Meet the Team – Interview Ricardo Silva
- What is your background and how did you become an Eucom assessor?
I am a Portuguese native, living in Romania since 2015. I believe I met an Eucom element in a Language Exchange event in Bucharest, and since then I have been cooperating with Eucom for Portuguese Language.
- What are the challenges encountered during a language assessment?
During a language assessment we are challenged to evaluate as accurately as possible the level of conversation of the candidate.
- Knowing that the result of the language assessment can bring the candidate closer to the dream job or can shatter that dream, how do you ensure the accuracy of the final result?
The accuracy of the final result can be influenced by other factors rather that the dream job. For example, if the candidate is applying for a Customer Care job, I value more the kindness and joy of the candidate’s speech, another example, if the candidate is applying for a Technical Support job, I will value the complexity and range of the candidate’s speech.
If I feel the candidate has some room to improve, I recommend some conversation groups or trainings they can assist in order to improve a certain skill they might need to develop.
- What is the most important piece of advice you would give to a language assessor who is at the start of his career?
Remember that there is a human on the other side, and the best way to start is to create a good ice breaker.
Also, review the position the candidate is applying for and imagine how you would feel as a customer speaking with him/her.
- Why Eucom?
By chance and interest on foreign languages.
- What are your sources of inspiration?
Family and close friends.
- How do you spend your free time?
Nice walks in the park, beach whenever possible, and going out with friends.
- COVID-19, what changes has this period brought to you? What were the lessons offered?
Besides some confirmations of the political incompetence to manage this issue all over the world, I believe that many companies now realize that the Work from Home is possible and, in many cases, even more productive.
- At the end, 3 recommendations: a memorable book, a must-see movie, a song you would always listen to!
A book – The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A movie – Django unchained – Quentin Tarantino
A song – Lobo Hombre en Paris – La Union (Espana)
