would law firms ask you to switch languages in the middle of interview??

divaination

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  • Oct 31, 2022
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    i didnt say i was fluent but i put good/B2 italian and cantonese for the CC application, would they switch languages mid-interview to test my capability?
     

    sxw517

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  • Sep 20, 2021
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    i didnt say i was fluent but i put good/B2 italian and cantonese for the CC application, would they switch languages mid-interview to test my capability?
    I have had this worry in the past, having put working proficiency in French on a few applications (which I am), but obviously don't want to be answering interview questions in a language other than my mother tongue.

    And in the few interviews I have done for previous roles in finance and now in law, it has been mentioned once and that was only in the context of my year abroad. I feel that interviewers are conscious of interview nerves on our part and the last thing an applicant would want to do is probably switch language mid-interview!

    PS - so I wouldn't worry!
     
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    futuretrainee202X

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    Jan 28, 2022
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    i didnt say i was fluent but i put good/B2 italian and cantonese for the CC application, would they switch languages mid-interview to test my capability?
    If this was in the London office, I'd say unlikely as those skills aren't required for the job. If you were interviewing for the Hong Kong office, they will test your Chinese through a written test and bilingual/trilingual interview. But with the latter, I think you might know that already :)
     

    Jessica Booker

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    Aug 1, 2019
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    i didnt say i was fluent but i put good/B2 italian and cantonese for the CC application, would they switch languages mid-interview to test my capability?
    If the role you have applied to requires the language, then yes (eg if it is a dual location TC). Otherwise extremely unlikely and even then it would be more likely an informal conversation purely by chance where your interviewer also speaks the language, rather than an actual assessment.
     
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    AvniD

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    Oct 25, 2021
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    i didnt say i was fluent but i put good/B2 italian and cantonese for the CC application, would they switch languages mid-interview to test my capability?
    This is my nightmare - my fluency in my third/fourth language is basic and I feel like I would jumble up my sentences if I was ever put on the spot as a test to see how good I am 😅 I feel like we tend to worry most about the things that have the least chance of occurring! Having said that, I completely agree with everything that's been said so far - you should be absolutely fine in the interview and in case you're still concerned about being asked about this, I'd very quickly practice greetings and conversation starters if for nothing else but to calm nerves 😅
     
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