December 14, 2024

5 English Tenses for your Job Interview in English

Your job interview in English is a moment when you want to communicate as clearly as possible. That’s why it’s important to have a full understanding of the English tenses to give impactful answers that flow in the right order of events. Here are the 5 English tenses you need for your job interview in English.

Your job interview in English: Simple present

Talking about the professional tasks you do on a regular basis? Use the present tense! For example: 

  • I manage a team of 10 people.

Got it? The present tense is for fixed, routine habits in your job.

Your job interview in English: I am + action

How do you describe a specific task or project you’re currently involved in at the job you have right now? Here’s how: say I am, and then an action with ing.

For example: 

  • At the moment, I am working on a new campaign.

Notice this tense isn’t for explaining your general professional duties – use this tense to give the interviewer an idea of what tasks you’re specifically doing right now. 

“I was working on a major project when the pandemic started. “

Your job interview in English: I have + action

This next tense is ideal for discussing ongoing roles and achievements that began in the past and continue today. For example: 

I have worked as a Marketing Specialist since 2022.

To create this type of sentence for your job interview in English, you normally say: I have and then an action with ed at the end. (e.g. “worked”). There are plenty of irregulars though, so watch out! (e.g. “done”, “been”, “become”, “given”).  

Last tip! Avoid using this tense with finished time periods like “last year”. Instead, use open time periods like “this year” or “today.”

Your job interview in English: Simple past

Use this English tense to describe finished events in the past – in the case of your job interview in English, that will probably be your past work experiences and achievements. For example: 

I designed digital marketing campaigns

To create this type of sentence for your job interview in English, it’s common to put ed at the end of the action, and that’s all. (E.g. “designed). But watch out for those irregulars! For your job interview in English, useful ones to remember are “built”, “led”, “spent”.

Your job interview in English: I was + action

Here’s a quick tip for your job interview in English: when you are beginning your story, use the tense I was plus an action with ing to create some background context. For example: 

I was working on a major project when the pandemic started. 

We have the background situation, and then – bam! You introduce the main event with the normal, simple past. 

Your job interview in English: Thinking of the future

 

During your job interview in English, you’ll no doubt talk about your career aspirations for the future. In English, we often use phrases in the present tense to do this, like: 

  • I plan to…
  • My goal is to… 

Want to express your future predictions for your industry? Use expressions like “I think” and then use the word “will”, plus an action. For example: 

  • I think customer expectations will grow.

Speaking of the future, you should now feel better prepared for your job interview in English! Remember that practice and preparation is the safest way to a successful recruitment experience – if you want individual training, check out one-to-one sessions at Talktips. And good luck with your job interview in English!

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I train people to use English in a professional context. In my one-to-one sessions, online course and social media platforms, you’ll master tools to flourish in your English-speaking workplace. From job interviews to work meetings to presentations and more, you’ll prepare for professional challenges and speak with success.

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