Reference · module 27
Applying and working
Everything this module explains, on one page.
The application
Write the opening of a job application.
- sich bewerben um is to apply for, and it is reflexive with a fixed preposition: Ich bewerbe mich um die Stelle.
- die Stelle is the position, die Bewerbung the application, der Lebenslauf the CV, das Anschreiben the covering letter. Those four words are the whole folder.
- The standard opening: Hiermit bewerbe ich mich um die Stelle als … It is stiff on purpose, and anything warmer reads as unserious.
The mistake you are about to make
Ich bewerbe mich für die Stelle.
Ich bewerbe mich um die Stelle.
"Apply for" turns into für without a pause. The preposition fixed to this verb is um: ich bewerbe mich um die Stelle.
The interview
Answer the three questions every interview asks.
- Erzählen Sie etwas über sich. The expected answer is short: where you trained, what you have done, what you want next. Three sentences is enough.
- die Erfahrung is experience and die Kenntnisse are skills or knowledge — always plural. Ich habe drei Jahre Erfahrung. Ich habe gute Englischkenntnisse.
- For strengths, meine Stärken; for weaknesses, meine Schwächen. Naming a real weakness and what you do about it is the answer that works.
The mistake you are about to make
Ich habe drei Jahre Erfahrungen.
Ich habe drei Jahre Erfahrung.
Kenntnisse is always plural and Erfahrung almost never is — exactly backwards from what "knowledge" and "experiences" would suggest.
The working day
Talk about meetings, deadlines and colleagues.
- die Besprechung is the meeting, die Frist the deadline, die Kollegin the colleague, die Abteilung the department. Four words and an office is legible.
- Bescheid sagen means to let somebody know, and it takes the dative: Ich sage dir Bescheid. It is two words and behaves as one verb.
- sich kümmern um means to take care of: Ich kümmere mich darum. Reflexive, fixed preposition, accusative — the shape you know.
The mistake you are about to make
Ich kümmere mich um es.
Ich kümmere mich darum.
"I'll take care of it" ends on it, so um es follows. When the object is a thing, German fuses the pair into darum — da plus the preposition.
When something goes wrong
Complain, apologise and propose a fix.
- sich beschweren über is to complain about: Ich möchte mich über die Lieferung beschweren. Reflexive again, and über with the accusative.
- An apology in German is Es tut mir leid for a small thing and Ich entschuldige mich for a real one. Entschuldigung on its own is closer to excuse me.
- Then propose something: Ich schlage vor, dass … The word that ends most German complaints well is a suggestion, not an accusation.
The mistake you are about to make
Ich beschwere über die Lieferung.
Ich beschwere mich über die Lieferung.
The verb is reflexive and English gives no hint of it — you simply complain. German complains to itself: ich beschwere mich, and the mich cannot be dropped.