It was always one of my desires to work in the corporate world in an exotic country such as Turkey, immersed in a completely different culture. This captivating country, stands as a symbolic bridge linking Europe and the Middle East.

Throughout history, numerous cultures have found their home here, leaving behind a treasure trove of heritage. This diverse legacy manifests in a remarkable richness of tastes, cultures, ethnicities, aromas, and architecture, creating a tapestry of captivating experiences for all who venture through its enchanting landscapes.

Living in Istanbul was one of the best experiences I had. This city was the first capital of the country and it is located between 2 continents: Asia and Europe. I was living and working in the European side, but I would go to the Asian side almost every weekend for a nice hike or a restaurant.

At that time, I accepted a job as the Marketing Director of Mediterranean Europe and the Americas for a company that was selling Gas Springs for luxury industries. It was very challenging not only because I had to work in 3 languages but because it was a great responsibility and I was the only professional woman and a foreigner non muslim in the whole company.

My boss decided to hire someone that had the skills and the proficiency in romance languages to open new market opportunities in Europe, USA and Latin America. For this reason it was the first time they would hire a full time foreigner.

I have to highlight that being a female in a muslim country could be a bit hard since there are some unspoken rules about the behaviour of the women with their bosses and how to address to them, something I was not used to.

I am going to share with you some elements that need to be taken into account when doing business with turkish people:

Formality and Hierarchy: The turkish society respects very much hierarchy, that is also present in the language. In turkish language there is a way to call the elder and there are suffix for people in a higher hierarchy. Contrary to America, in Turkey you never call you boss by his/her name. You have to say the word “Bey” every time after the name. Examples: Mehmet Bey (for the boss sir. Mehmet), or Ugur Abi (brother Ugur if he is older and you want to be informal, more like with a friend)
Dress in a conservative way: Men are always wearing suit and tie no matter the weather. Women should also wear smart business suits keeping their shoulders, arms and legs covered and avoid cleavages. Remember even thought Turkey is a very progressive country comparing to the Arab World, it is still a muslim country.
Gender equality: Turkish businessmen are respectful of women but conservative attitudes are still very common. They expect women to speak lastly and respect the hierarchy within the company. In my personal case, my boss told me not to participate in the meetings unless he would ask my opinion something that was not happening with my male co-workers that had the freedom to express themselves.
Family and Business: Family is very important in the culture and business can be very personal in Turkey. It is very common that many of the business in Turkey are still family run and owned. For this reason it is important to build strong and long-lasting personal relationships with the associates and establish lasting business connections.
Religion: Turkey is a secular state. Nevertheless islam is the dominant religion and still has a strong influence over the culture and the business practices. My direct boss was a very spiritual man that had to pray 5 times per day, so there was a special room in the company for the men to go to pray during the day. Friday is the traditionally holy day and my boss and many of my colleagues were attending afternoon prayers. This is something foreigners should take into account when arranging meetings or appointments close to the prayer time. Another thing I was very surprised by was Ramadan the Holy Month for the muslims. Depending on how religious is the company this month is not very productive since people are fasting and praying and many of the operational activities stop.
Turkish people do not say "NO": They say perhaps, maybe, or probably. Do not expect directness when negotiating with them. Have some patience.
Decision making: It could be slow, so be prepared to have several meetings before negotiations start formally. Unlike the USA they like to take their time and you can expect meeting more senior members of the business later in the process. Also avoid using pressure when closing a deal in Turkey. The Turkish do not appreciate hard deadlines or being hurried.

And finally, if you are doing business in Turkey go for a delicious meal and do not forget to try the original baklava… Walk the streets of Istanbul, you will find ancient monuments, walls, palaces and ruins very often from the Roman or the Ottoman Empire!!!

Thank you for reading! I invite you to browse my website and find other interesting articles about other cultures!

Natalia Cortes. Istanbul, Turkey 2016

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