Job interview in Germany: 12 questions you will hear — and how to answer

Before the interview: 20 minutes that make the difference

• Read about the company. What do they sell or do? Where are they? Five minutes on their website is enough.
• Read your own CV again. Many questions are just "tell me about this line". Know your dates.
• Prepare a 2-minute "about me". Who you are, what you did, why this job. Say it out loud a few times.
• Plan the way. In Germany, "on time" means 5–10 minutes early. Late without a call is a bad start.
• Pack: your CV, copies of certificates (translated if they are not in German or English), your residence permit, a pen. Switch your phone to silent.

The 12 questions — with simple sample answers

Don't learn these answers by heart. Change them to your own story. A short, true answer beats a long, perfect one.

1. "Erzählen Sie etwas über sich." (Tell me about yourself.)

Use your 2-minute version. Example: "I am from Punjab and have lived in Hamburg for two years. I worked four years in a hotel kitchen in India and one year here as Küchenhilfe. Now I want to grow into a Beikoch job."

2. "Warum möchten Sie bei uns arbeiten?" (Why us?)

Name one real thing: the location, the kind of work, something you read about them. "Ihr Betrieb ist nah an meiner Wohnung, und ich arbeite gern in einem großen Team."

3. "Was sind Ihre Stärken?" (Your strengths?)

Pick two and give a quick example. "I am reliable — in my last job I was never late in one year."

4. "Und Ihre Schwächen?" (Your weaknesses?)

Be honest, then show what you do about it. "My German is not perfect yet. I go to a B1 course twice a week."

5. "Wie gut ist Ihr Deutsch?" (How good is your German?)

Say your real level (A2, B1…) and that you are learning. Don't oversell — they will notice in the first minute.

6. "Warum haben Sie die letzte Stelle verlassen?"

Never speak badly about your old boss. "The contract ended" or "I want more hours / more responsibility" is fine.

7. "Was ist mit dieser Lücke im Lebenslauf?" (Gap in your CV)

Gaps are normal for people who moved countries. Say it simply: "I moved to Germany and did a German course and the Anmeldung during that time."

8. "Können Sie Schicht / am Wochenende arbeiten?"

Answer honestly. If you have limits (childcare, a course), say them now, not after you start.

9. "Wo sehen Sie sich in fünf Jahren?"

Show that you want to stay and grow. "Still here, with better German, and maybe with an Ausbildung in this field."

10. "Was sind Ihre Gehaltsvorstellungen?" (Salary expectation)

Check typical pay for the job before the interview. Give a gross (brutto) number per hour or per month. Remember: below the legal minimum wage is never allowed.

11. "Haben Sie eine Arbeitserlaubnis?" (Work permit)

This question is allowed. Have your residence permit ready and know what it says about work ("Erwerbstätigkeit gestattet" or limits).

12. "Haben Sie noch Fragen?" (Any questions?)

Always say yes. Good ones: "Wie sieht ein normaler Arbeitstag aus?", "Wer wird mich einarbeiten?", "Wann höre ich von Ihnen?"

Questions you don't have to answer

German law (the AGG) protects you against discrimination. That is why some questions are not allowed. For example:

• Are you pregnant, or do you plan to have children?
• What is your religion?
• Are you in a union or a political party?
• Old illnesses that are healed, or genetic questions.

If an employer asks a forbidden question, courts say you don't have to answer truthfully. A calm reply works best: "Das hat mit der Stelle nichts zu tun, oder?" (That has nothing to do with the job, right?). Questions about criminal records are only allowed in narrow cases, for example for jobs with money or security.

Travel costs: who pays?

Getting Arbeitslosengeld or money from the Jobcenter? Then the Agentur für Arbeit or the Jobcenter can pay travel costs. But you must apply before you travel — not after.

"Come for a Probearbeit" — what is fair?

In restaurants, kitchens and warehouses you often hear: "Komm morgen zum Probearbeiten." A short unpaid trial day just to get to know the place can be legal. You watch, you try a few things, and you can leave when you want.

Unsure if a job offer is real? Use our job offer check.

After the interview

• Send a short thank-you email the same day. Two sentences are enough.
• If you hear nothing after the date they gave you, call or write once. That is normal in Germany, not pushy.
• Got the job? Read the contract before you sign — Probezeit, hours, pay per hour.

Practise speaking: our free German learning area has a practice conversation for a kitchen-help interview.

• Write a CV
• Cover letter
• Search jobs
• Probezeit FAQ