Job interview in German

Do you have a job interview in German coming up? Are you nervous? The keyword here is preparation! In order to help you, we have gathered some helpful tips and German expressions for your interview.

Greeting and small talk

This part is all about breaking the ice. You can talk about traffic on your way over, compliment the office building or the surroundings for instance.  Anything that is suitable for the situation and what comes to you in the moment.

Expressions for small talk:

• Schönes Wetter heute, nicht wahr? (The weather is great today, isn’t it?)
• Sie haben hier ein sehr schönes Büro (What a lovely office you have here)
• Es gab sehr viel Verkehr, aber ich habe es zum Glück geschafft (There was a lot of traffic on the way, but luckily I made it in time)

Your presentation

The presentation is your chance to talk about your work experience, skills and knowledge. The interviewer has already read your CV and knows what you have been working on so far. This is your opportunity to explain how your skills and experience can contribute to the company and why they should hire you.

• Ich habe mich für diese Stelle beworben, weil ich überzeugt bin, dass ich wertvollen Input zu … geben könnte (I applied for this position, because I believe I could give some great input in regards to …)
• Bei meinem alten Job war ich verantwortlich für…, was sehr hilfreich für diese Stelle sein könnte, weil… (In my last job I was responsible for… which I believe would be very useful for this position because…)

The questions

It can be harder to prepare for the possible up-coming questions asked by the interviewer. However, there are some questions that are often asked in job interviews. Therefore, we suggest you prepare your answers to these possible questions in advance so that you do not need think about your answer too much during the interview.

Question: Was sind Ihre größten Stärken? (What are your biggest strengths?)

Possible answers:

• Bei meinem alten Job habe ich gute Ergebnisse erreicht, weil ich viel Erfahrung mit … habe (At my last job I achieved great results because of my experience with …)
• Ich habe immer gut mit … gearbeitet, was ich auch im Altag anwende (I have always worked great with … which I also apply to my everyday life)

Question: What are your weaknesses? (Was sind Ihre Schwächen?)

Possible answers:

• Ich habe intensiv daran arbeiten müssen, meine …fähigkeiten zu verbessern (I have had to work hard on improving my … skills)
• Ich finde es manchmal schwierig, mit … zu arbeiten, ich arbeite daran mich zu verbessern indem ich… (I sometimes find it difficult to work with … because… I am working to improve this by…)

Question: Wo sehen Sie sich in 5 Jahren? (Where do you see yourself in 5 years?)

Possible answers:

• In 5 Jahren möchte ich gerne mit … arbeiten, weil… (In 5 years I would like to be working with … because…)
• Meine Ziele für die nächsten Jahre sind … (My goals for the next years are …)

Your questions

At the end of your interview, you will most likely be asked if you have any questions for the interviewer. It is always best to prepare a few questions about the work assignments, the position, or the workplace and the company itself.

Possible questions:

• Angenommen, ich würde die Stelle bekommen, wie würden die ersten Tage aussehen? (If I were to get the job, how would my first couple of days look like?)
• Ist die Stelle neu, oder haben Sie vorher einen anderen Mitarbeiter für die Aufgaben gehabt? (Is this a new position or have you previously had an employee in this position?)
• Wie würden Sie die Kultur Ihrer Organisation beschreiben? (How would you describe the culture of your organisation?)

 

Do you need more?

Are you looking for further help while searching for a job? Then you might be interested in the packet of private lessons made specifically for interview preparation. With this packet you will receive help with improving your CV, cover letter and interview skills.

Do you have questions? Fill in THIS form and we will contact you. You can also send us an email at info@speakeasy-sprachschule.de

 

Liebe Grüße

The Speakeasy Team

Your language school in Frankfurt