How to prepare for a French interview

Have you been invited to a job interview in French? Félicitations! Reaching the interview stage is already an achievement, but explaining your experience and personality in another language can feel daunting.

The good news is that you do not need perfect French to make a professional impression. Careful preparation, clear examples and a few well-chosen expressions can help you speak with much more confidence.

In this guide, you will learn essential French job interview vocabulary, common questions with model answers, polite phrases and cultural tips for interviews in France. If you would like to rehearse your answers through personalised role-plays, my Business French lessons can be tailored to your profession and upcoming interview.

How do you say job interview in French? The usual expression is un entretien d’embauche. You can also say un entretien de recrutement or simply un entretien when the context is clear.

Be careful with une interview: in French, it generally refers to an interview conducted by a journalist.

For more workplace language, you can also read my quick guide to Business French.

Before the interview, review the company’s website, recent projects and values. You do not need to memorise its entire history. Concentrate on the details that help you explain why the position interests you and how your experience meets its needs.

Prepare a few notes in French about:

• the company’s main activities, clients or markets;
• the responsibilities mentioned in the job description;
• the experience and skills you can bring to the position;
• one or two recent company projects that interest you;
• the reasons you would like to join the organisation.

This preparation will help you avoid giving a vague answer when you hear: Pourquoi souhaitez-vous travailler chez nous ?

It is tempting to write perfect answers and memorise them word for word. However, a heavily rehearsed speech can sound unnatural and may be difficult to adapt if the interviewer changes the wording of a question.

Instead, prepare key points and short examples. For a question about a professional achievement or difficult situation, you can organise your ideas in four stages:

1. La situation (What was happening?)
2. Votre mission (What were you responsible for?)
3. Vos actions (What did you do?)
4. Le résultat (What was the outcome?)

Présentez-vous (Tell Me About Yourself)

This question usually invites a concise professional introduction, not your complete life story. Mention your current role, your most relevant experience and what you are now looking for.

Model answer:

Je travaille actuellement comme assistante de direction dans le secteur pharmaceutique. Depuis cinq ans, j’organise des réunions internationales, je coordonne des projets et je communique régulièrement avec différents services. Je souhaite aujourd’hui mettre cette expérience au service d’une entreprise internationale et évoluer vers un poste avec davantage de responsabilités.

Useful structure: Current position + relevant experience + key skills + reason for applying

Pourquoi souhaitez-vous travailler chez nous ? (Why Would You Like to Work With Us?)

Show that your answer applies to this particular organisation. Connect something specific about the company with your experience or professional goals.

Model answer:

Votre développement sur les marchés internationaux m’intéresse particulièrement. J’ai travaillé pendant plusieurs années avec des équipes multiculturelles et j’aimerais mettre cette expérience à profit dans une entreprise qui poursuit son expansion en Europe.

Pourquoi souhaitez-vous quitter votre emploi actuel ? (Why do you want to leave your current job ?)

Always stay positive and never say that you are having issues in your current job or with your current manager. Even worse, don’t say that it is not well paid. We don’t like to talk about money at the beginning of the interview. Instead, you could say you are looking for new challenges, that you are passionate about the industry of the company you are currently applying for. But never talk negatively about your past experiences.

Quelles sont vos principales qualités ? (What Are Your Main Strengths?)

Choose two or three qualities that are relevant to the position and support them with a brief example.

Useful qualities include:

• rigoureux / rigoureuse (thorough and precise)
• autonome (able to work independently)
• réactif / réactive (responsive)
• à l’écoute (a good listener)
• organisé(e) (organised)
• polyvalent(e) (versatile)
• fiable (reliable)
• doté(e) d’un bon esprit d’équipe (a good team player)

Quel est votre principal point faible ? (What Is Your Main Weakness?)

Choose a genuine but manageable weakness. Explain what you are doing to improve it instead of presenting a disguised strength such as I work too hard or I’m a perfectionist. 

Model answer:

J’avais parfois tendance à vouloir régler seule toutes les difficultés. J’ai appris à demander plus rapidement l’avis de mes collègues et à mieux partager les responsabilités. Cela nous permet de gagner du temps et d’obtenir de meilleurs résultats.

Parlez-moi d’une situation où…(Tell me about a situation where you had to resolve an issue or you had a success with your team.)

You need to know your previous experiences and determine the jobs/position relevant to this dream job. So try to come up with numbers, facts rather than vagues explanation. The recruiter needs to check if you have developed the skills he/she is looking for (problem solving skills, time management skills, leadership,…). If you provide proofs of what you are saying with exact figures, they will be able to relate to this.

Quels sont vos moteurs professionnels ? (What motivates you ?)

There is no right or wrong answer here although it will show your real personality. If you only reply money, it may not be well received. You could say challenges, precise goals to attain, a great team spirit and only at the end mention the salary.

Pourquoi devrions-nous vous recruter ? (Why Should We Hire You?)

Summarise the strongest connection between the employer’s needs and what you offer.

Model answer:

Mon expérience correspond aux deux aspects essentiels du poste : la gestion de projets complexes et la communication avec des clients internationaux. Je pourrai donc être rapidement opérationnelle tout en apportant ma connaissance du secteur.

Quelles sont vos prétentions salariales ? (What Are Your Salary Expectations?)

Research the usual salary range for the position before the interview. If you give a figure, state whether you are referring to annual gross salary.

Model answer:

Au regard de mon expérience et des responsabilités du poste, j’envisage une rémunération annuelle brute comprise entre X et Y euros. Je reste toutefois ouverte à la discussion en fonction de l’ensemble des conditions proposées.

An unfamiliar accent, a long question or stress can make comprehension more difficult. Asking politely for clarification is better than answering a question you have misunderstood.

• Pourriez-vous répéter la question, s’il vous plaît ? (Could you repeat the question, please?)
• Pourriez-vous reformuler, s’il vous plaît ? (Could you rephrase that, please?)
• Si j’ai bien compris, vous souhaitez savoir… (If I have understood correctly, you would like to know…)
• Permettez-moi de réfléchir quelques instants. (Let me think for a moment.)
• C’est une question intéressante. (That is an interesting question.)
• Pourriez-vous préciser ce que vous entendez par… ? (Could you clarify what you mean by…?)
• Je n’ai pas encore rencontré cette situation, mais voici comment je l’aborderais… (I have not encountered that situation yet, but here is how I would approach it…)

These expressions allow you to slow the conversation down without losing your professional tone.

Most interviewers will finish by asking: Avez-vous des questions ? Preparing two or three questions shows curiosity and helps you decide whether the role suits you.

A few examples could be:

• Quelles seront les priorités de la personne recrutée pendant les premiers mois ?
  What will be the successful candidate’s priorities during the first few months?
• Quels sont les principaux défis liés à ce poste ?
  What are the main challenges associated with this position?
• Comment l’équipe est-elle organisée ?
  How is the team organised?
• Avec quels services travaillerai-je le plus régulièrement ?
  Which departments will I work with most frequently?
• Comment évaluez-vous la réussite à ce poste ?
  How do you measure success in this role?
• Quelles sont les possibilités d’évolution au sein de l’entreprise ?
  What career development opportunities are available within the company?
• Quelles sont les prochaines étapes du processus de recrutement ?
  What are the next steps in the recruitment process?

In France it is the interviewer who should ask you about your salary expectations. It’s always a good idea to check the market to see what you can expect.

Arrive at the Right Time

Plan your journey and aim to arrive nearby about ten to fifteen minutes early. However, avoid presenting yourself at reception excessively early. For an online interview, test the link, camera, microphone and internet connection in advance, and connect a few minutes before the scheduled time.

Generally we shake hands during interview in France

For an in-person interview, follow the interviewer’s lead concerning a handshake. A friendly greeting, eye contact and a professional manner matter more than forcing a particular gesture. Of course, we don’t do ‘la bise’ (cheek-kissing) with people we don’t know very well. You should keep that with your friends and your family.

Use Vous Unless Invited to Do Otherwise

Even if your interviewers are your age, using ‘tu’  decreases your chances of getting the job ! Make sure to address your interviewers as ‘Monsieur’ or ‘Madame’. Unless they ask you to use ‘’tu’ (in your companies they do prefer tutoyer), always speak with them with the ‘vous’

During the first minutes of the meeting, you could say that you are pleased to meet them : Je suis ravi(e) de faire votre connaissance” or “Je suis heureuse/heureux de vous rencontrer.” You can also thank them for having you/for their availability: “Je vous remercie de me recevoir.” Je vous remercie pour votre disponibilité »

Adapt Your Clothes to the Company

Interview dress codes vary by sector and company. Banking, law or luxury may be more formal than a creative agency or start-up. If you are uncertain, choose a polished outfit that is slightly more formal than the company’s everyday dress code.

Bring the Essentials

For an in-person interview, take a copy of your CV, the job description and something discreet for taking notes. Bring a portfolio or work samples if they are relevant to the role. For an online interview, keep these documents open or printed so that you can find information quickly without appearing distracted.

Before leaving, reaffirm your interest without delivering another long speech.

You could say:

Je vous remercie pour cet échange. Le poste et les projets que vous m’avez présentés correspondent tout à fait à ce que je recherche. Je serais ravi(e) de rejoindre votre équipe.
(Thank you for this conversation. The position and projects you have presented correspond exactly to what I am looking for. I would be delighted to join your team.)

Other useful phrases include:

• Merci pour votre temps et pour la qualité de nos échanges. (Thank you for your time and for this valuable conversation.)
• J’ai été ravi(e) d’en apprendre davantage sur le poste. (I was delighted to learn more about the position.)
• Je reste à votre disposition si vous avez besoin d’informations complémentaires. (I remain available if you require any further information.)
• Je vous souhaite une excellente journée. (Have a lovely day.)

Recruiters/interviewers generally appreciate receiving it within the next day or two. It’s a positive signal to the future employer. The content and form of this email must be carefully prepared.

Keep it short, but don’t forget to include some key elements:

• Thank the recruiter (1)
• Reiterate your interest and motivation (2)
• Remind quickly the qualities or essential points that you discussed during the interview (3)

 An example of a thank you email

Objet : Entretien du (date) : Remerciements et retours

Bonjour Monsieur [Nom de la personne],

Pour faire suite à notre entretien (ce jour / hier), je tenais à vous remercier pour votre accueil et la qualité de nos échanges. (1)

Depuis (2 ans / 5 ans / …), j’évolue professionnellement dans des sociétés de services comme la votre. J’ai appris à travailler en toute autonomie, mettant en avant les qualités commerciales indispensables à la réussite de mon objectif : écoute, relation client, disponibilité (2). Ainsi, je vous renouvelle mon intérêt pour intégrer votre société qui s’inscrit pleinement dans mon projet professionnel (3)

Dans l’attente d’une réponse que j’espère favorable, je vous prie de recevoir, Monsieur XX, mes salutations distinguées.

In France it’s normal to have 2 interviews and not abnormal to sometimes have 3 or 4 !

If you scored a second interview, you will have new recruiters / interviewers. So don’t assume they know all you’ve discussed during the first meeting.

They will have an idea about your background, strengths and weaknesses but don’t be afraid to repeat yourself and show your motivation again. You need to show again why you are the best candidate for the job. You may meet your future manager, and/or team members. Sometimes it could be people from different offices, where for example you apply for an international position.

Try to prepare different questions than the ones you’ve asked previously, if possible related to the people you are going to meet.