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Value Systems
Oxbridge or Sorbonne
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Jack Moss
Managing Director
Ondeo
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I've been passed over simply because my education is not recognised in the French framework. I remember our past president at one stage asking a head hunterin my presence: "Where do I find elite members from Britain?" Even though I come from a background which most people consider to be elite. So your history is very much taken into account.
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There was a very interesting survey done a few years ago where various nationalities in Europe were asked, "What are the most important factors in getting on in your profession?" All the continental European nationalities, without exception said "education". The British and the Americans said "hard work". There is a much greater importance given and respect given to education in continental Europe than in Anglo-Saxon countries. Having a qualification is much more important.
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John Mole
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Peter Terrell
Consulting Structural Engineer
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If they want something from you, what they will do in the first instance is criticise you, put you on the back foot so they have an advantage. They are always in attacking, and that is, I would say, something that once you are aware of it - there must a particular school they go to for this - but once you are aware of it you can obviously counter it. But it took me a long time I have to say.
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From an early age, British and French are taught to think differently, right from primary school. In Britain, we're taught right from primary school to think pragmatically and what's called inductively in that we start off with various facts and we try and build a hypothesis.
In France, they think dialectically. This means that the way they get to a conclusion or arrive at the truth is through a process of argument and counter-argument, what's called thesis and antithesis. So when a French person uses this technique of argument and counter-argument, we feel that it's aggressive, that it's attacking us. But it's not, it's the way they're trying to get to the truth.
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John Mole
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- You will establish closer relationships by gaining respect for your professional conduct and knowledge.
- It's paramount to learn the language, at least a bit, even if one isn't there for a very long time.
- 'Argumenter', to argue or discuss, is not a bad word in French.
- Try to familiarise yourself with the French way of discussing using argument and counter-argument.
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Being there index |
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Being there