How to Answer 3 Common Interview Questions in English [Updated]

Are you preparing for English job interviews? If so, you've probably wondered how to answer questions like "What are your salary expectations?" or "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Today, we'll introduce useful expressions for responding to three of the most popular interview questions in English.

#1 “Tell us a bit about yourself.”

Many interviews start with this simple request. You can separate your response into three different parts. The first is talking about your present and past experiences.

• I've been an accountant for seven years.
• I work in marketing.
• I'm responsible for managing our company's finances.
• I'm in charge of a team of four people.
• Before this, I worked for a law firm.

Next, talk about how these experiences helped you gain new skills or knowledge that you can use in your next job.

• My experience as a nurse taught me how to work under pressure.
• Through this role, I learned the importance of time management.
• Working in a large law firm equipped me with knowledge of many different industries.

Finally, talk briefly about why you're applying for the position.

• I've grown in my current role, but I'd like to apply my experiences to a different industry.
• Your company caught my attention because of its excellent reputation.

Here's a sample response that uses these expressions:

I've been a marketing manager for three years. I'm responsible for our company's email campaigns, social media accounts and blogs. Before this, I worked in customer service at a bank and a hotel, where I was in charge of bookings and reservations.

My time in customer service and marketing taught me how important it is to properly manage relationships with customers. It also helped me realize how much I enjoy this aspect of business. So I started looking for other opportunities in this field and your company caught my attention because you focus specifically on solutions for customer relationship management.

#2 “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

While the previous section focuses a lot on your past, this question is the opposite. Here, you are being asked to talk about how you'd like to grow professionally — and how this growth might benefit the company.

Here are some expressions you can use to talk about professional growth.

• I'd love to further develop my graphic design skills.
• I'd like to increase my knowledge of the industry by attending conferences.
• I would take advantage of the company's internal training and mentoring programs.

Here are examples of expressions for talking about future hopes and goals.

• In five years, I will hopefully have become an expert in branding.
• I see myself working with some big clients.
• One of my goals is to become a certified public accountant.
• I’m excited by the prospect of working overseas.

If it applies to you, you might also mention that you're interested in leadership roles in the future.

• I'd like to take the lead in projects involving major clients.
• I'd love to have the opportunity to lead a team and learn some management skills.
• If I have the chance, I'd like to be considered for a management role.

As an entry level employee, I'm mainly interested in learning, so I definitely want to increase my knowledge of the industry and take advantage of the company's training programs to develop my project management skills.

Also, since my last company mainly served start-ups, I'm excited about the prospect of working with large corporate clients. In five years, I'll hopefully be taking the lead in a few big projects. I'd also love to be considered for a leadership position, if the opportunity arises.

#3 “What are your salary expectations?”

There's a budget for every role, so interviewers ask this question to make sure the company can afford you.

You can respond by giving a range. Keep in mind that in most English-speaking countries, salaries are discussed as a yearly amount.

• I'm expecting a salary in the range of $45,000 to $60,000.
• I'm looking to make around £30,000 to £35,000.

You may also want to briefly explain your reasons for this answer.

• With my experience/qualifications/certifications, I'd expect a salary of around $45,000 to $50,000.
• Based on my research/knowledge of the industry, positions like this pay in the range of £30,000 to £32,000.

Sometimes this question comes up too early in the interview. In this case, you'll need more information in order to give an accurate range.

• I'd prefer giving specific numbers after we've discussed the details of the position.
• I'd like to learn more about what the position entails. From there, we can decide on a fair salary. 
• Could I first ask a few questions about the responsibilities of this role? I'll be able to give a more accurate range that way.

Another strategy is to ask the employer what they are prepared to offer.

• Can I ask what salary range you have in mind for this position?

Finally, you can mention if there's anything else that might affect your expectations.

• Could you tell me about your employee benefits? I heard that they include a gym subscription as well as pet insurance. Benefits like this could allow me to be more flexible with salary.
• I would like to work remotely from my hometown two months every year. If something like that could be arranged, I'd be open to negotiating my salary.
• My salary is negotiable depending on the overall compensation package. In particular, I'd like to learn more about stock options and bonuses.

Here's a sample response:

Based on my knowledge of the industry, similar positions in this region pay in the range of $50,000 to $60,000. With my qualifications, I'd expect a salary in the upper part of that range, so somewhere between $57,000 and $60,000.

However, I'd like to learn more about what the position entails as well as the overall compensation package, including bonuses and equity. From there, I'm sure we can find something we both agree on.

Practice your interviews with a tutor

Practicing before an interview is a great way to get more comfortable and confident in your responses. If that's something you'd like to do, try booking an online lesson with a professional English tutor.

Engoo has many tutors with experience preparing students for job interviews, and they would be happy to help you. Learn more about us here.