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Hello! It’s Kristine here with the Express to Impress, and today I’ll be talking about interviewing in a second language. Speaking in a second language is tough; interviewing is tough. Doing both of them at the same time? Well, it can feel like walking into the lion’s den. It’s not for the faint of heart. And yet, there’s a lot of brave souls out there who are willing to do what it takes to land a job in their second language.
So, today, I want to tell you a story about when I interviewed in Spanish, which is my second language, and share my top five tips for how you can succeed in an interview in your second language. Then we’ll look at the idioms I use in this episode.
During my final year of college, I did what many students do. I attended classes while working part-time at an internship. As graduation neared, the company offered me a full-time position, but I did not want to start my career there. So I graduated and kept working as an intern while searching for jobs. I had an income and leverage as I set out to land a job I really wanted.
I applied for some jobs in Spanish and some in English. I’m not a native Spanish speaker, but I studied it in high school and college, earned a minor in Spanish, and studied it abroad in Costa Rica and Mexico for about 15 weeks total. My Spanish was the best it had ever been, but I was not fluent by any stretch of the imagination. My biggest challenge was figuring out what verb tense to use. I did love the idea of being fluent in Spanish one day, and I figured that landing a job in Spanish could help me get there. Plus, I’d worked so hard to learn Spanish! I didn’t want to be like so many people who study another language for years and then forget everything. So, I applied for a job that required Spanish–and landed an interview!
To prepare, I checked out audiobooks by Isabel Allende in Spanish. I listened to them every day and every chance I could. I also volunteered at a nonprofit organization where I helped Spanish-speaking children with their homework. I felt more comfortable speaking in Spanish with children than adults because kids are just so accepting, and they were excited that I was spending time with them, and they didn’t mind that my Spanish wasn’t perfect.
If I got the job, I would be meeting with pregnant teenage girls and their families regularly to explain, in Spanish, the resources available to them so that the girls could have healthy pregnancies and births. The employer wanted to make sure I knew exactly what I was getting myself into and test my Spanish language skills, so they had me shadow a potential coworker. I tagged along and entered families’ homes, sat on their couches, listened, and exchanged pleasantries. I also observed a prenatal class led in Spanish, which would be part of my job responsibilities. It was an incredibly intimate work setting.
While I was excited to envision a new path for my life, I was out of my comfort zone and felt intimidated. I knew I didn’t need to be fluent to land the job, but I only understood about 50% of what they were saying in Spanish. This was prenatal vocabulary after all! Not exactly textbook Spanish!
I knew I needed to improve my Spanish a lot to do well at the job. But even though I felt in over my head, I showed enthusiasm and confidence to the woman I was shadowing. I passed the initial screening, and the employer called me in for an interview.
When I arrived, I saw a long rectangular table filled with my interviewers! I sat down and told them I wanted the job. I told them I loved the idea of helping soon-to-be mothers get the resources they needed to provide for their children. I expressed how excited I was to work in Spanish and that I would go above and beyond to expand my Spanish vocabulary so I could do the job well. I also expressed my shock by how generous their benefits were. I said all this in my far-from-perfect Spanish. I could tell they were interested in hiring me; my confidence and enthusiasm had rubbed off on them, and that they saw potential. I left feeling on top of the world.
Ultimately, I received a generous offer and a higher starting salary because of my Spanish language skills. And you know what? I didn’t take it. As much as I was excited about that job, I had just interviewed in English at an international organization where I also got a job offer but at a lower salary. I decided the international organization was where I wanted to work most, and I convinced them to match the salary I had been offered for the Spanish-speaking role.
So that’s my experience interviewing in my second language. Scary, but not traumatizing. I still feel proud knowing I put myself out there in Spanish.
Now, let’s look at five things you can do to prepare for an interview in your second language, presumably, English!
- First, immerse yourself in English, leading up to your interview. Prioritize listening and speaking over reading and writing in English because a lot of the vocabulary and phrases used in speaking are different from what’s in print. Audiobooks, TV series, and podcasts are great options.
- Second, repeat this line many times leading up to your interview. “I don’t have to be fluent in English to get an offer, but I DO have to be confident.” I have met hundreds of people who use English in their jobs whose English is far from perfect. So, I know it’s possible! On the other hand, I have worked with people with solid English skills who dream of landing a job where they would speak English, but they don’t believe their English skills are good enough. Sometimes, their English skills are better than my students who already have jobs in English! Their lack of confidence is the only thing holding them back. So, my advice to you is don’t be a perfectionist. Interview in English before you think you’re ready.
- Third, prepare for your interview with a native English speaker. You can have a mock interview with a teacher, a friend, a language exchange partner, or a career coach. Once you identify some questions the interviewer could ask you, come up with some speaking points for your responses. You don’t need a full script, and you shouldn’t memorize your answers. If you do, it can backfire. You will sound robotic, and the employer will suspect you don’t have strong English skills. For any interview, be sure to practice introducing yourself and talking about your strengths and weaknesses, why you want to work for the employer, what you have to offer the employer, and your credentials. You want to connect with the interviewer and understand each other. If you don’t understand a question, ask the interviewer to repeat it or phrase it in another way. And check for signs that your interviewer understands you. If they have a confused look on their face or they tell you they don’t understand you, explain what you’re talking about in another way. A mock interview is a safe place to practice and make mistakes.
- Fourth, record yourself answering mock interview questions. Afterward, watch the video and critique yourself. How is your speaking speed and volume? What does your body language say?
- Finally, on the day of the interview, be honest and humble about your language skills. Acknowledge to the interviewer that your language skills are a work in progress and tell them all the things you’re doing to improve your English skills and your eagerness to work in an English-speaking environment. Your belief in your ability to work in English, along with your commitment to improving your English language skills, will likely convince the employer you’re capable of working in English.
Alright! Now you’re all set to interview in English! To stay motivated, write down how your life could improve by landing a job in your second language and revisit it before your interview. Maybe you could:
- Work abroad in an English-speaking country or office
- Make new friends from different cultures
- Travel internationally
- Improve your attractiveness to international employers
- Improve your English language skills further
The world awaits for your talent. Show ’em what you’re made of!
You’re ambitious, and you’re talented, but to do the work you love, you need to ace every stage of the job search process, including your interviews. I created an online course to guide you through the process so that you can land your dream job and do your thing! You can learn more and watch free previews of the course at www.express-to-impress.com.
If you want to build your English vocabulary, continue listening to learn about the idioms and phrases I used in this episode.
Faint of Heart
Here’s how I used it: It’s definitely not for the faint of heart.
A person who lacks courage or is unable to rise to the occasion.
Walk into the Lion’s Den
Here’s how I used it: Well, it can feel like walking into the lion’s den.
To enter into a particularly dangerous or hostile situation, especially due to an angry group of people within it.
In Over My Head
Here’s the sentence where I used it: Honestly, I felt in over my head, and yet, I showed enthusiasm and confidence to the woman I was shadowing.
It means that someone is in a difficult situation, and it’s beyond their control or abilities to handle.
By Any Stretch of the Imagination
Here’s the sentence where I used it: My Spanish was the best it had ever been, but I was not fluent by any stretch of the imagination.
We use this phrase when we want to emphasize that something is completely untrue or absolutely impossible.
Above and Beyond
Here’s the sentence where I used it: I told them how excited I was to work in Spanish and that I would go above and beyond to expand my Spanish vocabulary so I could do the job well.
This means to exceed expectations or requirements.
On Top of the World
Here’s the sentence where I used it: I left feeling on top of the world.
It means to feel completely elated, blissful, and happy.
Do Your Thing
Here’s the sentence where I used it: I created an online course to guide you through the process so that you can land your dream job and do your thing!
It means to pursue and do what you do best.
Show ’Em What You’re Made of
Here’s how I used it. The world awaits for your talent. Show em what you’re made of!
It means to demonstrate your talent, determination, ability, courage, or worth.
Thank you for listening to this week’s episode of Express to Impress. I hope to see you next time. Bye!
Music By Lucas Knutter
