Do you have a job interview in Spanish coming up? Or, did you have one in the past and you know you could have done better? If so, you might feel stressed and nervous, and maybe even a little bit lost. If your goal is to get a job working in Spanish, it is possible, but it will take some preparation. To prepare, you need to know the specific Spanish words and phrases for a job interview, or, more formal Spanish than you might be using with friends. This will allow you to understand, not only the interviewee, but also be able to ask important questions about the salary, the role, company values, daily duties, and more.
Before Your Spanish Job Interview
An interview is an important step to grow your career, so you have to be prepared. Whether this is your first meeting or you’ve already had many, check these tips to nail your next job interview in Spanish.
RE-READ YOUR RESUME
Be sure about everything that you put on your resume: years working, companies worked at, what skills you have acquired over the years. The interviewer will ask you about the experience you have.
RESEARCH THE COMPANY
Go to their website and social media, and read some testimonies. Make sure to read the Spanish version of their website to pick up any company-specific vocabulary that they use. This will help you ask some personalized questions and show that you prepared for this important meeting.
WRITE A COVER LETTER IN SPANISH
Even if a company hasn’t asked you for a cover letter, they will appreciate the fact that you took time to write one, and that you did it in their language. It shows interest and knowledge.
Prepare how you’ll dress and how you’ll get to their offices. Chances are you’ll be nervous on the day of the interview, and you don’t want to get lost or have a wrinkled suit. Punctuality is important, so preparing details like your clothes or how you’ll get there in advance will help you be on time and make a strong first impression.
PRACTICE YOUR LANGUAGE SKILLS
If your interview is in Spanish, practice speaking in that language, so your fluency and vocabulary are better the day of the encounter. You can do this in the mirror or with a Spanish tutor.
30 Important Words & Phrases for a Job Interview in Spanish
- Curriculum/ currículum vitae/ currículo/ hoja de vida: Resume
- Carta de presentación: Cover letter
- Vacante: Job vacancy
- Empresa: Company
- Candidato/aspirante: Candidate
- Jefe/a: Boss
- Empleados: Employees
- Recursos Humanos: Human Resources
- Reclutador: Recruitment agent/ recruiter
- Contratar: Hire
- Entrevista de trabajo: Job interview
- Experiencia: Experience
- Habilidades: Skills/abilities
- Objetivos: Goals
- Salario: Salary
- Prestaciones de ley: Legal benefits/ benefits granted by the law
- Licenciatura: Major
- Ingeniería: Engineering
- Liderazgo: Leadership
- Contrato: Contract
- Horario: Schedule
- Presentación/código de vestimenta: Presentation/dress code
- Oficina: Office
- Trabajar desde casa: Work from home/ Home office
- Modalidad híbrida: Hybrid mode (half in office, half work from home)
- Tiempo completo: Full time
- Medio tiempo: Part-time
- Pasantía: Internship
- Título (universitario): Degree (college degree)
- Requisitos: Requirements
Greetings & Introducing Yourself in Spanish
You might be asking a secretary where to find someone, or you might be presenting yourself to your future boss. No matter the person, it is always important to be kind and confident while introducing yourself to the people you might work with.
Buen día/ buenos días/ buenas tardes: This means good day/ good morning/ good afternoon. It’s more formal than a simple hello.
Mucho gusto, soy…: Nice to meet you, I am… This is a kind way to greet someone while letting them know who you are. It’s always good to accompany it with a handshake.
Questions They Might Ask You
Here are some common Spanish job interview questions with some of the words above.
Cuéntame de ti, ¿cuáles son tus objetivos?
They’re asking you to speak about yourself and your goals. Talk about your experience and what you’ve learned in your previous jobs. You can also prepare some short, medium and long-term goals, so they’ll know what you can bring into the company and if they fit in your plans.
¿Cuáles son tus habilidades?
They are asking about your abilities. You might’ve written those on your resume, but this is the perfect opportunity to expand on them. Be sure to talk about soft and hard skills. Be confident in your talent and work.
Dime tres defectos que tengas.
They’re asking you to tell them three defects/weak points about yourself. This is a tough one: it might seem that all your answers can be used against you. After you’ve said your weaknesses, make sure to mention how you can solve or change them.
¿Qué responsabilidades tenías en tu anterior empleo?
They are asking about the responsibilities you had in your last job. They already know about your experience because of your resume, but recruiters often like to hear you talk about what you’ve done. That way, they get an idea of your abilities, confidence, and personality.
Cuéntame sobre una mala experiencia y cómo la resolviste.
This one is tricky. They want to know about a bad experience you’ve had and how you solved it. Answer the truth, but highlight your abilities and problem-solving skills.
¿Por qué renunciaste?/ ¿Por qué lo dejaste?
They’re asking you about why you quit or left your previous job. No matter the reason, it’s always good to answer with respect towards your previous employer.
¿Tienes alguna pregunta o duda?
They are asking if you have any questions or doubts. This is the perfect moment to let them know that you did your research and are interested in them. Ask things that sparked your curiosity when you looked at their website or social media.
Questions to Ask Them
When asking questions, you not only let them know that you researched their work and purpose as a company, but also that you’re interested in growing alongside them.
¿Qué posibilidad de crecimiento hay dentro de la empresa?
This means: What’s the possibility of growing within the company?
Aparte de las prestaciones de ley, ¿dan otro beneficio?
Use this to ask if you’ll get other benefits apart from the health insurance/government benefits/tax reductions (Ask for a list! It’s different in every country).
¿Cómo evalúan el desempeño de los empleados?
You are asking how they evaluate the employees’ performance.
¿Manejan algún protocolo de seguridad y ética?
This is important in order to know if they have any security and ethics protocol. It’s always good to feel safe in the workplace.
How Spanish Will Give You Many Jobs Opportunities
Knowing Spanish will open many opportunities for you. Not only will you make new friends or be able to travel freely abroad, but you’ll also be a better candidate for any job you wish.
Since Spanish is a popular language around the world, companies are looking to communicate in this language and, even, have headquarters in Spanish-speaking countries. So, who knows? You might end up living in Spain, Argentina, Colombia, or somewhere else.
This will give you an international presence within the work environment. And it could help you get a raise in your salary or job position because you know a second language that will help the company’s goal of reaching new audiences.
If you want to increase your Spanish knowledge to be better at work – or for any other reason – you can take a class with any of our TruFluency Spanish coaches. The first month is 20% off with code TF20!
