Sollicitatiegesprek voor een seniorfunctie
Job interview for a management position
C1 · Advanced · ≈ 28 min · setting: Utrecht, Rotterdam
For management positions, the questions aren't “what can you do?” but “tell me about a time when…”. Dutch interviews often follow the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. And almost always, you'll hear the classic question Wat is jouw valkuil? — “what is your pitfall?” In this recording, the candidate answers well, but still makes one mistake: listen and see if you can spot it.
- Question 1: Why does the candidate want to leave his current job?
- Question 2: What situation does he describe, and how did it end?
- Question 3: What does he name as his “pitfall”?
- Question 4: What was agreed upon regarding salary?
- Question 5: What question does the candidate ask?
Sollicitatiegesprek — Teamleider klantenservice
Second round of interviews: the HR manager and the head of department.
- Sanne
- Karim
- Bas
- Karim
- Karim
- Karim
- Bas
- Karim
- Sanne
- Karim
- Bas
- Karim
- Bas
- Karim
- Sanne
- Karim
- Bas
- Sanne
Answer using the STAR method
| Part | What it is | In the recording |
|---|---|---|
| Situatie | situation | employee was consistently late, team was grumbling |
| Taak | what needed to be done | resolve it without writing him off |
| Actie | what the speaker did | one-on-one conversation, schedule change, explanation to the team |
| Resultaat | what the outcome was | no more lateness, grumbling stopped |
| (Reflectie) | what he would have done otherwise | a formal conversation if it hadn't worked |
| Part | What it is | In the recording |
|---|---|---|
| Situatie | situation | employee was consistently late, team was grumbling |
| Taak | what needed to be done | resolve it without writing him off |
| Actie | what the speaker did | one-on-one conversation, schedule change, explanation to the team |
| Resultaat | what the outcome was | no more lateness, grumbling stopped |
| (Reflectie) | what he would have done otherwise | a formal conversation if it hadn't worked |
The key word in STAR is ik, not we: they are asking about your action. Note that Karim talks about an employee's case but does not disclose his personal situation to the team.
Terms and salary
| Phrase | English | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Wij zitten in schaal 10. | we're in grade 10 | salary has a range, both boundaries are mentioned |
| Gezien mijn ervaring denk ik aan … | given my experience, I'm thinking of… | stating a specific amount, this is normal |
| Ik kan naar 4 700 gaan. | I can go to 4,700 | counter-offer |
| met een evaluatie na een jaar | with a review after a year | promise to revisit the conversation |
| Daar kan ik mee leven, mits … | I can live with that, provided… | agreement with a condition |
| Dat leggen we vast in het aanbod. | we'll put that in writing in the offer | verbal agreement goes into the written offer |
| Phrase | English | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Wij zitten in schaal 10. | we're in grade 10 | salary has a range, both boundaries are mentioned |
| Gezien mijn ervaring denk ik aan … | given my experience, I'm thinking of… | stating a specific amount, this is normal |
| Ik kan naar 4 700 gaan. | I can go to 4,700 | counter-offer |
| met een evaluatie na een jaar | with a review after a year | promise to revisit the conversation |
| Daar kan ik mee leven, mits … | I can live with that, provided… | agreement with a condition |
| Dat leggen we vast in het aanbod. | we'll put that in writing in the offer | verbal agreement goes into the written offer |
Interview vocabulary
tegen een plafond aanlopen
to hit a ceiling
in de marge
on the margins, on the side
leidinggeven aan
to manage, to head (a department)
structureel
persistently, as a pattern
mopperen
to grumble
ten koste gaan van
to be at the expense of
onder vier ogen
one-on-one
wat er speelt
what's going on, what's the matter
de mantelzorg
informal care (for a relative)
het rooster aanpassen
to adjust the schedule
weten waar je aan toe bent
to know where you stand
de valkuilpl. valkuilen
pitfall, typical weakness
overnemen
to take over (someone's work)
oppakken
to pick up, to take on (a task)
de schaal
pay scale, grade
de arbeidsvoorwaarden
terms of employment
vastleggen
to put in writing, to record
de voorganger
predecessor
| tegen een plafond aanlopen | to hit a ceiling |
| in de marge | on the margins, on the side |
| leidinggeven aan | to manage, to head (a department) |
| structureel | persistently, as a pattern |
| mopperen | to grumble |
| ten koste gaan van | to be at the expense of |
| onder vier ogen | one-on-one |
| wat er speelt | what's going on, what's the matter |
| de mantelzorg | informal care (for a relative) |
| het rooster aanpassen | to adjust the schedule |
| weten waar je aan toe bent | to know where you stand |
| de valkuilpl. valkuilen | pitfall, typical weakness |
| overnemen | to take over (someone's work) |
| oppakken | to pick up, to take on (a task) |
| de schaal | pay scale, grade |
| de arbeidsvoorwaarden | terms of employment |
| vastleggen | to put in writing, to record |
| de voorganger | predecessor |
1. What was said in the interview
Luister en kies het juiste antwoord.
Listen and choose the correct answer.
- 1
Waarom wil Karim weg bij zijn huidige werkgever?
- 2
Wat was de oorzaak van het te laat komen?
- 3
Wat vertelde Karim wél aan het team?
- 4
Wat noemt Karim als zijn valkuil?
- 5
Welk salaris wordt afgesproken?
- 6
Wat verwacht Bas in de eerste honderd dagen?
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