A job interview in Polish: 12 typical questions and how to answer them

Viktor's Polish was at the "I understand, but don't say much" level. At an interview for a forklift operator job he was asked: "Jakie ma pan oczekiwania finansowe?" He didn't know the word "oczekiwania", panicked and said "tak". The recruiter smiled politely. He got the job — but at the rate he was offered, not one he could have named himself.

Many people think you can't prepare for an interview in Polish because the questions could be anything. In fact, in job interviews the questions repeat with remarkable regularity. Know the 12 typical ones and have answers ready, and you'll understand 80% of the conversation and sound confident.

First, two grammar points

• Pan / Pani. At an interview you're addressed formally in the third person: "Czy pan ma doświadczenie?" (Do you — sir — have experience?). Answer in the first person: "Tak, mam".
• Gender in the past tense. A man says "pracowałem", "byłem"; a woman says "pracowałam", "byłam". Mistakes here are noticed at once.

Questions about you

• "Proszę opowiedzieć coś o sobie". Tell me about yourself. Answer: "Nazywam się Anna, w Polsce mieszkam od dwóch lat. Pracowałam w magazynie jako magazynierka" — My name is Anna, I've lived in Poland for two years, I worked in a warehouse.
• "Gdzie pan wcześniej pracował?" Where did you work before? "Przez trzy lata pracowałem na budowie w Krakowie" — For three years I worked on a building site in Kraków.
• "Czy ma pan doświadczenie na tym stanowisku?" Do you have experience in this role? "Tak, dwa lata", or honestly: "Nie, ale szybko się uczę" — No, but I learn fast.
• "Dlaczego chce pan u nas pracować?" Why do you want to work here? "Szukam stabilnej pracy na dłużej" — I'm looking for stable, long-term work.

Questions about schedule and conditions

• "Kiedy może pan zacząć?" When can you start? "Od przyszłego poniedziałku" (from next Monday) / "Od zaraz" (right away).
• "Czy może pan pracować na zmiany?" Can you work shifts? "Tak, mogę pracować na trzy zmiany" — Yes, I can work three shifts.
• "Czy może pan pracować w weekendy / w nocy?" Weekends / nights? "W weekendy tak, w nocy wolałbym nie" — Weekends yes, nights I'd rather not.
• "Jakie ma pan oczekiwania finansowe?" What are your salary expectations? "Oczekuję około 30 złotych brutto za godzinę". Name a figure and say whether it's gross (brutto) or net (netto).

Questions about documents and skills

• "Czy ma pan uprawnienia UDT?" Do you have a UDT licence? "Tak, mam uprawnienia na wózki widłowe" — Yes, for forklifts.
• "Czy ma pan prawo jazdy?" Do you have a driving licence? "Tak, kategorii B".
• "Jakie ma pan dokumenty pobytowe?" What residence documents do you have? "Mam kartę pobytu" — I have a residence card.
• "Jak ocenia pan swoją znajomość polskiego?" How would you rate your Polish? "Rozumiem prawie wszystko, mówię komunikatywnie" — I understand almost everything and can communicate.

Your questions for the employer

At the end you'll almost always hear: "Czy ma pan jakieś pytania?" Saying "nie" is a missed opportunity. Worth asking:

• "Jaki to będzie rodzaj umowy?" What type of contract will it be?
• "Jaka jest stawka brutto?" What's the gross rate?
• "Jak wygląda grafik pracy?" What does the work schedule look like?
• "Czy firma zapewnia zakwaterowanie lub dojazd?" Does the company provide housing or transport?

Lifesaver phrases if you didn't understand

• "Przepraszam, czy może pan powtórzyć?" — Sorry, could you repeat that?
• "Czy może pan mówić trochę wolniej?" — Could you speak a little slower?
• "Nie znam tego słowa, co ono znaczy?" — I don't know that word, what does it mean?

Asking again is normal. Answering "tak" to a question you didn't understand is risky.

How to talk about weaknesses

Sometimes you'll be asked: "Jakie są pana słabe strony?" — What are your weaknesses? Don't say "none". Better to be honest and show a plan: "Mój polski nie jest jeszcze idealny, ale codziennie się uczę" — My Polish isn't perfect yet, but I study every day. That answer shows both self-awareness and motivation, and employers value it.

How to practise

Write down your answers to all 12 questions, read them aloud several times, then ask someone to fire the questions at you in random order. Record yourself on your phone — it's easier to hear mistakes in endings. After a week of this, the interview will stop being scary.

Checklist before the interview

• About you. Learn a 4–5 sentence introduction.
• Experience. Prepare 2 sentences about your previous job in the past tense.
• Pay. Know your figure and say whether it's gross or net.
• Documents. Be able to name your residence status in Polish.
• Questions. Prepare 2–3 questions for the employer.
• Lifesavers. Keep "Czy może pan powtórzyć?" ready.