I had an appointment with a newly licensed agent. She is a second language learner, originally from Peru. You may remember that I speak Spanish. I was also a teacher for 8 years, and my position was bilingual education and teaching second language learners to speak English. The agent wanted to have the meeting in Spanish. I love any excuse to speak Spanish, but I told her we would have to speak English during the appointment. She was nervous, determined to have the interview, and a bit uncomfortable at first.
I thought about myself in her shoes. I’ve lived in a foreign country and been in that position. I know how she was feeling. I also thought about all of the other agents I have interviewed and hired from around the world whose languages I do not speak. I shared my reasoning with her, as well as the fact that our company meetings are in English, as are the legal forms we use.
Her resume was lovely. She attended the university in Peru for accounting and has continued her education in the US, including studying English and receiving a certificate for fluency. She has great work experience and plenty of transferable skills. She is a mom of 3. She passed the licensing test for the first time. Her comprehension is 5/5. Her oral fluency needs practice, that’s all. She’s been in the US for 18 years. She described herself and her husband as very hard-working people. They moved to Fresno from the Bay Area and couldn’t believe how affordable it was here. In the last 4 years, they have purchased 2 rental houses, and last year she bought her very own dream house. Now, she wants to share what she knows and help others.
Sometimes, in these interviews, I feel emotional. People are so amazing! I feel so lucky to hear their life stories.
When we were wrapping up, I told her I had one last question. “How was my English?” This caught her off guard, and she laughed. “Very good. Sometimes people speak fast, and it is hard to decipher words. You speak clearly, and I can understand everything you say just fine.”
We are the perfect company for her. We have the tools and the right agents on board to grow her. She has 3 other interviews and a vacation scheduled before she chooses. I hope we get the chance to work with her.