"A successful interview in English can be the

key to unlocking a new future for yourself."

- Daniel Smith

CÓMO
SUPERAR UNA
ENTREVISTA
EN INGLÉS
A free mini guide by Daniel Smith
Sobre mí
¡Hola! Soy Daniel Smith y el aprendizaje de idiomas lo llevo en los genes. De
madre alemana y padre inglés, nací en el Reino Unido. Allí aprendí a hablar en
inglés y alemán, hasta que, cuando tenía 10 años, me mudé a Bruselas y... seguro
que te lo imaginas: allí tuve que volver a empezar mi vida en un nuevo idioma,
esta vez en francés. 

Más adelante regresé a Inglaterra para estudiar arquitectura, pero seguía teniendo
la inquietud de explorar nuevos idiomas. Poco después me mudé a España... y
aquí estoy, ¡escribiendo en español! 

Comencé esta guía porque vi que mis alumnos tenían grandes dificultades para
enfrentarse a una entrevista de trabajo en inglés. Las entrevistas pueden llegar a
ser experiencias estresantes, incluso en tu propia lengua. Pues en un idioma que
no dominas...¡ni te cuento!

En esta guía te ayudo a sentirte más seguro durante un proceso de selección en inglés. Una entrevista de trabajo puede abrirte las puertas de
experiencias emocionantes y espero que mis consejos sean el impulso que necesitas para dar el primer paso hacia una nueva etapa.
Índice
1. Introducción 4. Atento a los tiempos verbales

2. Antes de la entrevista 5. El acento y la pronunciación

Investiga la empresa, la posición y quién te entrevistará Comprender a tus entrevistadores
Familiarízate con el vocabulario específico Hacerte comprender
Prepara las preguntas más habituales
Pide ayuda a un familiar o amigo para practicar 6. Errores comunes

3. El día de la entrevista 7. Después de la entrevista

La espera
Entrar, saludar y romper el hielo 8. La práctica hace al maestro
Preguntas para ti
Preguntas para ellos 9. Glosario
Despedida
Sobre Daniel Smith + Partners
1. Introducción
You comprehend what you read on the web and on your phone. You understand the English subtitles
on TV shows. Maybe you’re even watching Big Bang Theory in version original and are laughing along
with the audience.

Now imagine you’re on the streets and a tourist comes up to you to ask you for directions… in English.

Your heart begins to race and your palm starts sweating. Not because he or she is a beautiful blonde
with blue eyes. But at the idea of having to respond in English.

Reading and listening are important aspects of learning any new language. But so is speaking. 

Expressing yourself in English can be a challenge. Having do so at a job interview is even more
daunting.

With English as the leading language of communication in business across the globe, being able to
read, write, and speak it well has become a core requirement for many positions.

ONE | UNO
Interviewers these days look for more than just a basic understanding of the language.
They want fluid communication, which means being able to express yourself confidently
and adequately.

If you’re feeling lost, then this mini-guide is for you! 

This guide will help you get your head around the whole idea of having an interview in
English and push you forward so that the task seems much more manageable.

I’ll go over commonly asked questions, to-dos and not-to-dos, common English mistakes
made by Spanish speakers during an interview, the correct tenses and sentence
structures, as well as a glossary of useful words and phrases for the interview.

Don’t worry. If you’re already fluent in English and are practicing it on a regular basis, this
book will serve as a guide to boost your confidence and take you one step beyond.

¿Estás listo? ¡Vamos allá!

TWO | DOS
2. Antes de la entrevista
You finally get that call you’ve been waiting for - to come in for an interview for that dream job.

Your heart’s pounding with joy at having passed the first barrier. But the realisation soon sinks in and the excitement turns into nerves: 
the interview will be held in English.

In many ways, preparing for a job interview in English is very similar to preparing for a job interview in any other language. In this section, we’ll
discuss some very basic things you should do before your interview.

Investiga la empresa, la posición y quién te entrevistará

Google is your friend. Read up on everything there is to know about the company on its English site. Information such as its history, vision,
mission, products, and growth, is especially insightful. Also search for English speeches, presentations, and press releases to understand the
direction the company is heading towards.

Know the job offer like the back of your hand. Try and find out why this position is currently being offered, if that’s an indication of a possible
expansion, and the position’s role in it.

If you know the name of your interviewer(s), understand their background and responsibilities. It’s very likely that you’ll be reporting directly to
them should you get the job.
THREE | TRES
Familiarízate con el vocabulario
específico
Read up and learn the industry jargon in English. 

You may know them in Spanish. But as the very first rule of learning a
language goes, never translate directly, even though it sounds correct. 

You may end up committing a faux pas or saying a word that doesn’t exist
at all in English. This will confuse your interviewers - especially if they do
not speak a word of Spanish.

FOUR | CUATRO
Prepara las preguntas más habituales
Most interviews deal with the same few questions. The question itself may differ from
interviewer to interviewer, but the objective of the question is always the same. 

Here are some common questions that you may be asked during the interview:

"Can you tell me a little about yourself?"*

"How is your English?"*
"Why do you want to work with us?"
"What do you know about our company?"
"What makes you the ideal candidate for this job?"
"What are your strengths and weaknesses?"
"Why do you want to leave your current job/Why did you leave your previous job?"
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
"What’s the most important thing to you in a job?"

*More on these later.

Prepare your answers beforehand. Write them down and rehearse your answers.
Repeat them as many times as you need until the words to roll off your tongue.

FIVE | CINCO
 No memorices las respuestas. Intentar
recordarlas durante la entrevista podría
ponerte nervioso.

Cuando ensayes, haz un esquema con los

principales puntos que quieres cubrir en
cada respuesta y busca formas sencillas de
expresarlos.

Recuerda que el inglés es mucho más

directo que el español, así que... get to the
point!

to pound = palpitar

to know something like the back of your hand =

conocer a algo como la palma de la mano

faux pas = papelón

to roll off the tongue = con la mayor facilidad

SIX | SEIS
Pide ayuda a un familiar o amigo para practicar
Practice your answers orally with your English teacher, a friend, or a family member. Get them to
pretend to be the interviewer and rehearse the entire interview process with you - as many times as
possible.

It would help if this person were a native speaker to correct you as you go along.

Try to mimic the interview setting as much as possible. This means putting on the appropriate outfit,
setting up a ‘waiting room’ from which you’ll enter the interview room, and sitting across the desk
from your interviewer.

This may bring back embarrassing memories of when you played pretend family with your
childhood girl or boyfriend, but it will calm your nerves.

Unless your interviewer turns out to be said childhood girl or boyfriend, this will help you to express to stumble =
trabarse o tartamudear
yourself much more confidently during the interview. The right words and phrases will come to
mind easily and you won’t have to be afraid of stumbling.
to splurge = derrochar

Remember to take your pretend-interviewer out for a coffee or beer after you get the position! If it’s
a well-paying job, splurge for cava!

SEVEN | SIETE
3. El día de la entrevista
La espera
Arrive early. Nothing says tardy and irresponsible like arriving late to your interview. A good rule to go by is: if you’re on time, you’re late.

Dress appropriately. Your outfit will depend on the position. If it’s an office position, dress formally. But if the interview is for a chef, a suit and
tie may be too much.

Entrar, saludar y romper el hielo

Just as you wouldn’t enter a Spanish interview with 'Hola, ¿que tal?', do not greet your English interviewers with 'Hey, what’s up?'

A big and genuine smile, firm handshake, direct eye contact, and a confident 'Good morning/afternoon, how are you today?' will lay a good
groundwork.

After greetings have been exchanged, make sure to thank your interviewers - yes, even before the interview’s begun. 
Here are some phrases you can use:

"Thank you for meeting with me."

"I appreciate your taking the time to meet with me."
OCHO | EIGHT
 Los españoles solemos decir “thank you for to meet
with me”, error que viene de traducir directamente tardy = retrasado/a o demorado/a
la frase “gracias por quedar conmigo”. En inglés,
esto es gramaticalmente incorrecto. Después de la to lay a good groundwork =
preposición "for" se usa el gerundio: "Thank you for + establecer una buena base
gerund".

NINE | NUEVE
 Preguntas para ti
Can you tell me a little about yourself?

The fact that you’re at the interview confirms the company’s interest in you - at least
what’s on your CV. 

Regardless, your interviewers will probably ask you to introduce yourself. They will
probably have a copy of your CV in front of them so avoid repeating too much of what
they have already read. 

Instead, take the opportunity to highlight specific achievements and experiences. Talk
about how these have prepared you for this position.
En inglés no eres ‘the
responsible for sales and
operations'. Simplemente eres
‘responsible for sales and
operations'. Otra manera de
decirlo es ‘I am/was in charge of
sales and operations’ o ‘I
manage/managed sales and
operations’.

THREE | TRES
TEN | DIEZ
How is your English?

The next question may be about your level of English, especially if it’s
an important requirement for the position.

If you’ve previously taken English exams, use these as references. The

more widely known English exams include the Cambridge Exams
(preliminary, first, advanced, proficiency), TOEFL, and IELTS. If none of
these applies, an internal course or level exam at the school you
studied or are studying English is fine.

If you have never taken any exams, just talk about where you first
learned English, why you decided to learn it, and how many years
El español es una lengua muy expresiva y
you’ve been speaking it for. As the interview goes on, your level para muchos hispanohablantes los gestos
should become evident. forman parte natural del lenguaje. Intenta
controlarlos para no parecer nervioso y para
no distraer a tus entrevistadores. 

Si crees que podrías estar gesticulando

demasiado, grábate, comprueba la
grabación y practica hasta que te sientas
cómodo con el resultado. 

ELEVEN | ONCE
 Preguntas para ellos
Never leave the room without having asked a few questions. This is your
chance to show your interest. 

As a general guideline, the answers you seek should be information

unavailable on the internet. Examples include:

"What career progression opportunities are there with this position?"

"Why is this position available?"
"How big is the team I’ll be working with and what’s their experience?"
"How would you describe a typical day at this position?"

If your interviewers haven’t already mentioned it, end by asking when you
can expect to hear from them.

“When will you be informing candidates of your decision?”

TWELVE | DOCE
 Despedida

It is very important that you thank your interviewers again at the

end of the interview.

Do this as gracefully as you can. Which means on both feet,

hands stretched out for a handshake, a bright smile on your
face, and any variation of the following:

“Thank you (again) for your time and for the opportunity. I look
forward to hearing from you.”

Cualquier verbo que uses

después de “look forward to”
tiene que ir siempre en
gerundio. 

“I look forward to hear from

you” es incorrecto. 

THIRTEEN | TRECE
4. Atento a los tiempos verbales
Unlike Spanish, there’s no usted form in English so sounding polite may be challenging. The trick lies in the tenses and
sentence structure you use.

When asking questions, use modal verbs.

Let’s say you’d like your interviewers to repeat what they have said. In terms of politeness, the order goes like this:

English Spanish

Polite "I’m sorry, could you please repeat?" "¿Disculpe, podría repetir?"
"I’m sorry, can you please repeat?" "¿Disculpe, puede repetir?"
"Please repeat." "Por favor, repita."
Rude "Repeat." "Repita."

Needless to say, the imperative form is a big no-no and should never be used during the interview.

FOURTEEN | CATORCE
Do not be afraid to ask them to repeat. It’s better to clarify than to make a blunder later because you
misheard or misunderstood.

This is also a good reflection of your working style and shows you’re not afraid to ask for clarifications
when needed. In such a scenario, gently interrupt by leaning forward or putting your hand on the
table and asking:

“I’m sorry I couldn’t quite catch what you just said. Could you repeat it?”
“I apologise. I didn’t really understand what you just said. Could you repeat?”
“I’m afraid I’m not understanding it. Would you mind repeating?”

That said, you should avoid asking them to repeat too much. One important point interviewers look
out for is communication skills. A persistent lack of understanding will not play in your favour -
especially if the job requires a good command of English.

to make a blunder =
meter la pata

to play in your favour =

jugar a tu favor

FIFTEEN | QUINCE
 Cuando el primer verbo es un 'modal
verb', se elimina la preposición 'to'
antes del segundo.

Por eso, es incorrecto decir ‘could

Los 'modal verbs' expresan educación you please to repeat the question’?
y respeto. En inglés se usan para
ofrecer o pedir algo, también para
pedir permiso.

Los 'modal verbs' incluyen: can, could,

may, might, must, shall, should, will y
would.

SIXTEEN | DIESISÉIS
5. El acento y la pronunciación
Comprender a tus entrevistadores
There are over 50 English-speaking countries in the world. Accents from one
country to another - or even from one region to another within the same
country - can differ greatly. Look at how different the Galician and
Andalucian accents are!

You need to comprehend what your interviewers are saying. Thanks to

mainstream media, most Spaniards are more comfortable with the typical
British and American accents. But the Australian, South African, Irish, and
Scottish accents, can be tricky (even for some native English speakers).

If you know the name of your interviewers, find out where they’re from.
Spend some time getting used to the accent by tuning in to local radio
stations online or watching videos on YouTube.

SEVENTEEN | DIESISIETE
 Hacerte comprender
Communication is a two-way street. 

To ace the interview, your interviewers will need to understand you as well as you
understand them. And this is where good pronunciation and a clear accent come in.

The Spanish pronunciation is considerably easier than the English pronunciation. The
words are pronounced as you see them and there are far fewer exceptions. I’m sure you’ve
been frustrated by the silent ‘gh’s and the subtle differences between ‘ship’ and ‘sheep’
many times.

There is, unfortunately, no way around this. Pronunciation is a key part of every language
and being fluent requires good pronunciation and as little accent as possible. 

Imagine having a wonderful CV and the characteristics needed for the job only to fail the
interview because your interviewer mistook your having just come back from a ‘beach
to ace = bordar
holiday’ for, well, a whole different type of holiday, if you know what I mean.

That said, it’s not easy losing an accent. And there are some words that Spanish speakers
tend to pronounce a certain way that make it either difficult or confusing for English
speakers.

E I G H T E E N T |HD
R IEEES I| OTCRHEO
S
 Some examples include:

The extra ‘e’ before English words starting with ‘s’ (eg. eschool,
espaghetti, espain)
Short and long vowels (eg. sit vs seat, bit vs beat)
The ‘u’ that’s more like an ‘a’. (eg. cut vs cat)
‘Sh’ or ‘ch’ (eg. machine being pronounced as ma-chin)

Grábate mientras practicas

la entrevista. Fíjate en las
palabras que no
pronuncias bien y repítelas
en voz alta 5 veces.

NINETEEN | DIESINUEVE
6. Errores comunes
If you’re comfortable communicating in English, you’ve probably lost the habit of translating Ten cuidado con el actual-
directly from Spanish in your head (be it consciously or subconsciously) and making basic errors.  current false friend.
'Actual'  en español se dice
'current' en inglés.
But when nerves come into play during an interview, it’s completely natural to lose that
'Actualmente' es 'currently'.
confidence and flow. 'Actually' significa en
realidad/realmente. 'De
Here are some common mistakes Spanish speakers make. Run through them before your hecho' se dice 'in fact'.
interview.

Wrong Right

I live in Spain since three years. I have lived in Spain for three years.
It depend of the project. It depends on the project.
In my actual job, I manage five people. At my current job, I manage five people.
I like a lot. I like it a lot.
Is a challenge. It is a challenge.
Or... or... Either... or...

TWENTY | VEINTE
7. Después de la entrevista
Regardless of how the interview went, always send a follow up email to show your appreciation. 

Let your interviewers know you’re available for any other questions they may have. Remember to include your contact details.

Respect the deadline before which candidates will be informed of the decision. Do not email before the deadline is up to enquire.

Here’s a quick and easy email template you can follow.

Dear Mr Smith,

I would like you to thank you again for your time this morning and for the opportunity. Should you have further questions, please do
not hesitate to contact me. My contact details are on my CV and in my signature at the bottom of this email.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Warm regards,

Carlos Sanchez Ortiz

666-66-66-66

TWENTY-ONE | VEINTIUNO
8. La práctica hace al maestro
Excelling at an interview in English requires consistent practice and hard work. Beginning to prepare for it on the morning itself or even the
day before is too late. 

Begin practicing as soon as you send in your CV. Expose yourself to business and formal English on a daily basis. Make sure you’re speaking
it regularly to get into the habit expressing yourself formally. The more you practice, the less nervous you’ll be. 

It would help to have a conversation in English on the day of your interview as a warm up to get you prepared.

With this, you should now be well-equipped to prepare yourself for an interview in English!

If you’re interested in receiving coaching for an upcoming interview in English or would like to improve your business English, 
for personalised classes catered to your needs and specific level, get in touch with me.

I hope this guide has been helpful!

Daniel Smith 

TWENTY-TWO | VEINTIDÓS
9. Glosario
Resumé/CV Currículo/currículum Part-time Jornada parcial
Goal-oriented Orientado a objetivos Subject Asignatura
Success Éxito Training Formación
All-rounder Polifacético Degree Carrera
Skills Habilidades Grades/marks Notas
Payroll Nómina Work permit Permiso de trabajo
Contract Contrato Internship Practicas
An extra month’s salary Una paga extra Research and development Investigación y desarrollo
Salary Sueldo/salario Intern Becario/a
To hire Contratar Overtime pay Pago de horas extras
Promotion Ascenso Paid vacation Vacaciones pagadas
Working hours/schedule Horario Income tax Impuestos
Full-time Jornada completa

THREE | TRES
TWENTY-THREE | VEINTITRÉS
 When will the interview be? ¿Cuándo será la entrevista?
Where will the interview be held? ¿Dónde tendrá lugar la entrevista?
May I know the names of the people who will be interviewing me? ¿Podría saber quién estará presente en la entrevista?
Who should I ask for? ¿Por quién debo preguntar?
Will there be an exam/test? ¿Habrá una prueba?
When will you be informing candidates of your decision? ¿Cuándo informaréis a los candidatos de la decisión?
I have a willingness to learn Estoy dispuesto a aprender
To take on more responsibilities Asumir más responsabilidades
To work as Trabajar como
To be qualified Estar preparado/cualificado
To have a masters degree in Tener un máster en
To have a PhD in Tener un doctorado en
Thank you for your time Gracias por su/tu tiempo
Thank you for the opportunity Gracias por la oportunidad

TWENTY-FOUR | VEINTICUATRO
Sobre Daniel Smith + Partners
Daniel Smith + Partners es una empresa que está especializada en mejorar tu nivel de inglés hablado así como tu nivel de
comprensión, ambos especialmente importantes cuando te encuentras en un entorno de trabajo internacional. Tenemos una
sólida experiencia trabajando con estudiantes españoles, y sabemos exactamente cómo podemos ayudarte, tanto si eres una
empresa como si eres un particular.

Creemos firmemente que sólo cuando aprendes con profesores nativos, hablando y siendo corregido por ellos, realmente
empiezas a ser fluido en inglés. Por esta razón, todos nuestros profesores son nativos. Este hecho ofrece muchísimas más ventajas
porque los alumnos se acostumbran a un acento nativo real y lo que es más importante, empiezan a copiarlo, lo cual es muy
beneficioso.

URL http://www.danielsmith.es/

Teléfono 91 452 98 47

Correo [email protected]

TWENTY-FIVE | VEINTICINCO