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Phrasebook

English Phrases for a Job Interview

A job interview in English tests your language and your confidence at the same time. Learn these phrases so you can focus on what you want to say, not how to say it.

35 phrases · By LearnLingo Team · Updated

Tap to hear a phrase. Levels follow the CEFR scale. American English is the default; British variants are noted.

Greetings and small talk

EnglishTurkishYou might hear

Thank you for having me.

A2

Natural first line when you sit down.

Beni davet ettiğiniz için teşekkür ederim.
  • It's a pleasure. Did you find us easily?

Nice to meet you.

A1
Tanıştığımıza memnun oldum.
  • Nice to meet you too. Please have a seat.

Yes, it was easy to find.

A1
Evet, bulması kolaydı.
  • Great. Can I get you some water?

I'm very happy to be here.

A2
Burada olduğum için çok mutluyum.
  • We're glad you could come.

Talking about yourself

EnglishTurkishYou might hear

I graduated from Ankara University with a degree in economics.

B1

"Graduate from" a school, "with a degree in" a subject.

Ankara Üniversitesi ekonomi bölümünden mezun oldum.
  • What made you choose economics?

I have three years of experience in marketing.

B1

Use "experience in" a field.

Pazarlamada üç yıllık deneyimim var.
  • Tell me more about your last role.

I currently work as a software developer.

A2

Use "work as" plus a job title.

Şu anda yazılım geliştirici olarak çalışıyorum.
  • What does a typical day look like?

I've been working there since 2022.

B1

Present perfect continuous with "since" for a start point.

2022'den beri orada çalışıyorum.
  • Why are you looking for a change?

I'm responsible for managing social media accounts.

B1

"Responsible for" plus -ing.

Sosyal medya hesaplarını yönetmekten sorumluyum.
  • How many accounts do you manage?

I'm a quick learner.

A2
Hızlı öğrenirim.
  • Can you give me an example?

In my free time, I enjoy running and reading.

A2
Boş zamanlarımda koşmayı ve okumayı severim.
  • Oh, do you run races?

Strengths and weaknesses

EnglishTurkishYou might hear

One of my strengths is working well under pressure.

B1
Güçlü yönlerimden biri baskı altında iyi çalışmamdır.
  • Can you describe a stressful situation you handled?

I'm very organized and detail-oriented.

B1
Çok düzenli ve detaylara dikkat eden biriyim.
  • How do you organize your week?

I work well in a team.

A2
Ekip içinde iyi çalışırım.
  • Tell me about a team project.

My weakness is that I sometimes take on too much.

B1

Pair a weakness with how you are improving it.

Zayıf yönüm bazen çok fazla iş üstlenmem.
  • How are you working on that?

I'm working on it by setting clear priorities.

B2
Net öncelikler belirleyerek bunun üzerinde çalışıyorum.
  • That sounds sensible.

My English is good, and I'm improving it every day.

A2
İngilizcem iyi ve her gün geliştiriyorum.
  • How do you practice?

Experience and examples

EnglishTurkishYou might hear

For example, in my last job I led a team of five.

B1
Örneğin, önceki işimde beş kişilik bir ekibi yönettim.
  • What was the biggest challenge?

I was in charge of the project budget.

B1
Proje bütçesinden ben sorumluydum.
  • Did you stay within budget?

We managed to finish the project on time.

B1

"Manage to" means succeed in doing something difficult.

Projeyi zamanında bitirmeyi başardık.
  • How did you do that?

The result was a big increase in sales.

B1

Give real numbers only if you are sure of them.

Sonuç olarak satışlar büyük ölçüde arttı.
  • Impressive. What was your role exactly?

I learned a lot from that experience.

A2
O deneyimden çok şey öğrendim.
  • What would you do differently?

That's a good question. Let me think for a moment.

B1

Buys time naturally. Better than silence.

Güzel bir soru. Bir saniye düşüneyim.
  • Take your time.

Why this job

EnglishTurkishYou might hear

I'm interested in this position because I love working with people.

B1

"Interested in", not "interested about".

Bu pozisyonla ilgileniyorum çünkü insanlarla çalışmayı seviyorum.
  • What do you know about our company?

I admire your company's focus on quality.

B2
Şirketinizin kaliteye verdiği önemi takdir ediyorum.
  • Thank you. Quality is very important to us.

I'm looking for new challenges.

B1
Yeni zorluklar arıyorum.
  • What kind of challenges?

I see myself in a leadership role in five years.

B1
Beş yıl sonra kendimi bir liderlik pozisyonunda görüyorum.
  • Interesting. How will you get there?

I believe I would be a good fit for the team.

B2

"Good fit" means a good match.

Ekibe çok iyi uyum sağlayacağıma inanıyorum.
  • Why do you think so?

Asking questions and closing

EnglishTurkishYou might hear

Could you tell me more about the team?

A2
Bana ekipten biraz daha bahsedebilir misiniz?
  • Sure. There are eight people in the team.

What does a typical day look like in this role?

B1
Bu pozisyonda sıradan bir gün nasıl geçiyor?
  • Mostly meetings in the morning and project work after lunch.

Are there opportunities for training?

B1
Eğitim imkânları var mı?
  • Yes, we have a yearly training budget.

Could you tell me about the next steps?

B1

Polite way to ask what happens after the interview.

Sonraki adımlar hakkında bilgi verebilir misiniz?
  • We'll contact you within two weeks.

When can I expect to hear from you?

B1
Sizden ne zaman haber bekleyebilirim?
  • By the end of next week.

Thank you for your time.

A2
Zaman ayırdığınız için teşekkür ederim.
  • Thank you for coming in.

I look forward to hearing from you.

B1

"Look forward to" plus -ing, not the base verb.

Sizden haber almayı dört gözle bekliyorum.
  • We'll be in touch.

Sample dialogues

The opening questions

Interviewer
Hello, Deniz. Thanks for coming in. Please have a seat.
Merhaba Deniz. Geldiğiniz için teşekkürler. Lütfen oturun.
Deniz
Thank you for having me.
Beni davet ettiğiniz için teşekkür ederim.
Interviewer
So, tell me a little about yourself.
Peki, bana biraz kendinizden bahseder misiniz?
Deniz
I graduated in business, and I have three years of experience in sales.
İşletme mezunuyum ve satışta üç yıllık deneyimim var.
Interviewer
What are you responsible for in your current job?
Şu anki işinizde nelerden sorumlusunuz?
Deniz
I'm responsible for key customers and I train new staff.
Önemli müşterilerden sorumluyum ve yeni çalışanları eğitiyorum.
Interviewer
And why are you interested in this position?
Peki bu pozisyonla neden ilgileniyorsunuz?
Deniz
I'm looking for new challenges, and I admire your products.
Yeni zorluklar arıyorum ve ürünlerinizi takdir ediyorum.

Weakness and closing

Interviewer
What would you say is your biggest weakness?
En büyük zayıf yönünüz nedir?
Deniz
That's a good question. I sometimes take on too much.
Güzel bir soru. Bazen çok fazla iş üstleniyorum.
Deniz
I'm working on it by setting clear priorities each week.
Her hafta net öncelikler belirleyerek bunun üzerinde çalışıyorum.
Interviewer
Good. Do you have any questions for us?
Güzel. Bize sormak istediğiniz bir şey var mı?
Deniz
Yes. Could you tell me about the next steps?
Evet. Sonraki adımlar hakkında bilgi verebilir misiniz?
Interviewer
We'll contact all candidates by the end of next week.
Önümüzdeki haftanın sonuna kadar tüm adaylarla iletişime geçeceğiz.
Deniz
Great. Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Harika. Zaman ayırdığınız için teşekkür ederim. Sizden haber bekliyorum.

Common mistakes Turkish speakers make

I am working here since three years.

I have been working here for three years.

Turkish uses present tense with "beri", but English needs the present perfect, and "for" with a length of time.

I have 3 years experience.

I have three years of experience.

English needs "of" here: "years of experience".

I look forward to hear from you.

I look forward to hearing from you.

"To" in "look forward to" is a preposition, so it takes -ing.

I am graduated from university.

I graduated from university.

"Mezun oldum" is an action, so English uses the simple past, not "am graduated".

I am very interested about this job.

I am very interested in this job.

The correct preposition after "interested" is "in".

Quick quiz

Eight questions to check what you remember. Pick an answer to see if it is right.

  1. 1. Complete: "I have five years ___ experience."

  2. 2. Which sentence is correct?

  3. 3. "Interested ___ this position."

  4. 4. You need time to think. You say...

  5. 5. Which is the best closing line?

  6. 6. "I look forward to ___ from you."

  7. 7. What does "a good fit" mean?

  8. 8. Which question is good to ask the interviewer?

0 of 8 answered

Show all answers
  1. of
  2. I have worked here since 2020.
  3. in
  4. That's a good question. Let me think for a moment.
  5. Thank you for your time.
  6. hearing
  7. A good match
  8. What does a typical day look like in this role?

See what the B1 English course covers, or test your level first.

People also ask

How should I answer "Tell me about yourself"?+

Give a short summary of your studies, your current job and one or two achievements. Finish by connecting your experience to the job you are applying for.

Should I talk about a real weakness?+

Yes, choose a real but manageable weakness and explain what you are doing to improve it. Avoid weaknesses that are central to the job.

Is it OK to ask the interviewer questions?+

Yes, interviewers expect it. Questions about the team, a typical day or the next steps show interest and preparation.

What if I do not understand a question?+

Ask politely: "Sorry, could you rephrase that?" or "Do you mean...?". It is much better than answering the wrong question.

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