How to talk about work experience from another country in an interview

Short answer

Help the interviewer picture your old job in clear, simple words. Your experience counts. But the interviewer may not know the company, the job title or how things work there. Explain the type of place, its size, what you were responsible for, and one result.

Why this matters

An interviewer cannot value what they cannot understand. A company name they do not know, or a job title that means something different here, can make strong experience sound small.

Your job is to translate it: not the language, but the context.

Four things to explain

  1. The place: what kind of organisation: "a private hospital with about 200 beds", "a family construction company".
  2. The size: people, customers, rooms, orders or budget, in words the interviewer can picture.
  3. Your responsibility: what you did yourself, and who you reported to. Use the local name for the job if you know it.
  4. One result: something that improved because of you.

Before and after

Too short: "I was a supervisor at [company name]."

Clearer: I was a shift supervisor at a large supermarket in Madrid. I led a team of twelve on the evening shift and was responsible for the tills and the stockroom. I reduced the queues at busy times by moving one person from stock to tills.

A job title that is different here

In my country my title was "engineer", but the work was closer to what you call a site manager. I planned the work each day for about thirty builders, checked safety, and reported to the project director.

A nurse or care professional

I worked for six years on a busy medical ward in a public hospital in Kerala. I looked after six to eight patients on each shift, gave medicines, and trained new nurses. I am used to working with doctors in English, because the hospital used English for notes.

When systems were different

We used paper records there, not a computer system like here. But the skills are the same: writing clear, accurate notes at the time. I have used three computer systems in other jobs, so I learn new ones quickly.

Questions you may be asked

  • Can you tell me more about the company you worked for?
  • How is that job different from the same job here?
  • Do you have experience in this country?
  • How would you adapt to the way we do things here?
  • Can we contact your references abroad?

"Do you have experience in this country?"

If the answer is no

Not yet in this exact role. I have seven years of experience in my country, and since I arrived I have learned the local standards and completed a short course. I understand there are differences, and I learn them quickly by asking and watching.

"Can we contact your references abroad?"

Yes. My last manager speaks English and I have his email address. I can also give you a reference from my current part-time job here.

Common English mistakes, and how to fix them

  • Instead of only the company name: say what kind of company it was and how big: "a family hotel with forty rooms". The name alone may mean nothing to the interviewer.
  • Instead of "In my country we do it better": say "In my last job we did it this way, and I'd like to learn how you do it here." Comparing is fine; judging can sound difficult to work with.
  • Instead of translating your job title word for word: describe what you did, then give the nearest local title: "It was close to what you call a team leader."
  • Instead of "I was responsible of the team": say "I was responsible for the team" or "I led a team of eight."

Useful phrases

Short sentences you can use in your answers. Each one has a job.

  • "It was a… with about…": To describe the place and its size in one sentence.
  • "It was close to what you call a…": When a job title means something different here.
  • "I was responsible for…, and I reported to…": To show your level and where you fitted in the organisation.
  • "The skills are the same:…": When systems, tools or rules were different. Name the skill that carries over.
  • "Since I arrived, I have…": To show what you have learned locally: a course, a certificate, a part-time job.
  • "I'd like to learn how you do it here.": For questions about differences. It shows you will adapt.

What an interviewer may and may not notice

  • An interviewer may notice whether they can picture your old job. A clear size and one result often help more than the company name.
  • An interviewer may be unsure how to check experience abroad. Offering references and documents early can help.
  • An interviewer may notice the way you talk about differences. Curious and respectful usually sounds better than "our way was better".
  • What an employer decides depends on many things you cannot see. No page and no practice tool can tell you what one interviewer will decide.

Questions people ask

Does experience from another country count?

Yes, it is real experience. Some employers also want local experience or local qualifications, so explain what is the same, and what you have done here since you arrived.

Should I translate my job title on my CV?

Use the nearest local title and add a short description of what you did. In the interview, explain it in one sentence.

What if my references do not speak English?

Say so honestly and offer an alternative: a written reference, a translated letter, or a reference from work you have done here.

What about my qualifications from abroad?

That is a separate question. Some jobs need a local recognition of your qualification. See the page on explaining foreign qualifications.

Related pages

About this page

Published by EnglishJobReady. Last reviewed: 10 October 2026.

This page gives general advice for practice. Every employer is different, and it cannot tell you what a particular interviewer will think or decide.

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What this site cannot tell you

These pages describe what interviewers commonly look for. They cannot tell you what a specific interviewer decided, and nothing here guarantees an interview, an offer or a visa. Practising is preparation — it shows you what to fix next.