English interview tips: see how to prepare

Knowing how to speak a second language is an important differential for those looking for new opportunities in the job market. In some cases, the second language will be used occasionally but, especially in multinationals, knowledge will be needed to communicate with teams from other countries. But, even studying and knowing how to speak well, when it comes to showing knowledge, nervousness can surface. To avoid this, we'll give you tips for an interview in English. 

Putting down on paper that you have fluent or intermediate English can be easy, but in practice, you will need to show your knowledge of the language. Of course, even with proof of skill, nervousness can interfere and hinder the development of the conversation. The best way to avoid this impeding the interview progress is to be prepared. Training the language, either during classes, listening to songs and repeating phrases, or even trying to communicate with people from another country who have the native language, will help to develop your aptitude.

How to prepare for interviews

Regardless of the language, it is always important to arrive at the selection process prepared. Of course, you can't rehearse every answer, but there are some standard questions you can use as a basis for developing more complete answers. It is important to know how to demonstrate your knowledge, combining your professional experiences with your qualities. Recruiters will also want to know that you have a career plan, and that they can trust you to stay and settle down. Another important point is to highlight previous results, successful cases, projects developed, and other activities where you have stood out that resulted in good numbers or sales. It is also possible that you need to tell because you want to leave your current job. At these times, remember to keep positive responses, without making criticisms or complaints, which can generate a negative view. Being prepared also provides a sense of security. If the interview is face-to-face, arrive early, dress formally, speak slowly without running over others, and listen carefully. If it is remote, access the link in advance to ensure that the platform works, test the audio and microphone, and look for a silent environment with a good internet connection.

English interview tips

Having to do the entire interview process in another language can be even more exhausting and generate greater nervousness. But this is natural and there are ways to ensure that you are prepared for this moment. To help you reach that confident moment and get the job, we separate some tips:

Search about the company

One of the main tips for any type of job interview is to know the company well. If it is international, look up its history, values, and mission on the English page. This will help you to become familiar with terms and expressions used by them, in addition to giving you knowledge about the environment where you want to be integrated.

Practice your speech

There are some standard questions that recruiters will ask related to your previous skills and experience. Practice your answer in English by saying it out loud until it sounds natural. Try to avoid cliché expressions and be sincere. The more information you practice in the language, the more prepared you will feel for the interview. If you can do this with a teacher or someone with knowledge of the language, even better. However, there are other tools that can help you train, such as Interview Warmup. Google's tool is free and asks some more classic interview questions, which you can answer through the microphone. The software identifies the answer and proposes phrases and expressions that help to develop vocabulary. Also try to improve your grammatical knowledge with corporate terms, avoiding some language addictions.

Less is more

Often, in their eagerness to show knowledge, people end up rambling and giving long answers that deviate from the question asked. It's important to offer elaborate answers, but without going overboard and tiring out recruiters. In English, this maxim is even more important. Speak enough to be able to assess your knowledge of the language, and use terms specific to your field, which indicate that you are able to talk about the subject properly.

Common questions

To help even more in this process, we have separated some frequently asked questions so that you arrive prepared for the interview:

• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

If you have a career plan, you already know the answers to that question. But try to adapt it to match the reality of the vacancy and the company, including possible leadership vacancies or opportunities outside the country.

• What are your strengths and weaknesses? (What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?)

Highlight your main skills, also including soft skills that show your differentials in the team. Relate these traits to past experiences and try to exemplify your strengths using successful projects. Also highlight what you have already done for your professional development, such as specialized and postgraduate courses.

• Why are you interested in this position? (Why are you interested in this job?)

Highlight your professional growth, the new challenges you seek in your career, combining your perspectives with the opportunity offered by the vacancy. Now that you've seen our interview tips in English, focus on your studies, keep practicing and be prepared for new professional opportunities. Good luck!