Speaking guide
Practise job interview answers in English
Most interview nerves come from saying an answer for the first time in the interview itself. Say your answers out loud a few times before the day and they come out shorter, clearer and more like you.
A sample to rehearse
I've worked in customer support for four years, most recently at a software company in Istanbul. I lead a team of five, and last year we cut our average response time from two days to six hours.
What I enjoy most is solving a problem for someone who was having a bad day. I'm applying for this role because I'd like to use that experience in a product team, closer to the people who build the software.
Change the details to your own, then practise your version out loud.
How to practise it
- Write it firstPut what you want to say into short sentences. Use the questions you expect: tell me about yourself, why this role, a strength, a difficult situation and how you handled it.
- Say it out loud and record itSay it out loud, or to the camera. Notice where you stop in the first take; it should sound like talking, not reading.
- Listen back, then try againListen to your take and try the same script once more. A third take is usually much smoother than the first.
Common mistakes
Instead of I am working here since 2021.
say I've been working here since 2021.
Use the present perfect for something that started in the past and is still true.
Instead of I am very good in Excel.
say I'm very good at Excel.
Good at a skill; good in a place or a situation.
Instead of My weakness is that I am perfectionist.
say One thing I'm working on is…
A real example with what you are doing about it sounds more honest than a cliché.
Useful phrases
- I've been working as … for … years.
- One example of that is when …
- What I learned from it was …
- I'm particularly interested in this role because …
- Could you tell me more about the team?