
.li

1. 

Popular application procedures in Liechtenstein

In  Liechtenstein,  you  usually  apply  for  a  job  by  submitting  a 
written application. You can ask for feedback by phone about 
the vacancy. After applying you will receive an invitation for an 
interview or a (written) refusal. After the interview you can ex-
pect a test or assessment. There may be one to three interviews 
before the contract can be signed.

The average time between publication of the vacancy and the 
actual start of the job is one to three months.

If  you  apply  by  e-mail,  use  a  pdf  file,  if  possible.  Send  your 
complete  recruitment  file:  covering  letter,  CV  with  photo,  
references and letters of recommendation, diploma  and other  

90

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
documents  that  are  relevant  for  the  job.  Do  not  forget  to  
include your contact details.

Handwritten  applications  are  only  used  if  explicitly  asked  for 
by the employer. 

When you phone the employer, call the contact person men-
tioned. Do not ask too many questions, and keep these to the 
point. Do not make your call longer than needed.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

The applicant should know the future area of work: informa-
tion  about  the  company,  turnover,  size,  sector,  geographical 
position, organisational culture, etc.) and wear clothes that are 
appropriate  to  the  type  of  position  the  company  is  offering. 
Write down questions.

Every  person  in  the  interview  is  important,  otherwise  they 
would  not  be  represented  at  the  interview.  Usually  one  to 
three persons attend the interview (consisting of at least an 
HR representative and supervisor). An interview takes one or 
two hours. After that tests or assessments may take another 
few  hours.  During  the  interview  you  can  accept  drinks,  but 
not cigarettes. 

You can ask any question during the first interview. Normally 
they are asked at the end of the interview, or if the occasion 
arises at other points in the interview. Questions about salary 
are usually dealt with during the second interview.

There are structured (fixed questions — easy to compare the 
candidates),  semi-structured  and  non-structured  interviews. 
Semi-structured interviews are used most. A possible structure 
could be:
•	
•	

introduction;
presentation of the company;

91

•	

•	
•	
•	
•	

questions  to  the  applicant:  job,  education,  interests, 
extra courses, skills, team spirit, etc);
hobbies and non-professional occupations;
personal goals;
contract negotiations;
summary and next steps.

During  the  interview,  the  candidate  talks  more  than  the  re-
cruiter. The atmosphere will be cooperative, open and frank. 
The  ratio  between  non-professional  and  professional  ques-
tions will be half and half. It is important to prove your mo-
tivation.  The  employer  wants  to  know  as  much  as  possible 
about  candidates’  motivation,  knowledge,  skills,  but  also 
about their personality.

Questions about a planned pregnancy, illness, religion or po-
litical  allegiance  should  not  be  answered,  provided  they  are 
not relevant for the job. Prepare for questions like: Why do you 
want to work for our firm? What do you know about our com-
pany? Be careful with personal or professional information that 
the employer can find on the Internet.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

You can negotiate your benefits. It may be useful to contact a 
trade union first, to inform yourself about the range of salaries 
in  your  potential  future  occupation.  Normally  salaries  are  ex-
pressed on a monthly or annual basis. Holiday pay is included, 
bonuses are not, at least not in the fixed salary. The most com-
mon  non-statutory  benefits  are:  meal  vouchers,  company  car, 
mobile phone, sports vouchers, company restaurant, laptop, etc. 
The personnel manager is usually the person to negotiate with. 

The use of a one-day work trial is not common, but can be use-
ful in certain situations. You can refuse a work trial, but, on the 
other  hand  it  may  also  be  useful  for  the  candidate  to  get  to 
know the job.

92

At the end of the interview the deadline for the decision or the 
future steps will be announced. If not, you should ask about it.

4. 

Do you need references?

Every former employer or teacher could be a reference. 

A copy of your diploma is needed. It is preferably sent with the 
application or at the latest brought to the interview. 

Letters  of  recommendation,  diploma  and  references  are  very 
important for the recruiter.

5. 

Making a good impression

It is usual to arrive about 10 minutes before the actual time of in-
terview. You should report on arrival. Not attending an interview 
is only accepted for very urgent and important reasons. Make a 
new appointment as soon as possible. Personal interviews are 
the most common way of selecting staff in Liechtenstein.

The dress code is adapted to the company  and  the job you 
are  applying  for.  Do  not  wear  colours  which  are  too  bright. 
Women should not wear skirts which are too short or plung-
ing necklines. Use modest amounts of make-up. Do not over-
do the jewellery. 

93

lithuania

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Lithuanian
Presidential republic
65 200 km²
Vilnius
Lithuanian litas (LTL)
EU
+ 370
.lt

1. 

Popular application procedures in Lithuania

Lithuanian  employers  mostly  want  to  have  a  written  CV  and 
ask for an interview. If, therefore, you want to apply, you should 
send the CV and wait for the interview. The time between pub-
lication  of  the  vacancy  and  starting  the  job  is  usually  one  to 
three months. Nowadays it is popular to use the Europass CV.

Telephone  contacts  are  a  very  common  method  for  the  first 
contact with a jobseeker. Employers ask about personal data, 
educational background, etc. 

When you apply spontaneously, it is advisable to choose the 
largest companies and send blind applications, adding a cov-
ering letter. Limit your typed CV to two pages, including only 

94

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
the most relevant details, giving the most recent activities first. 
You can add copies of your original passport or ID card, diplo-
mas or qualification documents.

For the follow-up to the application, employers usually inform 
the applicant of their decision within one month after the ap-
plication was sent. 

The CV and a covering letter should be written in Lithuanian 
and, in the case of international companies, in English.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

Most often in Lithuanian companies, one interview is supposed 
to be enough. This is an in-depth conversation between the per-
son  responsible  for  employment  and  the  candidate,  by  which 
the suitability of a candidate is assessed. Usually, a mixed group 
interview, which is not prepared in advance (non-structured), is 
used in order to save time. In larger companies, when the list of 
candidates is long and the position is important, a preliminary 
interview  may  be  conducted  by  the  personnel  manager.  The 
second interview is often conducted by a line manager, as he/
she  knows  exactly  what  work-specific  questions  to  ask,  and  is 
the  person  who  the  applicant  will  be  working  for  directly.  Se-
lection centres (assessment centres) are not very widely used in 
Lithuania, but some employers use the services of recruitment 
companies for the pre-selection of staff. 

Expect questions such as: 

•	
•	

•	
•	
•	

What did you do before? 
Tell us something about yourself. (Here you have a good 
chance  to  present  yourself,  to  give  some  more  impor-
tant information to the prospective employer, to make 
them interested.) 
Why do you want to work for us? 
Why did you leave your previous job? 
How do you see your responsibilities in our company? 

95

•	
•	

•	

What can you offer us? 
What  are  your  strengths/weaknesses,  interests  outside 
work? 
What are your future ambitions? 

Find out as much about the company as you can.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Usually  employers  ask  about  the  pay  desired.  In  Lithua-
nia,  there  is  a  monthly  remuneration  system.  Holiday  pay  is  
included  in  the  contract  and  strictly  defined  by  labour  law. 
Salaries are negotiated with the employer or staff manager.

4. 

Do you need references?

Previous employers could be asked for a reference.

It  is  advisable  to  bring  original  documents  of  your  diplomas 
with you to the interview, not copies. 

Letters of recommendation are uncommon in Lithuania.

5. 

Making a good impression

It  is  advisable  to  arrive  10  minutes  early  for  the  interview.  
Punctuality and a smooth start to the meeting is appreciated in 
Lithuania. Face-to-face interviews are the most common.

The dress code depends on the position you are applying for. 
A suit or dress is always appropriate. Jewellery and cosmetics 
should be used in moderation. 

96

For evaluation you can call the employer back after a few days.

Some things to remember:
Keep calm. You may be faced with two or three interviewers, 
so if you do not know who to look at, give most of your answer 
to the person who asked the question, with a few brief glances 
at the others.

Demonstrate enthusiasm. Make it clear that you want the job. 
Show that you are prepared. Include evidence that you have 
found out more about the company in your  answers,  but do 
not make it too obvious.

You should be dressed neatly and formally.

Arrive punctually.

Take  your  CV  (for  your  own  use),  copies  of  diplomas,  letters 
of recommendation (if in a foreign language, they need to be 
translated).

Do not sit down until invited.

Do not discuss your former employer, colleagues or company. 
Be tactful. Droning on about the vices of your former boss will 
only make you look bad in the eyes of a prospective employer, 
who may  wonder  if you  will say the  same things about  him/
her some day.

Do not try to gloss over anything that may have happened in 
the past. If it comes up in the interview, be direct about it, but 
you do not need to volunteer information that would be better 
left unsaid. Make past mistakes look like learning experiences 
that can only be of benefit for future employers.

Be ready to explain each point that is listed in your CV.

Your answers to the questions should be specific.

Do not volunteer information that the interviewer does not ask for. 

97

Do not interrupt the interviewer.

Speak loudly and clearly. Sound confident. Do not mumble.

All the interviewer wants is for you to act naturally. Of course, 
you have to be confident and assertive, but you must not pre-
tend to be someone you are not. 

Ask questions afterwards. Show that you are interested.

Be prepared to answer the question about what salary you ex-
pect.  Possible  answers: ‘I  think  I  should  not  get  less  than  the 
employee before me’ or ‘Since your company is known as pres-
tigious, I am sure I will be paid according to current rates’. Prior 
to salary negotiations it is best for the applicant to make a brief 
survey of salary levels in the chosen field.

98

luxemBourg

Official language 

Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

German, French,  
Luxemburgish
Constitutional grand duchy
2 586,4 km²
Luxembourg
EUR
EU
+ 352
.lu

1. 

Popular application procedures

Job offers can be consulted on the bulletin boards (‘ad valvas’)  in 
the Luxembourg PES, in Saturday editions of national newspa-
pers, on websites of private employment organisations and on 
the websites of recruitment organisations and large companies.

A very common application procedure is to send a CV and a cov-
ering letter to a company that has announced a job offer. The 
covering letter is not just a letter that accompanies your CV. The 
letter of application must be personal, relevant and attract atten-
tion. In this letter it must become clear that you understand very 
well what type of new employee the company wants and that 
your skills and qualities match the job offered. In this letter you 
also have to explain your motivation for the job and the reason 

99

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
why you want to work for the company. Many companies still 
insist that this covering letter is handwritten. The letter should 
be written without any mistakes and in the same language as 
the offer was published, unless otherwise specified.

You  are  expected  to  put  a  photo  of  yourself  on  your  CV. The 
curriculum vitae is typed or done on the computer and must 
contain  at  least  your  education,  training  courses  and  job  ex-
perience, language skills, computer skills and fields of interest. 
Your CV should be no longer than two pages.

Taking into account that Luxembourg is in the centre of Europe 
and, as an individual country already has three official languages 
(Luxembourg, German, French) many job offers insist that candi-
dates know different languages. While companies in Luxembourg 
have many activities and cooperate with other companies all over 
Europe,  knowledge  of  extra  languages  such  as  English,  Dutch,  
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese are indispensable or very much ap-
preciated. To be able to find a job it is necessary to be bilingual, in-
cluding at least one of the official languages of the country. Spon-
taneous  applications  are  very  commonly  used  in  Luxembourg. 
This technique is especially common among young graduates or 
people who apply for a job in large companies. Do not hesitate to 
apply in this way and make yourself noticed by a company. They 
will probably put you on a database that is used by the HR depart-
ment in the event that they want to recruit new employees.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

Finding a job is hard work. You have to put a lot of time into it in 
order to be successful as quickly as possible. Things you must 
definitely do to prepare for the interview are the following:

•	

•	

Make  a  good  self-analysis:  strengths  and  weaknesses, 
skills and competences, your assets.
If  you  were  unsuccessful  in  previous  application  pro-
cedures, persist in your efforts and be certain to show 
clearly why you are applying.

100

•	

•	

•	

Make sure you can tell the employer more about the job 
and working conditions that you are looking for.
Inform yourself about the company, their products and 
their image.
Show  the  employer  that  you  have  prepared  the  inter-
view.  If  the  employer  has  the  impression  that  you  did 
not prepare well he/she will consider you to be sloppy 
and unprofessional.

If  you  are  asked  about  any  bad  experience  you  have  had,  al-
ways try to make the best out of it. Never be negative about 
former employers or colleagues. Counter the bad experience 
by giving several examples of things that worked out well and 
that you managed to cope very well with. It is quite possible 
that the person who is in charge of the interview will ask you 
some  tricky  questions,  especially  about  the  reasons  why  you 
left  other  jobs  or  former  employers.  Make  sure  you  are  pre-
pared for these answers in advance. You can always try out the 
answers with your family or friends. They will tell you very hon-
estly if the answer you give is convincing.

If there are any questions you consider to be strictly private or 
that in your opinion do not have anything to do with the job and 
working conditions, it might be important to know that Luxem-
bourg has legislation to protect the individual’s private life.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Financial  aspects  can  be  negotiated  in  some  companies.  In 
other companies it is not possible to negotiate remuneration 
because  these  employers  have  agreed  on  a  collective  labour 
agreement  for  pay  or  pay  is  determined  by  a  pay  scale.  For 
white-collar employees or administrative and managerial posi-
tions, pay is expressed in monthly rates. Blue-collar wages are 
expressed in hourly rates. Holiday pay is not standard and an-
nual bonuses depend greatly on the company or the sector. In 
some cases they are included in collective agreements.

101

Choose  a  level  of  pay  that  really  rewards  your  abilities.  It  is 
important to persuade the employer to reward you for these 
abilities. You will therefore have to prove the added value that 
you can provide to the employer once you have been hired. It 
is not  always necessary to name figures  when  asked to state 
the level of pay you have in mind. Inform yourself in advance 
about the remuneration that is usual in the sector or the com-
pany. The pay may consist of a mix of cash payment and non-
statutory benefits.

Asking people who have the same position in other companies 
or looking things up in specialist HR magazines can help you to 
define your negotiation standards.

4. 

Do you need references?

There are no general rules regarding the use of references or let-
ters  of  recommendation.  It  depends  on  the  individual  conven-
tions in the company. Normally it is  mentioned in the  job  offer 
what documents or references are needed to be accepted for the 
job. It is often advised to bring copies of these documents to the 
interview. This is also true for the need for proof of good conduct.

5. 

Making a good impression

Be aware that the interview involves a future employer. If you 
want him/her to have a good impression of you and want to 
persuade him/her to hire you for the job, show a positive at-
titude, keep your head up and make eye contact with the per-
son in charge of the interview. Punctuality and respect for the 
appointment you have made for the interview are considered 
to be very important. Make sure you can supply a short, clear 
summary  of  yourself,  your  motivation  and  your  advantages 
compared with the job requirements.

102

Adapt your clothing and your overall appearance to the situa-
tion and the kind of company where you are applying for the 
job. In the financial sector recruiters still expect men to wear a 
suit and tie.

103

hungarY

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Hungarian
Parliamentary republic
93 030 km²
Budapest
Forint (HUF)
EU
+ 36
.hu

1. 

Popular application procedures in Hungary

Most positions are filled by personal contact, but the ones that 
are published also show a diversified picture. Most vacancies 
are  published  in  newspapers  printed  for  this  purpose  or  put 
on the Internet. 

Sending a CV with a covering letter is the most typical way to 
apply, but in the case of blue-collar positions it is often enough 
to call the employer as an initial step. Larger companies may re-
quire an application form (sometimes online), but it is not com-
mon. They prefer to ask for further materials, information (prac-
tice, references, etc.). Normally it takes one to two weeks after 

104

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
the deadline for applying for the position to make the decision 
but it also depends on the position and number of applicants.

In  the  case  of  electronic  applications  you  should  either  use 
the online application (if there is one), or send (only) the docu-
ments they require. In this case you should never use a jokey 
or eccentric e-mail address. Remember also that the size of the 
e-mail box is limited, so you should not send large picture at-
tachments. It is best to ask for feedback on your application (or 
tick the automatic ‘read by’ function).

Written applications should be made as required (mostly it is a 
Europass type of CV with a picture), and you should also take 
care with the layout and the quality of the paper. Do not be too 
personal or provide too much extra information.

You  should  prepare  for  telephone  contacts,  as  you  need  to 
have your questions answered (do not forget them) and also 
respond  spontaneously.  Also  always  make  sure  you  are  told 
what the next step should be.

For spontaneous applications, you should be polite and enthu-
siastic about the company. Attach a good photo.

Applicants should have prepared properly by finding out about 
the activities and profile of the company and the position to 
see if they are really interested and know what the position is 
about. The authenticity of documents is not taken too seriously 
initially, but for certain positions (e.g. for doctors) the contract 
cannot be signed without it being checked. 

It is advisable to make contact some time after the application has 
been sent to show that you are really interested. It is also a good 
move because it helps to remind the company of your name. After 
the application has been received the employer will notify you by 
mail or by phone of an appointment for interview or you may be 
informed that you have been rejected on the basis of your docu-
ments. Rejected applicants are, however, often not informed.

105

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

Employers  mostly  want  to  see  your  personality  and  com-
mitment  during  the  interview.  They  also  want  to  see  how 
you  react  in  professional  situations  (how  well  you  are  pre-
pared)  and  in  unexpected  circumstances. Typically  there  is 
one  person  to  conduct  the  interview,  but  there  may  be  a 
group  of  people  (usually  not  more  than  three)  to  conduct 
the interview. It usually takes half an hour, but some com-
panies do several interviews or tests (e.g. one professional, 
one  personal  etc.). You  can  accept  everything  offered,  but 
you should never offer anything. You should not smoke, ei-
ther. Almost anything can be asked about the job, but you 
should not ask about the salary first. Normally this is raised 
by  the  employer. You  should  be  prepared  to  answer  if  you 
are asked about your salary expectations. Nowadays the ap-
plicant is the one who has to state a price for his/her work as 
an office employee. 

The  structure  of  an  interview  may  vary  from  company  to 
company,  but  the  atmosphere  is  almost  always  formal  (even 
if  it  is  friendly).  You  should  be  slightly  reserved  and  see  if 
the  employer  adopts  a  more  relaxed  attitude  as  well.  The  
content  of  the  interviews  is  usually  very  job-oriented,  but 
there  is  an  increasing  tendency  to  cover  personality,  skills 
intelligence,  and  general  behaviour.  You  
and  attitude, 
should always try to sell yourself, explaining your motivation 
and  why  they  should  choose  you,  without  of  course  being 
too pushy. Often the CV is referred to during the interview. In  
addition  candidates  are  almost  always  asked  why  they 
left  their    previous  job,  and  what  their  five  best  and  worst  
characteristics are.

There  is  anti-discrimination  legislation  in  Hungary,  which 
means that you do not need to tell employers ‘sensitive’ infor-
mation  about  yourself  (religion,  political  allegiance  or  sexual 
orientation, a planned pregnancy, etc.). You can simply refuse 

106

to answer these questions, or if you are uncertain about their 
relevance to the job, you can simply ask why it is important for 
these to be revealed.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Contract negotiations usually take place at the end of the applica-
tion procedure. You can negotiate your pay, but you should always 
justify this. You should also take into consideration that in some 
fields (e.g. civil servants) wages are stipulated by law. Salaries are 
expressed as a monthly rate, and the contract should also men-
tion holiday entitlement (the minimum is fixed by law). Bonuses 
are negotiated separately, but if it is a huge proportion of the earn-
ings, it is covered in the contract. Remuneration and non-statutory 
benefits  are  discussed  by  the  director. The  probationary  period 
is  usually  three  months  or  less  and  cannot  be  extended.  Costs  
incurred when coming for interview are hardly ever reimbursed. 

4. 

Do you need references?

References  are  not  common  in  Hungary,  but  they  can  involve 
anything relevant to the job. They usually contain a written state-
ment about your previous employment (and also an assessment 
of your abilities). Sometimes the employer phones the referee, 
but  this  is  very  rare,  and  is  restricted  to  specific  fields  of  work 
(e.g. airport staff). 

A copy of your (relevant) diploma is always required. 

References  and  letters  of  recommendation  are  not  common, 
but they may look good if from a well-known company with a 
reputation, especially if from the same field. Some jobs require 
proof  of  good  conduct  (it  may  even  be  asked  for  where  it  is 
superfluous), but this is then stated in the advert.

107

5. 

Making a good impression

Punctuality is a must unless you have a good excuse. If you are 
late, inform the employer if possible. You should confirm that 
you will be attending the interview. You can make a new ap-
pointment, but you should make sure to be there the second 
time. New media facilities are not often used. You should there-
fore only use them if requested.

Dress  code  depends  on  the  job,  but  it  is  usually  formal  (suit, 
dress,  etc.).  Jewellery  is  tolerated  in  moderation,  but  only  for 
women.

Follow-up of the interview for the applicant is very rare, but the 
employer may do it for you. Asking for evaluation as a form of 
feedback is not usual — you either get the job or a rejection. 

You  should  not  reveal  yourself  to  be  unmotivated,  and  you 
should not be too frank. Do not ask about the salary first. You 
should only do this if it is at the end of a one-off interview and 
you have not received information about it.

A few days after submitting your application you may phone 
the  company  up  to  see  if  they  have  received  it  and  to  show 
your interest.

Listen carefully to the questions and do not provide too much 
information. Answer all questions. Smile, and do not be afraid. 
If there is something you do not know, then say so. Be prepared 
for questions like ‘What would you like to know about us?’ and 
surprise them a little, e.g. ‘Do you like working here’?

108

malta

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Maltese, English
Parliamentary republic
316 km²
Valletta
EUR
EU
+ 356
.mt

1. 

Popular application procedures in Malta

Vacancies are usually published on the Internet. Interested can-
didates can apply through the channels indicated by the em-
ployer. Usually the employer contacts the applicants by phone 
for a first interview. Then a face-to-face interview is conducted. 
One  month  after  the  publication  of  the  vacancy  is  generally 
the time span to start a job.

Applications  are  usually  sent  by  e-mail,  accompanied  with 
the necessary attachments. Usually a CV is requested by the 
employer and, in most cases, there is no need to send your 
photo  with  the  CV. Your  application  should  also  contain  a 
covering letter. This letter and the CV should be submitted 
in English.

109

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Make sure attachments are sent and can be accessed. Specify 
clearly for which job you are applying. No animation or fancy 
design should be sent, especially if the job is a specialised one. 

Make sure that your letter is clear and concise and that you use 
correct spelling when you send handwritten applications. 

Try  to  find  out  the  name  of  the  contact  person  and  use  the 
correct name of the company during telephone contacts. You 
should be polite at all times during the conversation. Talk brief-
ly and to the point, but do not leave out important informa-
tion. Clarify what the next step will be.

When applying spontaneously, specify which job you are inter-
ested in. Mention your availability. Add relevant qualifications.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

The recruiter expects availability, company knowledge and — 
in the case of a foreign candidate — knowledge of the culture 
of Malta from the applicant.

Relevant documents for the particular job should be proved to 
be authentic. Submit original certificates. Have your qualifica-
tions recognised (if any). 

Presentation  skills  are  sought  most  by  the  employer,  together 
with  politeness  and  commitment.  Usually  the  employer  is 
present  during  the  interview,  unless  it  is  a  large  organisation, 
and the HR manager and, in that case, the section supervisor will 
also be present. Usually it is a one-to-one interview. If the job is 
not a specialised one, there will only be one interview, but if it 
is a vacancy for a specialised occupation which requires experi-
ence, then shortlisting is the order of the day, followed by one 
or  two  additional  interviews. The  interview  usually  lasts  a  few 
minutes, but again if it is a specialised one, this may take longer, 
since the applicant has to prove that he/she has specific skills.  

110

In  some  cases  the  applicant  is  expected  to  do  a  presentation. 
During the interview applicants must keep to the point of the 
discussion/questions and must not invent skills that they do not 
possess. They should show that they are willing to learn. Eye con-
tact is important as well as body language. If you are offered a 
drink or a smoke, it is better to decline the offer. During an inter-
view you can ask certain questions, although such questions are 
better kept to a minimum and, if asked, they should be very rel-
evant to the position offered. Asking for a job description would 
not do any harm as well as questions on working conditions. If 
there is a second interview, it is better not to discuss pay at this 
stage. The best time to ask questions is at the end of the inter-
view,  where  the  employer  usually  asks  whether  the  applicant 
has any questions. 

Usually interviews are held in a board room, but this can vary 
according to sector. The applicant is asked to take a seat, and 
in  most  cases  the  employer  conducts  the  interview.  As  men-
tioned above, it depends a great deal on the type of job a per-
son is applying for.

The interview is usually very friendly and the applicant is made 
to feel at home. The applicant is expected to show respect to 
the employer at all times.

There are no anti-discrimination laws in Malta. You have to an-
swer all the questions unless they are too personal and irrele-
vant. There are also democratic ways of not answering particu-
lar questions. The status of the individual may be considered as 
private (married, separated, etc.). 

The  more  applicants  know  about  the  company  they  want  to 
join, the better. This shows that they have taken an interest in 
getting  to  know  the  company  and  what  it  does  and  its  past 
performance,  especially  if  a  company  is  expanding  because 
of a big contract it has won. An applicant’s enthusiasm to join 
a  successful  company  may  enhance  his/her  chance  of  being 
selected  for  a  job. The  most  common  question  an  applicant 
is  expected  to  know  and  answer  is  the  core  function  of  the  
particular  company  they  wish  to  join.  Another  question  is 

111

whether the company is a subsidiary of another company or 
whether  it  exports  its  products  and  to  what  countries,  if  this 
is the case. One tricky question an employer might ask is what 
pay the applicant expects. There are various ways of answering 
this, especially if you have done your homework/research and 
have sufficient/long experience.

An  applicant  is  not  expected  to  organise  a  follow-up  to  the 
interview.  However,  there  is  the  possibility  of  meeting  for  an 
evaluation if the company offers this service. This can also be 
done on the phone. 

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

A  contract  should  include  the  working  conditions,  especially 
the hours of work and the pay bracket/s. The duration of em-
ployment is also expected to be shown in this sort of contract.

You can negotiate pay, particularly if you have a lot of experi-
ence in the job you are applying for. Pay is usually expressed as 
a weekly or monthly rate. Holiday pay and annual bonuses are 
included in the remuneration offered.

The  staff  member  who  is  negotiating  pay  and  non-statutory 
benefits will be the HR manager if it is a large company or the 
employer himself/herself if it is a smaller firm.

You will not be asked for a work trial because this runs counter 
to current legislation. This means that you can refuse if asked 
to do this. Employment should be legalised from the very first 
day  of  employment  by  sending  an  employment  form  to  the 
public employment service, which in Malta is the Employment 
and Training Corporation.

Usually  the  employer  will  inform  the  applicant  about  the  re-
sult of the interview at a later date. The employer will also state 
whether another interview is to be expected. If the applicant is 

112

selected for the job, he/she is usually contacted by a phone call 
if it involves an ordinary job and the company is small, but in 
the case of large companies he/she will be notified by regular 
mail, using the letter head of the company.

4. 

Do you need references?

This depends on the type of job. References are usually re-
quired if the vacancy is connected with the service industry, 
finance and the like. Employers usually check such referenc-
es, especially since Malta is a small country and this can be 
done easily. A previous employer or a reliable professional 
person or a parish priest could be good referees. Referenc-
es  usually  confirm  that  the  person  in  question  is  a  reliable 
person  who  can  be  expected  to  perform  this  type  of  job  
without problems.

A copy of the diploma is needed. This is usually expected on 
the first day of the interview.

Letters  of  recommendation  may  be  requested,  but  these  are 
only needed if the employer asks for them.

5. 

Making a good impression

The applicant has to know the date and time of the interview 
and who the interviewer will be.

Punctuality is taken very seriously in an interview. If you do not 
know the exact place, you should leave earlier in order to ar-
rive on time for the interview. If a vacancy is one that involves 
reliability, the employer might easily select an applicant who 
was on time, provided of course that he/she has the required 
qualifications.

113

You should confirm your attendance at interview. If you cannot 
make  it  on  the  day,  the  appointment  can  easily  be  changed 
to another date if the applicant phones the employer well in 
advance (at least one day before).

It  is  always  necessary  to  present  yourself  in  person  for  the  
interview.

There is a dress code, and jewellery should be kept to a mini-
mum.  Smoking  is  not  allowed.  It  is  not  wise  to  make  long 
speeches in answer to simple questions. Over-reacting is not 
advisable. You must never criticise a previous employer. During 
an interview, applicants should be themselves and be honest. 
They should show motivation to learn.

114

the netherlanDs

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Dutch
Constitutional monarchy
41 526 km²
Amsterdam
EUR
EU
+ 31
.nl

1. 

Popular application procedures in the Netherlands

In  the  Netherlands  an  application  procedure  starts  from  the 
moment an employer announces a job vacancy. The vacancy 
may be the result of the growth of the company or because the 
employee who did the job is leaving the job or holding another 
position.

Another application procedure is the presentation of CVs from 
jobseekers  by  intermediate  organisations  such  as  temporary 
work agencies or headhunting offices. 

If you apply for low paid or unskilled jobs (hotel and catering 
industry, retail industry) it is very common to apply by phone 
or arrange a meeting with the employer.

115

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The latest tendency on the labour market, which is being fol-
lowed  by  an  increasing  number  of  jobseekers,  is  to  hand  in 
what  is  known  as  an  open  application  to  find  out  about  job 
opportunities in a company. These jobseekers are very much 
oriented to their own skills and only look for jobs that respond 
perfectly to their own skills.

The  job  offer  is  announced  on  the  company  website  or  a 
specialised jobsite, in a newspaper (in general the jobs sup-
plement of a weekend edition), through an intermediate or-
ganisation or public employment service (UWV Werkbedrijf ). 
Candidates  can  write  a  covering  letter  with  attached  CV  to 
the employer. Nowadays applications can also be sent by e-
mail. Intermediate organisations, which may be employed by 
a  company  to  fill  its  vacancies,  often  pre-select  their  candi-
dates and present several selected CVs to the employer, who 
can  then  make  his/her  choice.  People  who  send  a  covering 
letter  receive  confirmation  of  receipt  by  the  employer. They 
may be invited for an exploratory interview. If the candidate 
is  introduced  to  the  employer  by  an  intermediate  organisa-
tion,  this  organisation  will  make  the  appointment  for  the  
interview.

As a rule you are invited for an exploratory interview. As a result 
of this interview your application is rejected or you are invited 
for a second interview. This second interview is usually meant 
to  negotiate  your  working  conditions  and  remuneration.  In 
most cases you will be informed by the employer or the inter-
mediate organisation whether or not you are hired very shortly 
after the interview. For some jobs more interviews are planned 
or assessments form part of the selection procedure. 

Dutch employers are increasingly asking for competences in-
stead of diplomas or testimonials. Prepare for questions about 
your competences by practising the so-called STAR-method 
(Situation, Task, Active, Result). This method may involve ask-
ing  you  about  specific  situations. You  may,  for  example,  be 
asked to describe a duty or role you had in a previous job and 
what  you  did  to  achieve  your  goals  or  deal  with  a  problem 
and what the final outcome was.

116

The time span between the publication of a job offer and filling 
this vacancy may vary a great deal. For unskilled and low-skilled 
jobs, the vacancy can, in a manner of speaking, be filled on the 
day. In general you have to expect a period that may vary from 
two to three months. This period may be longer if the selection 
procedure  is  much  more  comprehensive  and  involves  more 
interviews  or  assessment  centres.  Intermediate  organisations 
usually take about the same period of time.

First contact by phone is very common, although the use of e-
mail is increasing rapidly. You can send a covering letter. Men-
tion  clearly  in  this  letter  which  vacancy  you  are  interested  in 
and explain why you are an appropriate candidate. Always add 
your CV as an attachment. When you send your application by 
e-mail,  send  your  CV  as  an  attachment.  It  will  then  be  much 
easier for the employer to print this document.

If you contact the company by phone, always ask for the contact 
person or department that was mentioned in the job advertise-
ment. Make sure the timing of the call is convenient. If it is not, al-
ways ask for a more appropriate moment to ring back. Tell them 
briefly and clearly whether you are calling for more information or 
to apply for a job. Speak up and speak clearly and prove to them 
that you have prepared the phone call. If you are a foreign applicant 
and are calling from abroad, make this clear and ask if the phone 
call can be held in your own or in another foreign language.

The first impression you make is decisive: present yourself both 
orally and non-orally in a manner that is appropriate to the job 
you are applying for.

If you want to apply spontaneously to work for a company, it 
is useful to contact the department or person in charge who 
can tell you more about the company’s vacancies. Explain your 
plans, the job(s) you are looking for and what skills and experi-
ence you have. Ask if you can send a covering letter and a CV. If 
they confirm, you can send a targeted letter to the right person 
or department. This approach offers you a lot of possibilities for 
being invited for an interview. Bear in mind that this applica-
tion procedure may be very effective in the Netherlands.

117

Your  CV  must  mention  your  job  experience  and  training. You 
do not need to include other documents. If the employer needs 
other documents they will ask for them when you start the job.

The employer expects you to fill out your personal data, work 
experience  and  education  level  truthfully.  During  the  inter-
view, the employer wants you to show that you know the job 
conditions, the company and its activities.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

The employer wants to learn more about the candidate: the stand-
ards and values of the candidate, qualities, skills and characteris-
tics, his/her ability to work as a team member. Based on your let-
ter of application and CV, and on the information from the phone 
interview if there was one, the employer will gain some idea of 
the candidate. The employer will look for confirmation of this im-
pression during the first exploratory interview: your tone of voice, 
they way you shake hands (a firm handshake is a necessity in the 
Netherlands), expression, eye contact and body language.

The number of people who attend the interview depends on 
the size of the company. Usually one or two company repre-
sentatives take part in the interview. On average, the interview 
takes one to one and a half hours. In normal circumstances you 
will be offered coffee, tea or water. Cigarettes or food will not 
be offered and are completely forbidden during the interview. 
As a sign of respect for your future employer, you should switch 
off your mobile phone before going into the interview.

An application procedure generally encompasses two interviews. 
For highly skilled or management jobs there are more interviews 
and/or assessments. In the Netherlands an application interview 
is more like a dialogue. The interview is seen as an opportunity to 
get to know each other. The employer wants to find out if you are 
the most appropriate person for the job, the team or the company 
and wants to learn more about your motivation to work for the  

118

organisation. The candidate tries to get a clear view of the compa-
ny and wants an answer to the question: Do I want to work here? 
The candidate makes an effort to make a good impression. The 
employer or a representative of the company is in charge of the 
interview. During the first interview questions are mainly related 
to your experience and your skills. The follow-up interviews are in-
depth interviews about the context of the position, your problem-
solving skills and your experience from previous jobs. The applica-
tion procedure will never start with an assessment. Assessments 
are only used as tests after the first or second interview.

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

The  job  interview  in  the  Netherlands  is  mostly  structured  as 
follows:
•	
•	

Introduction: meant to make you feel at ease.
Presentation:  the  interviewer  presents  himself/herself 
and the company. Afterwards it is your turn to tell him/
her who you are.
Company information and CV analysis: your interviewer 
will tell you more about the company and the job offered. 
After that, your CV will be analysed and questions about 
various aspects of the CV are asked. Some questions may 
also be asked about your private life.
Questions about your skills relating to the job conditions: 
you will be asked questions about the qualities, skills and 
competences  you  have  acquired  elsewhere  (e.g.  in  your 
country of origin).
Questions about your motivation: the interviewer will ask you 
to explain clearly why you chose this job and this company.
Other  questions:  this  is  the  part  of  the  interview  where 
you can ask questions about topics that have not yet been 
addressed or where you can ask for things to be clarified if 
there is something you have not understood.
inter-
Closing:  the 
view  and  will  explain  the  further  steps  in  this  proce-
dure  to  you.  You  will  find  out  if  a  second  interview  or  an  
assessment is planned. The interviewer may tell you at that 
moment if you are selected for one or more steps in the pro-
cedure or even if you have the job. This is also the moment 
when you will learn how many candidates there are for the 
job and how much time the procedure is likely to take.

interviewer  decides  to  end  the 

119

Although  an  interview  is  a  serious  thing,  there  is  room  for 
laughter. The  employer  will  try  to  have  a  dialogue  that  is  as 
open and relaxed as possible.

In normal interviews you will quite soon have the impression 
that the atmosphere is somewhere between formal and infor-
mal, and based on equality between the discussion partners. 
The interviewer knows and accepts that you are a little nervous 
about  the  interview.  Despite  being  nervous,  try  to  show  and 
express your enthusiasm for the job and the company.

In  the  Netherlands  prevention  of  discrimination  is  fixed  by  
legislation.  You  are  not  obliged  to  answer  all  the  questions 
asked, no matter what level you have reached in the applica-
tion  procedure.  It  is  up  to  you  to  decide  whether  or  not  you 
answer them. Some questions are not allowed:

•	
•	

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

What is your race or the colour of your skin?
What is your religion? (NB: A question like ‘Do the hours 
of work fit in with your religion?’ is permissible)
What is your nationality?
Where were you born?
Are you pregnant?
Are you healthy?
Do you want to have children or a family?

Many  Dutch  companies  have  accepted  a  code  of  good  be-
haviour in application procedures as laid down by the Dutch 
Union for Personnel Management and Organisation Develop-
ment (NVP). This organisation ensures that this code of good 
behaviour  is  respected  in  recruitment  and  selection  proce-
dures. If you feel that a company that has accepted the code 
did not treat you well, you can make a complaint. The Union 
guarantees  that  there  will  be  an  independent  investigation 
of your complaint. You can also make use of the Commission 
for Equal Treatment in the event that you think your rights to 
equal treatment were violated.

To prepare for a covering letter or an interview, it is always a 
good idea to learn more about the company and its activities 
or  sector.  A  lack  of  basic  information  about  the  company  is 

120

for  Dutch  companies  often  one  of  the  main  reasons  for  not 
inviting you for a second interview or for not offering you the 
job. If you want to learn more about the company you can call 
them.  But  only  do  this  if  the  vacancy  description  mentions 
that you can do so. Consult the company’s website, read its 
annual report and social report, and look for flyers and bro-
chures. Try to have a good idea of the sector that the compa-
ny is part of, finding out the latest news about the sector and 
any changes announced for it. Knowledge of all these things 
is very much appreciated by the employer or representative 
and proves to them that you are very motivated to become 
their new employee.

The most frequently asked questions during the interview are:

•	
•	
•	
•	

•	
•	

Tell us something about yourself.
What are your ambitions?
What did you learn and do in previous jobs?
In your covering letter you write that you do not hesi-
tate to take the initiative. Please give me an example to 
prove that statement.
What do you know about our company?
How do you keep yourself informed about …?

Tricky questions are:

•	
•	

•	
•	

Do you have an idea of what the position involves?
Compare the position we offer you with analogous posi-
tions in other companies.
Why should we choose you instead of someone else?
Can you explain this gap in your CV? What was the rea-
son for this gap?

If you are not selected for further participation in the applica-
tion procedure or for the job, it is normal to contact the inter-
viewer to evaluate your application procedure. You can ask for 
the things you did well and what went wrong so that you can 
learn from these for other interviews.

Companies that have accepted the code of good behaviour in 
application procedures will inform the unsuccessful candidates 
within  a  fortnight  in  a  letter  that  sets  out  why  the  company 

121

did not select them for the job. Even then it is still possible to 
contact  the  company  to  ask  for  more  information.  If  you  ap-
plied via an intermediate organisation, ask them to inform you 
about your performance.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

If the company offers you the job, you can negotiate your sal-
ary and your probationary period with your new employer. If 
you are hired through an intermediate organisation, they will 
probably  negotiate  your  remuneration  request  and  discuss 
your  other  conditions  and  benefits.  In  the  Netherlands  both 
salary  and  non-statutory  benefits  can  be  negotiated.  Think 
twice about your salary request and make sure it is in accord-
ance with your job.

Different  kinds  of  jobs  have  different  salary  scales. These 
scales are each divided into what are known as periodici-
ties. Your job experience is used to calculate according to 
what scale and periodicity you will be paid. All this can be 
negotiated. Remember that temporary work as a volunteer 
can be valuable work experience for you and can influence 
salary negotiations. For many professions and most larger 
companies,  working  conditions  are  agreed  on  in  collec-
tive labour agreements (CAO in Dutch). In the Netherlands 
there is a minimum wage for youngsters up to 23 years of 
age  and  a  minimum  wage  for  older  people.  Earning  less 
than this level of wage is prohibited. Remuneration is ex-
pressed on a monthly basis. Remember that when starting 
negotiations.

Your  holiday  entitlement  and  the  formula  for  calculating 
your holiday pay are fixed by law. Depending on the cen-
tral labour agreements or your age, the amount of holiday 
entitlement  may  increase.  For  some  occupations  bonuses 
are negotiated the moment you start the job. The bonus-
es  can  also  be  negotiated  in  your  annual  work  interview.  

122

In  some  collective  labour  agreements  commitments  have 
made about participation in profits or dividends.

Apart  from  primary  working  conditions  such  as  remunera-
tion  and  holiday  pay  you  can  also  negotiate  your  second-
ary  working  conditions:  company  car,  travel  costs,  retire-
ment  insurance,  training  costs.  In  many  cases  the  collective 
labour  agreements  have  also  fixed  these  secondary  labour  
conditions.

Jobs in the Netherlands always start with an obligatory pro-
bationary period. This means that, within the period agreed 
on,  both  employer  and  employee  can  end  the  job  without 
needing to give notice. On average, the probationary period 
is two months, but this may vary depending on the duration 
and  nature  of  the  job  contract.  Once  this  period  is  over,  re-
signing  or  quitting  the  job  is  subject  to  specific  regulations 
on  the  amount  of  notice  to  be  given.  This  period  depends 
on  the  type  of  job  and  the  time  the  employee  has  already 
worked for the company.

Compensation for the costs incurred in taking part in the ap-
plication procedure is not automatic. Asking for compensation 
is  not  considered  to  be  impolite  and  is  possible.  Companies 
that have accepted the code of good behaviour in application 
procedures will most probably indicate this possibility in their 
job advertisement. Companies may reimburse the person they 
hire for these costs. The costs for an assessment always need to 
be paid by the company.

The  application  procedure  is  concluded  when  the  company 
has  chosen  its  new  employee(s)  or  when  it  decides  to  annul 
the  job  offer. In  most  cases  the  employer  or  a  representative 
of  the  company  will  call  you  to  inform  you  about  the  results 
of your application. In many cases, and certainly if you are se-
lected for the job, you will receive a letter or written confirma-
tion. In this written confirmation you can also find the date you 
have to start and the procedure for negotiating your contract 
and pay. If you applied via an intermediate organisation, they 
are responsible for giving you this information.

123

4. 

Do you need references?

References are not obligatory. It is your own choice to mention 
them in your CV. References are expected to give information 
about your work in previous jobs, training courses or compa-
nies. Your new employer can only contact them after you have 
agreed  to  this.  If  you  are  an  experienced  employee,  name  a 
former boss or colleague as a referee. If you are a graduate you 
can ask a teacher or professor for a reference. Never give your 
family as referees. Personal matters or reasons for resigning are 
not to be discussed in references. 

Diplomas, certificates and qualifications should not be sent as 
an  addendum  to  your letter  of  application  and  CV. The  com-
pany will ask for these copies, if they are relevant and needed, 
on  your  first  day  at  work.  If  you  come  from  abroad  it  is  wise 
to have your diploma translated into Dutch or English and to 
have your qualifications validated.

When you leave the company, whether you are dismissed or you 
resign yourself, the employer must always give you a certificate. 
This certification may have a neutral content but must never say 
anything negative about your personality or your work.

If  proof  of  good  conduct  is  needed,  it  should  be  mentioned 
in the job advertisement. In general you can assume that this 
proof is needed for jobs as security agent, money transporter, 
in the police or other public services and for jobs at airport(s).

5. 

Making a good impression

Prepare for the interview and show that you have done this prep-
aration, e.g. by showing that you know a lot about the compa-
ny and its activities. Make a good, clear personal presentation.  

124

Take care that your answers are short and to the point. It can be 
an advantage if you already have a translation of your diploma, 
a validated title or registered profession. If you have a Europass 
CV  to  prove  your  job  experience,  training  courses,  skills  and 
competences, do not hesitate to use it.

Appointments  for  interviews  are  very  often  made  by  phone. 
If  you  receive  a  letter  with  a  suggestion  for  an  appointment, 
you are expected to confirm the appointment in writing or by 
phone. Only for very serious reasons (e.g. illness or the death 
of a relative) can you ask for a new appointment. You have to 
take the initiative yourself and call the contact person of the 
company  to  suggest  a  new  time.  Fixing  a  new  appointment 
can only be done once.

There is no strict dress code for an interview. It is very much ap-
preciated if you are dressed for the occasion and look neat. Try 
to choose clothing that fits in with the company culture rather 
than  the  latest  fashion.  In  banking  men  have  to  wear  a  suit, 
women are expected to wear a two-piece suit. In general you 
are  expected  to  wear  appropriate  clothing.  Jeans  and  leisure 
outfits are not appropriate.

Jewellery is a visible part of your presentation. Modest use of 
jewellery  is  advised.  It  is  accepted  that  men  wear  a  ring,  but 
bracelets are considered to be overkill. For women one or more 
rings  are  acceptable  or  even  favourable.  Earrings,  necklaces 
and bracelets should be adapted to the rest of the outfit.

Do not get angry and remain polite, no matter what situation 
you are in. Punctuality is necessary. Do not chew gum during 
an interview and make sure your mobile is switched off. Show 
as much respect as possible and do not talk negatively about 
persons or situations. All these things will help you to make a 
good impression.

125

norwaY

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Norwegian
Constitutional monarchy
385 252 km²
Oslo
Norwegian krone (NOK)
EEA
+ 47
.no

1. 

Popular application procedures in Norway.

Applying for an advertised job vacancy is the  most  common 
procedure in Norway, but sending a spontaneous application 
is also possible.

When applying for an advertised job vacancy, send an applica-
tion in English (or in a Scandinavian language if you speak one 
of them) with a covering letter and a CV (maximum one page, 
but CVs for technical candidates might be longer and more de-
tailed, e.g. to list the different technical tools and applications 
you are familiar with).

When sending a spontaneous application, find the website/ad-
dress of companies via the Yellow Pages  (available in English). 

126

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If possible, find out the name of an HR representative to send 
your application to. As above, send the application in English 
(or in a Scandinavian language if you speak one of them). Write 
a covering letter in English (maximum one page), and match 
your  qualifications  and  competence  to  the  sector/products/
services of the company. Enclose a CV (same recommendations  
as above).

Make  one  application  for  one  job  vacancy/company.  Do  not 
send  the  same  ‘standard’  application  for  all  job  vacancies/
companies.  Match  yourself  to  the  job  vacancy/company.  If 
you  have  applied  for  a  job  in  a  big  company,  you  can  call  or 
send an e-mail to the recruiter/HR department about eight to 
10 days after sending your application to show your interest in 
the job, to ask the recruiters if they have read your CV and what 
they think of it, whether they have received many applications, 
when you can expect a reply etc. It is most common to apply 
for advertised job vacancies by e-mail. 

The time between publication of the vacancy and starting the 
job depends on the vacancy. Some vacancies mention a start-
ing date three months ahead, some mention ‘start as soon as 
possible’. The same goes for last dates of application. The length 
of this part of the recruitment process will also depend on the 
number of applications received by recruiters and the number 
of interviews they want to have, and if they intend to run one 
or more interviews with the same candidate.

Electronic applications are mostly used by recruitment agen-
cies. Fill in forms carefully and in as much detail as possible.

A written application can be sent in English (or in a Scandi-
navian  language  if  you  speak  one  of  them)  with  a  covering 
letter, maximum one page — with reference to the job adver-
tisement (where found, reference number if applicable), and 
brief overview of your qualifications. It is important to match 
your qualifications and previous job experience/studies with 
the qualifications required. Make your competence clear and 
easy  to  notice  at  first  glance  by  the  recruiter.  No  photo  is  
required.

127

It is possible to call the recruiter before sending your applica-
tion, for instance to find out more about the job. Prepare ques-
tions relevant to the job/company before calling. Call between 
9.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. (Monday–Friday), i.e. at the times when 
you are most likely to reach the recruiter.

Familiarise yourself with the company before you send off your 
spontaneous  application,  in  order  to  be  able  to  match  your 
qualifications and competence to the company’s sector/prod-
ucts/services.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

The applicant should know at least a bit about the company 
and should show that they will add real value to the company.

Applicants  can  provide  the  necessary  translation  of  their 
documents  into  English  or  Norwegian,  together  with  cer-
tified  copies.  If  applicable,  you  should  also  show  that  you 
have  obtained  the  necessary  authorisation  to  practise  your  
profession in Norway. 

Be brief and concise in the description of yourself and your 
qualifications.  Be  honest  and  do  not  pretend  to  be  better 
than  you  are.  Norwegians’  philosophy  of  life  is  ‘I  must  not 
think that I am better than anybody else’. Keep your CV simple 
and modest. Do not exaggerate, which could sound arrogant 
to a recruiter. Be honest about your language skills, especially 
in  English. ‘Good’  English  skills  are  not  the  same  as ‘school 
knowledge’ of English. 

It is important to remember that your CV and covering letter 
are  your ‘entrance  ticket’  to  an  interview.  This  is  where  your 
competence has to show. An interview is based more on your 
personal abilities and personality in a working situation. Here 
the ‘personal chemistry’ between you and the recruiter might 
be decisive. Your competences, but also to a great extent your 

128

personal skills, are very important for the employer: if you are 
interested,  motivated,  keen,  if  you  ask  the  right  questions,  if 
you dare to speak for yourself, if you dare to give your opinion. 
Personal abilities are often mentioned in the requirements for 
a job vacancy. 

The head of HR, the head of the department where the posi-
tion is or the director of the company is usually in charge of the 
meeting.  Expect  between  one  and  five  people  to  attend  the 
meeting. How many there are depends a lot on whether it is 
an employer in the public or the private sector, and on the size 
of the company. In a big company it could be the head of HR 
and the head of the department where the job position is. In a 
small company, only the director may be doing the interview. 
In the public sector, the interviewing team very often consists 
of a representative of HR, a trade union representative, some-
times a representative of the employees at the office and the 
head of the department where the position is. So be prepared 
to meet more than one or two people. 

The  number  of  meetings  before  actual  recruitment  depends 
on the employers and on how many good candidates are com-
peting. It may be only one interview (most common pattern), 
or  two  or  even  three  (for  highly  qualified  staff ). The  average 
time for the interview will be 45–90 minutes. 

Keep calm and be yourself. Do not try to impress the recruiter, 
be honest, modest and down to earth. You can accept coffee, 
tea or mineral water. You will not be offered any cigars or ciga-
rettes (it is forbidden to smoke in all public buildings in Nor-
way) or alcohol.

The  person  responsible  for  the  meeting  will  first  tell  you 
about the company and the job. Then you will be given time 
to present yourself and explain why you have applied. Do not 
hesitate to ask professional questions about the company and 
the job. You are then asked various questions. At the end of the 
interview, you can ask about the salary and the working condi-
tions. Then  the  recruiter  should  inform  you  about  when  you 
will get feedback or a reply.

129

You can, and should, ask professional questions directly relevant 
to the job itself when the person responsible for the interview 
has finished telling you about the company and the job. You can 
also ask about administrative aspects: opening hours, working 
hours, number of employees, etc. You can ask about the salary 
and the working conditions at the end of the interview.

Be  yourself.  A  job  interview  is  a  meeting  and  a  conversation 
with a recruiter, not a test.

You will mainly discuss professional items, but the recruiter will 
evaluate  you  most  on  your  personal  way  of  presenting  your 
professional qualifications.

Discrimination  on  grounds  of  political  allegiance,  religion, 
sexual orientation, age, disability or trade union membership 
is illegal, unless these topics have direct relevance for the job 
itself. This means that you do not have to answer private ques-
tions about pregnancy or future plans for pregnancy, whether 
you  are  on  some  kind  of  benefit,  whether  you  have  children 
and how old they are, etc. Here, however, you must use your 
common sense. In Norway, honesty predominates as a basis for 
good human relations, including at work.

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Prepare to answer questions such as:
Why did you apply for this job?
What is your previous employment experience?
Why did you leave your former job?
What competence can you give our company?
What kind of professional tasks do you prefer, new ones 
every day or regular ones?
Why are there gaps in your CV?
Can you work under stress?
Do you prefer to work in a team or independently?
Why do you think you are the right person for this job?
Where  do  you  think  you  will  be  working  in  five  years’ 
time?
What are your salary expectations?
What is the most positive and the most negative thing 
you can say about yourself?

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

•	
•	

130

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

It is not often necessary to negotiate, as there are standard work 
contracts, and in many cases they are permanent. But it may be 
wise to check in advance the salary level in your profession or in the 
kind of job you are applying for with the trade union responsible for 
this field so that you have an idea of what salary range to expect. Of 
course you can negotiate, as long as you can support your expec-
tations. Pay is generally expressed in monthly terms, but in cases 
where it is a seasonal job it may be expressed in hourly terms. 

Holiday pay is regulated by law and is therefore included in the 
remuneration, which means that it cannot be negotiated. Annual 
bonuses, if any, can differ from one company to another. Some 
may be included, some may not. The most common non-statuto-
ry benefits are: use of company car, (free) mobile phone, car allow-
ance,  mileage  allowance,  home  PC,  private  retirement  pension 
scheme (if the company does not have a collective agreement), 
etc. Note that some of these might be taxable. Trade unions nego-
tiate pay and extra statutory benefits at national level. Trade union 
representatives are responsible for local negotiations at the work 
place, but only for their members. It is not common to do a one-
day work trial. You can refuse if it is unpaid. 

Regarding compensation for costs incurred as a result of attend-
ing  interviews,  practices  vary,  but  many  companies  do  refund 
travel  expenses  for  interviews.  If  the  company  does  not  offer 
this, you should ask for help to cover your expenses anyway. 

If you are hired, you will receive written confirmation from the 
recruiter, often with a draft of the work contract. Sometimes the 
recruiter might even call you before sending the documents. If 
you have been rejected, you will be notified by post or e-mail. If 
you are rejected, you can call the recruiter and ask why, or ask 
which qualifications the person who got the job had that you 
did  not  have. This  at  least  gives  you  some  idea  of  where  you 
stand professionally. 

131

4. 

Do you need references?

Yes, you need references, which should be listed at the end of 
the CV. Norwegian employers do check references systemati-
cally: it is an important part of the recruitment process. A previ-
ous employer or head of department, or a former tutor if you 
do not yet have any job experience, could act as a referee. They 
will tell the Norwegian recruiter (in English or a Scandinavian 
language)  about  your  previous  professional  duties,  and  your 
professional and personal abilities.

Employers need a certified copy of your diploma and a certi-
fied translation (into Norwegian or at least into English). Send 
copies  of  diplomas/certificates  with  your  application  and  CV 
only if this is mentioned in the job vacancy. If not, send them 
when the recruiter asks for them: either after receiving your ap-
plication or during the job interview.

Normally letters of recommendation are not required by Nor-
wegian employers, who prefer referees that they can contact 
themselves. But it is advisable to provide at least one if you do 
not or cannot supply any references. 

Jobs in the security and education sectors require you to show 
proof that you have no previous criminal convictions, but this 
will be mentioned in the job advertisement.

5. 

Making a good impression

You must be punctual. The recruiter will be punctual too. You 
do not have to confirm attendance of the interview. If you are 
prevented from coming at the given time, ask as soon as pos-
sible for a new appointment, by phone or by e-mail. 

132

In most cases, you will be asked for an interview in person. In 
some cases, the first direct contact may be a telephone inter-
view. Video conferencing is not very common.

Norway has a casual dress code. Dress normally but nicely. The 
‘white shirt and tie’ is only for candidates applying for high-lev-
el positions (managers), most especially in finance, real estate, 
consultancy,  etc,  where  being  representative  is  a  big  part  of 
the job. A hint is to check the company’s homepage for possi-
ble photos of staff and see how they are dressed. Avoid strong 
perfume and flashy make-up. You may use your ordinary jewel-
lery, but do not overdo it. A handshake is quite common, and 
has to be firm. But do not be surprised if the recruiter only says 
‘Hi’ and does not shake your hand, which also happens. There 
should be no hugging or kissing. 

The recruiter does not particularly expect you to follow up the 
interview yourself. However, it might be a good idea to send a 
short and simple e-mail to thank the recruiter for the interview. 

Generally  speaking,  do  not  try  to  impress  recruiters  by  the 
way you look. Impress them by your professional and personal 
skills. Do not try to bribe the recruiter in any way. Do not show 
off. Be natural, do not exaggerate. Keep things simple and get 
to the point. Norwegians are quite down to earth, natural and 
modest. Norway is a country with very little hierarchy, even at 
the workplace. 

133

austria

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

German
Federal parliamentary republic 
83 872 km²
Vienna
EUR
EU
+ 43
.at

1. 

Popular application procedures

The application procedure used depends on the qualifications re-
quired. For low-skilled jobs, after the publication of the vacancy in a 
newspaper or online, initial contacts are made by phone. However, 
online applications are increasing. Try to make an appointment for 
an interview. After the company has interviewed all the applicants 
they will inform you about the results of your interview. For skilled 
jobs you need to write a covering letter and send your CV to the 
company. After the company has analysed all the written applica-
tions they will contact a selection of candidates for an interview. For 
management jobs you may be invited for an assessment.

When  you  contact  a  company  by  phone  it  is  important  to 
know the name of your contact person. You need to call them 

134

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
by name. Prepare a short, clear, personal presentation, explain 
what  kind  of  job  offer  you  are  calling  about  and  try  to  make 
an appointment for an interview. Avoid a noisy background or 
people  talking  to  you  when  you  are  calling.  You  should  take 
care  to  avoid  these  inconveniences  especially  when  you  are  
using your mobile phone.

Covering  letters  are  in  general  computer-printed.  Handwrit-
ten letters are only used when the company explicitly asks for 
them. Your written application should always contain a formal 
covering letter in which you indicate the job offer that you are 
applying for. Make sure that the address and the name of the 
contact person are correct and included in this letter.

Your  CV  must  be  short,  to  the  point,  chronological,  synop-
tic and complete. A personal profile adapted to the job offer 
and  copies  of  your  training  certification  should  be  enclosed. 
(Certification means your latest vocational training, additional 
qualifications,  labour  certification  or  at  least  confirmation  of 
periods of work). All certificates should be translated into Ger-
man, except in cases where you are applying for a job in an in-
ternational company. Proof of good conduct may be required. 
Employers are used to applicants enclosing their photo in their 
covering letter. No notes should be written on the documents 
that you send to the employer.

When you apply spontaneously to a company, be aware that 
there may not necessarily be any need for new staff at that mo-
ment. This means that you have to take the initiative yourself to 
make sure that if there are no current vacancies your applica-
tion will be stored in a database of spontaneous candidates. If 
the company needs someone, this database is often the first to 
be consulted by the HR department.

Depending  on  the  job  profile,  the  overall  time  of  an  applica-
tion  procedure  may  vary.  For  jobs  that  require  special  qualifi-
cations (management jobs, very highly skilled jobs that need a 
lot of experience), the procedure usually takes a long time and  
candidates will need to go through several interviews and pos-
sibly take part in an assessment. This procedure might take three 

135

or  more  months.  In  some  cases,  job  offers  announce  that  the 
contract will start six months later. Offers for low-skilled jobs are 
usually filled within a month. A survey of AMS Austria in 2006 
showed that 64 % of the vacancies are filled within one month 
and 91 % of all job offers are filled within three months.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

If a lot of people are interested in a job offer, companies tend to 
organise pre-selections or invite jobseekers for a test on knowl-
edge and skills (e.g. a computer test) before they start the in-
terviews.  For  key  positions  or  management  jobs,  assessment 
centres are often used.

Employers  who  are  looking  for  a  new  staff  member  want 
the candidate to match the profile they are looking for and 
have described in the job advertisement as closely as pos-
sible.  They  expect  applicants  to  show  how  their  qualifica-
tions and experiences fit in with this profile. Applicants are 
also expected to talk about their professional and personal 
strengths and weaknesses during the interview. During the 
interview you may also expect questions about your moti-
vation, your social skills and your prospects as an employee. 
You also have to be prepared for questions about your cur-
riculum vitae (e.g. if you have changed your job a lot). You 
can generally expect employers to be looking for a dialogue 
in which they can learn more about you, your qualifications 
and  your  expectations  of  the  job. This  means  that,  during 
this  interview,  there  will  also  be  room  for  your  questions 
about  working  hours  and  days,  activities  and  job  content. 
The atmosphere during the interview is friendly but objec-
tive and impartial. 

Employers  certainly  want  you  to  be  well  informed  about  the 
company: what they do or produce, the size of the company, 
whether  it  is  centralised  or  decentralised  and  whether  it  is 
based abroad, its image and philosophy.

136

Companies expect applicants to keep to the formal application 
procedures: being on time and keeping to the given timing for 
tests  and  application  procedures,  respecting  the  formal  test 
and interview regulations as given by the company.

An  interview  takes  about  one  hour  on  average.  Except  for 
highly skilled jobs, the employer decides after one interview. 
The number of participants from the company in the interview 
varies, depending on the size of the company. The following 
people may attend the interview or tests: the head of the de-
partment that offers the job, the HR manager, a representa-
tive of the employees’ council. The employer himself/herself, 
the head of section or the HR staff member is in charge.

Regarding  verbal  communication,  the  following  aspects  are 
important during the interview: articulation and presentation 
must be in line with the job applied for (clear motivation for 
the job, social skills, teamwork skills, authority and leadership 
skills, stress resistance, flexibility). Non-verbal communication 
focuses on punctuality, attitude, eye contact, gestures and fa-
cial expression. Do not hesitate to accept coffee, tea or non-al-
coholic drinks if they are offered. You are not allowed to accept 
alcohol or cigarettes during the interview.

In a normal interview, it is obligatory that questions are related to 
the conditions as they were described in the job offer and aim to 
find out if you have the right skills and qualifications for the job. 
For the sake of objectivity, all the applicants should be asked the 
same questions. However, it is permissible for the employer to ask 
for more information on an individual basis or according to the in-
dividual responses from the applicant. The employer should make 
a report in which a summary of the interview or some key words 
are written down. Federal legislation on equal treatment forbids 
discrimination on grounds of age, sex, religion, sexual orientation 
or ethnicity. The law regulates all the procedures for publication of 
job offers, application procedures and the relationships between 
employer and employees. Questions that do not comply with the 
law do not need to be answered. Nor do you have to answer ques-
tions  about  pregnancy,  family  planning  or  illness  and  diseases. 
In  Austria  there  is  also  a  federal  law  that  forbids  discrimination 

137

against disabled people. According to the Chamber for Employ-
ees there is no experience with trick questions or proof that they 
are used. Nevertheless, there is an overall impression that employ-
ers are not aware that they are asking prohibited questions.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Normally  there  is  room  to  negotiate  both  your  pay  and  your 
working conditions. This is not possible in public employment 
organisations, which have fixed pay scales.

Your contract is drawn up in line with the basic conditions of the 
collective labour agreements that were confirmed in the labour 
laws.  In  general,  your  wage  is  expressed  in  monthly  terms,  in-
cluding  holiday  pay  and  Christmas  bonus.  Other  non-statutory 
benefits  need  to  be  negotiated  individually.  For  some  jobs,  the 
employer will offer you a fixed minimum remuneration and add 
a variable remuneration that depends on your performance or re-
sults at work. For those jobs where it is very common to receive a 
tip from customers (e.g. guesthouses, hotels, etc.) you are also very 
often offered a small minimum wage. The tip is considered to be a 
way of increasing your wage, depending on your own efforts.

In the case of working conditions, there is often room to ne-
gotiate  your  hours  of  work,  flexibility  about  times  and  work 
locations,  adapting  working  time  to  childcare  (kindergarten) 
availability, etc.

You  have  to  negotiate  your  pay  and  non-statutory  benefits 
with the head of the department that offers you the job. The 
labour contract, including all the agreements you negotiated, 
is made by the HR department of the company.

This  contract  can  include  a  probationary  period  of  one  month 
at the most. During this trial period, the contract can be ended 
from  one  day  to  the  next  without  any  reason  being  given. You 
may be asked to do a one-day work trial. It is absolutely out of the  

138

question to refuse to do this, but the employer must pay you for it. 
There is no compensation for the costs you incurred in coming to 
the interview. If you can prove financial hardship, public employ-
ers may offer you financial help for the application procedure.

Employers expect you to contact the company by phone to learn 
more about the results of the interview after a specific time. Com-
panies will not always take the initiative themselves in informing 
you about the results. If the results are not favourable you can ask 
for more information. If you can prove that the law on equal op-
portunities was not respected, an official intervention is possible.

4. 

Do you need references?

References from former employers are normal. They can con-
firm  your  qualifications  and  your  experience.  The  reference 
needs to be translated into German. 

A  copy  of  your  latest  and  most  advanced  diploma  should  be 
handed over to the company at the latest during the interview.

Letters of recommendation are only used when you apply for 
an  academic  post.  Some  professions  require  proof  of  good 
conduct. If needed, this will probably be mentioned in the job 
offer conditions.

5. 

Making a good impression

Employers  take  punctuality  very  seriously.  Do  not  arrive  late 
and only postpone or cancel the meeting if you have a valid 
reason. In such cases (e.g. illness) employers expect you to in-
form them in advance and to arrange a new appointment for 
an  interview  yourself.  Normally  the  employer  expects  you  to 
present yourself at the employer’s premises for the interview.  

139

A  videoconference  may  be  a  possible  tool  for  an  interview. 
SKYPE is only used in very exceptional circumstances and only 
when recruiting for academic positions.

There is no general rule regarding dress code and the use of 
jewellery  for  an  interview. The  choice  of  your  dress  code  de-
pends  on  the  job,  the  sector,  the  position,  customer  contact, 
representation,  company  culture,  etc.  It  is  important  to  be 
authentic  when  presenting  yourself.  For  men  who  are  apply-
ing for responsible positions a suit is still obligatory. A tie is no 
longer required.

140

polanD

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Polish
Parliamentary republic
312 679 km²
Warsaw
Złoty (PLN)
EU
+ 48
.pl

1. 

Popular application procedures in Poland

A jobseeker wishing to take up employment with a particular 
employer usually responds to a vacancy advertised by the pub-
lic  employment  services  (regional  and  local  labour  offices),  a 
newspaper advertisement, a radio announcement, an Internet 
advertisement, etc.

The normal and most usual application procedure requires the ap-
plicant to prepare a proper CV accompanied by a covering letter 
addressed to a specific employer. It is quite useful to find out some 
information about the company that is offering the vacancy. 

The  next  step  is  a  job  interview,  after  which  the  employer 
chooses  suitable  candidates. The  time  between  the  moment 

141

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
the vacancy is published and the day the job starts varies de-
pending on the employer, the position and the number of in-
terested candidates. The successful candidates usually have to 
wait up to a month.

After  finding  a  published  job  vacancy  that  he/she  is  particu-
larly interested in, a jobseeker must follow the instructions that 
are given in the advertisement. The employer usually asks the 
application form to be sent via e-mail or by regular mail. The 
next  step  is  to  inform  the  shortlisted  candidates  either  by  e-
mail or phone. 

When  jobseekers  are  asked  to  submit  their  application  elec-
tronically, they must make sure that the employer knows which 
particular vacancy they are replying to. It is useful to state this 
in the subject field of the e-mail. The application form should 
be edited in a logical and chronological order so that it is easy 
to read and understand. It should also be kept short (the cover-
ing letter up to one page and the CV up to two pages long).

A written application should be subject to the same standards 
as an electronic one. 

In telephone contacts applicants should introduce themselves 
and state why they are calling. They should not ask anybody 
to call on their behalf. They should be prepared to write down 
all the necessary information that they might receive from the 
employer. 

When  applying  spontaneously  the  jobseeker  should  send  in 
their  CV  together  with  a  proper  covering  letter. They  should 
also be prepared for a spontaneous interview.

The  recruiter’s  expectations  towards  the  applicant  differ  de-
pending  on  the  type  of  job  vacancy.  Generally  the  applicant 
must  be  properly  trained  to  meet  the  employer’s  needs  and 
be  prepared  for  the  type  of  work  they  would  be  required  to 
perform.  The  applicant  should  be  prepared  to  discuss  their 
educational background and work experience in detail as well 
as emphasise their strengths.

142

The relevant documents should be presented in the original if 
possible. The most common procedure is to show the original 
documents together with a photocopy that can be left with the 
CV and covering letter. The employer might ask the applicant 
to confirm the authenticity of the copy by signing it.

The overall rule of the application procedure is to present your-
self in such a way that the employer is willing to interview you 
and finally offer you a position in the company.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

Employers focus on whether a candidate has appropriate knowl-
edge and can think creatively. All the other conditions connect-
ed with the job depend on the kind of activity which would be 
performed by a person. This means that an employer is looking 
for a person who possesses skills, qualifications and appropriate 
experience. Furthermore, almost every employer is looking for 
communicative persons with a positive attitude to the job.

The  employer’s  representative  is  definitely  in  charge,  but  the 
interview is a meeting of two or more persons, so a lot depends 
on the partners in the discussion, i.e. a good atmosphere, in-
volvement and creative communication.

The number of people who take part in the recruitment activity 
depends on who is invited to the meeting or tests. A candidate 
can do tests alone or attend a group testing session. Usually two 
representatives of the employer are present at the interview. 

All aspects of the case, including the publication of the vacan-
cy and job interview, are completed when the vacancy is filled. 
Finding the right person takes time, so the recruitment process 
is not over after one meeting. Usually one meeting takes about 
45 minutes to an hour. This changes when the employer does 
tests during the interview in which case the meeting takes two 
to three hours.

143

Verbal and non-verbal communication are very important dur-
ing the job interview. During the interview, employers are usu-
ally looking for persons who can communicate their thoughts 
— they are looking for persons with fluency in communicating. 
In some cases the employer may hire specialists in non-verbal 
communication  for  the  interview.  They  verify  the  coherence 
between  these  two  channels  of  communication.  During  the 
interview you can accept mineral water, tea or coffee. Smoking 
is  not  allowed.  During  a  first  meeting  you  can  ask  questions, 
such as about employment conditions, the range of duties and 
culture of the organisation. Usually the person who conducts 
the interview gives the applicant time to ask questions at the 
end of the interview. In general, each interview has a specific 
structure. 

(i) Introduction: The first part of the interview has an inform-
ative  character.  At  this  stage,  the  main  goal  of  the  person 
who conducts an interview is to give information to the ap-
plicant  about  the  conditions  of  the  meeting,  job,  range  of 
duties, etc. Building a good atmosphere with the applicant 
is essential.

(ii) Exploration of job experience: At this stage the main goal is 
to acquire information about the following things from the ap-
plicant: personal data, work experience, education, profession, 
etc. Mainly factual questions are asked.

(iii) Interpretation of facts: This stage consists of an interpreta-
tion of the facts collected during the second stage. The persons 
who conduct the interview ask applicants about their opinion 
and interpretation of the facts from the educational and work 
sector and how it influences the job offer. Furthermore, it helps 
them to see the candidate’s motivation, the attitudes they have 
and the value they attach to the job.

(iv)  Personal  opinions,  thoughts,  point  of  view:  During  this 
stage,  candidates  give  their  personal  opinion  and  show  the 
way they think in relation to work decisions made (the employ-
er or person who conducts the interview asks questions about 
the motives for personal decisions and the family situation).

144

(v) Summing up — the end of the interview: At this stage, can-
didates  can  ask  questions  about  things  which  have  not  yet 
been  dealt  with  and  are  important  for  them.  It  is,  therefore, 
a  summarising  stage. The  employer  or  person  who  conducts 
the  interview  should  give  information  about  the  subsequent 
stages of the recruitment process.

The  atmosphere  during  job  interviews  or  tests  should  be 
friendly. Building an atmosphere based on openness is prob-
ably the most difficult aspect when running the interview. The 
atmosphere is created by the emotional involvement between 
partners  interacting  with  each  other. The  following  attitudes 
are usually expected during the interview:

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

involvement;
creativity;
communicativeness;
professionalism;
self-esteem.

The  ratio  between  non-professional  and  professional  items 
during the interview is 20:80 respectively.

A person should gather as much information as possible about 
the company where they are applying for a job. Motivation is 
the key to being a good worker. This means that during the in-
terview each person should explain their motivation for the job 
and answer the questions (what they can do, what they know 
or who they are). This kind of information shows professional-
ism, self-esteem and creativeness on the part of the applicant.

In  Poland  there  are  laws  against  discrimination  on  grounds  of 
sex, age, disability, race, ethnic origin, nationality, sexual orien-
tation, political beliefs, religious affiliation or trade union mem-
bership. During the interview an applicant should answer all the 
questions. However, he or she has a right to refuse to answer dis-
criminatory questions. Questions about your sexual preferences, 
political allegiance, pregnancy, religion are not acceptable.

The most common questions are:

•	
•	

Could you tell me something about yourself?
Why are you applying for this job?

145

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Please describe what motivates you in a job.
Could you name your strong points?
Could you name your weak points?
Why did you choose this educational path?
What does being mobile and creative at work mean for you?
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? 
What are your salary expectations?
Please tell me what type of work you prefer.
What is your hobby? 

•	
•	

In each interview there are also some tricky questions:
What will you be doing in five years’ time? 
Please describe how you would solve a conflict situation 
at work.
Please describe what you usually do during your spare 
time.
What are your salary expectations?
Do you intend to have a family? 
Do you smoke?

•	
•	
•	

•	

If you were told that the representative of the employer would 
contact you after the interview and the deadline has already 
passed,  call  the  employer  and  ask  for  the  result  of  the  inter-
view. There is nothing wrong with asking. It proves that you are 
interested in this job. 

If you are not accepted by the employer, you may ask for the 
reason for this decision. Try to find out what factors made them 
decide to reject you. This will help you in future to avoid the 
mistakes  that  you  made.  Remember,  practice  makes  perfect. 
The  more  job  interviews  you  attend  the  more  chances  you 
have that will enable you to ‘sell’ yourself.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

An  employment  contract  is  a  very  popular  type  of  contract 
in  Poland.  It  is  also  the  most  favourable  contract  as  regards  

146

additional rights, the so-called employee’s rights. All the issues 
related to employment contracts are regulated by the Labour 
Code Act. 

Both sides (employers and employees) have the right to negotiate.
The employer is obliged to:

•	

•	
•	

•	

give an honest presentation of the requirements regard-
ing the job offer
treat all candidates equally
not  persuade  an  employee  to  reveal  information  pro-
tected by law
protect the privacy of information obtained.

The employer may also:

•	

•	

ask  the  candidate  to  give  information  about  previous 
employment
put  the  candidate  through  the  recruitment  and  selec-
tion procedure, including psychological tests.

In turn, the employee is obliged to:

•	
•	

give all the data and information regarding work status;
do the psychological tests during the selection procedure.

The employee may also: 

•	
•	

•	

receive information regarding the position vacant;
receive information on rights and obligations related to 
the vacancy;
refuse to answer discriminatory questions.

•	

Remuneration should be fixed in such a way as to correspond 
to the type of work performed and the qualifications required 
to  perform  it,  and  also  to  take  into  account  the  amount  and 
quality of work performed. Terms of remuneration are fixed in:
company  agreements  or  collective  bargaining  agree-
ments  (made  by  the  employers  with  active  company 
trade union organisations);
pay  regulations  (in  the  case  of  employers  with  at  least 
20 employees who are not subject to a company agree-
ment or a collective bargaining agreement);
employment contracts.

•	

•	

147

Employees are usually paid per unit of time worked: an hour, a 
day or a month. In some cases piecework may be used, where 
employees  are  paid  per  units  of  work  completed.  The  em-
ployee is paid at least once a month, on a fixed pre-arranged 
date. In order to protect remuneration, the Polish Labour Code 
Act contains a provision which says that an employee cannot 
waive his/her right to remuneration or transfer the right to an-
other person. Each candidate should negotiate their pay with 
the employer before signing the contract. Bonuses depend on 
results  achieved.  During  holiday  leave  an  employee  receives 
the normal pay agreed on in the employment contract.

You  may  expect  an  attractive  salary  package  in  accordance 
with your education and experience, including non-statutory 
benefits  such  as  luncheon  vouchers,  pension  scheme,  health 
insurance,  a  Christmas  bonus,  a  reward  for  special  achieve-
ments  and  performance  and  also  an  encouragement  of  per-
sonal development, especially for working in the private rather 
than the public sector. You must therefore be prepared for the 
inconvenient side to this distinction. If you apply for a job in 
the private sector it is good to negotiate special benefits, but 
if you want to work in the public sector there is no room for 
negotiation. 

The recruitment process depends on the company’s size and 
the position applied for. It may consist of a few stages, but you 
will be informed about them at your first recruitment meeting. 
After  the  last  interview  (usually  the  third  interview)  you  will 
have to wait approximately one week to receive the final deci-
sion on whether you have been hired or rejected.

There are no statutory requirements relating to reimbursement 
of costs incurred by attending the interview, which is why the 
candidate should negotiate it separately with each employer. 
Usually the costs are not refunded by the employer.

Employers in Poland prefer to ask for a month’s probationary 
period rather than a one-day work trial. It is possible to refuse, 
but it may result in the employer aborting the candidate’s re-
cruitment process.

148

4. 

Do you need references?

In Poland you normally do not need references. It is not com-
mon  for  an  employer  to  call  someone  to  check  your  qualifi-
cations. Instead it is advantageous to submit confirmation of 
your employment in written form and documents connected 
with your education. If you wish to submit references anyway, 
you can, of course, and in such cases it is advisable to cite your 
former employers or teachers as referees. 

Copies of your certificates, diploma, etc. should be attached to 
your CV. Employers take these into consideration when decid-
ing whether or not to invite you for interview.

It is normal for candidates for all the professions that involve 
special  responsibility  (e.g.  working  with  children,  the  elderly, 
the sick, handling weapons, etc.) to prove their ability to com-
ply not only with statutory regulations but also with the moral 
standards accepted by society. 

In  Poland  you  normally  do  not  need  a  letter  of  recommen-
dation.  It  can  be  helpful,  however,  if  it  is  written  by  some  
prominent employer.

5. 

Making a good impression:

The first impression is important.

Remember your manners:

•	

•	
•	

if you call, introduce yourself, say who you are and what 
the reason for your call is;
if you send an e-mail, address it to ‘Dear Sir or Madam’;
be flexible (adjust your time to the employer’s requirements);

149

•	

ask if you need to confirm that you will be coming to the 
interview  (especially  if  the  interview  is  in  one  month’s 
time).

Prepare for the interview:

•	
•	
•	

•	

•	

learn something about the company you want to work for;
prepare some questions about your future post;
always  be  on  time;  respect  the  time  of  your  inter-
viewer;
if  you  are  prevented  from  turning  up  for  interview, 
remember  to  call  and  apologise  for  your  absence  and 
to  make  a  new  appointment;  be  sure  you  can  make  it 
this time;
you  are  expected  to  be  present  in  person  during  the 
interview.  In  Poland  it  is  not  common  to  use  other 
forms of interview: the employer expects a face to face 
meeting.

Take care of the way you look: dress suitably. It is important to 
dress professionally for a job interview, even if the work envi-
ronment is casual.

For men:
•	

suit  (unobtrusive  colour  —  navy  or  dark  grey),  long-
sleeved shirt (white or coordinated with the suit), belt, 
tie, dark socks, conservative leather shoes;
little or no jewellery;
neat,  professional  hairstyle,  not  too  much  aftershave, 
neatly trimmed nails;
portfolio or briefcase.

•	
•	

•	

For women: 

•	

•	

•	
•	
•	

suit (navy, black or dark grey) (the skirt should be long 
enough so you can sit down comfortably), coordinated 
blouse, conservative shoes, neutral tights; 
modest  amount  of  jewellery  (no  dangling  earrings  or 
arms full of bracelets);
no jewellery is better than cheap jewellery;
professional hairstyle;
go easy on the make-up and perfume;

150

•	
•	

clean, neatly manicured nails;
portfolio or briefcase.

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Do not bring or wear:
chewing gum;
mobile phone;
i-pod;
coffee or water;
lots of jewellery, leave some of your rings at home (ear-
rings only is a good rule);
flip-flops or sneakers;
underwear  (bras,  bra  straps,  briefs,  boxers,  etc.)  that  is 
visible;
shorts, jeans, trousers that are too low-rise or too tight;
blouses that are too low-cut or too short — do not show 
your cleavage or your stomach. 

•	
•	

•	
•	

Cover any tattoos.

Also:
•	

•	
•	

•	

•	

•	

•	
•	

•	

•	

Do not give the impression that you are only interested 
in the salary; do not ask about salary and benefits issues 
until the subject is brought up by your interviewer.
Do not make errors in your application forms.
Do  not  make  negative  comments  about  previous 
employers (or others).
Do not falsify application materials or answers to inter-
view questions.
Do not give the impression that you are only interested 
in an organisation because of its geographical location.
Do  not  act  as  though  you  would  take  any  job  or  are 
desperate for employment.
Do not chew gum or smell of smoke.
Do  not  allow  your  mobile  phone  to  ring  during  the 
interview. (If it does, apologise briefly and ignore it.) Do 
not take a mobile phone call.
Do  not  bring  up  or  discuss  personal  issues  or  family 
problems.
Be  honest  and  be  yourself.  Dishonesty  will  be  discov-
ered and is grounds for withdrawing job offers and for 
dismissal. You want to get on well with your employer. 

151

If you are hired because you acted like someone other 
than yourself, you and your employer will both be dis-
satisfied.
Address  your  interviewer  by  title  (Ms,  Mr,  Dr)  and  last 
name.
Maintain good eye contact during the interview.
Do not answer with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Explain when-
ever possible.

•	

•	
•	

152

portugal

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Portuguese
Parliamentary republic
92 345 km²
Lisbon
EUR
EU
+ 351
.pt

1. 

Popular application procedures in Portugal

The most common application procedure is still to reply to 
specific  job  advertisements,  either  published  in  the  (daily 
and  weekly)  newspapers  or  in  other  media,  such  as  job 
centres,  temporary  employment  and  private  placement 
agencies,  professional  and  trade  union  associations,  su-
permarkets,  municipalities,  parishes,  other  public  facilities 
and, increasingly, in job banks made available on the Inter-
net. The reply method may vary: by regular mail, e-mail or  
telephone.

153

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
However, many other procedures are increasingly being used 
involving more proactive techniques, namely:

•	
•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

spontaneous applications to selected companies;
placement  of  personal  advertisements,  in  newspapers 
and  magazines  or  in  other  media:  supermarkets,  pro-
fessional, trade union or employer associations, yellow 
pages  (mostly  if  you  are  freelance  or  self-employed), 
etc;
registration at the job centre (public employment serv-
ice);
registration with private placement agencies or tempo-
rary employment agencies;
CV  advertisements  in  the  main  Internet  job  banks,  in 
university  careers  offices,  on  professional  associations’ 
websites and, increasingly, in Facebook and other social 
network  tools,  mostly  the  ones  dedicated  to  profes-
sional contacts, on the Internet;
some larger companies make their own job opportuni-
ties/CV  bank  available  on  the  Internet,  through  which 
jobseekers may directly transmit their applications;
for  artistic  and/or  some  highly  qualified  profiles  (e.g. 
architects),  the  development  of  a  portfolio,  a  personal 
webpage and its placement on the Internet.

In a country where more than 90 % of the companies are small, 
personal  contacts,  via  friends,  relatives  and/or  ex-colleagues, 
are still one of the most effective means of finding out about 
job  opportunities  and  reaching  a  potential  employer  (since 
these work as positive references). This means that if you have 
a social network in Portugal, you should use it.

The time between publishing a vacancy and starting the job 
varies enormously, depending on how urgent the employer’s 
need to fill the vacancy, on the more or less seasonal or tempo-
rary nature of the job position, on the scarcity of the required 
skills  in  the  national,  regional  or  local  labour  market,  on  the 
number  of  applications,  on  the  number  of  jobs  available,  on 
the existence of initial training periods which must be simulta-
neous for all the newly hired workers, on the complexity of the 
screening and selection procedures, etc. 

154

Although  a  considerable  number  of  job  vacancies  published 
state  that  the  job  is  to  start ‘as  soon  as  possible’,  you  should 
always bear in mind that the selection process takes time, on 
average perhaps two to three months.

With  less  skilled  jobs,  or  temporary  jobs  which  can  easily  be 
filled at local level, the time may be considerably reduced to 
less  than  a  week.  A  more  permanent  recruitment  need,  the 
need  for  a  highly  qualified  profile  or  very  specific  skills,  or  a 
post requiring a significant training investment by the employ-
er, may take much longer, even more than a year.

It is assumed that candidates have already gone through the 
stages of getting to know themselves, their skills, motivation, 
interests and expectations, as well as getting to know the la-
bour market in Portugal and, in particular, the job opportuni-
ties for their professional profile, level of experience and lan-
guage levels.

The most common steps for an application in Portugal are:

•	

•	

•	
•	

•	

•	
•	

Select the most suitable job ads for your profile and 
expectations,  or  the  companies  to  which  you  want 
to apply.
Prepare your CV (if possible, in Portuguese). This should 
be  clear  and  short  (no  more  than  two  pages)  and 
adapted to each circumstance, job requirements and/or 
company recruitment needs.
Write a covering letter.
Reply  to  job  advertisements  and/or  apply  spontane-
ously  by  submitting  a  covering  letter  (by  regular  or 
electronic  mail)  and  by  attaching  a  CV  (depending  on 
the  job  advertisement  requirements);  if  necessary,  the 
reply can also be made by phone.
Check receipt of the application by the employer and/
or (following a spontaneous application) try to make an 
appointment for an interview by phone or wait for the 
employer to give you an appointment for interview.
Prepare for the interview.
If you are selected, negotiate contractual arrangements 
(usually during a second interview or meeting).

155

When  replying  to  a  job  advertisement  by  e-mail,  you  should 
write the covering letter directly in the mail and not as a separate  
attached  file.  Only  the  CV  should  be  attached,  to  which  
reference is made in the letter. When writing this e-mail, you 
should:
•	
•	

clearly indicate the subject;
write short paragraphs, with spaces between them and 
without spelling errors;
avoid  informal  symbols  and  abbreviations  common-
ly  used  in  e-mail  messages;  the  language  level  used 
should be conventional;
use only one letter type and colour (preferably black);
state that the CV is enclosed in the attachment.

•	

•	
•	

Never send the e-mail to more than one company at the same 
time or to more than one e-mail address.

When  submitting  a  spontaneous  application  by  e-mail,  the 
same rules apply. 

When replying to a job advertisement in writing, you should 
firstly take into account the application deadlines given in the 
advertisement  and  adhere  to  them.  If  replying  to  a  PO  box 
(remember that most job advertisements do not mention the 
name of the employer), try to ensure that it will be delivered 
in a five-day week period. If replying directly to the employer, 
you  should  also  submit  it  as  soon  as  possible,  so  that  your 
application arrives at the beginning of the selection process. 
Otherwise, the company may already have chosen its future 
employee.  This  time  issue  is  particularly  relevant  if  you  are 
talking about applications from abroad, for obvious reasons.

A written application will generally consist of a covering letter 
and CV. The CV may be omitted if it is not explicitly required 
in  the  advertisement,  and  if  the  profile  requested  is  not  too  
complex. 

The covering letter should be a short, simple letter, no more 
than one A4 sheet of white paper, written on a word processor. 
Handwritten applications have gradually been abandoned in 
the  last  few  years,  although  there  are  still  some  employers 

156

who may have a preference for it (mostly if the job involves 
the regular use of handwriting). Please try to check this if you 
have a preliminary phone contact with the company. The cov-
ering letter should include the following items:

•	

•	

•	
•	

•	

•	
•	
•	

your  personal  contact  data  (name,  address,  phone 
number and e-mail address);
the  employer’s  data  (name  and/or  position  of  the 
addressee, name of the company, address);
place and date;
reference to the source of the advertisement (name of 
the newspaper, date published, possibly the advertise-
ment’s reference number);
short,  clear  sentences  referring  to  your  interest  in  the 
job  and/or  the  company  involved,  by  outlining  your 
professional  experience,  your  technical  and  occupa-
tional  skills  relevant  to  the  required  profile  (especially 
important if you are not sending a CV);
your availability for interview;
conclusion and signature;
if  it  is  accompanied  by  a  CV,  it  should  mention  this  by 
adding  ‘Attachment:  curriculum  vitae’  in  the  bottom 
left hand corner.

Try to avoid:

•	
•	

•	

spelling errors;
banalities,  false  compliments,  extremely  complicated 
sentences;
using  a  ‘PS’  —  if  you  forgot  to  mention  something 
important, you should re-write the letter.

The Portuguese CV is generally drafted in reverse chronological 
order on no more than two to three pages. A passport-size photo-
graph may be required. The following items should be included:

•	

•	
•	

personal  details  (name,  address,  telephone  number, 
e-mail, etc.);
educational level (highest level of schooling);
vocational  training  (a  different  category  than  basic 
education; list of training courses attended and practi-
cal  training;  mention  professional  certificates  attesting 
membership of a particular profession);

157

•	
•	
•	

professional experience; 
other skills (language and IT skills, driving licence);
leisure activities (optional).

When replying to a job ad by telephone, make sure that you:

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

go through the questions beforehand which you intend 
to ask during the phone conversation;
read your CV, which includes your main fields of profes-
sional experience;
have your CV at hand in case they ask some questions 
about it;
have a diary or notepad where you can write down all 
the  information,  particularly  the  date  and  time  of  an 
interview;
choose  the  right  time  to  make  the  phone  call  during 
company working hours (try to avoid the beginning or 
the end of the day);
make  the  phone  call  from  an  appropriate  place  (quiet, 
where there are no interruptions from other people);
greet the person who answers the phone and explain the 
reason for your call: ‘I’m calling about the job advertise-
ment…’; if possible, you should speak in Portuguese;
ask  the  person  answering  the  call  if  they  are  the  right 
person to speak to about the job advertisement (if they 
are not, you should ask them to pass the call on to the 
right person and ask for that person’s name);
ask for an interview and try to agree on a date and time; 
you  should  also  ask  which  documents  are  needed  to 
assess your application;
thank the person you have been talking to for their time.

During the conversation:
speak slowly;
respond clearly to all the questions;
make  sure  that  all  the  questions  you  ask  are  pertinent 
(you should have written them down beforehand).

•	
•	
•	

After  the  phone  call  make  your  own  assessment  of  the  con-
versation and write down all the relevant information. Put the 
date and time of the interview in your diary.

158

This method should only be used when it is specifically referred 
to in the advertisement. Many of these rules also apply if you 
wish to follow up a spontaneous application.

•	

•	

There are many good reasons why you should apply spontaneously:
it reveals that you are pro-active, take the initiative, are 
interested and well informed, qualities in great demand 
among most employers nowadays;
many of the available jobs are not advertised in the regular 
channels;  in  a  labour  market  where  more  than  90  %  of 
employers  are  small  or  very  small  companies,  recruitment 
procedures using advertisements, presentations and lengthy 
screening and selection stages may be too expensive;
even if companies intend to advertise the job at a cer-
tain stage, the first step will be to analyse the archived 
CVs (most Portuguese companies will save spontaneous 
applications for at least six months, even if they do not 
reply to you immediately);
it is always a safe investment to be well informed about 
the potential places where you would like to work, as it 
will  enhance  future  application  procedures  (if  recruit-
ment opportunities arise).

•	

•	

•	

When  applying  spontaneously,  you  should  take  into  account 
most of the points mentioned above as regards electronic and 
written applications. You should also remember the following:
address it to the head of the human resources section in 
the case of larger companies, to the company manager 
or  owner  in  the  case  of  small  to  medium-sized  enter-
prises (if possible, try to find  out  their name),  or,  if  the 
recruitment  procedure  is  being  conducted  by  a  selec-
tion and recruitment agency, to the agency;
develop only one idea per paragraph;
if sent by e-mail, always remember to send it to only one 
company/employer at a time, as it reveals your interest 
in that particular company;
this  application  is  your  visiting  card,  so  despite  using 
conventional language you should give it your personal 
touch,  so  that  it  will  set  you  off  against  all  the  other 
potential applicants.

•	
•	

•	

159

The recruiter expects you:

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

to be well informed about the company to which you are 
applying, its core business (products or services), its size (e.g. 
number of workers), its market position, the culture and val-
ues of the organisation and its members (e.g. a more formal 
or  relaxed  environment),  and  about  the  market  in  which 
the company operates, its situation and trends;
to be well informed and curious about the job involved, 
its main duties and responsibilities;
to  be  well  prepared  to  promptly  answer  questions  on 
your CV, mostly on your education and training, profes-
sional  and  non-professional  experience  (e.g.  voluntary 
work  or  sporting  activities);  you  should  therefore  read 
through your CV the day before you go for interview;
to  be  ready  to  demonstrate  how  your  experience, 
knowledge and profile may be of added benefit to the 
company and particularly for the job involved;
to ‘dress for the occasion’: even if this is not an impor-
tant issue for the job you are applying for, it will show 
your  professionalism  and  respect  for  the  employer  or 
interviewer; if you do not have enough information on 
the ‘dress code’ of the company, conventional and sober 
may  be  the  best  choice;  avoid  too  much  make-up  or 
jewellery, piercings, visible tattoos, radical hairstyles;
to  be  on  time;  in  order  to  avoid  delays  caused  by  too 
much traffic, parking difficulties, transport delays, your 
lack  of  knowledge  of  the  area  where  the  company  is 
located,  you  can  call  the  company  the  day  before  and 
confirm the time of the interview, the address, the best 
way to get there; on the day of the interview try to leave 
home  with  enough  time  to  arrive  at  least  10  minutes 
before the time of the interview so that you are not too 
stressed before the interview.

In  general,  unless  it  is  mentioned  in  the  advertisement  or 
when making an appointment for interview (more common 
in larger companies), most interviewers do not expect you to 
leave (certified) copies of all the documents you mention in 
your CV or application (e.g. diplomas, training and/or profes-
sional certificates, language course diplomas, driving licence, 

160

letters of recommendation, etc.), during the first selection in-
terviews, although you might take them with you and show 
them if it is pertinent to the issue. Try not to get lost in too 
many documents (be organised).

However, if you mentioned a particular diploma/training cer-
tificate,  a  letter  of  recommendation,  a  language  diploma  as 
an additional skill in your application, you should generally be 
prepared to leave one copy, if you have not already attached it 
to your application. Documents such as the Europass diploma 
supplement  or  certificate  supplement  may  be  more  relevant 
when considering transnational recruitment, since Portuguese 
employers  may  lack  information  on  your  country  of  origin’s 
education and training system and on the relevant knowledge 
and skills content. Try to be very selective though.

If your application is successful many of these documents may 
be requested at a later stage, when formalising the contractual 
arrangements.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

You should remember that it is the interviewer who is in charge, 
not the interviewee. Try not to interrupt. This does not mean 
you  cannot  ask  pertinent  questions. You  should  interact,  but 
never forget who is in charge. The number of people interview-
ing varies. Very often, particularly in small companies, there will 
only be one interviewer, who will be the company manager or 
owner.  A  selection  interview  should  never  last  more  than  45 
minutes, but it may be shorter.

Regarding  tests,  whether  they  are  included  in  the  screening 
procedure depends on the type and diversity of the tests. They 
very frequently take half a day, breaks included.

As a general rule you should only drink something (water, cof-
fee or tea) if the interviewer suggests it — and if they are going  

161

to  take  one  as  well.  You  should  never  offer  any  gifts,  drinks 
or  cigarettes  at  interview;  it  is  not  considered  appropriate  in 
this situation. Relax, but not too much. You must appear self-
confident,  but  not  arrogant.  It  should  be  part  of  your  aim  at 
interview to present yourself.

There is no fixed ratio of non-professional to professional ques-
tions. It depends on the interviewers’ profile and on the screen-
ing and selection method. Questions about religious affiliation, 
political preferences and sexual orientation are considered to 
be a strictly private matter. There is, however, a general percep-
tion  that  these  are  more  frequently  addressed  than  in  some 
other European countries. 

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

Usually  pay  is  expressed  on  a  monthly  basis.  Bear  in  mind 
that in Portugal if you are in a regular employment situation, 
you  are  paid  for  14  months  per  year  (i.e.  including  holiday 
pay and Christmas bonuses, usually paid in May/June and in 
November/December respectively). If you are recruited for a 
multinational company, pay may be negotiated as an annual 
package as well, which will include all the subsidies and other 
fringe benefits. As a rule, holiday pay is already provided for 
as the pay for the 13th month, in addition to the Christmas 
bonus (14th month). 

The employer does not normally provide annual productivity 
bonuses, considering that the vast majority of employers in 
Portugal are small enterprises, and as a rule are not indexed 
to levels of pay. There may, however, be scope for a bonus 
payment  at  the  end  of  the  year  if  the  company  is  making 
enough profit. The amount will depend on a more or less ar-
bitrary assessment by the employer, based on your perform-
ance and contribution to the company’s success. Thus there 
is  no  room,  in  general,  to  negotiate  annual  bonuses  when 
negotiating  the  contractual  arrangements,  but  you  may 

162

ask if this practice exists in the company. Only in medium-
sized to large companies, mostly multinationals, are annual 
bonuses  well  integrated  in  the  companies’  remuneration  
policies.

Other common benefits are: improved health insurance cover 
or medical services, in the case of larger companies. A mobile 
phone may be offered, as well as a company car, mostly for sen-
ior staff (managers and directors).

It is not very common to be asked to do a one-day work trial, 
but if it does happen, you should not refuse — otherwise you 
run the risk of being eliminated from the selection process. 

In  general,  Portuguese  companies  do  not  reimburse  ap-
plicants  for  travel  expenses  resulting  from  attendance  for 
interviews  or  any  other  costs  related  to  the  application 
procedure. There is definitely no statutory obligation to do 
that, and an applicant should not expect it. You might have 
your  expenses  refunded  in  very  specific  circumstances,  if 
employers  are  desperately  looking  for  that  particular  skill, 
professional qualification or profile, they may be willing to 
cover travelling costs or accommodation (partially or total-
ly). This may occur, particularly in transnational recruitment 
situations.

4. 

Do you need references?

A  copy  of  your  diploma  will  be  needed  at  some  point.  You 
should  bring  at  least  one  additional  copy  with  you  for  the  
interview. 

Although  letters  of  recommendation  may  be  considered  an 
additional  advantage,  it  is  not  current  practice  in  Portugal 
to  go  through  them  and  to  cross-check  the  references  (un-
like  in  other  European  countries). Thus  their  value  is  relative.  
However, employers are increasing their demands.

163

5. 

Making a good impression

It  is  advisable  to  confirm  the  time  and  place  of  the  inter-
view the day before (it shows your interest in the job). Only 
in very extreme situations (e.g. illness, death of a relative, 
accident) would it be acceptable to make a new appoint-
ment  after  not  having  turned  up  for  a  previously  sched-
uled  interview.  In  any  case,  if  possible,  try  to  inform  the 
recruiter beforehand (or immediately after the event) and 
explain  the  reasons  for  your  absence.  The  new  appoint-
ment will depend on the recruiter’s availability and on the 
selection procedures.

Portuguese companies are still not prepared, as a rule, to 
make  recruitment  interviews  using  new  communication 
tools  such  as  video  conferencing  and  SKYPE.  They  may, 
however, be willing to make a first selection interview on 
the  phone  and/or  resort  to  the  new  media  (if  both  sides 
have  them).  However,  the  final  decision  will,  in  general, 
only  be  made  on  the  basis  of  an  interview  where  the  ap-
plicant is physically present — mostly when talking about 
more  permanent  and  more  qualified  jobs.  This  situation 
is, however, changing quite fast, and many small and me-
dium-sized  companies  already  have  access  to  these  new 
media.  It  is  therefore  likely  that  they  will  be  increasingly 
used  in  individual  recruitments  which  require  significant 
(transnational) mobility.

A  follow-up  is  not  generally  organised.  It  might  be  appre-
ciated, though. It is not common to make an appointment 
for  an  assessment  if  you  are  not  selected  to  continue  the 
recruitment process.

It is very important to be selective in the advertisements to 
which you reply, based on relevant coherent criteria, as it may 
be  quite  time-consuming  to  undergo  an  irrelevant  applica-
tion and selection procedure.

164

For some of the job opportunities advertised, it is almost im-
possible to meet all the requirements. Do not allow yourself 
to be put off by this; if you have most of the requirements, do 
not hesitate to apply. Portuguese employers can turn out to 
be quite flexible on this matter.

165

romania

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Romanian
Presidential republic
238 391 km²
Bucharest
Leu (RON)
EU
+ 40
.ro

1. 

Popular application procedures in Romania

A candidate interested in a job vacancy can apply directly to 
the employer by sending an e-mail, a fax or making a phone 
call. It depends on the recruitment procedure of the recruiting 
organisation. 

The most common steps for applying for jobs are: 

•	

•	

•	

Employers  promote  their  vacancies  through  newspa-
pers, the Internet, websites, etc., giving details on how 
to apply for their respective vacancies. 
Jobseekers  apply  using  the  internet,  e-mails,  specialised 
websites for recruitment, making phone calls, sending faxes.
Jobseekers  are  contacted  by  employers  in  order  to 
arrange the initial interview.

166

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•	

Employers  may  organise  more  than  one  interview, 
depending  on  the  type  of  job.  Nowadays,  they  usu-
ally  have  the  first  interview  with  the  candidate  on  the 
phone.

The  most  common  procedure  when  applying  for  a  vacancy 
is  for  highly  qualified  and  highly  educated  jobseekers  to  do 
this via the Internet and for low-skilled persons by reading the 
newspapers.

The  time  between  the  vacancy  being  published  and  the  day 
the  job  starts  can  vary,  depending  on  the  job  involved.  The 
usual period is from two to four weeks. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  the  recruiter’s  company,  the  job 
advertisement contains all the relevant information such as 
the name of the company and the activity profile, the main 
responsibilities of the position, a list of personal and profes-
sional characteristics needed to be able to perform the job, 
the  advantages  offered  by  the  company  such  as  salary  or 
other  benefits,  how  to  contact  the  company  and  apply  for 
the job. 

From the candidates’ point of view, they should include all their 
personal and professional characteristics, knowledge and skills 
in the CV in order for the employer to decide whether the can-
didate meets the requirements of the vacancy or not. 

The points to note for written and electronic applications are the 
following. The recruiter analyses the applications by evaluating 
the CVs received. He/she verifies if the details from the CVs corre-
spond with the requirements of the job. For example, if the em-
ployer requires that the new employee is a person with at least 
two years’ experience in practising law, the recruiter will focus on 
the relevant job experience section of the CV. 

In  phone  interviews  the  recruiter  verifies  if  the  information 
on the CV is authentic and asks for more detailed information 
about  the  skills,  the  abilities  and  professional  experience.  A 
phone interview lasts approximately 10–15 minutes.

167

2. 

How to prepare for the interview 

The recruiter expects a professional attitude on the part of ap-
plicants and an honest and frank discussion  with  them.  Can-
didates should focus on the details of the CV. As regards the 
authenticity of the document, employers know that the skills 
and  abilities  section  is  usually  somewhat  exaggerated.  Many 
jobseekers  have  the  tendency  to  write  on  their  CV  what  the 
employer wants to see. 

During an interview the employer focuses on both verbal and 
non-verbal  communication  skills.  The  recruiter  is  in  charge 
throughout this meeting. 

At  the  interview,  the  participants  are  usually  the  human  re-
sources staff in charge of the recruitment process, the head of 
the department for which the company is recruiting and in some 
cases even the general director/president of the company. Some 
interviews last from 30 minutes to two hours. For some vacan-
cies,  the  human  resources  department  shortlists  candidates 
(generally about five persons). These are considered to be the 
most suitable applicants after analysis of their CV. 

Usually  all  aspects  of  verbal  and  non-verbal  communication 
are  important.  Communication  represents  the  basis  of  an  in-
terview. The recruiter observes the positive and the negative 
communication skills of the candidate and has to analyse them 
all in order to make a realistic assessment of the interviewee.

•	
•	

At the first meeting the following aspects are usually covered:
There is a presentation by the recruiter and applicant.
The introductory part of the interview is used to put the 
candidate  at  ease  by  small  talk  such  as  The  weather  is 
very sunny today, Did you find our office easily?;
There are questions about the candidate’s experience.
There  are  questions  about  skills  and  knowledge,  the 
verification of information in the CV.

•	
•	

168

•	

•	

•	

The recruiter informs the candidate about the require-
ments and main duties of the job and about the com-
pany in general: which sectors it operates in, what the 
achievements of the company are, etc.
The  recruiter  asks/expects  questions  which  clarify 
aspects not well understood by the candidate.
The candidate asks questions. The usual questions are: 
What  is  the  work  schedule?  What  salary  are  you  offer-
ing? Is there a lunch break?

The interviews can be structured, semi-structured or unstruc-
tured.  The  semi-structured  interviews  are  used  most  by  em-
ployers.  You  can  have  some  questions  prepared  before  the 
meeting  but  you  can  also  be  flexible  and  think  about  some 
other important questions that crop up during the interview. 
The  atmosphere  during  interviews  should  be  open,  relaxed 
and  communicative.  The  attitude  of  interviewees  should  be 
professional. It is very important that they explain their motiva-
tion for the job. There is anti-discrimination legislation in place 
in Romania.

Generally  the  applicant  should  know  the  field  in  which  the 
company  operates  and  what  the  recruiter’s  requirements  for 
this position are.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

You  can  negotiate  the  pay  and  the  non-statutory  and  other 
benefits  of  the  job.  Remuneration  is  expressed  in  monthly 
rates.  Holiday  pay  and  annual  bonuses  are  negotiated  sepa-
rately.  The  most  common  non-statutory  benefits  are  meal 
vouchers and holiday pay. 

Usually the human resources department is responsible for the 
negotiation. They know the maximum salary the company can 
offer  for  that  particular  position. The  final  decision  rests  with 
the company management.

169

According to the Labour Code, every category of workers must 
have a probationary period of from five days for low-skilled per-
sons employed for a limited period to 90 days for a management 
position. 

At the interview the recruiter informs the candidate whether 
or not he/she has been accepted and will be contacted again. 
If you do not receive any feedback shortly after the interview, 
you can assume that you have not been selected for the va-
cant position. There are cases where you are informed in both 
cases, i.e. both when you are accepted and rejected, but these 
are unusual.

4. 

Do you need references?

Employers normally ask for references or letters of recommen-
dation. However, remember that having good references does 
not guarantee that everything will go well at interview. 

Some employers ask for a copy of your diploma at the begin-
ning  of  the  procedure  and  some  take  the  decision  to  recruit 
applicants without it. 

Depending  on  company  policy,  letters  of  recommendation 
might  be  needed  as  well.  Proof  of  good  conduct  (i.e.  wheth-
er  you  have  a  criminal  record)  is  required  by  all  employers.  
Normally you need to be able to prove good conduct in every 
job.

5. 

Making a good impression

When you make an appointment for an interview you have to 
know the location and the time of the interview. The recruiter 
informs  you  how  to  reach  the  place  where  the  interview  is  

170

being held. Punctuality is quite important, but if you are a few 
minutes late the employer may understand if you have a good 
reason for this. 

Usually  you  need  to  confirm  your  attendance  at  interview.  If 
you have a good reason, you can be absent, but you must in-
form  the  employer  about  this  before  the  interview. You  may 
ask  for  a  new  appointment,  and  it  is  the  employer’s  decision 
whether another meeting will be arranged.

It is necessary to present yourself at the employer’s premises 
for the interview. Only in large companies like multinationals 
are video conferences used. In general, however, the employer 
wants to meet you face to face.

You  need  to  be  decently  and  respectably  dressed  when  you 
present  yourself  for  interview.  During  an  application  proce-
dure  you  must  not  lie  about  your  qualifications,  experience, 
skills, knowledge, etc. You must be realistic and  honest. Can-
didates need to be very reasonable and sincere if they are to 
be successful. 

171

switzerlanD

Official language 

Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

German, French, Italian,  
Romansch
Federal parliamentary republic
41 284 km²
Berne
Swiss Franc (CHF)
EFTA
+ 41
.ch

1. 

Popular application procedures in Switzerland

The most usual steps in the search for a new job are: study the 
advertisement  of  the  job  offer  (either  in  newspapers  or  on  the 
web), look up documentation about the company, re-write your 
curriculum vitae and covering letter and prepare for the first and 
subsequent interviews. 

The most common procedure in recruiting a new staff member — 
for specialised profiles and management functions — is the use of a 
written application form. For less skilled profiles, different application 
procedures are possible. Initial contacts are usually made by phone 
or via the Internet. When you apply through the Internet, pay atten-
tion to the quality of the documents you scan. Do not send docu-
ments that give the impression of being developed for general use.

172

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  time  between  the  last  interview  and  when  you  start  the 
job depends a lot on the kind of job you are applying for, the 
qualifications the company is looking for and the need for a new 
employee. Time varies between one week for a job in hotels and 
restaurants  and  several  weeks  for  management  jobs  in  public 
administration or a multinational.

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

During the interview an employer pays a great deal of attention 
to the motivation that candidates show and the questions they 
ask,  candidates’  non-verbal  communication  skills,  their  knowl-
edge of the company and the job and the expectations candi-
dates have of the pay. Female applicants may be asked about 
their family situation. Depending on the job qualifications and 
in cases where there is a HR department in the company, two 
or  three  people  attend  the  interview.  In  small  companies  the 
employer himself/herself may be in charge of the interview. At 
least two interviews are usual for application procedures. Each 
of these interviews takes 90 minutes on average (under an hour 
for less-qualified jobs).

In the field of verbal and non-verbal communication, the in-
terviewers take into account your knowledge of the language 
used for the job, your clothing, your politeness, your tone of 
voice  during  the  interview  and  the  respect  you  show  to  the 
interviewers. Do not drink, chew gum or smoke during the in-
terview and do not accept them either. It is not permissible to 
offer  presents  to  the  interviewers.  During  the  first  interview 
you can ask if taking notes is possible. When it comes to ask-
ing  questions  yourself,  wait  until  the  interviewer  invites  you 
to do so.

In  Switzerland  it  is  very  common  to  ask  people  in  your  per-
sonal  network  if  they  know  somebody  in  the  company  who 
can inform you about job offers and staff needs. Based on this  
information you can write a simple letter of application.

173

An interview has a very specific structure: the interviewer in-
troduces himself/herself, sets the time frame for the interview 
and  its  goals,  and  gives  a  brief  presentation  of  the  company 
and  the  job  offered. Then  the  interviewer  asks  candidates  to 
present  themselves  and  explain  their  motivation  for  the  job. 
After that, questions are asked to find out more details on vari-
ous  subjects.  At  the  end  of  the  interview  the  applicants  are 
asked  to  say  what  their  pay  expectations  are  and,  if  they  are 
still interested in the job, a new meeting can be scheduled.

The atmosphere during the interview varies quite a lot from one 
company  to  another.  In  general,  when  the  interviewer  is  a  HR 
professional, they will succeed in making the candidate feel at 
ease and finding out the information required. After all, the in-
terviewer wants to recruit a new staff member who corresponds 
as closely as possible to the company’s needs. Interviewers do 
not want to make any mistakes. They expect the candidate to be 
honest. Of course they know that this is only an ideal situation 
and that some applicants will try to cheat or mask their true self.

During the interview the candidate must show a real interest in 
the job, be frank and honest, and listen actively. There are still 
some  companies  where  the  employer’s  attitude  towards  you 
is that you are the one who is looking for a job and that you 
should be grateful to the interviewer for being invited. In fact, 
if you have the right skills and qualifications for the job, it is the 
interviewee  who  has  the  advantage.  Bear  this  in  mind  when 
negotiating pay and working conditions.

The ratio of professional to non-professional items addressed 
at the interview depends on the interviewer’s position in the 
company. If they are a HR professional, about half of the ques-
tions  will  be  linked  to  your  social  and  personal  competence. 
Use the opportunity to show your motivation for the job and 
try to highlight all your skills and strengths.

Switzerland has legislation on the equal treatment of men and 
women. Make sure you are well prepared for the interview and 
can give positive answers to questions about delicate or tricky 
subjects. The following subjects are considered strictly private: 

174

sexuality, intention to marry, political allegiance, pay in previ-
ous jobs, state of health, forced resignation from previous jobs. 
Nevertheless  some  employers  may  ask  a  female  candidate 
about her family plans. The interviewer will expect you to an-
swer all the questions. 

Find  out  about  the  company  whose  vacancy  you  want  to  fill 
and make sure you know something more about the composi-
tion of the managing board, the approximate number of em-
ployees,  the  economic  sector  where  the  company  operates, 
its competitors, its customers. Also inform yourself about the 
company’s environmental policy, its attitude to fair trade and 
the existence of a social or ethical charter. Try to discover more 
about  the  company’s  overall  image  and  its  image  as  an  em-
ployer. The most topical questions you can expect about your 
personal competence are questions about your strengths and 
weaknesses,  your  flexibility  and  geographical  mobility,  your 
availability and pay expectations.

Of course the interviewer will ask you some questions meant 
to check whether your answers are sincere. Therefore it is im-
portant  that  you  always  give  specific  examples  of  situations 
that refer to the answers required and prove that you really do 
have experience of these situations. For job offers that require 
knowledge  of  different  languages,  the  interviewers  might 
switch to one of these languages during the interview. So be 
honest when you indicate the level of proficiency in a language 
on your curriculum vitae.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

To be able to negotiate a good contract and pleasant working 
conditions, you have to be very familiar with normal practice in 
the  relevant  branch  and  should  not  be  too  greedy  or  fussy  in 
your requirements as to pay and working conditions. In the sec-
tors where pay is agreed officially, such as the public and semi-
public sector, there is not much room to negotiate on pay.

175

Contract negotiations work like this: for minimum and low wages, 
the company makes a proposal. If this pay does not satisfy you, 
there is room to negotiate an increase of about 5 to 10 %. For man-
agement jobs, it is often the candidate who makes the first pro-
posal on pay. To make an acceptable proposition it is important 
to know the sector and company habits very well. Remember also 
that there are big regional differences in pay within Switzerland. In 
many enterprises women are paid at least 15 % less than men.

A 13th month’s wage only rarely needs discussing, being con-
sidered a normal part of your remuneration. Some companies 
even offer you a 14th month’s wage. Bonuses are only given if 
you achieve your targets.

The most common non-statutory benefits that you can nego-
tiate are: part of your travel to work time may be considered 
as time at work, payment of your medical insurance, a higher 
employer’s contribution to a retirement fund, and a company 
car. These  benefits  are  negotiable  except  for  those  that  have 
already been negotiated in general agreements between em-
ployers’ associations and trade unions. In general you need to 
know that pay in Switzerland is quite high but does not include 
many non-statutory benefits. The only exceptions to this gen-
eral rule are top management jobs.

In small companies you have to negotiate directly with the boss 
him/herself. In small and medium-sized enterprises the head of 
staff administration is responsible for negotiating pay. In large 
companies the HR manager is in charge of these negotiations, 
but you should be aware that there are always budgetary limits 
on the money available for pay, which narrows down the com-
pany’s degree of flexibility.

For low-skilled jobs work trials are frequently used. Especially 
for hotel and cleaning jobs these one-day work trials are very 
common. If you refuse to do a work trial, you can be sure that 
you will not be hired for the job. Work trials must be paid. Only 
if the employer asks you to do a work trial without pay can you 
refuse. Assessments, although they are tests, may take one or 
two days, but you will not be paid for them.

176

At  the  start  of  any  contract  there  is  a  probationary  period, 
which is often used as a test period. There is no minimum time 
for a test period but it may take three months at the most. You 
can resign or be fired immediately during this probationary pe-
riod as long as contractual times of leave are respected.

Except  for  some  public  employment  services,  there  is  no 
compensation  for  costs  incurred  during  the  application  
procedure.

The  results  of  the  interview  are  communicated  by  phone,  
letter or e-mail. Only when you have written confirmation from 
your  future  employer  can  you  consider  the  procedure  to  be 
concluded.

4. 

Do you need references?

Never mention any references or letters of recommendation in 
your covering letter or curriculum vitae. However, if the inter-
viewer asks you for names of persons who can act as referees 
you must be able to give their names. Letters of recommenda-
tion are very rarely used. An employee might ask you for these 
letters when you apply for a job as a domestic employee, but 
that  is  by  no  means  certain. The  employer  will  use  the  infor-
mation  you  gave  about  referees  to  contact  them  and  verify 
if they really know you. If, at the end of the recruitment proc-
ess, you are not hired for the job, the employer will return this  
information to you.

Former  employers,  former  superiors  or  colleagues  can  all  be 
referees for your new job. The reference is expected to give ac-
curate  information  about  you  and  not  only  praise  you  for  all 
you  have  done,  because  that  might  look  suspicious  to  your 
new employer. The results will be most favourable if your refer-
ences can support their testimonial by facts and good practice. 
Only name references you are professionally linked to. Never 
ask friends to act as a referee.

177

Before  you  can  start  the  job,  you  will  need  a  copy  of  your  
highest  qualification,  i.e.  diploma. You  often  have  to  include 
a  copy  of  this  in  your  covering  letter,  especially  when  this  is 
specified  in  the  description  of  the  vacancy. When  you  apply 
spontaneously for a job, never include a copy of your diploma 
in your covering letter. Hand it over at your first meeting at the 
company.

For  certain  professions  you  need  proof  of  good  conduct.  For 
jobs  as  a  policeman  or  security  guard  it  is  common  to  ask 
for  this  proof  and  it  is  often  already  mentioned  in  the  job  
announcement.

5. 

Making a good impression

•	

•	

•	

To make a good impression you have to remember the following:
Be punctual. If possible make sure you arrive a little in 
advance of the interview. You can expect the employer 
to be on time as well.
Always confirm your attendance for interview by phone. 
Only in exceptional cases can you arrange for a different 
time. If you have to delay the meeting for good reason, 
try to reschedule the meeting within two or three days.
The dress code for an interview depends on the sector 
and the job. Find out in advance so that you can adopt 
the  dress  code  expected  for  the  interview.  Make  sure 
you are not overdressed when you go to the interview. 
Flashy  clothes  and  jewellery  are  only  allowed  for  very 
particular  jobs  such  as  saleswoman  for  jewellery  or 
luxury products.
The  employer  does  not  expect  you  to  follow  up  the 
interview or the results of the tests, but you can always 
say that you would like to have follow-up and see how 
the employer reacts.

•	

178

slovenia

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Slovene
Parliamentary republic
20 273 km²
Ljubljana
EUR
EU
+ 386
.si

1. 

Popular application procedures in Slovenia

Employers  are  obliged  by  law  to  notify  all  job  vacancies  to 
the  Employment  Service  of  Slovenia.  Most  employers  use 
e-services  —  they  notify  the  job  vacancy  online  to  the  Em-
ployment Service of Slovenia (ESS). Employers can also notify 
their vacancies in writing, which they then send to the ESS. In 
the notification procedures employers are asked (this is one 
of the questions on the vacancy form) if they wish to recruit 
international  workers  from  EU/EEA  countries  or  from  third 
countries.  Notified  job  vacancies  are  published  on  the  Em-
ployment  Service  of  Slovenia’s  notice  boards.  Vacancies  for 
which the employer requests publication in the mass media 
are published nationally on the ESS website, the EURES portal 
and other media.

179

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jobseekers  can  register  in  an  Employment  Service  CV  data-
base,  which  enables  employers  to  get  in  touch  with  suitable 
candidates. 

Many  Slovenian  employers  also  advertise  their  job  vacancies  in 
daily or regional newspapers and on the radio, Internet, etc. Most 
job vacancies are published in regular weekly columns and sup-
plements to the major Slovenian newspapers. Many companies 
also look for new employees via their own websites and on the 
portals of agencies which, on the basis of a concessional contract, 
find work and provide manpower, including occasional and tem-
porary work for secondary school and university students. 

Candidates can send their applications directly to the employer 
by e-mail, fax or regular mail. Copies of educational certificates 
and qualifications usually need to be enclosed, and employers 
require references to be offered.

The employer chooses the most suitable candidates from among 
the applications, and these are then invited for interview. If the 
applicant’s residence is a long way from the employer’s, the em-
ployer can conduct an interview by phone. The employer also 
talks  about  the  content  of  an  employment  contract  with  suit-
able candidates. The employment contract could also be sent to 
the potential worker for review by e-mail or fax. After that they 
can arrange for the candidate to come to Slovenia.

Before starting the job, the person selected must pass a medi-
cal examination. Then the employer and the worker both con-
firm the employment contract and the employer must register 
the worker in the social security scheme within eight days from 
the new employee starting the job.

A covering letter and CV are normally used to apply for a job 
in Slovenia. In general a letter of application should stimulate 
enough interest to make the potential employer want to look 
at your application in more detail and hopefully invite you for 
an interview. The covering letter, however, should not provide 
too  much  information  about  experience  and  qualifications; 
this will be provided in the CV.

180

Employers usually prefer applications to be sent directly to them. 
They then check them and try to contact the persons shortlisted, 
who are invited for interview by e-mail, by phone or by regular mail. 
In some cases a meeting between employer and workers may be 
organised at the Employment Service, especially if the employers 
are Slovenian or cross-border applicants (Italian or Austrian).

Interviews are a standard element of the selection procedure for 
jobs at all skill levels in Slovenia. During the interview the recruit-
er will focus most on experience, motivation and interpersonal 
social skills. A recruiter wants to have a complete picture of the 
person they are going to select, therefore psychological, intel-
ligence, aptitude and psychometric tests are widely used, espe-
cially for jobs requiring a high level of education.

The time between publishing the vacancy and when you actu-
ally  start  the  job  depends  on  the  employer  and  the  applica-
tion deadline. It could be from two weeks (at national level), as 
there are at least five days between the published date of the 
vacancy and the application deadline, to six weeks or more at 
international  level,  when  the  application  deadline  is  30  days 
or more. Ideally, the contents of the application mirror the re-
quirements of the job position. The first contact is usually made 
by phone, by e-mail, regular mail or fax.

What the CV should include depends very much on what the 
job entails, but the following lists some of the essentials: 

•	

•	

A CV or curriculum vitae is an essential marketing tool. 
With  your  CV  you  will  be  able  to  promote  yourself. 
When writing a CV, look at it from your employer’s point 
of view. Would you stand out from the competition (the 
other candidates) and would the manager want to talk 
to you for a possible job? You have to ask yourself these 
questions when writing your CV.
Networking  and  interviewing  are  essential  for  your 
job  search,  and  your  CV  is  only  the  first  step  in  this. 
However,  a  CV  will  be  your  first  contact  with  potential 
employers and will open the door. If you are invited for 
an  interview,  you  will  be  in  a  position  to  explain  and 
expand on the contents of your CV. 

181

•	

Your  curriculum  vitae  should  be  brief,  concise  and 
clearly laid out, presenting the essential facts. It should 
preferably  consist  of  no  more  than  two  (or  even  bet-
ter,  one)  A4  sheet(s).  Previous  periods  of  employment 
should be arranged chronologically. This also applies to 
the section which covers your education and training.

If  you  wish  to  apply  for  a  job  vacancy,  you  normally  write  a 
covering  letter.  It  should  be  concise,  easy  to  read,  clear  and  
structured (introduction, body,  conclusion). It  should contain 
the following information: 

•	

•	

•	

•	

At the top of the letter: your contact details (full name, 
date  of  birth,  telephone  number  and  e-mail  address), 
name and address of employer, date;
In the introduction: salutation and introduction, the job 
you are applying for, where you saw the advertisement, 
why you are suitable for the job, what you can offer the 
employer;
In  the  body  of  the  letter:  education,  knowledge  of 
languages, employment experience, particular areas of 
competence, career information. Copies of educational 
certificates and qualifications need to be enclosed and 
the names of referees;
In  the  conclusion:  valediction,  signature  and  list  of 
attachments. 

At the end of the letter, it is common to say that the candidate 
would like to be invited for an interview.

An  application  is  usually  written  in  Slovene,  but  for  workers 
from  other  countries,  it  may  also  be  written  in  another  lan-
guage,  most  frequently  English,  German  or  Italian,  especially 
for cross-border positions. 

The Europass curriculum vitae has been increasingly used, and 
especially  if  you  apply  to  the  Slovenian  job  vacancies  from 
abroad,  the  Europass  curriculum  vitae  is  the  most  common 
way of applying. 

Employers  in  Slovenia  very  rarely  request  a  handwritten  
application. If the employer asks for a handwritten application, 

182

it should be written clearly and concisely and should contain 
all the above mentioned components. The application should 
be brief, direct and professional. 

Points to note in telephone contacts:

•	

•	

•	

•	
•	

Clarify the reason for the call to the contact person on 
the employer’s side.
Prepare  questions  which  you  would  like  to  ask  the 
employer.
Be prepared to answer the employer’s questions about 
yourself — about your professional experience, abilities, 
knowledge and skills. 
Be friendly and relaxed during the telephone conversation. 
It is necessary to add your own message. Listen carefully 
to comments the contact person makes. Write down a 
short summary of the conversation and end the conver-
sation with optimistic and stimulating words. 

Applying spontaneously:
If you know exactly what you would like to do, if you have spe-
cific knowledge and competence which can be used in a par-
ticular company or if there is a surplus of people in your profes-
sion, with the result that not many vacancies for your profile 
are published, it is advisable not to wait for the publication of a 
job vacancy, but to send a so-called spontaneous application.
Send this application to companies that you are interested in 
and where you would like to work. 

As  writing  a  spontaneous  application  is  hard,  here  are  a  few 
suggestions:

•	

•	

‘I have been a customer of yours for a  long time and  I 
think I know your field of work very well. That is why I 
would like to be employed in your company’.
‘Perhaps  in  the  near  future  you  will  need  a  new  
colleague with the experience and abilities that I have. 
Please allow me to introduce myself’.

Then you continue by introducing yourself, listing your profes-
sional  training,  employment  experience,  skills,  achievements, 
knowledge  of  foreign  languages.  You  must  explain  to  the  
company why you believe you could be useful to them.

183

Spontaneous  applications  are  concluded  in  the  same  way  as 
regular applications: ‘I would be grateful for an opportunity to 
discuss this at an interview’.

According  to  Slovenian  Employment  law  employers  are  not 
obliged to respond to spontaneous applications. 

For general preparation the applicant should:

•	

•	

•	

•	
•	

•	

•	

Prepare a list of their achievements — university, work, 
social or home.
Have  an  understanding  of  what  an  employer  does,  as 
they will be expected to know this in significant detail.
Speak  about  competence  and  practical  experience 
gained through work elsewhere to convince the employ-
er that the applicant has developed the relevant skills.
Identify a realistic working ambition.
Have  the  ability  to  communicate  the  abovementioned 
ideas clearly and effectively.
Identify key developments, as this information will form 
a  large  part  of  the  final  interview,  so  that  applicants 
should have detailed and well-structured opinions.
In  some  cases,  they  must  prove  the  right  to  live  and 
work without restriction in Slovenia. 

Candidates should prepare for questions about their medium- 
and long-term career aims. Having a clear plan about your own 
self-development is the key. Some Slovenian recruiters expect 
you to say what your pay expectations are. Expect two inter-
views in a Slovenian application procedure.

Copies of certificates proving completion of education, certifi-
cates obtained, courses and seminars must be attached to the 
application, if this is included as an obligatory condition in the 
advertisement. For some professions and some kinds of activi-
ties original confirmations, certified by a notary, are required. If 
the advertisement does not specify this, they can be enclosed 
voluntarily. It is also possible to write that documents will be 
forwarded  later  if  necessary.  If  the  candidates  are  invited  to 
the interview, it is advisable to bring the  original documents 
to  the  interview.  Proof  of  linguistic  competence,  computer 

184

skills,  documents  about  job  experience  and  achievements  in 
any  competitions  you  took  part  in  are  important.  References 
are expected. 

Online  applications  are  becoming  more  common,  but  do 
not expect all Slovenian employers to use them. Job agen-
cies and some employers who publish their vacancies online 
provide  the  opportunity  to  complete  the  job  application 
form online. The Employment Service of Slovenia (ESS) web-
site  also  gives  jobseekers  the  opportunity  to  put  their  CV 
online  and  let  employers  know  about  their  availability  for 
work. If there are several suitable candidates, the employer 
chooses the most qualified one. The CVs of other candidates 
may  be  saved  in  the  employer’s  database  for  subsequent 
vacancies. They  may,  therefore,  be  contacted  again  by  the 
employer.

Before  starting  the  job,  an  employment  contract  in  written 
form is concluded with the employer. Employment contracts 
can be signed for a permanent or temporary period of time. 
Employers  are  obliged  to  have  their  workers  enrolled  in  an 
obligatory pension, invalidity, health and unemployment in-
surance scheme within eight days of the starting date of the 
job. They are also required to deliver a photocopy of registra-
tion to the employee within 15 days of commencing work.

The minimum deadline for the application on national level is 
five days from the advertised date of the vacancy. If employ-
ers need workers from other EU/EEU Member States, the time 
period for applications is usually 30 days.

Employers will use application forms as a first-stage filter, in 
order to draw up a shortlist of interviewees. Write a new ap-
plication  form  for  every  company;  do  not  use  a  photocopy, 
because  each  company  has  different  specific  demands  for 
particular jobs. The application procedure may consist of sev-
eral tests, followed by an interview. Employment legislation 
states that the employer should send an answer to all appli-
cants  within  eight  days  following  the  selection  of  the  most 
suitable candidate, but in practice this is not always done.

185

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

Punctuality  is  important,  come  to  the  interview  on  time  or 
approximately five to 10 minutes  earlier.  Dress appropriately, 
the jobseeker’s outfit should be selected according to the post 
that  they  are  applying  for.  Communication  during  the  inter-
view should be positive and friendly. You are expected to bring 
along the original documents of the copies sent in the appli-
cation.  It  is  always  appreciated  if  the  candidate  shows  some 
knowledge about the company during the interview.

In  larger  companies,  the  human  resources  department  man-
ager usually conducts the interviews, together with the head 
of  the  department  where  the  employee  will  work.  In  smaller 
companies, the owner usually interviews the candidates. When 
the  employer  recruits  candidates  through  an  employment 
agency, a specialist from this agency conducts the interview in 
the earlier stages of the recruitment process. Tests are usually 
taken  in  groups  and  are  handled  by  a  psychologist  and  pos-
sibly some other specialist from the human resources depart-
ment. Interviews are usually individual. When there is a group 
of candidates, a group meeting may be held initially to present 
the  company  and  the  posts.  Afterwards,  individual  meetings 
are conducted with each candidate. Usually only one interview 
is enough for the employer to decide about the candidate, but 
one  or  two  additional  interviews  may  be  required  to  select 
the right candidate in some cases. The interview usually takes 
about 15 minutes. It can vary from 15 to 30 minutes. 

Verbal communication:

•	
•	
•	
•	

•	

greet the interviewers when entering the room;
introduce yourself;
try to remember the interviewers’ names;
listen  very  carefully  to  the  questions  and  think  about 
the answers;
it  is  not  good  to  talk  about  personal  problems  (family 
problems, financial situation, etc);

186

•	

•	
•	
•	

avoid words expressing insecurity, such as: maybe, I am 
not sure, I will think about it, etc.;
talk about good experience at the workplace;
show interest in the post and the company;
never talk negatively about former employers.

Non-verbal communication: 

•	
•	

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

•	
•	

it is important to be calm and stable; 
firm  handshake  (not  too  firm)  with  the  interviewers 
when they initiate it; 
make eye contact without staring; 
have a friendly and positive facial expression; 
sit when and where you are asked to; 
observe the interviewer’s body language; 
do  not  drink  or  smoke  even  if  this  is  offered  (you  can 
accept a non-alcoholic drink); 
chewing gum is not acceptable during the interview. 
sunglasses should not be worn during the interview.

During  the  individual  interview  the  introduction  is  the  first 
step. It is followed by a short presentation of the company and 
the post (if no group presentation was held before). After that 
the  employer  can  interview  the  candidate  for  any  further  in-
formation or clarification of the information stated in the ap-
plication documents. This is the stage where the candidate can 
show the original versions of the documents, which were sent 
as copies when applying for the job. At the end of this part the 
jobseeker can ask questions, if they have any. To end the inter-
view, the interviewer usually informs the candidate about how 
the recruitment process will continue. 

Interviews are usually held in a businesslike atmosphere. The 
employer can ask all of these questions and usually does. The 
whole interview is supposed to be held in a professional atmos-
phere and with a professional attitude from both parties. The 
candidate only has to answer those questions that are relevant 
for the job qualification. The applicant has to know all the basic 
information  about  the  company,  especially  its  main  business 
activity. It is highly advisable for applicants to visit the Internet 
site of the company before going to the job interview.

187

Most commonly asked questions: 

•	
•	
•	
•	

Have you had any similar job experience?
Describe your educational qualifications.
What was your previous job?
What do you know about our company?

Tricky questions:

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Tell me about yourself.
Why should we choose you among all the candidates?
Why are you the right person for us?
Describe your weak point(s).
Describe your strong point(s).
Did you choose the right job for yourself?
Why do you want to change your job?
Do you have any questions for us?

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

An  employer  offers  you  a  job  (a  contract)  and  you  can  ne-
gotiate your working conditions. Your position as a negotia-
tor  is  better  if  there  is  a  shortage  of  people  with  your  oc-
cupation in the labour market or if you have some specific 
skills. Although companies have their own systematisation 
of  functions,  you  can  also  negotiate  the  pay  for  certain 
positions.  There  is  an  unwritten  rule  that  during  the  job 
interview  it  is  the  employer  who  should  bring  up  the  sub-
ject  of  pay  first,  not  the  jobseeker. Then  you  can  tell  them 
the  pay  range  (minimum  and  maximum)  that  would  be  
suitable for you. 

Remuneration for work carried out on the basis of the em-
ployment contract is composed of the actual pay, and possi-
bly other types of remuneration, if they are laid down in the 
collective agreement. Pay consists of the basic wage or sal-
ary, part of the wage or salary for job performance and extra 
pay. Pay is expressed as a monthly rate. Holiday pay and an-
nual bonuses are included in the remuneration listed.

188

The  candidate  should  check  the  address  and  the  location  of 
the employer before the interview. It is very important to come 
on time. If you are late, the employer will get a very bad impres-
sion of you. Most employers are not willing to employ a candi-
date who is late for the appointment. So you have to take into 
account some unexpected delays. On the other hand, do not 
arrive more than 5–10 minutes early. This is enough time to col-
lect your thoughts and get a basic impression of the company. 

You do not have to confirm attendance for interview unless 
this  is  stated  on  the  invitation.  If  you  cannot  come  on  the 
date  or  at  the  time  indicated  in  the  invitation,  you  can  call 
and apologise. They will give you a new appointment. It is not 
good to change the appointment more than once.

Most interviews in Slovenia are face to face. Some employers 
can also select potential employees by using new communica-
tion technologies.

4. 

Do you need references?

References can be written by your former employer, a univer-
sity professor or lecturer, or tutor from your vocational training 
course. Your relatives cannot be referees. Referees are expect-
ed to write a letter of recommendation or give their contacts, 
so that potential employers can call them and ask them what 
their impression of you is.

When  applying  for  a  job  in  Slovenia,  you  need  to  submit  a  CV. 
Copies  of  educational  certificates  and  qualifications  need  to  be 
enclosed, and references are required. Letters of recommendation 
are not obligatory, but they are welcome and can be very helpful.

When  proof  of  good  conduct  is  needed  for  a  job,  it  is  men-
tioned  in  the  description  of  the  vacancy.  Usually  jobs  in  the 
government,  public  administration,  police  force  and  army  or 
security services require proof of good conduct.

189

5. 

Making a good impression:

When you dress for interview, make sure your clothes are busi-
nesslike (the proper dress code for the type of job you are look-
ing for), because the first impression is very important. Moreo-
ver, it is very important that your clothes are neat and clean. 
Your shoes must be in good condition and your hair should be 
neatly  styled.  Make-up  and  jewellery  should  be  unobtrusive. 
Remember that dressing nicely and appropriately is a compli-
ment to the person(s) you meet.

Employers usually say that they will contact candidates and in-
form them about their decision. After the interview you should 
make  notes  right  away,  so  that  you  do  not  forget  the  critical 
details. They will help you to evaluate the interview and to im-
prove your communication skills. 

You can send a thank you letter to the interviewer. The letter 
should be short but it has to reiterate your interest in the posi-
tion and your confidence in your qualifications. If the employer 
said in the interview that he/she would decide within a week, 
you can call them after one week, not sooner. It is not common 
for the candidate to meet the employer for an evaluation. 

Be original and honest. You should not interrupt the interview-
er when he/she is speaking. Do not be late for the interview. 
You should switch off your mobile phone before the interview. 
You  should  never  say  things  about  yourself  that  are  not  true 
(skills, qualifications, experience) and you should never say bad 
things about your former employers.

190

slovakia

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Slovak
Parliamentary republic
49 035 km²
Bratislava
EUR
EU
+ 421
.sk

1. 

Popular application procedures in Slovakia

A  jobseeker  submits  the  application  for  a  job,  then  he/she  is 
invited  to  the  interview  by  the  employer  and  after  the  inter-
view the employer tells the candidate whether they have been 
given  the  job  or  not.  The  duration  of  the  procedure  differs  
according to the employer’s needs. The minimum duration is 
two weeks, but it may also take a month and sometimes more.

The first contact is made according to the instructions given by 
the  employer  in  the  vacancy  advertisement.  Follow  the  rules 
of the employer.

Do  not  send  the  same  application  to  several  employers. 
Address  each  employer  individually.  The  content  of  an  

191

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
application sent by e-mail is the same as that of a handwrit-
ten application. An application written on the PC is common, 
explaining why the jobseeker would like to work in that com-
pany,  with  an  attached  CV,  possibly  a  photo  and  a  copy  of 
your  diploma.  During  your  contacts  with  the  employer  you 
should be pleasant and friendly.

If the job is a specialist position, knowledge of that specialisa-
tion is expected. In that case you may be asked to take a skills 
test. If a specialist position is not involved, you are expected 
to demonstrate a willingness to work.

The end of the application procedure is when you start work 
or receive notification of rejection. In some cases the employ-
er can tell you directly at the interview, but in most cases he/
she will send you a letter with the results of the application 
procedure. 

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

The  first  impression  of  a  jobseeker  is  important,  including  the 
jobseeker’s appearance. The employer has to find out if the job-
seeker is really interested in getting a job and if he/she has pro-
fessional skills and knowledge.

In most cases, employers start by introducing their company 
and what they expect from the new employee. They will then 
ask applicants to set out their reasons for wanting the job and 
to describe their knowledge and skills. The employer can also 
ask applicants to take a test or fill out some forms. At the end 
of the interview the employer can then give candidates the 
opportunity to ask questions. The atmosphere is very formal, 
it is not very relaxed. You should remember that the style is 
formal and take care with your choice of words. The majority 
of the interview time is given over to job-related aspects. The 
employer is not very interested in personal aspects. The maxi-
mum  proportion  is  80:20  %  (professional:non-professional).  

192

It is good to have as much information as possible, because 
that  is  how  the  employer  can  see  that  the  candidate  is  
interested in that position. It is advisable to know at least the 
company’s activities.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

The jobseeker does not have much leeway in negotiating the 
contract as it is provided in advance by the employer and in 
most cases a jobseeker can only agree or disagree. Sometimes 
you can negotiate on pay. The most common non-statutory 
benefits are for example accommodation, company car and 
mobile phone. 

Sometimes you can be asked for a one-day work trial. As it is 
not legal, it is possible to refuse it, but this may be a reason for 
the employer not to accept the jobseeker. It can be taken as a 
demonstration of unwillingness to cooperate. 

4. 

Do you need references?

Sometimes  you  do.  Employers  may  take  this  into  account 
when they are making their decision. References are mainly 
obtained  from  previous  employers.  References  should  con-
firm the period of work, evaluate the work of a jobseeker and 
also recommend him/her to another employer. Copies of any 
diplomas  are  needed.  Sometimes  these  must  be  enclosed 
in the application, sometimes it is enough to bring them to 
the interview. Note that teachers and people who work with 
weapons  or  with  dangerous  substances,  for  example,  need 
proof of good conduct.

193

5. 

Making a good impression

It depends on the position the jobseeker is applying for. You al-
ways need to be tidy, clean, neatly dressed. If the job is a white-
collar position, it is necessary to wear a suit (men and women). 
Jewellery  is  acceptable,  but  it  should  not  be  overdone  and 
should be restricted to a few items. 

194

finlanD

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Finnish, Swedish
Presidential republic
338 145 km²
Helsinki
EUR
EU
+ 358
.fi / .ax

1. 

Popular application procedures in Finland

The most common steps are usually 
(i) posting a job application on the labour administration’s web 
page, on a private jobsite or in a newspaper (employer); 
(ii) applying for the vacant position (employee);
(iii)  shortlisting  three  to  10  best  candidates  for  the  interview 
(employer);
(iv) choosing the best candidate for the vacancy and sending a 
letter/e-mail to all applicants informing them of the results of 
the process (employer).
During the application procedure both the jobseeker and the 
employer have to keep to the deadlines. 

195

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After  receiving  the  applications,  the  employer  invites  the 
most  appropriate  candidates  for  the  interview,  normally 
within  one  or  two  weeks  after  the  deadline. The  employer 
suggests  a  date  for  the  interview  which  you  need  to  agree 
on.  After  interviewing  the  three  to  10  best  applicants,  the 
employer may be ready to make their decision. If not, more 
interviews or aptitude tests will be carried out. When the em-
ployer has made his/her decision, they usually send a letter 
to all the applicants informing them of the result. 

The  time  taken  between  publishing  a  vacancy  and  starting 
the  job  depends  a  great  deal  on  the  employer  and  the  job. 
In  international  recruitments  you  have  to  be  prepared  for  a 
longer time between the date when the vacancy is published 
and the day you can start work. 

Make  sure  that  you  fill  in  the  application  carefully;  if  it  is 
not  complete,  it  might  not  be  taken  into  consideration. 
The employer is likely to receive hundreds of applications. 
Try to stand out positively from the rest. A covering letter 
should not take more than one page. Describe briefly in the 
letter why you would be the best candidate for the vacant 
position. Name one or two referees and give their contact 
information;  the  employer  may  be  interested  in  calling 
them to ask what kind of employee you are. Remember to 
sign the letter. 

Enclose  your  curriculum  vitae  (CV)  in  your  application.  Re-
member to update your CV. In the CV you should list your ex-
perience etc. in reverse chronological order, i.e. first mention 
your most recent job and education/training, and put the old-
est information at the end. The length of the CV should not 
exceed two A4 sheets. Attach your photograph, especially if 
you are looking for work in the service sector.

If  you  intend  to  apply  by  phone,  prepare  your  call  before-
hand. Think carefully why you are applying for the position in 
question, why you should be chosen for the job and visit the 
company’s  homepage  to  find  out  more  about  its  activities. 
Speak clearly and try to be relaxed. 

196

Before  contacting  the  company  directly  to  apply  spontane-
ously, you should look at its homepage to find out what kind 
of  career  opportunities  you  might  have  there  and  how  the 
employer in question usually hires new employees. If the em-
ployer  has  an  electronic  application  form  for  spontaneous 
applications,  you  should  use  it.  If  not,  you  can  contact  the 
employer by e-mail or phone. If you make the first contact by 
e-mail, you should call the company after approximately one 
week  and  ask  whether  the  people  in  charge  of  recruitment 
have received your application and had time to consider it. 

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

The employer expects you to send all the documents mentioned 
in the job application. Incomplete applications will usually not 
be  considered.  Some  employers  expect  applicants  to  contact 
them by phone or e-mail before sending the application to ask 
for further details. They see the contact as an expression of inter-
est. However, other employers do not have time to answer calls 
or e-mails and do not expect the jobseekers to make contact. 

Enclose copies of your relevant school and work certificates in 
the application if requested. Bring your original certificates to 
the job interview. 

Study the job application carefully; it may tell you how the ap-
plication  process  is  being  conducted.  If  not,  you  are  usually 
informed about the follow-up in the interview. If you are not 
asked for an interview, you can contact the employer approxi-
mately two weeks after the job application has expired. 

In general, there may be dozens, even hundreds of applicants, 
for each vacant position. Thus, employers do not have time to 
contact the applicants frequently and they do not like it if candi-
dates keep calling them. In these cases you should wait for the 
employer  to  contact  you.  However,  some  vacancies  are  filled 
very quickly and are often offered to the first suitable candidate. 

197

In smaller companies, especially, there may not be enough staff 
to advertise the vacancies, handle the applications, organise the 
interviews, etc. Therefore, it is worth contacting the employer di-
rectly and applying for a post spontaneously. 

Before the interview, make sure that you know something about 
the employer by visiting the company’s website, for instance. If 
possible,  prepare  some  questions  about  the  vacancy  and  the 
company beforehand — it shows that you are really interested 
in getting the job. Remind yourself why you are applying for this 
job and what your strengths are. Bring the most recent and rel-
evant work and school certificates and a CV with you.

The employer normally pays attention to your general appear-
ance  and  manners,  so  you  should  wear  clean,  conservative 
clothes and have good manners. The employer is in charge of 
the meeting and he/she will ask the questions. In order to have 
a more objective assessment of the candidates, it is normal that 
at least two persons from the company are present at interview. 
Normally you should set aside half an hour to one hour for the 
meeting. During the interview, stay calm and speak clearly. Set 
out what you have achieved, but try not to be over-confident. 
It is important that you show interest in the position by being 
active, listening carefully and asking for clarification if you do 
not understand what the employer means. Remember also to 
make eye contact. However, do not interrupt the interviewer. 
You can accept drinks (coffee) during the meeting, but you are 
not supposed to offer anything to the employer. Above all, be 
honest and do not criticise any former employers.

Punctuality  is  really  very  important;  you  are  expected  to  ar-
rive  on  time  for  the  meeting.  Usually,  the  interview  starts  by 
shaking  hands  with  everyone  present. This  is  followed  by  an 
introduction about the job and the company by the employer. 
First  impressions  are  important,  so  introduce  yourself  clearly 
and look everyone in the eye. Before the questions you are nor-
mally  expected  to  say  something  about  yourself  —  why  you 
applied for this job and why you think you should be chosen. 
At the end of the meeting you have the opportunity to ask any 
questions which were not answered.

198

In Finland the interview generally goes smoothly, in a relaxed 
atmosphere. However, do not be surprised about possible si-
lences, as the interviewers may be taking notes.

If you are asked to take a psychological or aptitude test, you 
can take it as a good sign, as it means that you are among the 
best  candidates.  You  cannot  really  prepare  for  the  tests;  the 
best thing is to get a good night’s sleep and to be honest to 
yourself. Do not try to pretend to be someone you are not.

It  is  important  for  the  employer  to  find  out  your  professional 
background  and  capabilities,  as  well  as  your  previous  profes-
sional  experience.  However,  the  employer  also  wants  to  know 
about  your  personality;  what  your  strengths  and  weaknesses 
are; how your previous employer would describe you as an em-
ployee. You will most likely also need to answer how you react to 
stress and deadlines or how you cope with difficult situations.

One of the first questions the employer asks is your motivation; 
why you are applying for this job and why you should be chosen. 
Be prepared to clearly explain your motivation for the job and 
make a list of your best professional and personal strengths.

Non-discrimination provisions to be complied with in working 
life are contained in the Non-Discrimination Act and in employ-
ment  and  public  sector  employment  legislation.  In  addition, 
provisions on gender equality are laid down in the Act on Equal-
ity between Men and Women (the ‘Equality Act’). Discrimination 
in job advertisements when selecting an employee or in the em-
ployment contract will be punished as discrimination at work. 
The  Non-Discrimination  Act  prohibits  discrimination  on  the 
grounds of age, ethnic or national origin, nationality, language, 
religious affiliation, political allegiance, state of health, disability, 
sexual orientation or other personal characteristics.

The applicant does not typically need to answer questions deal-
ing with his/her religious or political persuasion, illnesses, preg-
nancy, family planning or trade union activities. Employers can 
make precise enquires about health if good physical condition is 
vital in order to carry out the required duties of the job.

199

To  make  a  good  impression  at  the  job  interview,  you  should 
visit  the  company’s  webpage  before  the  interview  to  make 
sure you know the basic facts about the company.

The most common questions at interview are:

•	
•	
•	

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

•	

Describe yourself in a few sentences.
Why are you applying for this position?
Why do you consider yourself to be the best candidate 
for the position?
Name three of your strengths and weaknesses.
What expectations do you have of the job?
What do you know about the company and its products?
What is your current job?
What is your family situation?
How do you deal with pressure?
Do you like working in a team; can you work independ-
ently?
What are your plans for the future and how do you aim 
to achieve them?

Normally at the end of the interview the employer informs you 
about the procedure and tells you when you can expect to get 
the results/follow-up. If the employer does not contact you after 
one or two weeks, you can enquire about the results by phone or 
e-mail. If you are not selected, you can contact the employer and 
ask for feedback about your interview and application.

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

In Finland contracts are based on collective labour agreements. 
Almost every field has its own labour agreement. However, in 
many fields you can negotiate your salary. If there is no fixed 
salary for the position, the jobseeker is usually asked to indi-
cate their expectations in the job application. 

As mentioned above, if the pay is negotiable, it is mentioned 
in  the  job  application.  Pay  is  usually  expressed  in  hourly  or 

200

monthly terms. Holiday pay is based on the statutory require-
ment. In some fields or enterprises (especially in executive po-
sitions) you may negotiate annual bonuses. These bonuses are 
likely to be linked to your achievements at work.

Extra benefits which are very common in Finland are luncheon 
vouchers,  sports  vouchers  (entitling  you  to  use  many  sports 
facilities  at  a  reduced  price)  and  occupational  healthcare.  In 
some companies it is also quite common to be supplied with 
a leased car. Some of the advantages are negotiable. Consult 
your new superior, who can tell you the right person to negoti-
ate these extra benefits with.

At the start of the employment contract a probationary period 
may be agreed on. This period should not last more than four 
months. During this trial period, either party can terminate the 
employment contract without notice. If the employer arranges 
special work-related training for the employee, the trial period 
cannot last longer than six months. 

After the application procedure has been ended, all applicants 
are usually informed about the results by letter or e-mail. 

4. 

Do you need references?

Usually references are from your former employers, but if you 
are a student or graduate the referee can also be a teacher, 
e.g.  the  person  who  supervised  your  diploma  thesis.  Before 
adding the referees’ names and contact information to your 
application/CV, make sure that they are willing to recommend 
you. References are usually asked for. You should mention ei-
ther in your application or in your CV the names of a couple of 
referees the employer can contact. Some employers ask the 
applicants  to  enclose  copies  of  any  letters  of  recommenda-
tion in the application. Bring the letters of recommendation 
to the interview, as many employers are interested in study-
ing them closely. 

201

Enclose the copies of your diplomas in the job application only 
if stated in the job advertisement. Take your original diplomas 
to the interview, as the employer may want to scrutinise them. 

For some vacancies proof that you have no criminal record is 
required. If this is the case, it is usually mentioned in the job 
advertisement. The extract is needed, for example, from em-
ployees who will be working with under-aged persons (if the 
contract lasts at least three months) and from prison warders. 
Only those jobseekers that are accepted for the vacant posi-
tion need to provide this proof of good conduct. 

5. 

Making a good impression

Punctuality is the norm in Finland, both for the candidate and 
the  employer.  It  is  good  to  confirm  that  you  will  be  attend-
ing the interview; at the same time you can confirm the time 
and the place. If you want to have the job, you cannot be ab-
sent from the interview, unless you have fallen ill. Even in this 
case you must inform the employer as soon as possible. Most 
employers  prefer  face-to-face  interviews,  but  in  some  cases 
interviews can also be conducted by videoconferencing.

Dress  neatly  and  appropriately.  Normally  smart  casual  is 
enough.  However,  in  the  business  world  men  tend  to  wear 
a suit. Use simple jewellery in order to give a good, clean-cut  
appearance.

202

sweDen

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

Swedish
Constitutional monarchy
449 964 km²
Stockholm
Swedish krona (SEK)
EU
+ 46
.se

1. 

Popular application procedures in Sweden

Looking for interesting employers and vacancies published 
on  their  websites  is  a  common  way  of  finding  jobs. This  is 
especially  the  procedure  in  the  IT  and  financial  sector  and 
other  qualified  areas. The  more  unskilled  the  jobs  are,  the 
more  the  PES  is  involved  when  looking  for  a  job.  The  PES 
cooperates  closely  with  the  recruitment  agencies  in  Swe-
den, which leads to a huge number of vacancies on the PES 
website:  www.arbetsformedlingen.se.  This  website  is  the 
larwgest one for advertising vacancies in Sweden.

Gather more information about the employer, usually by look-
ing  on  the  company’s  website.  It  is  common  to  get  in  touch 
with  the  contact  person  for  more  information  about  the  job. 

203

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For information about salaries it is usual in Sweden to contact 
the representative of the trade union. 

Send the application to the company by e-mail or regular mail. 
Read the instructions in the advertisement. In some cases you 
must use a special e-form to be filled in directly on the screen.

It can take from one week to several weeks between the pub-
lication  of  the  vacancy  and  starting  the  job.  In  some  sectors, 
such as the service and the hotel/restaurant sector, the proce-
dure is much shorter.

It is important to read the advertisement carefully and follow 
the directions. It is very common in Sweden to send electronic 
applications. Computers are available in all public employment 
services and libraries, and there are a lot of Internet cafés.

For all written applications it is important to relate the informa-
tion to the job you are applying for. Write short, dynamic ap-
plications, well adapted to the requirements in the advertise-
ment. Handwritten applications are not used in Sweden. Try to 
make  them  short  and  relevant,  as  a  rule:  covering  letter,  one 
page and CV, one to two pages — in total, two to three pages.

Of course you need to be polite during telephone contacts, but 
attitudes generally are fairly informal. Sweden is not a country 
where you use titles in conversation. It has also become more 
and more common to apply for jobs spontaneously. 

The application should be brief, neat and informative. It is not 
common  to  attach  documents  with  the  application.  They  are 
given upon request. The applicant must be prepared to call the 
employer to check if the employer has received the application.

204

2. 

How to prepare for the interview

It is always the employer who is in charge of the interview. One 
or two persons and often a representative from the trade union 
take part in the interview. A meeting normally takes about one 
and a half hours. You may be asked to come back for a second in-
terview. Your body language is important so that employers can 
see how you handle a situation. It is also important to see how 
well  the  applicant  corresponds  to  the  qualifications  required, 
not only formally. Usually you are free to accept a cup of coffee.

During the first interview you can ask what an ordinary work-
ing day is like, when you will be informed as to whether you 
have been offered the job, when the job starts, if there is any 
introductory programme, etc. 

Usually you are asked to start the interview by introducing yourself 
(be brief), tell the employer why you have applied for the job and 
what you know about the company. Be relaxed but attentive.

The ratio of non-professional to professional items during the 
interview depends on the type of job you are applying for and 
on how qualified the job is. Often the interview is divided into 
two different parts with a different focus in each part.

There are anti-discrimination laws (on gender, religion, ethnic-
ity, disability). You decide yourself if you want to answer these 
types of questions during an interview. Questions that are not 
relevant for the job (your age, whether you have any children, 
your origin) are private.

Questions commonly asked are: 

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Do you find it easy to learn new things? 
How do you react when someone is criticising you? 
Are you a problem-solver? 
How do you tackle a problem that arises? 
What are you proud of? 

205

•	

•	
•	
•	

Can  you  tell  me  something  really  good  that  you  have 
done? 
What do you expect to be doing in five years’ time? 
What do you think that a good colleague should be like? 
Can you tell me about any mistake you made and what 
you learnt from this situation? 
How would your friends describe you? 
How would your manager describe you? 
How do you function in a group? 
What are your strong and weak points? 
How do you handle stressful situations? 
Why should we employ you?
Tricky questions are those about salary.

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

The more qualified the job is, the more leeway there is in ne-
gotiating the salary. In Sweden, most employment conditions 
are  regulated  in  collective  agreements,  meaning  that  there 
is not so much room for individual negotiations, at least for 
less  qualified  jobs. You  can  negotiate  your  pay,  but  there  is 
little scope for negotiations on what the employer suggests. 
Pay on a monthly basis is the most common. Holiday pay is 
normally  included  in  the  pay  advertised.  For  management 
positions  there  may  be  scope  for  negotiating  non-statutory 
benefits. Those are mainly discussed with the staff from the 
HR department.

You may be asked to do a one-day work trial, but you have the 
right to be paid for this. 

The  application  procedure  is  finished  when  the  contract  is 
signed.

206

4. 

Do you need references?

A former employer is most often used as a reference. The ref-
erence supports your application and describes you and your 
ability to work.

If the employer requests a copy of your diploma, bring it along 
to the interview. 

Letters of recommendation are needed and can help you. For 
government jobs, jobs with children, proof of good conduct is 
required. If this is the case it will be stated in the ad or you will 
be informed by the employer.

5. 

Making a good impression

In Sweden you need to be on time when you come for inter-
view. If you are prevented from coming to the interview you 
must inform the employer as soon as you  can  and  ask  if it  is 
possible  to  make  a  new  appointment.  Distance  interviews 
(video conferencing, SKYPE, etc) are not very often used, but it 
is always possible to ask.

Do  not  dress  too  formally  for  most  jobs,  although  it  does  
depend of course on the type of job you are applying for. 

It is always possible to contact the employer after the interview 
and ask about the next step in the application process. If you 
did not get the job, you can always ask for the reason.

Do not talk about pay at the beginning of the application proce-
dure. You should wait until the employer brings up the subject.

207

uniteD kingDom

Official language 
Government 
Surface 
Capital 
Currency 
Member EU or EEA 
Phone code 
Internet code 

English
Constitutional monarchy
244 820 km²
London
Pound sterling
EU
+ 44
.uk

1. 

Popular application procedures in the UK

E-mail or telephone the named contact in the job advert; re-
quest an application form; complete and submit the application 
form by the deadline; receive an invitation to interview if your 
application form is successful; 30-40 minutes job interview; job 
offer or rejection letter sent after interviews completed.

Most people now receive an electronic version of the appli-
cation form, which they complete and return by e-mail. First 
contacts are in response to the job advertisement: either an 
e-mail or telephone call to request an application form. The 
rule is to follow the application instructions closely and not 
to use first contact as an opportunity to present oneself if this 
has  not  been  requested.  Make  sure  the  completed  version  

208

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
is saved and sent in a compatible file format. Include the ref-
erence  number(s)  provided  by  the  recruiter/employer.  Fol-
low the instructions carefully and keep to word count limits 
if  applicable.  Proof-read  the  form  carefully  and  print  a  copy 
to check formatting and presentation. If possible, spell-check 
the form using a UK rather than a US dictionary. Pay close at-
tention to grammar and sentence structure, which may have 
been overlooked by the spell-checker. Ask a friend or family 
member with good English to check the form for you. Written 
applications are best avoided if an electronic version is avail-
able. The main point is to complete your answers on separate 
sheets of paper and to only complete the form when you are 
satisfied with your final draft. The analysis of written applica-
tions by graphologists is very rare in the UK, therefore hand-
writing style is not important provided the form is legible and 
free from crossings out and mistakes. 

Only  make  telephone  contact  if  requested  to  do  so  by  the 
recruiter/employer.  Speak  slowly  and  clearly.  Keep  the  con-
tact brief and to the point. If you are making the call, avoid 
background noise and ensure you are calling at an appropri-
ate time (check time differences) and have a good signal (if 
calling on a mobile phone). Only do this after researching the 
company you are applying to and identifying that you have 
the skills and experience that the employer is looking for. 

Keep  the  covering  letter  brief  (one  side  of  A4  paper)  and 
factual. Say why you are writing in the first paragraph; give 
details of your suitable skills and experience in the second 
paragraph;  give  your  availability  for  interview  in  the  third 
paragraph  and  any  other  important  details  about  existing 
commitments;  finish  with  a  short  sentence  to  say  that  you 
are  looking  forward  to  their  reply.  The  selection  process 
takes one to two weeks. Interviews are arranged within two 
weeks  of  the  date  of  the  notification  letter  informing  the 
applicants  that  they  have  been  selected  for  interview. The 
selection and recruitment process takes about one month. 
The successful candidate can expect four to six weeks’ delay 
between  publication  of  the  vacancy  and  the  starting  date 
for the job.

209

2. 

How to prepare for the interview 

Recruiters expect applicants to follow application instructions 
carefully and to be available for interview at short notice. They 
will  expect  the  applicant  to  be  motivated  and  to  have  good 
enough English language skills to enable effective communi-
cation (with the exception of some low-skilled jobs, for exam-
ple fruit picking, where the interview may be conducted in the 
applicants’ native language, particularly if it takes place in their 
own  country).  Applicants  should  be  polite,  punctual,  smartly 
presented and capable of expressing themselves clearly.

Employers  and  recruiters  have  a  legal  requirement  to  check 
the  identity  of  every  applicant  before  they  are  offered  a  job. 
The  applicant  must  bring  their  original  passport  or  national 
identity card to the interview to prove that they are a European 
Economic Area (or Swiss) national or family member.

It is standard practice for employers and recruiters to confirm 
whether  or  not  an  application  has  been  successful. This  may 
be  communicated  by  e-mail  or  telephone,  but  is  most  often 
confirmed in writing within one to three weeks of the applica-
tion closure date.

The regulatory rules that apply to application procedures are 
covered by the laws against discrimination on the grounds of 
gender,  race,  disability,  sexual  orientation  or  age.  Applicants 
should  be  judged  on  merit  not  background  and  employers 
should  be  seen  to  offer  equal  opportunities  to  all. The  main 
(unwritten)  rules  for  applicants  are  to  be  businesslike,  polite, 
factual, well presented, motivated and on time. 

The employer will be looking for examples that demonstrate the 
applicant’s competencies to do the job. Punctuality, presentation 
and motivation are also important factors. The interview is usual-
ly chaired by the line manager for the vacant post or a represent-
ative  from  human  resources.  Interviews  are  usually  led  by  two 

210

to  three  panel  members.  Usually  only  one  round  of  interviews 
is carried out, sometimes with an accompanying test to gauge 
the applicant’s technical abilities and problem solving skills. The 
interview  is  usually  30–40  minutes  maximum.  Tests  are  20–30 
minutes maximum. The applicant’s presentation, posture and at-
tentiveness will not be scored but they will create an impression 
on  the  panel  members  and  are  therefore  important.  It  is  okay 
to smile but contact should remain businesslike. Each question 
should be answered as fully and clearly as possible. If a question 
is misunderstood, the applicant should ask for it to be repeated 
or clarified. Ultimately the applicant must be able to demonstrate 
his/her suitability for the job, so good communication skills are 
important. You can accept or ask for a drink of water, for instance, 
but do not offer anything, especially cigarettes as it is illegal to 
smoke indoors in public environments and workplaces. 

Applicants’ questions come at the end of an interview — you will 
be asked by the interviewee if you have any questions. You can ask 
any question related to the job if it is an important consideration 
but it is best to limit the number of questions and to avoid discuss-
ing pay. Do not try to think of a question if you have nothing to ask 
— you do not have to ask questions. The applicant will be seated 
directly opposite the panel members, who will be seated behind a 
desk, or the panel and applicant will sit around a table. The atmos-
phere  is  formal  but  friendly. The  candidate  should  be  attentive, 
responsive and positive about their application. They should try 
to relax and answer the questions confidently and as fully as pos-
sible. Because the emphasis is on competence and matching the 
job profile there is very little, if any, discussion of non-professional 
subjects. However, examples of voluntary work or charitable work 
can be mentioned. The motivation should be clear from the appli-
cation form or from answers given to the interviewees’ questions. 
Unless asked, you do not have to specifically say what motivated 
you to apply. You do not have to give details of your interests out-
side work unless you are using these as examples of your ability to 
do a task in reply to one of the questions.

Employers  cannot  discriminate  on  grounds  of  gender,  race, 
disability,  religion,  sexual  orientation  or  age. You  should  try 
to answer all the questions. You will only be asked questions 

211

related  to  your  ability  to  do  the  job.  Employers  and  recruit-
ers are responsible for ensuring that their questions are non-
discriminatory  and  will  not  ask  you  to  disclose  information 
about private matters unrelated to work. You may, however, 
have  to  disclose  information  about  any  previous  conviction 
for a criminal offence.

Applicants should research the company’s website and look 
in  particular  at  the  direction  the  company  is  taking  and  its 
future goals and objectives.

Common questions include asking the candidate to give ex-
amples of when he/she has been in a particular situation and 
how he/she has dealt with it. For instance:

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

•	

the tools or techniques you have used to plan a particular  
piece of work;
when you have had to manage a piece of work and the 
factors you took into account;
how  you  have  had  to  prioritise  your  work  to  meet  a 
particular deadline;
how you have had to overcome a difficult working rela-
tionship to achieve your objective;
when  you  have  encouraged  other  team  members  to 
come forward with ideas;
how  you  have  influenced  people  to  take  a  course  of 
action they did not wish to follow. 

You may be asked to give examples of a time when some-
thing  has  gone  wrong  and  what  you  did  to  put  it  right  or 
to  describe  your  weaknesses.  In  this  case,  show  that  you 
are  aware  of  how  to  deal  with  your  weakness,  for  exam-
ple: ‘I have a tendency to take on too much work but real-
ise the importance of prioritising my tasks and getting my 
team members to support me to make sure that deadlines  
are respected’. 

If  you  are  unsuccessful,  you  may  receive  feedback  on  your 
performance  at  interview  when  you  are  notified  in  writing. 
Otherwise  you  can  call  or  write  to  the  employer  to  request 
feedback on your interview.

212

3. 

Negotiate your benefits

It  is  unlikely  that  there  is  any  flexibility  with  the  employer’s 
terms and conditions unless stated in the vacancy advert. The 
best  attitude  is  to  place  trust  in  the  employer’s  offer  and  to 
only apply to jobs that offer satisfactory pay and working con-
ditions.  Contract  negotiations  mostly  apply  to  highly  skilled 
and highly paid jobs, where the salary has not been defined in 
the job vacancy. The applicant will need to justify his/her salary 
demands by demonstrating that they are in accordance with 
market rates and their skills and experience. You can ask for a 
pay rise after working for a company for a while, if your pay ap-
pears to be out of line with employees doing similar work. You 
will normally have an annual pay review in any case. Holiday 
pay  is  included  and  remuneration  is  usually  expressed  as  an 
annual gross salary. Trade jobs, e.g. carpenters and bricklayers, 
often show wages as hourly. The most common non-statutory 
benefits are: flexible working arrangements; private healthcare 
or healthcare insurance; subsidised  travel;  London weighting 
(extra pay if working in the capital compared to the national 
average); use of a company car; subsidised meals at an office 
canteen; subsidised membership of a gymnasium or club; pay 
bonuses.

The higher the pay, the more likely it is that you can negotiate 
your terms and conditions. The human resources manager ne-
gotiates remunerations and extra legal advantages. 

Work trials are not common, it is more likely that you will work 
for a trial period, after which your pay rises to the full rate. If 
you refuse you will probably not be offered the job. It is up to 
the individual to decide on the basis of how much they want 
the job. Travel to interview costs and costs for starting work are 
usually  paid  for  by  the  applicant.  The  application  procedure 
usually ends after the job interview. The employer will check 
your references then notify you in writing as to whether or not 
you have been successful. 

213

4. 

Do you need references?

References are supplied on the application form or should be 
listed on your CV. You can include letters of recommendation 
with your application if you are asked to provide them or any 
other relevant information. The employer will check the infor-
mation you have provided with your referee. It is best to use 
your most recent employer, but make sure he/she can respond 
in  English.  References  provide  the  means  for  checking  your 
identity and the information you have supplied with your ap-
plication. If it is stated in the job vacancy or person specifica-
tion then you should bring it to interview. 

Letters of recommendation are usually not needed but if pro-
vided in English they can be sent along with the application. If 
they add to your evidence of suitability for the job then they 
will help. Jobs in the security industry or when working with 
vulnerable people (children/elderly people) will require proof 
that you do not have previous criminal convictions.

5. 

Making a good impression

The appointment date and time will be set by the employer. 
You should notify them of any dates for which you are una-
vailable.  You  should  arrive  15–20  minutes  before  the  inter-
view. You should expect the employer to be punctual. Details 
should be in the invitation to interview letter. Normally you 
report to reception. You should inform the employer straight 
away  if  you  are  unavailable,  either  by  e-mail  or  telephone. 
Some  employers  may  arrange  pre-interviews  by  video  con-
ference but it is still very rare. The majority of interviews are 
face-to-face.  Business  dress  (a  suit)  is  recommended.  Men 
should wear a tie. Women should wear only modest amounts 
of make-up and jewellery.

214

215

A word of thanks

The idea of writing a manual on culture and etiquette in job appli-
cation procedures in all the countries of the European Economic 
Area originated as spin-off from the many initiatives that were tak-
en all over Europe in 2006 — the European Year of Mobility of Work-
ers. We attended or participated in several fairs and events that 
year. At these fairs and events, we were confronted with the fact 
that mobility is not only about finding appropriate job offers and 
proving that you have the right technical skills to qualify for a job. 
In order to be the right person in the right place there is more to it 
than just the core skills. Both employer and employee must also be 
able to work together, to achieve the same objectives and to work 
together. This ‘cohabitation’ can only succeed if both parties are 
familiar with each other’s way of thinking, behaviour and cultural  
background.

It was not possible to complete a manual like this on our own, 
either as individuals or in a work team like ours. We were only 
able  to  succeed  thanks  to  the  assistance  of  many  people  all 
over  Europe.  It  would  take  many  pages  to  name  everybody, 
and even if we did, we would no doubt forget someone. Nev-
ertheless we want to thank all of you who helped us one way 
or another. We are very much aware that we would not have 
achieved this without the help of each one of you.

Besides thanking all the individuals for their support we would 
also like to express our special thanks to the management of 
all the Belgian public employment services which enabled us 
to  carry  out  this  initiative  in  cooperation  between  different 
labour  market  services.  We  also  thank  the  Belgian  regional 
EURES managers, who gave their advisers the time and space 
to participate in this initiative and spend much more time on it 
than was initially expected or planned.

We  would  not  have  been  able  to  be  as  organised  as  we  were 
without the help of several job club leaders from public employ-
ment  services  all  over  the  country. They  were  kind  enough  to 
give us excellent advice on the subjects and the points to note in 
the questionnaire which we used as a basis for our survey. 

216

The network of EURES representatives all over Europe turned out 
to be a real added value when it came to labour market topics. 
Thanks to the willing cooperation of EURES managers and advis-
ers we received the answers to all our questions within a short 
period of time. These answers enabled us to write an overview of 
important cultural aspects that employers and jobseekers need 
to take into account when they start negotiating.

One of the most exceptional experiences for all of us was pro-
vided by Euresco when the organisation suggested publishing 
this  manual  to  celebrate  the  15th  anniversary  of  EURES.  It  is 
almost  impossible  to  describe  the  feeling  that  their  proposal 
gave  to  us. We  are  very  grateful  that  we  can  take  part  in  the 
initiatives to celebrate this anniversary all over Europe. Euresco 
made a big investment in the hard logistic work that had to be 
undertaken to prepare this manual for the reader. Thank you 
very much for that.

As one of the only personal acknowledgements, we would like 
to thank Katie Vermeir, translator at the VDAB, for all the hard 
work she did in editing the final English version of the manual. 
We do not know how we could have managed that in such lit-
tle time without her fantastic help.

Finally we wish to say how much we appreciate the support of 
our colleagues, friends and family. Their ongoing interest in the 
project when we were absorbed by it was often just what we 
needed to keep us going.

We  are  proud  of  the  final  result.  However,  it  is  not  our  pride 
that matters. If we can succeed in getting both employers and 
jobseekers to use this manual to learn more about each others’ 
background and culture, we feel that we have not only contrib-
uted to a labour market where the free movement of workers 
helps to solve recruitment problems and fill vacancies in areas 
of shortage, but that we have also encouraged more diversity 
in the HR strategy of many companies.

217

Editors

Gert De Buck — VDAB
Kyra Veldkamp — VDAB
Nicolas Dardenne — Le FOREM
Victoria Petrova — Actiris

Project manager:

Hans Maenhout — VDAB

218

 
European Commission

‘You will hear from us’ —
What you should know when applying for a job in another EEA country

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities

2009 — 218 pp. — 11 × 18 cm

ISBN 978-92-79-11643-8
doi 10.2767/2838

Free movement of people is one of the key tenants of the EU. This 
guide provides citizens with the most important information they 
need to know when applying and interviewing for a job in a dif-
ferent EEA country so they can take full advantage of their right 
to live and work abroad. In addition, this guide tells people about 
the  European  employment  service  EURES  and  the  assistance  it 
can provide during an international job search.

This  publication  is  available  in  printed  format  in  all  EU  official  
languages as well as in Icelandic and Norwegian.

How to obtain EU publications

Publications for sale:
•	
•	

via	EU	Bookshop	(http://bookshop.europa.eu);
from	your	bookseller	by	quoting	the	title,	publisher	and/or	ISBN	
number;
by	contacting	one	of	our	sales	agents	directly.	You	can	obtain	
their	 contact	 details	 on	 the	 Internet	 (http://bookshop.europa.
eu)	or	by	sending	a	fax	to	+352	2929-42758.

•	

Free	publications:
•	
•	

via	EU	Bookshop	(http://bookshop.europa.eu);
at	 the	 European	 Commission’s	 representations	 or	 delega-
tions.	 You	 can	 obtain	 their	 contact	 details	 on	 the	 Internet	 
(http://ec.europa.eu)	or	by	sending	a	fax	to	+352	2929-42758.

 Are you interested in the publications of the Directorate-General for Employment,Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities?If so, you can download them athttp://ec.europa.eu/social/publications or take out a free online subscription athttp://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/publications/register/index_en.htmESmail is the electronic newsletter from the  Directorate-General for Employment,  Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.You can subscribe to it online athttp://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/emplweb/news/esmail_en.cfmhttp://ec.europa.eu/social“You will hear 
from us...”

What you should know when applying
for a job in another EEA country

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ISBN 978-92-79-11643-8

European Commission