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Tell me about yourself: how to answer it in a German job interview

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"Tell me about yourself" is usually the first real question in a German job interview. In German you will hear "Stellen Sie sich doch mal kurz vor" or "Erzählen Sie etwas über sich" (University of Siegen, 1 Jun 2021). It usually comes after the greeting and the interviewers' own introduction, and German career services treat it as its own phase of the interview (University of Cologne, 01/2025).

ContentsWhat German interviewers want to know

The short answer: speak for about two minutes. Say who you are and what you do now, name two or three highlights that match the job ad, and finish with why you want this job. Don’t retell your CV, and leave private details out.

Key takeaways

  • German career services recommend 1 to 3 minutes for most interviews. Two minutes is a safe middle.
  • A simple order works: now, before, next. What you do today, what you did before that fits the job, and why this job is the next step.
  • Pick 2 or 3 highlights that match the job ad. The interviewers have your CV already.
  • Leave out your life story, family, health, religion and politics, and never talk badly about a former employer.
  • Prepare a German version too, even for a job in English.

What German interviewers want to know

The interviewers have read your CV. Some applicants find it odd to introduce themselves again, but the question has clear reasons. A workbook from Ruhr University Bochum names three (RUB, Feb 2025):

What they check What it means for you
Who you are and how you present yourself, including how you speak and your body language Speak calmly and look at the people in the room
How you link your own experience and choices to this job Every point you make should connect to the job ad
Whether you can tell what is essential and what is not Pick a few points. Leave the rest for later questions

The University of Cologne puts it in one line: introduce yourself as an answer to the job ad. Say who you are, why you accepted the invitation, and what your two or three most important highlights are for this position (University of Cologne, 01/2025).

Goethe University Frankfurt adds a point that matters a lot in Germany: know the thread through your career. Don’t present your stations in date order. Present them in relation to the job, mention only the important ones, and give the reason for each change (Goethe University Frankfurt, International Career Service, Nov 2022).

The question can come in different forms. You may hear “Introduce yourself, please” (Siegen), “Introduce us to your background” (Frankfurt) or “Could you take us through your CV again, please?” (RUB). The same answer works for all of them.

Key point: Introduce yourself as an answer to the job ad. Say who you are, why you accepted the invitation, and your two or three most important highlights for this position.

For the full flow of a German interview, from greeting to follow up, see our guide to the job interview in Germany.

How long should your answer be?

Sources in Germany don’t agree on one number, but most land between one and three minutes:

Source Recommended length
Saarland University, Jul 2023 1 to 2 minutes
Ruhr University Bochum, Feb 2025 1 to 2 minutes, 2 at most
deutschland.de, 18 Oct 2022 No more than 2 minutes (for a short pitch)
University of Cologne, 01/2025 1 to 3 minutes
University of Siegen, 1 Jun 2021 2 to 3 minutes
European University Viadrina, Aug 2024 About 3 minutes
University of Hohenheim 3 to 5 minutes

Our advice from this table: prepare a two minute version as your default. Also know which part you would cut if the interviewer seems in a hurry, and which example you would add if they ask you to say more. Saarland University notes that a whole interview usually takes 45 to 90 minutes (Saarland), so your introduction is a short opening, not the main part.

Time yourself when you practise out loud (Viadrina).

Say your two minute introduction out loud and time it.

Practise in the Mock Interview Trainer

Tip: Prepare a two minute version as your default. Know which part you would cut if the interviewer seems in a hurry, and which example you would add if they ask you to say more.

A simple structure: now, before, next

German career advice often uses a three part structure. One memory aid is “V-G-Z”: Vergangenheit, Gegenwart, Zukunft (past, present, future), recommended by the German career coach Jürgen Hesse (Tagesspiegel, 16 Jan 2011). Our advice is to start with the present, then go back. The handout from Viadrina also starts with your current position (Viadrina), and a Bundesagentur für Arbeit checklist advises describing your path in reverse date order (BA Hochschulteam Karlsruhe-Rastatt, Sep 2021).

Part What to say Time (2 minute version)
1. Now Your name, your current role or studies, and your field about 20 seconds
2. Before 2 or 3 highlights from your past that match the job ad, each with a concrete result or example about 70 seconds
3. Next Why this job and this company, and what you want to bring about 30 seconds

Viadrina uses a similar split for a three minute answer: 30 seconds introduction, two minutes on skills, experience and achievements, 30 seconds on why you fit the job and why you want it (Viadrina).

How to pick your highlights

0 of 4 done

Paste the job ad and see its main requirements at a glance.

Check a job ad

If you studied or worked in another country, the interviewers may not know the education system. Be ready to explain the relevant facts briefly, without too much detail (LMU Jobline). One sentence is often enough, for example “That is a four year bachelor’s degree with a final thesis.”

Example: The job ad asks for project coordination. Your highlight: “As a working student I kept the project schedule for two wind projects up to date.” Short, and with one concrete task. (This is an invented example, taken from Example 1 below.)

A two-minute answer in three parts: Now, about 20 seconds; Before, about 70 seconds; Next, about 30 seconds. Nowabout 20 seconds Beforeabout 70 seconds Nextabout 30 seconds
About two minutes in total: most of the time goes to the highlights that match the job ad.

Read a job ad

Paste a German job ad. See must-haves, levels and key terms.

Analyze an adRead once by AI. Not stored.

What to leave out

  • Leave outYour whole life story or a repeat of your CV

    WhyLMU Jobline warns against both (LMU)

  • Leave outLong details on each station

    WhyThe interviewers ask follow up questions if they want more (Siegen)

  • Leave outSide information that isn’t relevant to the job

    WhyIt turns the answer into a long monologue (RUB)

  • Leave outMarital status, family planning, health, religion, political views

    WhyQuestions on these are inappropriate in a German interview (deutschland.de). Germany’s equal treatment law protects against discrimination on grounds such as religion, disability, age and ethnic origin (AGG § 1). You don’t need to volunteer this information

  • Leave outNegative remarks about former bosses, colleagues or working conditions

    WhyThe Bundesagentur für Arbeit advises never to speak negatively about them (BA, 2025)

  • Leave outHobbies with no link to the job

    WhyIf you talk about your personal side, keep it related to the job: interests, strengths and successes (BA Hochschulteam)

  • Leave outHints that this job is only a short stop

    WhyMake sure you don’t seem to take the job only to move on quickly (RUB)

Your age and your address are on your CV if you chose to put them there. The German CV template shows which details are optional. They don’t belong in your introduction.

Key point: Keep your introduction about your work and the job. You don’t need to volunteer private information, and never talk badly about a former employer.

Three example answers

The three answers below are examples. The people, companies and numbers are invented. Use the structure, not the words. Each English answer is about two minutes when read aloud at a calm pace. The German version is a short form you can use if the interview switches to German, which can happen even for jobs advertised in English (University of Siegen).

Not sure how far your German goes?

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Example 1: first job after university

For example: Sara has a master’s degree in environmental engineering and applies for a junior project engineer role at a company that plans solar parks.

Template: Example 1, first job after university (English)
Thank you for the invitation. My name is Sara Novak. I finished my master's in environmental engineering in Stuttgart this summer, with a focus on renewable energy systems.

Two parts of my studies fit this role well. First, my master's thesis: I modelled the energy yield of three planned solar sites for a regional energy provider and compared it with their own figures. My model was within four percent of their measured data for the site that was already running. Second, I worked for eighteen months as a working student in a planning office. There I prepared site documents for permit applications and kept the project schedule for two wind projects up to date. That taught me how much of a project is coordination, not only calculation.

I applied to you because you plan and build your parks yourself, from the first site visit to grid connection. I want to learn the whole chain, and your job ad asks for exactly the two things I have practised: yield calculations and project coordination. I'm looking forward to hearing more about the team.
Template: Example 1, short German version (Kurzfassung)
Vielen Dank für die Einladung. Mein Name ist Sara Novak. Ich habe diesen Sommer meinen Master in Umwelttechnik in Stuttgart abgeschlossen, mit Schwerpunkt erneuerbare Energien. In meiner Masterarbeit habe ich den Energieertrag von drei geplanten Solarstandorten berechnet. Als Werkstudentin in einem Planungsbüro habe ich Unterlagen für Genehmigungen vorbereitet und Projektpläne gepflegt. Mich reizt an Ihrer Stelle, dass Sie Projekte vom ersten Standortbesuch bis zum Netzanschluss selbst begleiten.

Why it works: She starts with her current status, gives two highlights with a concrete result, and ends with a reason that comes from the job ad. She doesn’t list every course.

Example 2: skilled professional with experience

For example: Daniel is an accountant with six years of experience and applies for a senior accountant role at a mid-sized manufacturing company.

Template: Example 2, skilled professional (English)
Good morning, and thank you for having me. I'm Daniel Ortiz. I work as an accountant at a wholesale company with about 300 employees, where I'm responsible for the monthly and annual closing for two of our three legal entities.

I'd like to mention two things from my six years in accounting. First, closing speed. When I joined my current employer, the monthly close took eight working days. Together with our controller, I standardised our accrual lists and the checks before closing. We now close in five days. Second, audits. I've been the main contact for our external auditors for the last three annual audits. I prepare the documents, answer their questions and follow up on their findings.

Before that, I spent three years in an audit firm. I moved to the company side because I wanted to stay with one business over time, not only see it once a year.

Your job ad mentions a new ERP system next year and a faster closing process. I've worked on both, and I'd like to bring that experience to a manufacturing company, where cost accounting plays a bigger role than in my current job. That's the part I want to grow in.
Template: Example 2, short German version (Kurzfassung)
Guten Morgen und vielen Dank für die Einladung. Mein Name ist Daniel Ortiz. Ich bin Buchhalter bei einem Großhändler mit rund 300 Beschäftigten und verantworte dort die Monats- und Jahresabschlüsse für zwei Gesellschaften. Den Monatsabschluss haben wir gemeinsam mit dem Controlling von acht auf fünf Arbeitstage verkürzt. Außerdem bin ich seit drei Jahren Ansprechpartner für die Wirtschaftsprüfung. Ihre Stelle interessiert mich, weil Sie den Abschluss beschleunigen wollen und ich mich in der Kostenrechnung weiterentwickeln möchte.

Why it works: Each change in his career has a reason, as Goethe University Frankfurt recommends (Frankfurt). His “next” part links his goal to the company, so it doesn’t sound like a short stop.

Example 3: career change

For example: Mei worked for seven years in hotels, most recently as front office manager, and applies for a customer success manager role at a software company that sells booking software to hotels.

Template: Example 3, career change (English)
Thank you for inviting me. My name is Mei Lin. For the last seven years I've worked in hotels, and for the last three I've led the front office team of a 180 room city hotel in Frankfurt, with eleven people on my team.

I want to move into customer success, and I'd like to explain why I think this fits. In my current job, I'm the person who makes our software work for the team. When we changed our property management system two years ago, I trained all front office staff, wrote our internal how-to guides and was the main contact for the software provider. I noticed that I enjoyed that project more than any other part of my job. Since then I've also completed an online course in customer success management, which is on my CV.

Your customers are hotels. I know their daily problems from the inside: late check-ins, overbookings, staff who have little time to learn new tools. I can't offer years of experience in a software company. But I can offer a clear picture of what your customers need, and experience in training people on new systems. That's why I applied for this role and not for another hotel job.
Template: Example 3, short German version (Kurzfassung)
Vielen Dank für die Einladung. Mein Name ist Mei Lin. Ich arbeite seit sieben Jahren in der Hotellerie und leite seit drei Jahren das Front-Office-Team eines Stadthotels in Frankfurt. Bei der Einführung unseres neuen Hotelsystems habe ich das ganze Team geschult und war Ansprechpartnerin für den Softwareanbieter. Dabei habe ich gemerkt, dass mir genau diese Arbeit am meisten liegt. Ihre Kunden sind Hotels, und deren Alltag kenne ich sehr gut. Deshalb möchte ich in den Customer Success wechseln.

Why it works: She gives the reason for the change early, so the interviewers don’t have to guess. She is honest about what she lacks and then names what she brings. The University of Cologne advises not to present what you think others want to see, but what is relevant to you and to the job (University of Cologne).

If you are new to Germany: three extra points

International applicants get a few questions that others rarely hear. Make it in Germany names them: interviewers may check how well you speak German or English, and some ask why you want to work in Germany and what you expect from life here (Make it in Germany, retrieved 1 Nov 2026). deutschland.de says the same (deutschland.de). Your introduction can answer these questions before they come up.

1. Put “why here” into your “next” part

One sentence is enough. Link it to your career, not to your private life, and then go back to the job.

Template: “Why here” sentence for your introduction
EN: I moved to [city] [two years ago], and I want to build my career here in [field]. That is why this role is the next step for me.

DE: Ich lebe seit [zwei Jahren] in [Stadt] und möchte hier im Bereich [Fachgebiet] beruflich weiterkommen. Deshalb ist diese Stelle für mich der nächste Schritt.

2. Name your German level in one sentence

German employers use the CEFR scale from A1 to C2. Make it in Germany suggests these levels for your CV, for example “English: C1” (Make it in Germany). Use the same label when you speak. The Council of Europe describes B2 as being able to understand technical discussions in your field and to talk with native speakers without strain for either side (Council of Europe, CEFR global scale, retrieved 1 Nov 2026). Pick the level that is true for you today, and add what you are doing about it.

Template: German level in your introduction
EN: I speak English at C1 level and German at B1. I'm taking a course to reach B2 by [month].

DE: Ich spreche Englisch auf C1-Niveau und Deutsch auf B1-Niveau. Bis [Monat] möchte ich B2 erreichen.

If you want proof, the Goethe-Test PRO: German for Professionals is a digital test of reading and listening. It takes about 60 to 90 minutes, places you between A1 and C2, and you get a digital certificate straight after the test (Goethe-Institut, retrieved 1 Nov 2026).

3. Practise the German short version

The free vhs-Lernportal of the German adult education centres has two online courses in job-related German, A2 to B1 and B2. Their topics include applications and job interviews (vhs-Lernportal info sheet, retrieved 1 Nov 2026). Use them to build the words you need, then say your own German short version out loud.

Key point: If your German is not yet at the level the job asks for, say so honestly and say what you are doing about it. It sounds better than an interview that breaks down when the interviewer switches language.

Common mistakes

  • MistakeReading your CV out loud in date order

    BetterPick the stations that matter for this job and give the thread (Frankfurt)

  • MistakeStarting with your childhood or your school years

    BetterStart with what you do now

  • MistakeTalking for five minutes or more without a pause

    BetterAim for about two minutes, then stop and let them ask

  • MistakeClaims without proof (“I’m a great team player”)

    BetterOne concrete example with a result (LMU Jobline)

  • MistakeThe same answer for every company

    BetterChange the highlights and the “next” part for each job ad

  • MistakeA learned text you recite word by word

    BetterLearn the three parts and your examples, not every sentence. You can’t rely only on pre-written answers (RUB)

  • MistakeOnly an English version

    BetterPrepare a short German version too (Siegen)

  • MistakeNo reason for a career change or a gap

    BetterGive a short, honest reason for each change (Frankfurt)

  • MistakeComplaining about your current employer

    BetterTalk about what you want next, not what you want to escape (BA)

How to practise

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Tip: Learn the three parts and your examples, not every sentence. You can’t rely only on pre-written answers (RUB).

With a Joblumi pass you can save the job ad on your board, keep the CV you sent for it next to it, and practise your answers out loud with the Mock Interview Trainer before the day. Get my job search plan.

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FAQ

What do I say when they ask “Erzählen Sie etwas über sich”?

The same as for “Tell me about yourself”: what you do now, two or three highlights that match the job, and why you want this job. Use the formal “Sie” with the interviewers. Keep it to one to three minutes (University of Cologne).

How long should “Tell me about yourself” be in Germany?

Most German career services recommend one to three minutes (Saarland, Cologne, Siegen). Two minutes is a good default.

Should I mention my age, family or where I’m from?

You don’t have to. Questions about family planning, marital status, health, religion or political views are inappropriate in German interviews (deutschland.de). Keep your introduction about your work and the job.

Should I mention my German level in my introduction?

Yes, if the job is in Germany and German is not your first language. Interviewers may check your German or English anyway (Make it in Germany). One sentence with your CEFR level, for example “German: B1, working towards B2”, is enough.

Should I learn my answer by heart?

Learn the structure and your examples, not every word. The Ruhr University Bochum workbook says you can’t rely only on pre-written answers and should stay flexible (RUB).

Can I use notes?

The Viadrina career center says you may use notes and take notes during the interview, so bring pen and paper (Viadrina). A few keywords are fine. Don’t read your introduction from a sheet.

What if they ask me to “walk them through my CV”?

Use the same structure. Saarland University notes that interviewers may ask you to explain your CV again in the second phase of the interview (Saarland). Then you can go into a little more detail, but still focus on what matters for this job.

Sources