Attending your first job interview with a Spanish company and need help in preparation? No worries, we have your back! We will also explain job interview etiquette you should pay attention to.
The following are some Spanish phrases you’ll be using in a job interview, make sure you’ve practiced them by speaking them out loud at home before attending!
Common dialogue between interviewer and interviewee
Talking about academic background
A note on Spanish tertiary education system:
*Since 2008 in Spain people obtain their graduado (Bachelor degree) after 3 or 4 years of studying. Those with a degree obtained before that year may talk about diplomatura (3-year Bachelor) or licenciatura (the equivalent bachelor plus a master degree) which used to last from 4 to 5 years. To be clear about your kind of degree you can consult your equivalent hours in ECTS credits.
Interviewer: ¿Usted licenciado/graduado universitario? (Are you graduate from university?)
Interviewee: Sí, estoy licenciado/a or graduado/a en…. (Yes, I graduate from…)
Mi licenciatura es en…(I majored in…) /Tengo la carrera de…(I have a degree in)/ Mi especialización es…(My specialization is…)
Interviewer: ¿Tiene una diplomatura? (Do you have a Bachelor degree?)
Interviewee: Sí, tengo una diplomatura en…/estoy diplomado/a en .. (Yes, I have a diploma in…)
Interviewer: ¿Tiene un máster? (You have a master degree?)
Interviewee: Sí, tengo un máster en…(Yes, I have a master in…)
Mi trabajo de tesis trató sobre… (My thesis was on…)
Mi trabajo final de carrera/ máster trató sobre … (My degree/master thesis was on..)
Interviewer: ¿Tiene un doctorado? (You have a doctorate degree?)
Interviewee: Sí, soy doctor/a en…(Yes I am doctor in…)
Other useful Spanish job interview phrases
Me especialicé en… (I specialized in…)
Hice cursos en/de…(I took courses in…)
Hablo varias lenguas// idiomas (I speak various languages)
e.g. Hablo cuarto lenguas//idiomas: inglés, español, italiano, alemán (I speak 4 languages: English, Spanish, Italian and German)
He publicado artículos en…(I’ve published material on…)
Trabajé como voluntario en…(I did some volunteer work in…)
Talking about work experience
Interviewer: ¿Cúal es la última empresa en la qué ha trabajado? ¿Qué puesto ocupó? (Which is your old company? What position did you have?)
Interviewee: Trabajé en….(nombre de empresa) como….(puesto) (I work in… (name of the company) as…(position)).
Interviewer: ¿Cuáles fueron sus mayores logros en su último trabajo? (What were your greatest achievement in your last job?)
Interviewee: (example) Conseguí aumentar las ventas un 30% (I increase the sale of products for 30%).
Interviewer: ¿Ha hecho prácticas en alguna empresa? (Have you done any internship in any company?)
Interviewee : Hice prácticas en…(nombre de empresa) (I did an internship in… (company name).
Interviewer: ¿Por qué quiere este trabajo exactamente? (Why exactly do you want this job?)
Interviewee: (example) Porque quiero desarrollarme en el ámbito de mi profesión dentro de una empresa ya establecida. (Because I want to have a good development of my profesión in an established company).
Interviewer: ¿Por qué cree que deberíamos contratarlo? (Why do you think we should hire you?)
Interviewee: (example) Porque considero que tengo la suficiente capacidad para desarrollar este trabajo y puedo conseguir resultados excelentes. (Because I have the capacity for the job and can deliver excellent results).
Talking about your personality
Interviewer: ¿Puede decirnos tres fortalezas/virtudes suyas y tres defectos? (Can you tell us three strengths and three weaknesses of yours?)
You better be honest in your answer, here you have an example:
Interviewee: Ahora no se me ocurren tres. En general me considero una persona sensible, eso puede ser bueno y malo a la vez. Es bueno porque… Pero es malo porque… ( I cannot think of three now. In general, I consider myself a sensitive person. That can be good and bad at the same time. It’s good because … but it’s bad because …)
Talking about the contact, salary and benefit
Interviewee: ¿Qué tipo de contrato me ofrecen? (What is the type of contract I am offered?)
Interviewer: Es indefinido (contract without definite end time)/ temporal (temporary)/ a proyecto (for a project)/a tiempo parcial (part-time) .
Interviewee: ¿Cuál es el sueldo?/ ¿A cuánto asciende el salario? (What’s the salary?)
Interviewee: ¿De cuántos días de vacaciones podré disponer? (How many days of vacation I’ll have?)
Ending the interview
Interviewer: Muy bien, estudiaremos su currículo y ya le comunicaremos nuestra decisión.
(Very good. We will study your CV and communicate with you our decision)
Interviewee: Muchas gracias. Esperaré su llamada. Hasta pronto. (Thank you. I’ll wait for your call. See you later.)
Interviewer: Gracias por venir (Thanks for coming).
Professions
¡Ojo! Remember that when we talk about our profession in Spanish we do not use the indefinite article. For example in English you’d say “I am a nurse” but in Spanish we say “Soy enfermera” and not “Soy una enfermera”. You also have to take into consideration that we may use the indefinite article when we add an adjective afterwards “Soy una enfermera experimentada” (I am a nurse with experience)
| Abogado/ abogada | Lawyer |
| Arquitecto/ arquitecta | Architect |
| Camarero/ camarera | Waiter |
| Contable (m,f) | Accountant |
| Dependiente/dependienta | Shop assistant |
| Diseñador/ diseñadora | Designer |
| Empresario/ empresaria | Business owner/ Entrepreneur |
| Emprendedor/emprendedora | Entrepreneur |
| Enfermero/ enfermera | Nurse |
| Funcionario/funcionaria | Civil servant |
| Ingeniero/ ingeniera | Engineer |
| Médico/médica or doctor/doctora | Doctor |
| Peluquero/peluquera | Hairdresser |
| Profesor/profesora | Teacher |
| Secretario/secretaria | Secretary
|
| Agente inmobiliario | Real estate agent |
| Dentista | Dentist |
| Guía turístico | Tour guide |
| Periodista | Journalist |
| Policía | Police |
Other useful vocabulary
| Ejecutivo/ ejecutiva | Executive |
| Empleo | Employment |
| Encargado/ encargada /manager | Manager |
| Horario laboral | Working hour |
| Puesto fijo | Permanent position |
| Sector | Sector |
| Subalterno/la subalterna | Subordinate |
| Trabajo | Job |
| Trabajo temporal | Temporary job |
| Carrera | Career |
| Entrevista | Interview |
| Experiencia | Experience
|
| Industria | Industry |
| Nómina | Payroll |
| Paga extra | Extra month’s salary |
| Cacaciones | Holidays |
| Eésumé/curriculo/curriculum | Resume |
| Subcontratar | To subcontract |
| Superior | Senior |
| Ascenso | Promotion |
Spanish Job interview etiquette
Applying a job and interviewing with a Hispanic company for the first time? Be aware of the following etiquette:
1. Put your photo on the CV
Companies from Spain and Latin America would expect their applicants to include a photo on their CV, so be sure to attach a professionally looking photo of you.
2. Be on time and dress appropriately
Make sure you’d be on time for your interview to leave a good impression for your interviewer. Also it’s important to dress formally to leave a professional image.
3. Shake hand with your interviewer
In business occasion people would usually greet each other with a handshake. Make sure you give a firm handshake to show your confidence.
4. Address your interviewer by “usted”
In an interview with Latinoamerica people usually address each other by “usted”. In Spain, it depends on the circumstances, but most of the time if it is not a trendy start-up company people would still go by the tradition and use “usted”.
Good luck with your first Spanish interview! Have a question on job application and interview with a Hispanic company? Leave us a comment below!
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