Most Indian corporate interviews happen in English. But interviews for sales, operations, retail, field work and anything outside the metro tech bubble happen in Hindi or a mix of both — and the register is noticeably more formal than casual speech. This page shows what that formality sounds like and where the questions differ from Western norms.
Opening the Interview
अपने बारे में बताइए opens virtually every Indian interview. The expected answer is two to three minutes covering education, experience and family background — yes, family. Mentioning where you are from and what your father does is normal in many Indian interviews, particularly outside multinational firms.
Experience and Skills
बेहतर मौक़े की तलाश में is the safe, expected answer for why you left. Criticising a previous employer is viewed poorly in Indian interviews even more than elsewhere. Note the formal vocabulary here — अनुभव rather than ‘experience’, मौक़ा rather than ‘chance’ — which is the register shift interviews require.
Questions You Would Not Expect
Indian interviews routinely include questions that are unusual or unlawful in some other countries. Being prepared prevents you being caught off guard.
These reflect a genuine concern about stability and relocation rather than idle curiosity — employers want to know whether you will move away or leave after marriage. Answer briefly and positively; a long objection to the question itself will not help you get the job.
Being asked your current salary is standard in India and refusing to answer is unusual. Salaries are discussed in लाख per annum — ‘six lakh package’ means 600,000 rupees a year, and CTC (cost to company) is the figure everyone quotes.
Cultural Note
Indian interviews reward visible respect and enthusiasm over the studied casualness prized in some Western tech cultures. Standing when the interviewer enters, addressing them as सर or मैडम throughout, and expressing eagerness rather than cool detachment all work in your favour.
Hierarchy shows up in language. Interviewers use तुम or आप depending on age and setting; candidates always use आप. Interrupting is poorly received, and so is negotiating aggressively in a first interview.
A practical note on registers: mixing English technical vocabulary into Hindi answers is completely normal and expected. What is not expected is casual slang — यार, अरे and तू have no place here.
Pronunciation Tips
अनुभव is three even beats. मौक़ा has the औ diphthong and the deep क़, though plain k is fine. तलाश ends in sh. शिफ़्ट takes a nukta f. And उम्मीद doubles the m — hold it briefly. Speak slightly slower than usual in an interview; clarity reads as confidence.
Common Mistakes
- Criticising a previous employer. Use बेहतर मौक़े की तलाश में.
- Using casual fillers like यार or अरे in a formal interview.
- Refusing to discuss current salary, which is standard practice in India.
- Reacting badly to questions about marriage or family.
- Under-expressing enthusiasm. Visible eagerness is valued, not seen as desperate.
Practice Exercises
- Prepare a two-minute अपने बारे में बताइए answer and time yourself.
- Answer why you left your last job without criticising anyone.
- Practise the personal questions with brief, positive replies.
- State a salary expectation in lakh per annum.
- Run the full interview from entering to thanking, playing both roles.