Thalys is really cool although interestingly it takes under 2 hours to get to Brussels and over 2 hours to get from Brussels to Amsterdam. First class gives you free food, free drinks and loads of space.

Anyway, today I messed up in a grandiose way and delivered the most inaccomplished interview in my whole career. Let us look at how I did that.

First of all, I did not interview in the language in which I worked - to match the language of the nationality in front of me. Except, I had prepared in my working language, I could be enthusiastic in my working language. This was awfully disturbing. No matter how fluent i was in the other language, I became hesitant, searching for words, searching for expressions, searching for some sense of identity and a link between this awkward means of expression and what I had done.

It seems to me that I conveyed an impression which is quite at the opposite of what I had prepared: stumbling across any questions, unprepared, unclear, unable to communicate, with less enthusiasm, energy and ambition - slower than unusual in my thinking and ability to persuade and influence. Loads of blah blah and not enough to the point.

So one small change and I was completely thrown off. I spent a lot of time focusing on the communication, and not enough on the substance. I was asked several times to clarify my thoughts and lost time and impact. My preparation was thrown out of the window.

This is a complete waste of time. The outcome of this process will not be distorted as it will not be based on what I am, nor on what I did and learned but on what I could clumsily translate. One small change which threw me off changed what might have otherwise been different into an uneasy feeling of incompetence.

I never react badly to a company's ding if it is accompanied by the knowledge of having effectively communicated who I am. Not being able to give out the best of yourself, and be evaluated on this mediocre performance is a lot worse. Worries bring only ulcers and heart attacks so I will not worry. Regrets drags you back into the past and wastes time. I have learned a lesson: I will insist to have my interview conducted in my working language, and do the small talk in any other language I am fluent in to leverage my preparation and give a more natural touch to the process.

The language I was asked to express myself this morning is the language of my mother...