Dreaming in Deutsch: Talking About Career Wishes in Germany

Okay, so here I am, six months in Berlin. It’s incredible, truly, but let’s be honest, finding a job that actually uses my degree in English Literature feels like searching for a specific grain of sand on a massive beach. And part of that challenge is, you know, actually talking about what I want to do with my life. It’s a whole different ballgame than just saying “I want to be a writer” back home.

The Initial Hesitation – “Was willst du denn machen?”

The first few times someone asked me, “Was willst du denn machen?” (What do you want to do?), I completely froze. It felt so…personal. In England, people generally wouldn’t ask someone that directly, especially a newbie. I’d stumble over my words, mumbling something about “looking for opportunities” and feeling incredibly awkward. Honestly, I felt like I was being interrogated!

My friend, Lena, noticed my discomfort. She explained, “It’s not meant to be intrusive, mein Freund. It’s just a natural question here. Germans are often quite direct, and they want to know where you’re headed.” She gave me a little lesson: “You can just say, ‘Ich bin noch am Überlegen.’ (I’m still thinking about it.) or ‘Ich suche nach einer Stelle, die meinen Fähigkeiten entspricht.’ (I’m looking for a job that matches my skills.)”

Vocabulary for the Job Hunt – It’s More Than Just ‘Job’

I quickly realised that the word “Job” doesn’t really work the same way here. It felt…casual. I heard people talking about “Positionen” (positions), “Stellen” (jobs), and “Aufgaben” (tasks). “Kannst du mir von deinen Aufgaben erzählen?” (Can you tell me about your tasks?) was a common question during interviews, even for entry-level positions.

I also learned phrases like:

• “Eine Vollzeitstelle” (a full-time position)
• “Eine Teilzeitstelle” (a part-time position)
• “Ein Praktikum” (an internship) – I’d really like to do one!
• “Ich suche etwas mit Zukunftsperspektiven.” (I’m looking for something with career prospects.) – I started using this one a lot, especially when I felt insecure.

My First Interview – A Slight Disaster (and a Valuable Lesson)

My first real interview was for a position translating marketing materials. I was so nervous, I completely blanked on a simple question: “Was sind Ihre Stärken?” (What are your strengths?). I blurted out, “Ich bin gut im Lesen!” (I’m good at reading!). The interviewer, Herr Schmidt, raised an eyebrow. He kindly corrected me. “Nein, nein. Ihre Stärken sind Ihre Sprachkenntnisse und Ihre Fähigkeit, Texte zu analysieren.” (No, no. Your strengths are your language skills and your ability to analyze texts.)

It was mortifying, but it was also brilliant. I realized I needed to be more prepared, and to listen really carefully to the questions. I also learned to take a breath before responding.

Talking About Future Goals – “Meine langfristigen Ziele…”

Eventually, I started to feel more comfortable talking about my long-term goals. I told Lena I wanted to eventually work as a copywriter – “Ich möchte gerne als Texter arbeiten.” – but I also admitted I wasn’t entirely sure how to get there.

“Meine langfristigen Ziele sind, einen internationalen Kundenstamm aufzubauen und meine eigenen Projekte zu verwirklichen.” (My long-term goals are to build an international customer base and realize my own projects.) – It sounded incredibly ambitious, even to me!

Small Steps, Big Progress

It’s been a process, definitely. I still stumble over my German and sometimes use phrases awkwardly. But every conversation, every interview, every attempt to articulate my career wishes, gets a little easier. I’m starting to understand that Germans aren’t trying to grill me; they’re genuinely interested in what I want to contribute. And that, I’m starting to realise, is a pretty fantastic thing.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the whole thing, just remember: “Mach dir keine Sorgen” (Don’t worry about it!). Take it one conversation, one “Position,” one “Aufgabe” at a time. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll be dreaming in Deutsch soon too.