How to run the first round
Separate the interview language from the job language. Let applicants answer questions about experience and availability in the language they are most comfortable in, and check the language the job needs separately.
Check the job language with a job task. For a role that needs Mandarin, ask a question that has to be answered in Mandarin, such as explaining a late delivery to a customer.
Keep the applicant’s own words. A record of what was actually said shows a hiring manager the language, where a note saying “good English” does not.
First-round questions to ask
“Which languages do you speak, and which are you most comfortable working in?”
Why ask it. It separates everyday fluency from the language someone can do the job in.
“This role serves customers in [language]. How would you handle [a common situation]? Please answer in [language].”
Why ask it. An actual answer in the language is the only dependable check.
“Can you read and write [language], or do you speak it only?”
Why ask it. Many roles need messages, orders or reports in the language, which speaking alone does not show.
“Have you used [language] at work before? Doing what?”
Why ask it. Use at work is a better guide than school results or a self-rating.
Running it with Agentic Blue
Agentic Blue is an applicant tracking system. Applications arrive by themselves from Jobstreet application emails and the job’s own apply page, or as CVs you upload, in one list. AI reads every CV against the job’s must-haves and shows the CV line behind each one, the shortlist goes to the hiring manager as one link they answer, and everyone who applied stays in your talent pool for the next job.
With the AI Interviewer module switched on:
- Blue starts in English, and candidates can answer in Malay or Chinese.
- The transcript keeps the conversation as it happened, so a hiring manager can see the language the candidate actually used.
- The interview is typed, so it shows written language. For a role that is mostly speaking, hear candidates speak before you hire.
Blue, the AI interviewer, asks every applicant about experience, expected salary, notice period and availability, and does not reject anyone: you decide who moves forward. How it works for employers in Malaysia is on the AI interviewer for Malaysia page, what candidates are told is on the trust page, and how Agentic Blue is priced is on the pricing page.
Where it fits less well
Formal certification. A first-round conversation shows how someone communicates; it does not certify a level. A role that requires a language certificate still needs the certificate.
Spoken fluency. A typed first round cannot tell you how someone sounds on a call. For voice roles, add a spoken step before an offer.
Questions people ask
Can candidates answer an AI interview in Malay or Chinese?
With Agentic Blue, yes. Blue starts in English, and candidates can answer in Malay or Chinese.
Is it fair to screen applicants in English only?
For a role that does not use English, it measures something the job does not need and tends to rank capable applicants lower. Let them answer in their stronger language and check the job language separately.
How do I check a candidate’s language in the first round?
Ask a job-related question that has to be answered in that language and read the answer. A self-rating on a CV is not a check.