Top 10 job interview questions in Germany: Assume for the moment that you have already begun your journey towards a life and career in Germany. You’ve been sending out your resume and looking for employment, and now a German firm has asked you for a job interview. You are undoubtedly familiar with the interview procedures used by businesses in your nation, but you are unsure of the types of inquiries German recruiters could ask you. This is where we can assist.
Job interviews in Germany can be quite structured and focused on both your professional qualifications and your fit within the company culture. Here are the top 10 questions you might encounter and tips on how to prepare for them
This is our top 10 list of interview questions we think you should prepare for when applying for jobs in Germany:
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Could you tell us a bit more about you?
Interviews frequently start with an opening question that gives you the chance to introduce yourself and highlight the aspects that are most significant to you.
Tip:
Don’t tell your whole life story. Instead of recounting every detail of your life, concentrate on the ones that are most important to the position.
Which are the most relevant skills you bring to this position?
Top 10 job interview questions in Germany
It’s becoming more specific now. The goal of the interview is to determine whether you are aware of the duties that come with the employment and to help you prioritise your talents.
Tip:
It’s a good idea to envision the role in advance and consider the exact specific responsibilities you anticipate performing in this function.
Why are you interested in working here?
The interviewers want to know if you are familiar with the business/organization you are applying to—not only in general, but also precisely inside the industry, project, or market where “your” position is located.
Tip:
Investigate the company and the division or project you wish to work on (using resources like websites, news, and specialized magazines, for example).
Could you give us an example of a project that you successfully handled and tell us what your contribution was to its success?
Top 10 job interview questions in Germany
German hiring managers like samples from your prior job history. In this situation, they are expecting that you would emphasize a favorable quality that is pertinent to the position you are applying for.
Tip:
Write down numerous instances from prior employment as you get ready for the interview so you can use them to create a compelling (and applicable) tale.
Could you give us an example of a work situation where you did not deliver and tell us what you learned from this experience?
Top 10 job interview questions in Germany
Not only do German recruiters adore examples, but they also adore posing challenging questions that allow them to see how you respond during an interview, such as if you become tense or maintain composure.
Tip:
Similar to the last question, prepare several examples in advance so you won’t have to think of them while being interviewed. Remind yourself that everyone makes errors, but emphasize what you gained from them, and always conclude on a good note. Try to maintain your composure.
Did you ever experience difficult situations or conflict in teams and what did you do to solve them?
Top 10 job interview questions in Germany
This is another challenging question that focuses on how you behave in teams. The interviewers want to know more about your ability to work as a team and whether you will fit in with the particular team.
Tip:
Again preparation is the key. Make sure you use a positive story and stay calm!
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Although this is a classic question, it is still asked in interviews since it might be challenging to respond and the interviewers are interested in your response.
Tip:
The simple part is focusing on your abilities; be sure to choose something applicable to the position. Select a flaw you have already addressed and where you have made progress, but one that doesn’t frighten the interviewers.
What do you think is a good leadership style?
Here, the interviewers want to know how you fit into their organizational structures or—if you plan to be a team leader yourself—how you manage people.
Tip:
Investigate the company’s hierarchical structure; large corporations differ from tiny start-ups in this regard. The aim is not to tell people what they want to hear, but rather to choose a job where your perspective of leadership fits in nicely because if you didn’t, you would rapidly become quite unhappy.
What would you do on your first day at work in your new job?
Here, the interviewers want to check if you can visualise yourself in the role, both in terms of the responsibilities and interactions you would have with coworkers and superiors.
Tip:
You may demonstrate to the interviewers how eager you would be to acquire the job and how strategic you are by answering this question. Of course, don’t overstate things, but you may provide some examples of your passion. You could wish to project a sense of reality and initiative with regard to the tasks.
What salary expectations do you have?
Top 10 job interview questions in Germany
If it hasn’t already been asked in the application, the pay and starting date questions will undoubtedly be asked. The compensation level for positions in public administration may already be determined and stated in the job posting.
Tip:
Make sure you perform some preliminary research on the pay ranges for positions in your industry on websites like kununu.com, glassdoor.com, or gehalt.de so that you may enter the interview prepared with a particular figure (such as your gross yearly income). View our salary-related video and article.
Top 10 job interview questions in Germany
