{"id":4563,"date":"2026-05-20T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturallyenglish.nl\/?p=4563"},"modified":"2026-04-22T17:37:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T15:37:44","slug":"interviewing-in-english-when-confidence-gets-lost-in-translation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturallyenglish.nl\/nl\/business\/interviewing-in-english-when-confidence-gets-lost-in-translation\/","title":{"rendered":"Interviewing in English: When \u2018Confidence\u2019 Gets Lost in Translation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\n This article is written in English<\/strong> to support your learning.\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

Part 1 \u2013 the interviewer\u2019s perspective<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In many international interviews today, everyone speaks English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That doesn\u2019t mean everyone is communicating in the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent EU research<\/a><\/strong>, almost half of Europeans now speak English as a second language. As a result, many interviews are now conducted in English between people for whom it is not a first language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


English has become the shared working language. Practical. Efficient. Necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in interviews, English often does more than carry information. It also shapes how people appear<\/strong>. And that\u2019s where things can quietly go wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

When English becomes the interview language<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Interviews are already high\u2011pressure situations. Candidates are thinking, selecting examples, weighing their words, and trying to present themselves clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When English is added to the mix, the cognitive load increases immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candidates may:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • pause more often<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • simplify their answers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • choose safer wording<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • take time to formulate their thoughts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    From the interviewer\u2019s side, this behaviour can sometimes be read as a lower level of confidence<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But that interpretation is not always accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    Level of confidence: what are we actually seeing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In interviews, we often talk about \u201cconfidence\u201d as if it were a fixed quality. Someone either has it, or they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In reality, what interviewers are seeing is a perceived level of confidence in that moment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When English is being used as a shared second language, that perception is influenced by several things at once:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • language processing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • cultural expectations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • ideas about how confident someone \u201cshould\u201d sound in an interview<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      A candidate who pauses before answering may not be unsure. They may be taking time to express something carefully and accurately in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      What looks like hesitation can simply be formulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n\n\n\n

      How English as a shared language changes behaviour<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      When professionals work in a language that is not their first, they often adapt unconsciously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      They:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • reduce nuance to avoid misunderstanding<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • shorten answers to stay safe<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • avoid idiomatic or expressive language<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • focus on correctness rather than richness<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        The result can be answers that sound flatter or less detailed than they would in a first language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        That doesn\u2019t mean the thinking behind the answer is shallow. It often means the speaker is managing risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n\n\n\n

        Cultural expectations play a role too<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Confidence is expressed differently across cultures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Some professionals are comfortable presenting themselves strongly and explicitly. Others are more understated. In some cultures, self\u2011promotion is expected. In others, it feels uncomfortable or even inappropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        When interviews are conducted in English, these differences don\u2019t disappear. They are simply filtered through another language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        For Dutch recruiters in particular, clarity and directness are often valued. International candidates may prioritise accuracy, reflection, or politeness instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        This can lead to a mismatch in expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n\n\n\n

        Common signals that are easily misread<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        In English interviews, certain behaviours are often interpreted quickly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • pauses are read as uncertainty<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • careful wording is read as lack of ownership<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • simplified answers are read as lack of depth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          But in many cases, these are not signs of low competence or low confidence. They are signs of language management under pressure<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          The candidate is doing two things at once: answering the question and managing English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n\n\n\n

          What interviewers can do differently<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          This is not about lowering standards or changing expectations. It\u2019s about interpreting signals more accurately<\/strong> in an international context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          A few small shifts can make a big difference:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • allowing thinking time without rushing to fill the silence<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • listening for structure rather than speed<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • asking follow\u2011up questions instead of assuming<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • separating language performance from professional judgement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Interviews are not just assessments. They are interactions. Confidence is often co\u2011created in the space between interviewer and candidate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n\n\n\n

            A shared responsibility<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            When English is the shared interview language, confidence is not only something candidates try to project. It is something interviewers actively interpret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Being aware of how language and culture shape that interpretation leads to better conversations and, ultimately, better hiring decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            In Part 2<\/strong> of this series, I\u2019ll look at interviews from the candidate\u2019s side, and explore how professionals can express their experience and thinking more confidently in English, without over\u2011preparing or changing who they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n\n\n\n

            Thanks for reading.<\/strong>
            When English is everyone\u2019s second language, confidence is often quieter than we expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Until next time, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Stuart<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Steeds meer sollicitatiegesprekken vinden plaats in het Engels, vaak tussen mensen voor wie het geen moedertaal is. In deze blog lees je hoe het waargenomen niveau van zelfvertrouwen in Engelstalige interviews wordt be\u00efnvloed door taalgebruik en culturele verwachtingen, en waarom wat als \u2018twijfel\u2019 wordt gezien, vaak simpelweg zorgvuldig formuleren is.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4564,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[19,22,26,24,25],"class_list":["post-4563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-business","tag-businessenglish","tag-elf","tag-internationalbusiness","tag-interviewskills"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t