The interview is a vital stage in any hiring process. When an applicant is seeking a job in a foreign country, sometimes that country speaks a language other than the job seeker's native language. It is important to be prepared to interview in the foreign language either in person or by phone, as the applicant will have to demonstrate not only the professional qualifications for the job, but competency in the language.
Interview Preparation Exercises
Think of possible questions an interviewer may ask, and figure out how the questions will sound in the foreign language. As with any job interview, be it in the native language or a foreign language, it is important to think of appropriate responses to these questions prior to the interview. Here are some strategies for preparing interview responses in a foreign language:
- Practicing with a friend who speaks the foreign language, in the form of a mock interview. If it is not possible to do so face to face, submit the questions and answers to the friend via email for feedback. If there is no connection through friends to someone who speaks the language, consider contacting a local university professor or high school language teacher for advice.
- Writing out responses beforehand, or recording responses and playing them back to hear how they sound, are two ways to get the answers and vocabulary practically memorized.
- Rewording answers. Structure sentences differently and look up appropriate synonyms. This will increase the level of comfort with the interview questions and answers, and with the language itself.
- Preparing questions to ask the interviewer. Not having any questions to ask does not usually sit well with an interviewer. It may leave them asking, "How interested is this person, really?" Prepared questions, in addition to prepared responses, make for a well-rounded interview.
- Making a list of vocabulary relevant to the particular industry and job. It is important to be savvy in this area, as it will demonstrate language competency and knowledge of the field.
Cultural Expectations for an Interview
Sometimes the etiquette for a job interview in a foreign country is different from that for the home country. Is shaking hands appropriate or inappropriate? How early an arrival at the interview site is considered rude? Is it even appropriate to ask questions at the end of the interview? If questions are appropriate, which are absolute musts and which are surefire ways not to land the job? Country-specific resources on this topic can be found online. The UK site Kwintessential offers online guides to etiquette in over 80 countries.
Why is this culture factor so important? To take an example of a fairly standard job qualification, an interviewer may find it difficult to believe that a job applicant has excellent communication or interpersonal skills when he or she cannot follow the proper interview etiquette. Though the interviewer may understand that there is some cultural confusion, it is better to be prepared by knowing the proper procedures for an interview for a job in a foreign country. Even if foreign language skills are impeccable, a lack of knowledge of etiquette will hurt the job seeker.
Interviewing for a job in a foreign language is a challenging task. Memorization of job-specific vocabulary, preparation of responses to questions, and familiarity with country-specific interview standards are ways to prepare sufficiently for a strong interview.
Suzanne Swartz - During college, Suzanne spent a semester in southwest Germany. After receiving her B.A. in History and German Studies, she went back to ...
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