Did you boast in your CV about having good or fluent English skills? It is highly likely that the recruiter will test your language abilities during the meeting. Preparation and revision of important phrases is key to success. See what questions in English might come up in a job interview and think about how to answer them. Good luck!

Job interview in English – what questions to prepare for?

• „How are you?”

And now you’re probably thinking to yourself: „Seriously?! Who asks such simple questions!”. We may surprise you, but a job interview in English is really not rocket science. Even in answers to the most ordinary questions, one can see the confidence with which the candidate handles the foreign language, naturalness, or vocabulary. This knowledge is sufficient for most recruiters.

The above question is a form of greeting, like the Polish „dzień dobry”. Don’t tell them in detail how your day went – a concise „I’m fine, thank you” or „I’m OK, thanks” will do.

• „Tell me something about yourself”

This question gives you more room to maneuver and it is worth considering beforehand what image you want to create in the employer’s eyes. For example, you can talk about your interests, somehow linking them to the job you are applying for. E.g.:

„In my free time I take pictures of nature and learn how to show them to the audience. I also like creating social media advertisements. I think it could be a highly useful skill in this job”.

• „What did you do in your previous job?”

One of the most common questions at an English job interview. Tell the recruiter about your experiences and duties in your previous job. You can start with, for example: „My responsibilities included the sale of product X and negotiations with business partners.” Try to present the issue as exhaustively as you can. Remember that this is not only about content, but also about showing that the conversation in English is a piece of cake for you.

• „How do you deal with problems like arguing with customers?”

If you have had previous contact with customers, please share your experiences, preferably with a specific example. This question belongs to so-called behavioral questions. Try to answer it in the following model: what happened – how did you react – what were the results. For example:

„I remember a difficult case. Once, one of our customers bought a product and it broke down the following day. As a responsible company, we could exchange it for another one. However, this customer was still really angry with us. Finally, I gave him the money back, which has occured to be a perfect solution in this case”.

• „How do you cope with teamwork?”

Expect these types of questions during an English job interview, especially if the position you are applying for requires teamwork. When answering them, be sure to highlight your interpersonal skills and negotiation skills. Specific examples are always welcome, so feel free to talk about a situation from your life that will convince the recruiter that you are a true team player.

• „Why do you want to work here?”

is a classic question in any recruitment, no matter whether it’s in Polish or English. You need to be able to convince the interviewer even if you are woke up in the middle of the night. Are you looking for opportunities for advancement? Do you enjoy interesting challenges? Or perhaps the company produces products or provides services that align with your own values? It is important to be honest, but do not forget to also highlight during the interview that you are looking for a job that allows for professional development – ambition is always welcome.

• „How much do you want to earn?”

Before you go to any job interview – in English or Polish – realistically determine what salary you would like to receive for your work. Remember to differentiate between the gross and net amount.

• „What are your advantages and disadvantages?”

When answering this job interview question in English, be careful not to fall into the trap of being too honest. Of course, you should only speak the truth and nothing but the truth, but in this case… perhaps not the whole truth. Start by presenting your strongest points and then move on to your weaker ones, but try to find ones that are either socially accepted or do not hinder the performance of the job. Also, show how you are working on them. You can try something like this:

„I adore working with people, and I’ve always been given positive feedback about my interpersonal skills, however I’m still a young professional, so my experience isn’t very rich. This is why I’d like to work in this position – to face the new, challenging situations”.