New job wanting proof she can speak her first language

[Scoras]

DD is 22, she graduated uni this summer and has been offered a job with conditions. Until DD was 15 we lived in France, her dad is French-English and I’m Italian. DD went to an international school and was taught in French, English and had “additional language classes” in Italian. She is fully fluent in all 3. Did her French and Italian GCSEs here without studying them in school, same again for A-level.
DD then studied business management and Spanish. She’d never done Spanish before but the course allowed them to pick a language from beginning or continue with a Language already spoken. As she was fluent in all 3 languages she spoke she picked a new one.

Her new job is at an international company in a client facing role, one of the big requirements is being bilingual. The job advert was for French or Spanish speakers, she obviously mentioned she has both.

Now DD still speaks with a French accent, it’s not as strong as it once was but it’s definitely not missable, her phone is set to French, she thinks in French etc. She speaks to her dad and grandparents in French and to me and my family in Italian. By all means it’s her first language - but the workplace is requiring evidence of her fluency, such as an exam or something? They’ve also said it would be beneficial to prove her fluency in Italian but English and Spanish are fine because she studied at uni in those languages.

AIBU to think this is crazy? Obviously she’s probably going to have to let this job go as she doesn’t have any certificate to prove she can speak her first language past A-level, who does??

I would have thought the A levels would be proof of fluency

Not much advice but I think your daughter sounds awesome. I would love to be multilingual.

If they want proof and she can't provide it as it's her first language - then she should ask the employer if they have an online assessment or conversation that she would need to have with a hiring manager or colleague in French. It's not difficult to prove her fluency.

She doesn't need to pass on the job.

Did she provide them with proof of education in that language and explained it's actually her native language?

Your daughter sounds amazing.

All those languages. What a huge advantage.

Can she not just take a quick proficiency test in Italian? She shouldn't have to but jump through those first hoops.....

www.europassitalian.com/learn/certification-cils/#:~:text=The%20PLIDA%20certificate%20attests%20competence,by%20the%20Dante%20Alighieri%20Society.

And A levels are definitely of proof of fluency!

I meant not proof.

Er, I think there are other solutions than - don't take the job!

As PPs said - send photos of her A level certificates and offer to have a chat. No reason to be annoyed, it just means she'll definitely be using her languages which is brilliant!

She’s explained it’s her native language. We moved here before she did her GCSEs (she’d been at an international school which followed the British curriculum as we knew we’d be moving to the uk at some point before she finished school) so there isn’t actually any proof she went to school in France in terms of exams etc.

They don’t accent A-Level as fluency.

Perfectly reasonable for them to want proof she meets the job requirements, but how would any of us prove we're fluent in our first language?! You'd never take a qualification in it as a language would you in the same way you'd do French as your MFL at school. Also I don't think qualifications are proof of fluency.

I'd suggest they get one of their other French speakers to have a conversation with her at the level of fluency she's expected to have and about the kind of subjects she's supposed to be discussing.

Where is the company based, is it UK?

If she knows they won't accept A-levels, surely she's asked them what they will accept as proof?

It sounds like a fantastic opportunity, as it's a shame to give up on it so easily.

I did a language to A Level, and I am definitely not fluent 😝

Madness though. I would say if an employer won’t accept a common sense explanation about her native language, they’re likely to be unreasonable about other things too and probably not someone you want to work for!

She can take a French proficiency test.

Has she actually asked them how she can prove her fluency in her first language? It's one of those situations where you can't really prove it's it just something that is true so I'd be putting the onus on them as to what they expect as proof.

They want something like the C1 or C2 CILS/CELI/DALF
As far as I know you can’t just do those quickly?

Can't she visit Alliance Française and ask to take one of their proficiency tests? Explaining the situation? Or even pay privately for them to assess her and issue a letter that she is fluent (C1-C2) that kind of thing? I would 100% go for this route. They are all over the world.

I’m assuming the job is in the UK and that the bi-lingual aspect is English plus other language? Do they have English employees? If so, ask them what evidence they require of their native speaking English employees that they are fluent in English….
And surely, if they’re international and bi-lingual just the fact she can converse with them in French is evidence enough.

Have you asked them what sort of proof they need?

Why doesn’t she suggest they interview her in French to assess her level of fluency? I’m by no means bilingual, but I’m fluent in French and have had a couple of conversations within interviews to check whether I am fluent.

Yes it’s English + a language, initially it was Spanish or French on the advertisement. They are happy with her Spanish since her degree includes Spanish but to meet the new job requirements they want proof of French too (and if possible Italian). It just seems like they are making it hard for her.

I had to sit c1 French to prove proficiency for a job actually; my dad is québécois and it's my first language too. It's not as uncommon as you think but I'd get her to sit it so then you don't have this situation again. Double check if as a French national she can sit the C1 as I don't know if they need an alternative qualification- I wasn't in that situation so I am not 100% sure but that definitely was required for me and tbh I didn't think much of it at the time! I wouldn't accept a level French as proof of fluency; it's just not a level that proves it unfortunately. Good luck to her though- she sounds very employable!

Is that a requirement for those who need English? It seems like a really silly obstacle when surely they have someone in the company who speaks fluent French who can speak to her in French to assess how competent she is?

They are checking she meets the requirements as many people will claim fluency in a language and it not quite be true.

All she needs to do is ask them what they want her to provide and provide it.

I'd say she needs to do TCF or DELF - she can check with the Institut francais for availability. I think TCF is run more frequently.