English phrases for job interviews

Short answer

Prepare one short phrase for each difficult moment: a greeting, a phrase to buy thinking time ("Let me think about that for a moment"), a way to ask them to repeat, order words for a long answer (first, then, finally), a way to restart if you lose your place, and a thank-you at the end. Simple phrases you can say without thinking help more than advanced ones.

Five phrases to prepare first

• Hello, thank you for having me today. I'm looking forward to our conversation. — Starting the interview. At the very start of the interview.
• That's a good question. Let me think about that for a moment. — Buying time to think. When you need 5-10 seconds to organize your thoughts.
• I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I want to make sure I understand your question correctly. — Asking the interviewer to repeat or explain. When you didn't hear or didn't understand.
• I'm sorry, I lost my train of thought. Could I start that answer again? — Recovering when an answer goes wrong. When you've completely lost your place.
• Thank you for your time today. I really enjoyed learning more about this role. — Ending the interview. End of interview.

Phrases for each moment of the interview

• Starting the interview — 4 phrases. The first minute: you greet the interviewer, sit down or join the call, and answer small talk before the first real question.
• Buying time to think — 4 phrases. A question you did not expect, or one where you know the answer but the English words are slow to come.
• Asking the interviewer to repeat or explain — 4 phrases. You did not hear the question, did not understand a word or an accent, or are not sure what kind of answer they want.
• Structuring your answer — 8 phrases. Any longer answer, especially "tell me about a time…" questions where you tell a real example.
• Describing your achievements — 4 phrases. Questions about your results, your strengths, or why they should hire you.
• Talking about a disagreement — 3 phrases. Questions about conflict, a time you disagreed with a manager or colleague, or how you handle feedback you think is wrong. The interviewer is usually less interested in who was right than in how you behaved and what happened next.
• Ending the interview — 3 phrases. The last minute, after your questions for them, when the interviewer thanks you and stands up or ends the call.
• Recovering when an answer goes wrong — 4 phrases. You lose your train of thought, say the wrong word, misunderstand the question, or feel your nerves take over.
• Talking about your own work — 6 phrases. Any example where you did the work: projects, problems you solved, things you led.
• Explaining technical work — 4 phrases. Technical interviews, and any time you explain a system, a process or a decision to someone outside your field.
• A thank-you email after the interview — 3 phrases. The same day or the next morning after the interview.

How to use a phrase without sounding learned

Choose one phrase per moment and practise saying it out loud until it feels like yours. Change the words so they sound like you.

Do not fill an answer with prepared phrases. They help you start, pause and finish — the middle of the answer should be your own example in your own words.

Common questions

What English phrases are useful in a job interview?

A greeting, a phrase to buy thinking time, a polite way to ask them to repeat, order words for long answers, a way to restart, and a short thank-you. One of each is enough.

Is it OK to ask the interviewer to repeat the question?

Yes. Asking once, clearly, is normal. Answering the wrong question is a bigger problem than asking.

What level of English do I need for these phrases?

The B1 phrases work in most interviews. Use B2 or C1 phrases only if you can say them comfortably.

Related pages

• STAR method examples — answers to "tell me about a time…" in three levels of English
• Questions to ask in an interview — what to ask at each stage, and what to listen for
• Easy English interview mode — practice for A1 and A2 English