Persian Job Interview: Professional Self-Introduction in Farsi
An Iranian job interview is a conversation, not an interrogation. There's tea. There's ta'arof. There's a 10-minute warmup where you talk about the weather, traffic, and whose fault it is that Tehran is so polluted (everyone's). Then, almost casually, they start asking you about your qualifications.
If you're interviewing in Farsi, whether at an Iranian company, for an NGO operating in Iran, or with a diaspora business, knowing the professional Farsi for self-introduction and common interview questions will set you apart from candidates who freeze the moment formal Persian is required.
The Cultural Difference
Western interviews value directness. "Tell me about yourself" expects a 60-second elevator pitch. Iranian interviews value ادب. adab. decorum. Being too direct, too self-promotional, or too casual marks you as someone who doesn't understand the culture.
Key differences:
- Humility is expected. Don't say "I'm the best candidate." Say سعی میکنم بهترین کار رو انجام بدم. sa'y mikonam behtarin kâr ro anjâm bedam. "I try to do the best work possible."
- Family matters. Questions about your family background (married? children? where are you from?) are normal and legal in Iran. Don't be offended.
- The formal register is mandatory. This is one of the few situations where colloquial Farsi is wrong. Use formal verbs, avoid slang, address the interviewer as جناب. jenâb. or سرکار خانم. sarkâr khânom.
Self-Introduction Script
The standard opening لطفا خودتان را معرفی کنید. lotfan khodetân râ mo'arrefi konid. "Please introduce yourself":
FORMAL:
سلام، من [نام] هستم. فارغالتحصیل رشته [رشته] از دانشگاه [دانشگاه] هستم. [X] سال سابقه کار در زمینه [حوزه] دارم. در شرکت قبلیام به عنوان [سمت] مشغول به کار بودم.
salâm, man [nâm] hastam. fâregh-ot-tahsil-e reshte-ye [reshte] az dâneshgâh-e [dâneshgâh] hastam. [X] sâl sâbeqe-ye kâr dar zamine-ye [howze] dâram. dar sherkat-e qabli-am be onvân-e [semat] mashghul be kâr budam.
"Hello, I am [name]. I graduated in [field] from [university]. I have [X] years of experience in [area]. At my previous company, I worked as [position]."
15 Common Interview Questions in Farsi
| # | Farsi | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | چرا این شغل رو میخواید؟ | cherâ in shoghl ro mikhâid? | Why do you want this job? |
| 2 | نقاط قوت شما چیه؟ | noqât-e qovvat-e shomâ chie? | What are your strengths? |
| 3 | نقاط ضعفتون چیه؟ | noqât-e za'fetun chie? | What are your weaknesses? |
| 4 | حقوق مورد نظرتون چقدره؟ | hoquq-e mowred-e nazaretun cheqadre? | What's your expected salary? |
| 5 | پنج سال دیگه خودتون رو کجا میبینید؟ | panj sâl-e dige khodetun ro kojâ mibinid? | Where do you see yourself in 5 years? |
| 6 | چرا از شغل قبلیتون استعفا دادید؟ | cherâ az shoghl-e qablitun este'fâ dâdid? | Why did you leave your last job? |
| 7 | با فشار کاری چطور کنار میاید؟ | bâ feshâr-e kâri chetor kenâr miyâid? | How do you handle work pressure? |
| 8 | کار تیمی یا انفرادی؟ | kâr-e timi yâ enferâdi? | Team work or individual? |
| 9 | با نرمافزارهای [X] کار کردید؟ | bâ narm-afzârhâ-ye [X] kâr kardid? | Have you worked with [X] software? |
| 10 | انگلیسیتون چطوره؟ | engelisitun chetore? | How's your English? |
| 11 | آیا حاضرید اضافهکاری کنید؟ | âyâ hâzerid ezâfe-kâri konid? | Are you willing to work overtime? |
| 12 | از خودتون بگید | az khodetun begid | Tell me about yourself |
| 13 | چه زمانی میتونید شروع کنید؟ | che zamâni mitunid shoru' konid? | When can you start? |
| 14 | سوالی دارید؟ | so'âli dârid? | Do you have any questions? |
| 15 | متأهلید یا مجرد؟ | mota'ahhelid yâ mojarrad? | Married or single? |
Professional Vocabulary
| English | Farsi | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Resume/CV | رزومه | rezume |
| Experience | سابقه / تجربه | sâbeqe / tajrobe |
| Degree | مدرک | madrak |
| Salary | حقوق | hoquq |
| Benefits | مزایا | mazâyâ |
| Contract | قرارداد | qarârdâd |
| Manager | مدیر | modir |
| Colleague | همکار | hamkâr |
| Department | بخش / واحد | bakhsh / vâhed |
| Promotion | ارتقا | erteqâ' |
For formal email writing (follow-up after the interview): Writing a Formal Email in Farsi
Part of the Functional Farsi cluster. Related: Legal & Government Vocabulary
FAQ
Are Iranian job interviews very different from Western ones?
Should I use formal or informal Farsi in a job interview?
Is it normal to be asked about family in an Iranian interview?
How do I negotiate salary in Farsi?
What should I wear to an Iranian job interview?
A Farsi job interview is part professional assessment, part cultural performance. Knowing the vocabulary and the social rules gives you confidence in both. Practice your self-introduction with ZabanYar's AI tutor before the real thing. Try it free.
Get it wrong and the worst that happens is a warm laugh and a story they’ll tell for years. Get it right — refuse the tea twice, accept on the third — and you’ll watch a face open up. You didn’t just speak Persian. You played the game.
A teacher from Tabriz, based in Milano. 5.0 on Preply across 42 reviews, 1,100+ lessons taught. He curates the growing dictionary behind this site.
