Is my (Business) English level good enough for the job interview?

Posted byTinaPosted inBusiness English, Job Interviews, Language LearningTags:, , , , , , , ,
Tina Teaches English water color design with graphics of a conversation word bubble and text: "Is my English level good enough?"

Is my English level good enough to get the job? 

Most language learners are — understandably — nervous about applying for a job in a non-native language. That’s perfectly normal! If I were applying for a job in my non-native language, I would be worried about my speaking and listening skills, too. 

And I’d probably be a bit worried no matter how long I’d been studying.

But you shouldn’t spend all your time worrying. There are just three main things to think about when applying for jobs… and when preparing for your interview: 

  1. Are you qualified for the job? 
  2. Can you hold a 45-minute conversation comfortably?
  3. Can you spend a few hours studying industry-specific vocabulary?

These three things should be your main concerns. If you can say yes to these, you can successfully complete a job interview in English.

1. Are you qualified for the job? 

First things first: Are you qualified to do the job? 

GIF of Alexis Rose flipping her hair, confidently taking a PR or communications task. Text: "I will handle it."

Read through the job description. Make sure you understand the tasks in the job description. Then ask yourself: Can I do the work?

Look at each task and expectation. Can you repeat it in your own words? Make sure you don’t have any questions about what is expected of an employee in that job.

If you’re confident about this part, you’re starting from a great place.

Have doubts about whether or not you should apply for the job? I have another blog post about that with advice from some HR experts. 

2. Can you hold a 45-minute conversation in English? 

GIF of Joey from Friends saying his catchphrase: "How you doin?" As a conversation starter.
“How you doin?” – Joey from Friends

Hey Joey! Thanks for asking — I’ve had a pretty good week. How about you? 

There — if you could hold a short conversation with Joey from Friends, you can get through the small talk section of a job interview. 

And if you can get through the small talk, you can get through your prepared, professional introduction. Those two quick successes will help you relax into the rest of the conversation and interview process. Because an interview is not an exam. You shouldn’t only be answering questions. It should be a conversation between you and your interviewer.

Hey — you’re reading this blog post right now, too, so I believe you can keep a casual conversation going!

These skills are the foundation for your interview as well as office life. They’ll help you meet and get to know other people in the industry, as well.  

Take a look at my simple interview grammar post. 

3. Can you spend a few hours studying industry-specific English vocabulary for this exact job? 

The next important part of the process is making sure you can understand the industry-specific vocabulary. 

Synonyms for Industry-Specific Vocabulary

Some people love these highly specific words… And some people hate them. Some industries need all this insider lingo to communicate effectively.

So you’ll probably hear professionals talking about technical terms using these words:

  • Jargon
  • Terms
  • Buzzwords (generally for over-used industry vocab)
  • Lingo (also includes full phrases)
  • -speak (marketing-speak, IT-speak)
  • Acronyms (ROI for Return on Investment, etc)
  • Shorthand (When using jargon to efficiently describe something)

Finding Your New Vocabulary Words

Even native English speakers need to spend some time getting comfortable with industry terms. With just a few short words, you can communicate your skill in a specific department or job role. 

I recommend getting comfortable with the necessary lingo by finding newsletters, blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels that discuss your job functions and subjects. You don’t need to use complicated grammar as long as you understand the buzzwords… And if you aren’t comfortable using them, you should know how to describe them. 

So get reading!

(Scroll down a bit to find my list of some articles and videos that will be helpful for general industries and job functions.)

How to Talk Around Industry Buzzwords in Simple English: An Example 

If you helped reduce the turnover rate as an HR employee in your past job, you can say “I helped keep other employees working with the company for longer.”  

So you see, it doesn’t take a C1 or C2 level to get a job in an English-speaking company… You just need to comfortably and confidently communicate about your job functions. As long as you can understand what you’re hearing, and be understood, your English is good enough to get the job. 

A list of some business English and industry-specific blogs, podcasts, and websites where you can find new vocabulary:

Here are a few different resources you can start with to get comfortable with the industry-specific vocabulary and phrases you’ll need to be successful in your new job role! 

General Business English

Of course, there is also my book 8 Steps for Interview Prep [Amazon affiliate link] and the companion workbook. 

My book describes the preparation process and why each step is important… and it includes advice from several certified HR experts! 

"8 Steps for Interview Prep: How English learners can confidently answer questions" book held in a woman's hands wearing a fuzzy sweater.

The workbook includes checklists, templates, and guides for the whole process. It will walk you through company research, telling great stories about your accomplishments, talking about your strengths and skills, and developing your professional introduction. 

If you answered YES to all three questions above, you are a great candidate for my interview prep help!

Finance & Accounting

Sales & Marketing 

Hubspot’s Free Sales & Marketing Certification Courses

Management & HR

Project Management

IT, QA & Programming 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.