Job interviews can make anyone anxious. As an English learner, a job interview in English can feel even more scary. Even with strong speaking skills, it's easy to lose confidence in an interview. You might also not be sure about the right type of job interview preparation to help emphasise your fluency and vocabulary in English.
However, being a non-native speaker can be an advantage in a job interview. Your experiences and ability to learn can impress interviewers and increase your chances of being hired.
Here’s how to stand out from other candidates and showcase your talent using your English language journey.
Job interview preparation: Tailor your communication to the industry
As a language learner, you have a heightened awareness of the words and sentence structures that you use. This awareness is beneficial when you want to show interviewers that you know the jargon (specific words and expressions) of the industry.
As part of your job interview preparation, do some research in the area of work you’re interviewing for. This will help you develop confidence in interviews and help you to notice if there are any words or phrases that are frequently used.
To find the appropriate jargon, read articles and books, and watch videos from leaders in the industry. Beyond the terminology, pay attention to the tone and general sentiment people in the industry use when they talk about certain themes – this can be something you can mimic in your interview.
Then practise using the terms that you find by including them in written responses to common job interview questions. Alternatively, you could role-play with a native speaker and integrate the words/phrases into your verbal communication. Be sure to ask for feedback on whether you’re using the terms correctly.
And, when it comes to your job interview, you could reference the resources you have used to demonstrate your knowledge to the interviewers.
Example: For an interview in the hospitality industry, use terms like ‘no show’ – when a guest doesn’t arrive to the booking – and ‘market parity’ – how competitive a property is in its location – to make a good impression on interviewers.
Connect your language learning and the role
Being an English language learner highlights that you’re a committed and motivated person. Learning any language takes patience, effort, and dedication – all of which are desirable characteristics in the workplace.
When you’re asked questions in the job interview, try to link some of your responses to your experience with learning English.
For example, with the question: ‘Can you tell us about a time when you faced a challenge and how you overcame it?’. You could respond by saying that you had to give a public presentation in English when your speaking spills were still developing. By recording yourself presenting and gathering feedback from peers, you improved your delivery and confidence.
You can also talk about the skills you have gained from learning English, and explain how they are transferable to the role you’re applying to. These range from:
- Concise written and verbal communication
- Active listening
- Sensitivity towards different cultures and norms
- Time management
- Resilience
- Storytelling
Example: Learning English may have helped develop your active listening skills to better understand others. In the hospitality industry, you can tell interviewers that active listening also ensures that guests feel heard and respected when interacting with you.
Share linguistic and cultural insights in your job interview
As a non-native English speaker, you have an understanding of both language and cultural nuances that others may lack. You have learned grammar rules, different pronunciation styles, slang, and much more. This gives you a unique and valuable communication style that is highly desirable in today’s global business environment.
In the job interview, tell interviewers about how you can easily detect when to use formal or informal English. Or, how you know that active voice is more commanding for sales than passive voice. The more specific linguistic information you can share, the more impressed interviewers will be.
You don’t have to only showcase your English linguistic knowledge. At the right moment, you can also share concepts or turns of phrase from your first language that relate to the job or your work ethic.
Example: Explain the Japanese concept of ‘Shibui’ in an interview for a design or architecture firm. ‘Shibui’ means an aesthetic that becomes clearer over time, and lets interviewers know that you have long-term vision.
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Emphasise your internationality
Speaking multiple languages is a huge advantage in a job interview. For many employers, it shows that you’re creative, good at problem-solving and are empathetic. Additionally, it means that you can work with more clients around the world and international team members.
Although it’s important to speak English clearly in job interviews, you can showcase your skills in another language as an advantage.. Make a point of telling interviewers what other languages you speak, if you have previous work experience using those languages, and where. Doing so makes you a valuable team member and someone who can help the company grow.
It also signals that you have a broad mindset, are adaptable, and have connections in different locations.
Example: In your job interviews, share an example of when you attended a conference in English but ended up networking with other attendees in your native language. Similarly, mention how a previous employer asked you to communicate with clients in your native language.
Common job interview questions
While every company and job interview is different, some questions tend to be very common. By preparing and practising your answers in advance, you will feel more confident and be fluent on the day.
Here are some examples of common job interview questions that you can try to prepare for:
1. Tell me about yourself.
Almost every interview has some version of this question and it’s usually the first one asked. Take the chance to give a short summary of your background, education, and experience – but also to show your personality.
As a non-native speaker, you can also include your language-learning journey and how it has helped you grow both personally and professionally.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Again, this is a very typical job interview question across all industries. Be sure to choose strengths that feel authentic and relate to your language journey, such as perseverance, adaptability, or communication skills.
For weaknesses, again, choose what feels right, but make sure you find something positive, too. For example, you might say that you used to feel nervous speaking English in public – but you’ve worked on it and continue to improve.
3. Describe a time you faced a challenge. How did you handle it?
Try to link your answer to an experience involving English – such as managing a client call in a second language or resolving a misunderstanding across cultures. This will help your interviewers feel more confident about your ability to navigate complex communication issues.
4. Why do you want to work here?
As part of your interview preparation, do your research on the company. Make sure to mention how your international experience and language skills align with their values, team, or goals. If they operate globally, highlight how you can support their multicultural or multilingual clients.
5. Do you have any questions for us?
This question appears almost without fail. Be sure to have a couple of questions ready for your interviewers. In fact, a good question can really help you stand out in the interview process.
You could ask about the team’s challenges with international communication, how their day-to-day roles contribute to achieving the company’s mission, or more personally, ask about opportunities to use your language skills, for example.
Tip: Practise answering these questions out loud, or write out your responses and get feedback from a teacher or another English speaker. The more you practise, the more confident you’ll become.
Job interview success
Job interviews make anyone nervous, but be confident that as a non-native speaker, you have lots of great qualities to present. The above tips will help you feel more relaxed and stand out from the crowd. Remember that speaking English as a second language already shows that you’re a curious and capable person with lifelong learning skills.
Celebrate your position as a non-native speaker and your interviewers will too!
An international language certificate like IELTS on your CV, shows that even though you’re not a native English speaker, you have the proven skills and qualifications to work in an English-speaking environment. This type of certification can be the very first step to securing an interview.
Ready for your IELTS test? Book with the British Council now