Common Interview Questions at Taiwanese Companies and How Overseas Students Should Answer

Interviews at Taiwanese companies tend to draw on a standard set of questions that come up regardless of the role you are applying for. Preparing them in advance does more than make your answers flow. It signals to the interviewer that you take the job seriously.

The questions you will hear most often

“Please introduce yourself.”

This opens almost every Taiwanese interview, yet many candidates prepare for it far too casually. A self-introduction is not a reading of your resume. In two to three minutes it should make clear who you are, what you have done, and why you are here.

A suggested structure: background (where you are from, what you studied) + the one or two most relevant experiences + why this role interests you.

“What do you know about our company?”

This question tests whether you did your homework. Before the interview, look up what the company does, how large it is, whether it has been in the news recently, and the specific responsibilities of the role.

At minimum you should be able to say: “I know your main business is XX, and I am particularly interested in the XX direction because…”. Do not say “I am not really sure” on the spot.

“What are your strengths?”

This is not an invitation to say “I work hard and I am conscientious”. Name a concrete capability and back it with an example.

For overseas students, language ability, cross-cultural communication, and a diverse background are genuine strengths. Say so rather than keeping them to yourself. For example: “My strength is communicating in both Chinese and English. At XX I handled overseas clients and helped resolve XX.”

“What salary are you expecting?”

Many candidates answer “anything is fine”, which only makes you look like you have no view. Salary negotiation culture in Taiwan is more conservative than in many places, but you can still name a reasonable range.

Research the market rate for the role in Taiwan beforehand and answer along the lines of: “I am looking for XX to XX thousand, depending on the overall package.”

Questions overseas students should prepare for specifically

“How is your Chinese? Will daily work be a problem?”

Taiwanese employers almost always ask this. State your level plainly rather than being vague. If your speaking is fine but your writing is weaker, you can say: “Speaking Chinese is not a problem. For written documents I take a bit more time to check, and I will ask a colleague to proofread when needed.” Honesty works better than pretending everything is fine.

“Do you plan to stay in Taiwan long term?”

The employer is checking your stability. If you do plan to build a career in Taiwan, say so clearly. If you are still undecided, you can say: “My plan right now is to make Taiwan my main base, and I hope to keep building experience in this role.”

Before the interview ends, ask your own questions

Taiwanese interviews usually close with “Do you have any questions for us?” This is your chance to show that you have thought seriously about the role, so do not answer “no”.

You could ask:

• “How is onboarding and training arranged for this position?”
• “What is the team focusing on right now?”
• “What are the next steps in the process?”

Summary

Preparing for an interview is not about memorizing answers. It is about organizing your own experience clearly and then practising how to present it the Taiwanese way. For overseas students, your background is already an advantage. The point is to make the interviewer see it.