JR BECHTLE & Co. | August 2026 | Blogs

Know Your Audience – Part 2

For some time now I’ve considered sharing reflections on the recruiting field drawn from my close to 30 years in this sometimes crazy but never boring business. My hope is that the one or the other of these reflections, in the form of anecdotes – humorous and serious – will give rise to ideas and tips that will be of use to those seeking new roles as well as those interviewing those persons.

As those who know JR Bechtle are aware, we work mainly with clients from German-speaking Europe. This story relates to how things can go awry when Germans and Americans apply their particular communication styles.

During an interview which I moderated for a German client with an American candidate I observed the following interaction. The American was peppered with direct and to the point questions which he gingerly answered, accompanying each reply with a smile. The German sat stony-faced throughout the entire interview, no emotion showing at all.

What the German manager didn’t know is that Americans often smile to elicit the same in return to signify acceptance and/or understanding. No smiles returned resulted in an awkward increase in them from the American. Due to the German interviewer’s poker-face the candidate had no idea if he was liked or disliked but assumed it was latter.

The candidate actually did well in this meeting, providing detailed and solid answers the German interviewer liked. There was of course still the disconnect. The first question the German manager asked me when the candidate left the room was, “What was so funny the whole time that he kept smiling?” The candidate likewise told me right off the bat, “Wow, I don’t think that went well – he didn’t seem to like what I was saying.”

That was when I put on my ‘ambassador hat’ with each and explained that the smile didn’t indicate lack of seriousness, and sometimes lack of a smile simply means that your counterpart is listening but reserves smiles for pleasantries and not business topics.

Moral of the story: Helpful when dealing with people from different cultural backgrounds is to do a bit of research, and of course consult with your friendly recruiter-moderator. This particular event took place very early in my career and the lesson learned became part of the preparation we provide to both sides during the interview process.

Curious about how JR Bechtle & Co. can help your business navigate international hiring with confidence? Contact us today to start a conversation about your global talent needs.
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