Useful phrases for job interviews

Few things make butterflies in your stomach feel like a job interview. It’s scary to think about sitting down and talking about yourself with a potential employer, even if it’s something 99% of people have dealt with. And having to do it in another language can be a source of further concern. But don’t worry! With a little practice (and a few foolproof sentences for job interviews in your pocket), you will start your interview with the freshness of ice cream on a summer day.

To help you get started. prepare yourselves, we have collected some useful expressions on the themes that are typically spoken about during a selection: your personality, strengths, experiences and, of course, why you want the job. And who knows, maybe you will get the job of your dreams, maybe you can go to work abroad.

Describe your personality

At the beginning of the interview, the interviewer (your potential boss) tries to figure out if the candidate (you) is a good fit for his team or not. So this is the time to show who you are and why you are a great person to work with. Here are some adjectives to use:

• easy-going: a quiet person who is easy to get along with
• hard-working: a person who works well and is not lazy
• committed: describes who behaves responsibly towards a project or a person
• trustworthy: someone you can trust
• focused: someone who is not easily distracted
• methodical: a person who pays attention to detail and works logically
• proactive: who takes the initiative to complete tasks independently

You might say: “I’m easy-going“ or  “I’m an easy-going person / employee / worker” (“I am a quiet person / employee / worker”).

Describe your strengths

The interviewer will also want to know where you’re good. Because? Because the job you applied for requires certain skills, so now is the time to explain what you can do!

Some positive traits and skills that managers are looking for are:

• organization
• multitasking, i.e. the ability to do more things together
• meet deadlines
• solve problems
• know how to communicate in an effective way
• knowing how to work in an international environment and with people from all over the world
• being able to speak foreign languages ​​
• enthusiasm

You could use phrases like: “ I’m good at / I’m skilled at multitasking / working under pressure / working to a deadline ” (“I’m able to work under pressure / meet deadlines “), or “My strength is / are my ability to problem solve problems / being enthusiastic / speaking fluent English” and so on.

Describe your experience

If you have worked before, you will have valuable experience to bring to this new position. Depending on the type of job you are applying for, it may be important to emphasize your background as well. Here are some phrases to use:

• “I have five years experience as a waitress / in retail / as a teacher“
• “I worked in retail for seven years and was promoted to manager in my second year“
• “I studied at the University of Queensland“
• “I worked for Anderson and Assoc as a lawyer”

Be prepared to review and explain the main points of your CV. Take the opportunity to explore the various parts of the CV and add more details.

Describe your goals for the future and why you want this job

This is the time to tell the interviewer why you want the position to be discussed. For example, you want to gain experience in your field, learn certain skills, believe you are a particularly good fit for the company, or you care about the industry in which it operates. These phrases may help:

• “I’m looking to develop my skills as a barista / in hospitality, as a childcare worker / in early childhood education“
• “I want to develop my career in physiotherapy / as a physiotherapist, in administration / as an administrator, in retail / as a branch manager“
• “I believe your company is an important player in its industry“
• “I feel my skills set is a perfect fit for your team and I can contribute by …” 

It is very important to underline the last point: the interviewer wants to be convinced that you really want the position. Don’t overdo it, of course, but make sure you are clear about it.