Check a job ID (Baca halaman ini dalam bahasa Indonesia)

Job interviews in Indonesia: preparation, common questions and signs of a fake interview

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated

How to prepare for a job interview in Indonesia: introducing yourself, interview dress, online interviews, expected salary and fake invitations.

Summary

  • Core preparation: research the company and vacancy, prepare real examples of your results and practise short answers to common questions.
  • The Ministry of Manpower lists very fast replies and instant chat interviews without official confirmation as signs of a fake job.
  • Employers may not discriminate on any basis during recruitment (Ministry of Manpower Circular M/6/HK.04/V/2025).
  • Employers may not require or hold original diplomas and personal documents as a job guarantee (Circular M/5/HK.04.00/V/2025).
  • Ask about the contract type: a time-based PKWT lasts at most five years including extensions and may not include probation.
Show the full summaryShow less
On this page
  1. How should you prepare for a job interview?
  2. Which questions come up most often in job interviews?
  3. What if you are asked personal questions unrelated to the job?
  4. What should you ask the interviewer?
  5. May a company ask for your original diploma as a guarantee after the interview?
  6. What are the signs of a fake interview invitation?
  7. What should you do after the interview?

How should you prepare for a job interview?

Start by making sure the company and vacancy are real, for example by searching the legal entity on AHU Online and opening its official careers site. Learn what the company does and reread the vacancy's requirements. Prepare two or three real examples from work, internships or projects that match those requirements, and bring copies of your CV and any requested documents. For online interviews, test your connection, camera and audio beforehand.

Which questions come up most often in job interviews?

Common questions include: tell me about yourself, why do you want to work here, what are your strengths and weaknesses, describe a problem you solved, and what salary do you expect. Answer briefly using situation, task, action and result: describe the situation, your responsibility, what you did and what you achieved. Practise your answers out loud before the day.

What if you are asked personal questions unrelated to the job?

Ministry of Manpower Circular M/6/HK.04/V/2025 of 28 May 2025 prohibits employers from discriminating on any basis during recruitment. Age requirements are allowed only for jobs whose nature objectively affects a person's ability, and must not reduce the chance of getting work. If you are asked something personal that has nothing to do with the job, you can answer briefly and steer back to your skills.

What should you ask the interviewer?

Ask what protects you: the contract type (PKWT fixed-term or PKWTT permanent), contract length, working hours, base pay and allowances, and when a decision will be made. Under Government Regulation 35/2021, a time-based PKWT lasts at most five years including extensions (Article 8) and may not require a probation period (Article 12). Clear questions also show you take the job seriously.

May a company ask for your original diploma as a guarantee after the interview?

Generally not. Circular M/5/HK.04.00/V/2025 of 20 May 2025 prohibits employers from requiring or holding original diplomas and personal documents, such as competence certificates, passports, birth and marriage certificates and vehicle ownership books, as a guarantee for work. Candidates are also told to read the employment agreement carefully, especially any clause on handing over a diploma. Showing an original for verification and getting it back is different from handing it over as a guarantee.

What are the signs of a fake interview invitation?

The Ministry of Manpower lists several signs: very fast replies and instant chat interviews without official confirmation, recruiters using free e-mail, requests for money for administration, training or uniforms, and requests for your ID card, bank account number or a selfie with your ID 'for verification'. Those money requests include having to pay for tickets, hotels or test fees through a particular agent. Confirm through company contacts you look up yourself.

What should you do after the interview?

Send a short thank-you note to the recruiter's official e-mail within a day or two, and note the hard questions to practise next time. If you receive an offer, ask for a written offer letter or contract stating the position, pay, working hours and contract type before resigning from your current job or handing over any documents.

Checklist before an interview

  • You have checked the company's official site and AHU Online.
  • The invitation came from the company's official e-mail or contacts.
  • You have two or three examples of your results ready to tell.
  • You have prepared questions about the contract, hours and pay.
  • Nobody asks for money or for original documents as a guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

How should you answer when asked about your expected salary?

Give a realistic range based on research, not below the minimum wage where you will work, and ask whether the figure being discussed is gross or net. KarirAman's salary negotiation guide explains the floor and which pay details must be written in the contract.

The company wants to hold my original diploma while I work there. Is that allowed?

Generally not. Circular M/5/HK.04.00/V/2025 prohibits employers from requiring or holding original diplomas and personal documents as a guarantee for work. A narrow exception covers diplomas or certificates gained through education paid for by the employer under a written employment agreement.

I was invited to an interview and asked to pay a test fee or for a hotel. What should I do?

Do not pay. The Ministry of Manpower lists requests for money for administration, training or uniforms as a sign of a fake job, and legitimate companies do not charge applicants. Confirm the invitation through company contacts you look up yourself, and paste the invitation into the job checker.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

  1. 6 Ciri Lowongan Kerja Bodong yang Perlu Diwaspadai Kompas TV · official statement via media · accessed
  2. Surat Edaran Menteri Ketenagakerjaan Nomor M/6/HK.04/V/2025 tentang Larangan Diskriminasi dalam Proses Rekrutmen Tenaga Kerja JDIH Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan · SE Menaker M/6/HK.04/V/2025 · accessed
  3. Surat Edaran Menteri Ketenagakerjaan Nomor M/5/HK.04.00/V/2025 tentang Larangan Penahanan Ijazah dan/atau Dokumen Pribadi Milik Pekerja/Buruh oleh Pemberi Kerja (salinan dari Disnaker Kota Batam) Dinas Tenaga Kerja Kota Batam (meneruskan SE Menteri Ketenagakerjaan RI) · SE Menaker M/5/HK.04.00/V/2025 · accessed
  4. Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 35 Tahun 2021 tentang PKWT, Alih Daya, Waktu Kerja dan Waktu Istirahat, dan PHK Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · PP 35/2021 · accessed
  5. Ditjen AHU Online: pencarian profil perseroan Direktorat Jenderal Administrasi Hukum Umum, Kementerian Hukum · accessed
How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Job interviews in Indonesia: preparation, common questions and signs of a fake interview. Updated 7 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/guides/job-interview/

Save this page

Report a fake job Report a data problem How we handle corrections