How To Do A Job Interview In Spanish: 58 Phrases To Answer Interview Questions
You learned enough Spanish, you’re advancing in the language, you’re reaching fluency. And then, you move to a Spanish-speaking country to have your first job interview in Spanish.
But it’s a completely different event in your life and you have no idea where to start. Don’t worry, Effortless Conversations and Spring Spanish (a project I co-founded) has got you covered:
Let’s cover this topic as thoroughly as we can: from the Spanish job culture, the necessary vocabulary, how to write your CV, and how to answer the most common Spanish questions you get on a job interview.
1. Common questions about the Spanish job market
Before we get deeper, we have to explain how the Spanish job market works.
Spain’s job market is quite dynamic. It has also undergone big changes in the last couple of years. Unlike some of its European neighbors like Germany or the UK, Spain faced higher unemployment rates. But there’s been a noticeable improvement lately, especially in sectors like technology, renewable energy and of course, tourism.
Spain’s tech industry is getting better and better with cities like Barcelona and Madrid becoming European hotspots, just like Berlin or Amsterdam.
The renewable energy sector is also thriving because of the great natural resources: lot of green jobs are available in Spain.
If we compare Spain to other Spanish-speaking countries, Spain has a stable and regulated job market. (With higher living costs, too.) The work culture is set for a good work-life balance in Spain, with a little bit of siesta in the middle of the day – that’s still an important aspect of the Spanish culture.
2. How to prepare for a job interview in Spanish?
Don’t worry, don’t stress, just relax!
That could be your motto when preparing for a job interview in Spanish. It can truly be a rewarding experience.
First, make sure you’re comfortable with the most common interview questions, and you can answer them fluently in Spanish.
Practice the Spanish for beginners sections: greetings in Spanish, discussing your experience, and using some business Spanish, you can explain why you’re a good fit for the position.
Before applying for the job in Spanish, research the company and prepare yourself to ask questions in Spanish, too! Be aware of the most important things of the Spanish culture, and also add a bit of personal connection to these.
3. Spanish job interview vocabulary
If you truly want to prepare for the interview, you have to be familiar with the job interview vocabulary. That’s why we made a list of the essential and most common Spanish phrases you can run into during this event.
Take a look!
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Entrevista de trabajo | Job interview |
| Currículum (CV) | Resume |
| Candidato(a) | Candidate |
| Empleador | Employer |
| Empleado(a) | Employee |
| Puesto | Position |
| Salario | Salary |
| Beneficios | Benefits |
| Experiencia | Experience |
| Habilidades | Skills |
| Referencias | References |
| Carta de presentación | Cover letter |
| Jornada laboral | Workday |
| Horario de trabajo | Work schedule |
| Oficina | Office |
| Entorno laboral | Work environment |
| Requisitos | Requirements |
| Contrato | Contract |
| Formación | Training |
| Entrevistador(a) | Interviewer |
| Departamento | Department |
| Reunión | Meeting |
| Recursos Humanos (RR.HH.) | Human Resources (HR) |
| Promoción | Promotion |
| Ascenso | Advancement |
| Evaluación | Evaluation |
| Desempeño | Performance |
Now that you have a grasp over this, it’s time to write a cover letter in Spanish. Don’t sweat, just use easy Spanish words to land your dream job!
| Estimado/a [Nombre de la Empresa], (Dear [Company Name],) Me dirijo a usted para postularme al puesto de [Nombre del Puesto]. Tengo experiencia en [Tu Área de Experiencia] y creo que puedo aportar valor a su equipo. (I am writing to apply for the position of [Job Title]. I have experience in [Your Field of Expertise] and believe I can add value to your team.) Adjunto mi currículum para su revisión. Espero tener la oportunidad de conversar con usted. (I have attached my résumé for your review. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss this with you.) Atentamente, (Sincerely,) |
You can use this template for FREE to craft your own message!
4. The most common interview questions in Spanish language
Knowing the basic Spanish vocabulary is the first step, the next one is to check the questions you can get during a job interview.
In this table, pay attention to the Spanish question words, because those little words are the ones that help you find out what the interviewer is curious about!
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Puede hablarme de usted mismo? | Can you tell me about yourself? |
| ¿Por qué está interesado en este puesto? | Why are you interested in this position? |
| ¿Cuáles son sus fortalezas y debilidades? | What are your strengths and weaknesses? |
| ¿Dónde se ve en cinco años? | Where do you see yourself in five years? |
| ¿Por qué quiere trabajar en nuestra empresa? | Why do you want to work at our company? |
| Hábleme de su experiencia laboral anterior. | Tell me about your previous work experience. |
| ¿Cómo maneja el estrés y la presión? | How do you handle stress and pressure? |
| ¿Por qué dejó su último trabajo? | Why did you leave your last job? |
| ¿Puede darme un ejemplo de un desafío que haya enfrentado y cómo lo resolvió? | Can you give me an example of a challenge you faced and how you resolved it? |
| ¿Qué sabe sobre nuestra empresa? | What do you know about our company? |
| ¿Cuáles son sus expectativas salariales? | What are your salary expectations? |
| ¿Está dispuesto a viajar o reubicarse? | Are you willing to travel or relocate? |
| ¿Cuál es su mayor logro profesional? | What is your greatest professional achievement? |
| ¿Cómo describe su estilo de trabajo? | How would you describe your work style? |
| ¿Tiene alguna pregunta para nosotros? | Do you have any questions for us? |
5. Questions and answers for your future trabajo
What are questions in Spanish worth when you don’t have the answers?
Here are more examples in Spanish that you can use in this exciting situation.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Soy una persona proactiva y orientada a resultados. | I am a proactive and results-oriented person. |
| Tengo un gran interés en este puesto porque me apasiona [área]. | I am very interested in this position because I am passionate about [field]. |
| Mis fortalezas son la atención al detalle y la comunicación. | My strengths are attention to detail and communication. |
| Mi principal debilidad es que a veces soy demasiado perfeccionista. | My main weakness is that sometimes I am too much of a perfectionist. |
| En cinco años me veo liderando proyectos importantes. | In five years, I see myself leading important projects. |
| Quiero trabajar aquí porque admiro su enfoque innovador. | I want to work here because I admire your innovative approach. |
| He trabajado en [empresa] donde desarrollé habilidades de [habilidad]. | I worked at [company] where I developed skills in [skill]. |
| Manejo el estrés priorizando tareas y manteniendo la calma. | I handle stress by prioritizing tasks and staying calm. |
| Dejé mi último trabajo porque busco nuevas oportunidades de crecimiento. | I left my last job because I am looking for new growth opportunities. |
| Enfrenté un desafío importante en [situación] y lo resolví [cómo]. | I faced a significant challenge in [situation] and resolved it by [how]. |
| Sé que su empresa es líder en [industria/sector]. | I know that your company is a leader in [industry/sector]. |
| Mis expectativas salariales son negociables. | My salary expectations are negotiable. |
| Estoy dispuesto a viajar y reubicarme si es necesario. | I am willing to travel and relocate if necessary. |
| Mi mayor logro profesional es [logro]. | My greatest professional achievement is [achievement]. |
| Mi estilo de trabajo es colaborativo y enfocado en objetivos. | My work style is collaborative and goal-oriented. |
| Sí, ¿podría hablarme sobre las oportunidades de desarrollo profesional en su empresa? | Yes, could you tell me about the professional development opportunities at your company? |
6. Practice job interview questions
You can start practicing right now!
This was just a glimpse of what we can offer: if you sign up now, you can access our Full Practice Worksheet Library!
7. Land your dream job with Spanish vocabulary and Conversation Based Chunking
There’s one more thing you can do to ace your job interview in Spanish: use and incorporate the Conversation Based Chunking method.
What is it all about? This method focuses on lexical chunks in the language. And chunks are the most common word and phrase combinations in Spanish, the ones that native Spanish speakers use all the time without thinking about Spanish grammar.
Here’s your chance to learn more about this method! If you sign up now, you can get access to our Full Practice Worksheet Library, get an essential Spanish chunking list, learn more about my favorite resources to learn Spanish, and many more!
