WorkGermany

The job interview in Germany

Das Vorstellungsgespräch

Be on time, prepare well, answer honestly and ask questions yourself: that is how you convince in a job interview.

4 min read6 steps4 documents11 words to learnNot reviewed yet

Overview

The interview is the moment when an employer decides whether you are suitable. In Germany interviews tend to be serious, structured and factual, and interviewers expect clear answers based on facts without exaggeration.

Honesty, precision and punctuality count as much as experience. This guide helps you prepare before the day, know how to behave during it, which questions to expect, what they may not ask, how to handle the talk about salary, and how to follow up afterwards.

1

Preparing before the interview

Read about the company: its products, size, values and recent news, and read the job advert and your CV again to link the two.

  • Prepare examples of your achievements in German and practise saying them aloud, ideally with a friend.
  • Know the route and means of transport and allow extra time.
  • If you are invited to an online interview, test the camera and internet in advance and choose a quiet place with a tidy background.
  • Remember that an employer who invites you usually pays your travel costs, so ask about this beforehand.
2

The day and the first impression

Arrive ten minutes early and no more, and if something unexpected happens call at once.

  • Wear clean clothes that suit the nature of the company: formal for banks and offices, clean and practical for trades.
  • Greet everyone with a firm handshake, direct eye contact and a smile, address the interviewer as Herr or Frau with the surname, and use the formal Sie.
  • Sit when asked and switch off your phone.
  • If you decline handshakes for religious reasons, say so kindly at the start along with a verbal greeting.
  • A sincere smile and calm put interviewers at ease.
3

Expected questions and how to answer

You will usually be asked to say something about yourself, so keep it short and ordered: your background, your experience and why the job interests you.

  • Common questions cover your strengths and weaknesses, why you want to work with them, where you see yourself in five years and how you handle pressure and conflict.
  • Answer with real examples in the situation, action and result pattern, and do not exaggerate.
  • Name a genuine but non-essential weakness and how you are working on it. If you do not understand a question, ask for it to be repeated.
  • Speak German as well as you can, and a few mistakes are fine if you are clear.
4

Salary and questions that are not allowed

The interviewer may ask about your salary expectations (Gehaltsvorstellung).

  • Research the usual pay for your job beforehand and state an annual gross (brutto) figure or a reasonable range.
  • Salary is often negotiable.
  • Questions about your religion, origin, family, plans for pregnancy or political affiliation may not be asked under the Equal Treatment Act, and you may politely refuse to answer: Diese Frage möchte ich nicht beantworten.
  • But you may be asked about matters directly related to the job, such as your work permit and availability, and you should answer frankly.
5

Your questions and following up

At the end of an interview you are usually asked whether you have questions, and answering no suggests a lack of interest.

  • Prepare three serious questions about daily tasks, the team, training and the next steps of hiring.
  • Ask when you will hear the decision.
  • Send a short thank-you message the same day.
  • If the offer is acceptable, ask for a written contract and read it calmly.
  • If you are turned down, ask for feedback and stay courteous, since they may come back to you.
  • In some trades an informal trial day (Probearbeiten) is requested, so check its conditions and pay.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Research the company and prepare examples of your achievements in German.

  2. 2

    Practise the common questions and your self-introduction with a friend.

  3. 3

    Plan the route or test the camera for an online interview.

  4. 4

    Arrive ten minutes early, shake hands with everyone and call each person by name.

  5. 5

    Answer with real examples and ask your three questions at the end.

  6. 6

    Send a thank-you message the same day and follow up on the decision within the stated time.

Documents checklist

  • Copies of your CV and certificates.
  • The interview invitation, the address and the name of the person in charge.
  • ID and your work permit if requested.
  • A notebook, a pen and your list of questions.

Key vocabulary

  • dasVorstellungsgespräch
    job interview
  • diePersonalabteilung
    human resources department
  • dieGehaltsvorstellung
    salary expectation
  • Stärken und Schwächen
    strengths and weaknesses
  • Probearbeiten
    trial working day
  • dieZusage
    acceptance, offer
  • dieAbsage
    rejection
  • derBewerber
    applicant
  • derGesprächspartner
    interlocutor
  • Reisekosten
    travel costs
  • pünktlich
    on time

Useful phrases

  • Vielen Dank für die Einladung zum Gespräch.Thank you very much for inviting me to the interview.
  • Ich möchte mich kurz vorstellen.I would like to introduce myself briefly.
  • Meine größte Stärke ist Zuverlässigkeit.My greatest strength is reliability.
  • Ich stelle mir ein Gehalt von etwa fünfzigtausend Euro brutto vor.I have in mind a salary of about fifty thousand euros gross.
  • Wann kann ich mit einer Antwort rechnen?When can I expect an answer?
  • Diese Frage möchte ich nicht beantworten.I would prefer not to answer that question.

The interview

  • Personalerin

    Guten Tag, Herr Ali. Schön, dass Sie da sind. Erzählen Sie bitte etwas über sich.Good day, Mr Ali. Nice that you are here. Please tell us something about yourself.

  • Sie

    Gern. Ich habe fünf Jahre als Elektriker gearbeitet und lerne seit einem Jahr Deutsch.Gladly. I worked five years as an electrician and have been learning German for a year.

  • Personalerin

    Warum möchten Sie bei uns arbeiten?Why would you like to work with us?

  • Sie

    Ich schätze Ihre Qualität und möchte in einem starken Team lernen.I value your quality and want to learn in a strong team.

  • Personalerin

    Haben Sie noch Fragen an uns?Do you have any questions for us?

  • Sie

    Ja. Wie sieht ein typischer Arbeitstag aus, und wann erfahre ich Ihre Entscheidung?Yes. What does a typical working day look like, and when will I hear your decision?

Common mistakes

  • Arriving late without calling ahead, which is one of the most common reasons a candidate is dropped at once.
  • Exaggerating experience or language, when you may be asked to prove it in a trial task.
  • Sharply criticising a previous employer, which is read as lack of loyalty.
  • Asking no question at the end of the interview, so that you seem uninterested.

Cultural tips

  • Record yourself answering on your phone to hear how clear and fast your speech is.
  • Bring water and keep calm, since mild nervousness is acceptable.
  • Ask whether an interpreter or language support is possible if your German is very limited.
  • After every interview note what worked and what did not so that you improve for the next one.

Official links

Check yourself

Question 1 of 5

How early do you normally arrive?

Keep practising