French vs German for IB in the EU
Hi all, I recently got into an EU target MSc program. I do have the choice to choose a language to study there "on the side". I'm torn between French and German.
French:
Pro: I used to be semi-fluent in it so it would be easier to return to a B1-B2 level.
Con: I'm more interested in the Zurich area than the Geneve one. Also, the French are notoriously snobby around anyone who speaks even good French but with an accent.
German:
Pro: Casts a wider net in Europe throughout all of DACH, including Zurich
Con: Much harder language to learn let alone reach a B2, Germans are however more open-minded and speak better English anyway.
Would appreciate any insight as I'm kinda new to it. Thanks.
do you want to work in hamburg/köln or paris.
that’s the determining factor
not gunning for france, rather switzerland
No matter how good you get in French, they’ll always find a way to ridicule you. Will tell you your French isn’t fluent even if it is with a slightly different accent.
I say go for German.
are the swiss as bigoted as the french?
IB in Genève? Unless you want to work in Healthcare coverage. As I understood, the scene is rather small there. Plus without a swiss address in your CV, makes it more or less harder.
Would "dipping my toes" in Switzerland through a Lugano Big 4 internship and an exchange at saint Gallen help? Also, I heard that Greenhill and UBS don't require german for their offices?
I don't work there, but had couple observations through LinkedIn and aquantances:
1. The placements I have seen that are non-Swiss per say are very often French, German and Luxembourgish (language connection)
2. The Swiss market alone can't handle the St Gallen graduates, as even many Swiss themselves may need to start their career in Germany.
Due to the low number of these exciting positions, the only thing that may help you besides mastering the languages is networking, which I understood is highly valued.
Mrs is French, grew up in Paris, High School etc. Worked in Germany for a few months, and then gets remarked on calls that her "French Accent is good" by the Paris office ... proof for ops remark
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