After twelve years I thought I had seen everything when it comes to “You need German to do this job”.

I was wrong.

Last week I had a coaching call with a client who bought my Individual Coaching sessions. He shall remain nameless, but I can tell you that he is an English native speaker, white and lived in Germany for quite some time.

Here is the story he told me. Make sure to read till the end – because it is really, really bizzare.

“I have been searching for a job for quite some time. Finally, I got a job interview, here in Munich. Because I had read your book twice, I knew that it is important to discover hidden objections to hiring me.

I asked them what their biggest concern was to hire me. And they said: We are are afraid that you will get bored in this job, because we only speak one language – German.”

In a hundred years: Would you have guessed that this could be a concern for someone who interviews you for a job? That you might get bored because they speak only one language?

This kind of hidden objections kill your chance to get a job. And the only way to discover them is by asking. Ask the hiring manager and HR near the end of the interview:

“What is your biggest concern when you think about hiring me?”

Then listen carefully. Ask for more context, if necessary. Only then diffuse this concern as good as you can.

Then ask which other concerns they still have – and diffuse them as well.

Asking for context will also allow you to figure out, if this is a real concern – or an excuse that they make up to reject you.

This coaching client of mine – you know what makes his example so crazy? He got rejected because at this company he could speak “only” German.

And he speaks fluent German.

Think about this experience and ask yourself:

“Is it really my German skills that keep me from getting a job in Germany?”

Or is it something else – something out of your control?

I have a few individual coaching sessions available. If you get job interviews, but struggle to close the deal – they will help you move past the finishing line.

Book an individual coaching session with Chris Pyak.