226 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
226 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
# Structured debate (simulated) — CV strategy, differentiation, and sponsorship realism
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This is a **simulated panel debate** (not real calls with these organizations). The “employers” below are role-played hiring managers using the **public job ads** collected in `tmp/cv_research/job_ads_summary.md` as constraints.
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Panel:
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- **HR**: HR generalist (France; ops + corporate screening).
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- **Headhunter**: logistics recruiter (France; 3PL/retail warehouses).
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- **Employer (Lidl)**: DC operations manager (Préparateur de commandes).
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- **Employer (Hermès)**: site logistics supervisor (Opérateur logistique).
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- **Employer (AUTO1/Autohero)**: hub manager (Assistant livraison véhicules d’occasion).
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Candidate snapshot (from provided CV):
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- 24, Turkish, visiting Lyon for ~2 weeks, seeking employer sponsorship.
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- Background: Bachelor’s International Trade & Logistics (completed 2025), warehouse worker experience (picking/packing/receiving/barcode checks/5S), strong English (C1), MS Office.
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## Round 0 — Ground truth check (what can and cannot be true)
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**HR:** Before we optimize anything, we need a hard constraint: if he is currently in France as a visitor, he **cannot legally start working** on a tourist/Schengen stay. He can interview and network, but employment typically requires a work permit + the correct long-stay status. If he hides this, we waste everyone’s time.
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**Headhunter:** Agree. A lot of “no success” stories are simply: (1) wrong status, (2) wrong target roles, (3) weak French market positioning, (4) no volume/metrics on CV. AI isn’t the main culprit for warehouse roles. Work authorization is.
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**Employer (Lidl):** For a DC role, my biggest screening questions are: can you do the pace, handle cold/frozen zones, follow safety, hit quality targets, and be reliable on shifts. “Visa sponsorship” is a big HR process for an entry-level warehouse role.
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**Employer (Hermès):** In luxury logistics, we care about quality and SOP discipline (visual checks, conditioning, correct references). Still: sponsorship for an operator role is uncommon.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** Our hub role is logistics + customer-facing delivery. We need B license, confidence driving/parking, customer communication, and digital paperwork. Sponsorship: depends, but for this level it’s usually difficult.
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**HR:** So the “hope” question becomes: how do we make him (a) *compelling enough* to justify admin cost, or (b) *aim at roles where sponsorship is more plausible*?
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## Round 1 — Is AI replacing junior roles here?
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**Headhunter:** AI is reducing *desk* junior roles: basic admin, repetitive reporting, basic scheduling. In logistics ops, the bottleneck is still physical execution + exception handling. But AI does increase expectations: even operators are expected to use scanners/WMS correctly, keep clean data, follow process, and adapt.
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**Employer (Lidl):** Exactly. Our “junior” differentiator isn’t ChatGPT. It’s: shows up, works safely, hits targets, doesn’t create errors, learns quickly. If he can show “low errors, high reliability”, I’ll interview.
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**Employer (Hermès):** For us, errors are expensive. If he can demonstrate meticulous handling (visual control, correct labeling, zero-mixups), he’s attractive. AI doesn’t remove that.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** AI doesn’t replace a person delivering cars, handling customer questions, and doing the handover protocol. But we won’t teach someone who is disorganized or unsafe.
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**HR:** So: don’t position him as “AI-proof”. Position him as “operationally dependable, process-driven, data-literate”.
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## Round 2 — CV diagnosis: what’s currently working vs failing
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**HR:** What’s working:
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- Clear sector: logistics/warehouse.
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- Real warehouse tasks listed.
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- English C1 and MS Office are positives.
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What’s failing:
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- Zero **numbers**. No volumes, no pace, no accuracy, no zero-incident record.
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- No **tools**. “Barcode checks” is good, but name the environment: RF scanner, WMS, labeling process, inventory cycle checks, etc.
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- Education line is odd in English: “Bachelor’s Degree … — 01.07.2025” (looks like one date, unclear whether graduation date).
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- “Content creator” is fine, but it reads disconnected and uses space without job relevance.
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- No work authorization statement; in France, this becomes a surprise late in the funnel.
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**Headhunter:** The CV also lacks a clear target. Is he:
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- Warehouse operator (picking/packing)?
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- Logistics assistant (docs + Excel)?
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- Export/Import support?
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Right now it tries to be all of them. That reduces match score against any single job ad.
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**Employer (Lidl):** For my job ad, I want to see keywords like:
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“preparing orders”, “pallet building”, “temperature zones”, “deadline discipline”, “quality control”.
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His CV is close, but too generic.
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**Employer (Hermès):** For my ad: receiving/unpacking/sorting/dispatching, visual control, conditioning, personalization orders, correct references. He can mirror this language.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** For my ad: driving + customer handover + digital paperwork + vehicle checks + “ten vehicles/day” pace. His CV currently doesn’t show he can do customer-facing work (waiter role helps) and doesn’t connect it to delivery operations.
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## Round 3 — What would make him meaningfully different?
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### 3.1 Metrics + credibility (the “numbers problem”)
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**Headhunter:** If he adds believable metrics, he stands out instantly. Example:
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- “Prepared 120–200 order lines/day; maintained scan discipline and packing accuracy.”
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- “Verified inbound quantities against labels; escalated mismatches to supervisor.”
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- “Supported 5S to reduce search time and misplacement.”
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If he doesn’t have exact numbers, he can estimate ranges and label them as “approx.” in interviews. On the CV, avoid lying; keep it conservative.
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**HR:** But be careful: metrics that feel invented damage trust. Better: “Handled daily outbound targets under time pressure” + one concrete “peak days” story than fake KPIs.
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**Employer (Lidl):** I don’t need fancy metrics. I need evidence he understands productivity + quality trade-offs. Even: “Worked to daily dispatch deadlines; followed scanning and pallet stability rules.”
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**Employer (Hermès):** I want quality signals: “visual inspection”, “SOP compliance”, “zero mix-ups on personalized orders (if true)”. If not true, don’t claim it.
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### 3.2 Tools and systems (AI-era reality)
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**HR:** “Advanced MS Office” means nothing unless it’s evidenced. Spell out:
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- Excel: filters, pivot tables, basic lookups, QC checklists.
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- Templates: packing list, invoice checklist (especially given his trade degree).
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**Headhunter:** Also mention operational tools:
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RF scanner, barcode verification, label printing, basic WMS familiarity (even if the WMS name isn’t known).
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### 3.3 A sharper target (two-track positioning)
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**Headhunter:** He should pick **one primary target** and one adjacent:
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- Primary: Warehouse / order preparation / inventory handling.
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- Adjacent: Logistics admin (export docs + Excel) for warehouses doing international shipments.
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That keeps the CV coherent while still opening doors.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** For us, make the “waiter” experience relevant: customer-facing, fast-paced, paperwork accuracy, calm under pressure.
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### 3.4 The sponsorship reality (this is the real differentiator)
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**HR:** For many French employers, “sponsorship” for warehouse roles is unlikely because:
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- There are many local candidates.
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- Work-permit paperwork is time-consuming.
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- Some roles (public sector) have nationality/security constraints.
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So differentiation isn’t only “better CV”; it’s “aiming at employers/roles where sponsorship is even possible.”
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**Headhunter:** Practical strategy:
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- Target larger groups and specialized logistics with international flows (ports/air freight/luxury/e-commerce returns) where English + compliance knowledge matters.
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- Consider other EU countries or programs where sponsorship for logistics is more common.
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- Use interim agencies, but ask directly if the client will sponsor (most won’t; but it saves time).
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**Employer (Lidl):** For DC roles, we hire at scale. Sponsorship is rare for this level. If someone needs sponsorship, they must be exceptional *or* fill a real shortage (night shifts, hard locations, specific certification like forklift).
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**Employer (Hermès):** Same. We can justify sponsorship more easily for specialized roles than for an operator CDD.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** If we need someone quickly, we typically hire locally eligible candidates. Sponsorship increases lead time.
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## Round 4 — Validate proposed CV changes (the “debate”)
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Proposed changes on the table:
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1) One-page, ATS-safe format.
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2) Replace generic summary with targeted, keyword-rich summary.
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3) Rewrite experience bullets as “action + tool + quality/safety + result”.
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4) Add a skills section grouped by warehouse ops / trade docs / tools.
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5) Decide how to handle work authorization/sponsorship on the CV.
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### 4.1 One-page ATS-safe format
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**HR:** Valid. Especially for junior ops. No fancy columns/graphics.
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**Headhunter:** Valid. ATS and recruiters both prefer it.
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**Employer (Lidl):** Valid. I skim in 20 seconds.
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**Employer (Hermès):** Valid. Clear and clean wins.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** Valid. Make driving license visible.
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**Decision:** Incorporate.
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### 4.2 Targeted summary/objective
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**Headhunter:** Must do. Two variants if needed:
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- Warehouse operator variant.
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- Logistics assistant/export-doc variant.
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**HR:** Keep it short. No adjectives without proof.
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**Employer (Hermès):** Mention “quality control, SOP discipline” if he can back it up.
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**Employer (Lidl):** Mention “picking/packing, pallet building, deadline discipline”.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** Mention “customer delivery, paperwork accuracy, safe driving” only for that role.
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**Decision:** Incorporate, but keep 3–4 lines max.
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### 4.3 Bullet rewrite: action + tool + result
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**HR:** Valid, but don’t force a “result” if unknown. “Ensured accuracy by…” is acceptable.
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**Headhunter:** This is the #1 improvement. Also mirror job-ad verbs.
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**Employer (Hermès):** “Visual control”, “conditioning”, “correct references” matter.
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**Employer (Lidl):** “Temperature zones”, “quality + deadlines”.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** “Tablet protocol”, “documents signed”, “vehicle checks”.
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**Decision:** Incorporate.
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### 4.4 Skills section grouping
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**HR:** Valid. Keep it scannable.
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**Headhunter:** Add operational keywords (FIFO/FEFO, 5S, inbound/outbound).
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**Employer (Lidl):** Mention physical capability and safety mindset without sounding dramatic.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** Include “B driving license” in a licenses/certs block, not buried.
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**Decision:** Incorporate.
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### 4.5 Work authorization / sponsorship wording (controversial)
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**HR:** If he needs sponsorship, not saying it causes late-stage failure. Saying it too loudly causes early rejection. But that rejection is sometimes the correct outcome. My preference: include a single neutral line:
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“Work authorization: requires employer-sponsored work permit (France).”
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**Headhunter:** I’m split. For high-volume operator roles, it will kill response rate. But it prevents wasted time. Alternative: keep CV clean, and disclose in outreach message and first call. That’s common.
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**Employer (Lidl):** If I see “needs sponsorship” for preparateur de commandes, I likely decline, because we can fill roles without that burden. So if the goal is *maximum interviews*, don’t put it on the CV. If the goal is *no wasted cycles*, put it.
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**Employer (Hermès):** Similar.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** Similar.
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**Decision:** Create **two CV variants**:
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- Variant A (France-focused, honest filter): includes the one-line sponsorship note.
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- Variant B (general/Europe): omits it; disclose in outreach + first conversation.
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## Round 5 — Concrete direction (what he should do next)
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**Headhunter (action plan):**
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1) Build two CV variants (Warehouse Ops; Logistics Admin/Export Docs). One page each.
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2) Collect 5–8 “proof points” (volumes, shift pattern, tools, any 5S result, zero-incident, best day story).
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3) Apply to roles where English + documentation is valued (international shipments, import/export warehouses, luxury/e-commerce returns, 3PLs).
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4) Use agencies + direct applications, but ask early about work authorization.
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**HR (screening advice):**
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- Prepare a one-sentence answer to “Do you have the right to work in France?” that is factual and calm.
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- Never imply he can start immediately if he cannot legally do so.
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**Employer (Lidl):** If he applies to DC roles, I want: shift flexibility, physical readiness, quality mindset, basic French (if possible), and evidence of scanner discipline.
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**Employer (Hermès):** I want: meticulousness, process respect, and calm under pressure.
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**Employer (AUTO1):** I want: safe driving, customer interaction confidence, and paperwork accuracy.
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