Free job interview practice for Germany, in English or German: common interview questions with model answers for working students, interns, Ausbildung applicants, job seekers and Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) holders, plus German phrases, the STAR method, your rights and email templates.
Job Interview Coach
Prepare for job interviews in Germany, in English or German. For working students, interns, Ausbildung applicants, job seekers and Opportunity Card holders. Learn the questions, build strong answers, and do a timed mock interview.
🧭 How a German job interview usually runs
- Welcome and small talk (2 to 5 min). Coffee or water, “Did you find us easily?”. Be friendly and relaxed.
- The company introduces itself (5 to 10 min). Listen and note something to refer to later.
- Your self-presentation (Selbstpräsentation, 2 to 3 min). The most important part to prepare.
- Questions about your CV and skills. Gaps, changes, tools, projects.
- Behavioural and situation questions. “Tell me about a time…” Use STAR.
- Your questions. Always have 2 or 3 ready.
- Conditions. Salary, start date, hours, sometimes visa.
- Goodbye and next steps. Ask when you will hear back.
Most interviews last 45 to 60 minutes. Larger companies often have 2 or 3 rounds: HR call, interview with the department, sometimes a case study or trial day.
🤝 German interview etiquette
- Be on time. 5 to 10 minutes early. Late is a strong negative signal.
- Sie, not du, unless they offer du. Many start-ups use du from the start.
- Firm handshake and eye contact. Use titles if given: “Guten Tag, Frau Dr. Weber”.
- Facts over hype. Germans value concrete examples and numbers more than big words.
- Honesty. Saying “I don’t know this yet, but I would learn it by…” is respected.
- Documents. Have your CV (Lebenslauf), certificates and references (Arbeitszeugnisse) ready.
- Online interviews. Test camera and sound, neutral background, look into the camera.
- After the interview. A short thank-you email within 24 hours is a nice plus.
🗣️ Useful German phrases for interviews
Tap 🔊 to hear the pronunciation. Audio is generated by your device.
⭐ Build a STAR answer
For every “Tell me about a time…” question. Write short notes, then read your full answer out loud. It is saved on this device.
💡 Stories to prepare
- A difficult problem you solved
- A conflict in a team
- A mistake and what you learned
- Working under time pressure
- Learning something new quickly (great for internationals)
- Taking initiative or improving a process
Five or six good stories can answer most behavioural questions.
⚖️ Questions they should not ask you
The German General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) protects you from discrimination because of ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age and sexual identity. Questions like these are generally not allowed, unless they are truly necessary for the specific job:
- Are you pregnant or planning to have children?
- What is your religion? (Exceptions for church employers)
- Are you married? Who looks after your children?
- Which party do you vote for? Are you in a trade union?
- What is your sexual orientation?
- General health questions not related to the job
- Criminal record, unless relevant to the job (for example working with children or money)
🧘 How to respond calmly
- Redirect politely: “I can assure you that nothing in my private life will affect my commitment to this job.”
- Ask about relevance: “Could you tell me how this relates to the position?”
- Stay friendly. Often the interviewer simply did not think about it.
German courts accept that you do not have to answer such questions truthfully. A polite redirect is usually the better choice. If you believe you were discriminated against, claims under the AGG must usually be made in writing within two months. The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes) offers free advice.
✅ Questions they may ask (and you should answer)
- Your work permit and visa status
- Your qualifications, experience and language skills
- When you can start and how many hours you can work
- Salary expectations
✉️ Thank-you email after the interview (German)
Betreff: Vielen Dank für das Gespräch – [Stelle] Sehr geehrte Frau [Name], vielen Dank für das angenehme Gespräch heute und die interessanten Einblicke in Ihr Team. Besonders [ein Thema aus dem Gespräch] hat mich begeistert. Ich bin weiterhin sehr motiviert, Ihr Team als [Stelle] zu unterstützen, und freue mich auf Ihre Rückmeldung. Mit freundlichen Grüßen [Ihr Name]
✉️ Thank-you email (English)
Subject: Thank you for the interview – [Position] Dear Ms [Name], Thank you for the pleasant conversation today and for the insights into your team. I especially enjoyed learning about [topic from the interview]. I remain very motivated to join your team as [position] and look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, [Your name]
✉️ Friendly follow-up after 10 days without an answer (German)
Betreff: Nachfrage zu meiner Bewerbung als [Stelle] Sehr geehrte Frau [Name], am [Datum] hatten wir ein Gespräch zur Stelle als [Stelle]. Ich interessiere mich weiterhin sehr für die Position und wollte freundlich nachfragen, ob es bereits Neuigkeiten zum Auswahlprozess gibt. Vielen Dank und freundliche Grüße [Ihr Name]
✉️ Postpone an interview (German)
Betreff: Bitte um Terminverschiebung – [Stelle] Sehr geehrte Frau [Name], vielen Dank für die Einladung zum Vorstellungsgespräch. Leider kann ich den Termin am [Datum] aufgrund [kurzer Grund, z. B. einer Prüfung] nicht wahrnehmen. Wäre ein Termin am [Vorschlag 1] oder [Vorschlag 2] möglich? Ich freue mich sehr auf das Gespräch. Mit freundlichen Grüßen [Ihr Name]
This coach gives general guidance. Rules on work permits can change; check your residence permit and the Ausländerbehörde for your personal case.
