English Job Interview: Common Questions and How to Answer

In many interviews, it is not your skills that let you down, it is struggling to express them in English. The fix is preparation. Here are the questions you will almost certainly face, with ways to answer them clearly.

Tell me about yourself

This opens most interviews. Keep it to a minute: present role, key strengths, and why you are here. A simple structure: I am currently… I have experience in… I am looking for…

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

For strengths, name one or two and give a quick example. For weaknesses, name a real but non-fatal one and how you are working on it.

• Strength: My strength is staying organised. In my last job I managed three projects at once without missing deadlines.
• Weakness: I used to take on too much myself. I am learning to delegate and it has improved my results.

Why do you want this job?

Connect the role to your goals and something specific about the company. Avoid I need a job. Say what draws you to this role.

Useful phrases for any interview

• To buy time: That is a good question, let me think for a moment.
• To clarify: Could you tell me a little more about what you mean?
• To close: Thank you for your time, I am very interested in this role.

The best preparation is practising these out loud until they feel natural. A tutor can run a full mock interview with you, which is part of our interview and job-seeker English course.

Frequently Asked Questions