My First Month in Berlin: Talking About Work Experience – It’s Harder Than I Thought!

Okay, so here I am, a month into living and working in Berlin. I moved here with this huge, audacious dream of being a freelance translator, and while I’m getting there, let’s be honest, it’s been…challenging. A lot of that challenge comes down to actually talking about my work experience, something I thought would be relatively straightforward. Turns out, it’s a surprisingly complex dance in German.

The Initial Interview – A Frozen Nightmare

The first agency interview was a disaster. I’d practiced my elevator pitch – “Ich spreche Englisch und Deutsch fließend. Ich suche nach Projekten im Bereich Technik und Marketing.” – a hundred times. But when I actually said it, my voice cracked. And then, the interviewer, Herr Schmidt, started asking me about my Berufserfahrung – my professional experience.

I blurted out, “Ich habe in London bei einer kleinen Firma gearbeitet, und ich war gut darin, Dokumente zu übersetzen.” (I worked in London at a small company and I was good at translating documents.)

He frowned. “Gut darin?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Was bedeutet das genau? Was waren Ihre Aufgaben? Wie viele Seiten haben Sie übersetzt? Wie lange haben Sie gearbeitet?” (Good at it? What exactly did that mean? What were your responsibilities? How many pages did you translate? How long did you work?)

I panicked. I mumbled something about ‘organisation’ and ‘office work’, completely forgetting to mention the actual translation. I realised then that simply saying “I translated” wasn’t enough. It needed context, detail, and a proper German explanation. Lesson one: Don’t just translate directly, explain what you did.

Common Phrases and How They Sound in Practice

Here are a few phrases I’ve found really useful, and some of the awkward moments I’ve had trying to use them correctly:

• “Ich habe zuvor bei…gearbeitet.” (I used to work at…) – This is your basic “previous employer” opener. I almost tripped over it when I told a colleague about my time in London: “Ich habe zuvor bei… einer Softwarefirma gearbeitet.” (I used to work at… a software company). It sounds much more natural than just “Ich habe gearbeitet bei…”
• “Meine Hauptaufgaben waren…” (My main tasks were…) – I’ve found this incredibly helpful when describing my role. I used it when explaining my project management duties at my last job: “Meine Hauptaufgaben waren die Koordination von Projekten und die Erstellung von Berichten.” (My main tasks were coordinating projects and creating reports).
• “Ich war für…verantwortlich.” (I was responsible for…) – This shows a level of accountability. It’s important in German business culture. I accidentally used this too strongly when talking about a small task and I sounded way over the top.
• “Ich habe Erfahrung mit…” (I have experience with…) – Great for listing skills. “Ich habe Erfahrung mit CAT-Tools wie Trados und MemoQ.” (I have experience with CAT tools like Trados and MemoQ.)

Small Talk and Work History – Navigating the “Wie lange?” Question

One of the biggest surprises was how insistent everyone is on asking “Wie lange?” (How long?). Seriously, everyone. During a coffee break with a potential client, I casually mentioned I’d been working as a freelance translator for six months.

“Wie lange?” he pressed. “Sechs Monate? Wie viel Geld haben Sie dabei verdient?” (Six months? How much money did you earn?)

I stumbled, completely caught off guard. I realised I hadn’t considered quantifying my experience or discussing my income. It felt incredibly personal! I learned to preemptively answer with something like: “Ich habe mich in diesen Zeitraum gut eingearbeitet und konnte meine Fähigkeiten erfolgreich einsetzen.” (I have integrated myself well during this period and was able to successfully use my skills.)

Mistakes and Corrections – Learning Through Oops

I made a huge mistake when describing a project. I said, “Ich habe ein sehr großes Dokument übersetzt.” (I translated a very large document.) The client looked confused. Herr Müller, a senior translator, gently corrected me: “Es ist besser, zu sagen ‘Ich habe ein Dokument mit X Seiten übersetzt.’” (It’s better to say ‘I translated a document with X pages’.) He explained that “groß” can sound vague in this context. Small details, huge difference!

My Advice to Newcomers

Honestly, talking about work experience in German is more than just vocabulary. It’s about understanding the cultural emphasis on detail, accountability, and concrete examples. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification when you don’t understand a question. And most importantly, prepare before you talk. Write down key phrases, think about your experiences in detail, and practice saying them out loud.

It’s a slow process, but every conversation, every correction, brings me closer to feeling comfortable and confident in discussing my work – and ultimately, to building my career here in Berlin. Ich glaube an mich! (I believe in myself!)