Interview questions to ask as an international professional

A job interview is not only about answering questions. It is also your chance to discover whether the role, team and company are right for you.

For international and multilingual professionals, this is especially important. When you are building your career in another country, there can be more to consider than the job title alone. Think about language expectations, company culture, communication style, hybrid working, support for international colleagues and future growth.

At Exactpi, we speak with international professionals every day. One thing we often notice? Strong candidates sometimes prepare very well for the questions they may receive, but less for the questions they can ask themselves.

Asking the right questions helps you understand the opportunity better. It also shows that you are serious, thoughtful and interested in making the right match.

This question helps you understand the real priorities of the role.

A vacancy text often gives a broad overview, but the first six months usually reveal what the company truly needs. Are they looking for someone to bring structure? Improve processes? Build client relationships? Support international customers? Strengthen a marketing approach? Solve a specific challenge?

The answer can help you decide whether the role matches your strengths and experience.

This question makes the role more concrete. Especially in international business environments, job descriptions can sometimes be broad. A title like account manager, marketing specialist, finance officer or customer success manager can mean different things in different companies.

By asking about first projects or priorities, you get a better sense of the daily work. It also gives you an opportunity to connect your own experience to what the company needs.

Not every requirement in a vacancy is equally important.

Some skills are must-haves. Others are nice to have, or can be developed on the job. This is useful to know, especially if you do not match every bullet point in the job description.

For example, a company may prefer experience with a specific tool, system or market. But what they really need may be strong communication, analytical thinking, commercial awareness or the ability to work with international clients.

This question helps you understand where the real focus is.

A good next step should not only match what you can already do. It should also offer room to grow.

By asking this question, you show that you are open to learning and development. You also discover whether the company invests in people.

For international professionals, this can be an important signal. Does the company offer training? Will you learn from senior colleagues? Is there room to improve your Dutch, develop technical skills or grow into a broader role?

If you are applying as a multilingual professional, your international background may be one of your strengths.

This question helps you understand how much that background will actually be used in the role. Will you work with international clients? Are there colleagues from different countries? Is English the main working language? Are other languages valuable?

The answer can also tell you something about the company culture. Some organizations are truly international in the way they work. Others may have international clients, but a more Dutch internal culture. Both can be fine, as long as you know what to expect.

This question is especially relevant if you have recently moved to the Netherlands or are still learning how the Dutch workplace works.

Support can look different in every company. It may include onboarding, language support, help understanding local processes, clear communication, mentoring or simply a team that is used to working with international colleagues.

You do not need special treatment. But it is helpful to know whether the company understands what it means to build your career in a new country.

This is one of the most useful questions you can ask. It helps you understand how your performance will be measured. Is success about targets, client satisfaction, process improvement, teamwork, creativity, accuracy or something else?

The answer can also show whether expectations are realistic. If success is clear, you can decide whether it fits your way of working and your ambitions.

A hiring process should work both ways. You invest time and energy, so it is fair to understand what the next steps look like.

This question helps you create clarity. When can you expect feedback? Who will be involved in the decision? Will there be another interview, assessment or case?

It also shows professionalism. You are not only waiting to be chosen. You are actively managing your own career process.

You do not need to ask every question in one interview. Choose the questions that feel most relevant to you and the role. For example:

• If the vacancy is broad, ask about priorities and success.
• If you are unsure about your fit, ask which skills are essential.
• If you are new to the Dutch market, ask about support and team culture.
• If the process feels unclear, ask about next steps and feedback.

A good interview is a conversation. The better the conversation, the easier it becomes to understand whether there is a real match.

You’ve now prepared the seven most commonly asked interview questions. Next, think about what you think of your current job, what you do there, and what achievements you’ve made. They may well ask you about that during the interview. All that remains for us to say now is: good luck with your job interview!

For more insides on the preparation of job interviews, check this article > Beyond the resume: job interview psychology.