Job Interview in Germany & Poland: B1 Prep Guide

A professional job interview in a foreign language requires preparing key sentences in advance. Whether you are interviewing in Berlin or Kraków, the recruiters expect clear, level-appropriate answers — not perfect grammar, just confident, understandable ones.

Describing Your Tech Stack

State clearly which technologies you have used in your previous projects. Do not overcomplicate the grammar; simple sentences are better: "Ich habe drei Jahre mit React gearbeitet" is stronger than a long sentence with a subordinate clause you might get wrong.

Common Interview Questions and How to Answer

• "Erzählen Sie etwas über sich." (Tell me about yourself.) — keep it to 60 seconds: current role, one key skill, why you are interested in this position.
• "Warum möchten Sie bei uns arbeiten?" (Why do you want to work here?) — mention something specific about the company, not just "I need a job."
• "Was sind Ihre Stärken und Schwächen?" (What are your strengths and weaknesses?) — name a real weakness and what you are doing about it.
• "Haben Sie noch Fragen an uns?" (Do you have any questions for us?) — always say yes; asking nothing signals disinterest.

Understanding Contract Types

In Germany, contracts are either unbefristet (permanent, no end date) or befristet (fixed-term, usually capped at two years without a specific business reason). In Poland, the standard employee contract is umowa o pracę, while B2B (umowa B2B) and umowa zlecenie are common for contractors — B2B usually means higher gross pay, but you cover your own ZUS contributions and taxes.

Talking About Salary

Always specify if your requested salary is gross (brutto) or net (netto) per month or year. In Germany, salary talk almost always means annual gross (brutto pro Jahr); in Poland, both monthly gross on umowa o pracę and hourly net rates on B2B are common, so state which one you mean.

Formality and First Impressions

Germans and Poles both default to formal address (Sie / Pan-Pani) until invited to switch. Arrive five to ten minutes early, not more — arriving very early can be seen as putting pressure on the interviewer's schedule. A firm handshake and direct eye contact are expected in both countries.

Good Questions to Ask Them

• "Wie sieht ein typischer Arbeitstag in dieser Rolle aus?" (What does a typical day in this role look like?)
• "Welche Tools und Technologien nutzt das Team?" (Which tools and technologies does the team use?)
• "Wie ist der nächste Schritt im Auswahlprozess?" (What is the next step in the selection process?)

Video Interview Basics

A growing share of first-round interviews happen over video. Test your camera and microphone at least ten minutes beforehand, sit somewhere with a plain background and good light facing you, and keep a printed copy of your CV nearby in case the interviewer refers to a specific date or project.

After the Interview

A short follow-up email within 24 hours is appreciated but not mandatory. Keep it to two or three sentences.

• "Vielen Dank für das interessante Gespräch heute." (Thank you for the interesting conversation today.)
• "Ich freue mich auf Ihre Rückmeldung." (I look forward to your reply.)

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is it okay to negotiate salary at the first interview? — Usually only briefly. Most companies prefer to discuss exact numbers in a second round, so a short expected-range answer is enough if asked directly.
• What if I do not understand a question? — It is fine to ask them to repeat or rephrase it. "Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen?" is a normal, professional request, not a weakness.
• Should I mention that I am still learning German or Polish? — Only if asked directly, and frame it positively: state your current level and that you are actively improving, rather than apologizing for it.