My Journey into German Software Development – A Newbie’s Perspective

Introduction

Okay, so things are… intense. I’m Leo, and I moved from Prague to Berlin about six months ago. It’s amazing, honestly, but finding a job that actually uses my skills – I studied Computer Science, focusing on Java – has been a serious challenge. I’ve been spending a lot of time trawling through job boards, and I stumbled across this listing for Check24 – it seems really cool. The description kept using words like “Senior Level,” “Microservices,” and “DevOps,” which, to be honest, felt a little intimidating at first. But the more I read, the more I realized this could be exactly what I was looking for. It’s a serious step up from the smaller companies I’ve been looking at.

The Job Description and My Initial Thoughts

Let’s be real, the job description itself was dense. It was mostly German, of course – “Wir suchen einen erfahrenen Java Backend-Entwickler im Senior Level zur Verstärkung unseres Teams.” That basically translates to “We’re looking for an experienced Java Backend Developer to strengthen our team.” It mentions Spring Boot, relational databases, and DevOps – that’s all good, I have some background in those. But “Unit- und Integrationstests”… that’s where I started to feel a bit lost. I knew about testing, but actually doing it systematically? It sounded… complex. And this talk about Kubernetes – whoa! I need to get up to speed on that. “Es wird erwartet, dass Sie sich schnell in neue Technologien einarbeiten…” (It’s expected that you quickly familiarize yourself with new technologies) – that felt a little like a pressure cooker.

A First Interview and Some German Confusion

I managed to get an interview! The guy, Martin, was really friendly, but his German was fast. He kept throwing around terms like “RESTful APIs” and “Microservices-Architekturen,” and I was nodding along, desperately trying to understand. He asked me about my experience with databases – I said I’d worked with MySQL, and he just nodded. It felt like a test of how well I could translate my knowledge. Then he asked, “Wie würden Sie ein komplexes Problem lösen?” (How would you solve a complex problem?) I panicked a little and blurted out something about “Debugging and tracing the code.” He smiled and said, “Ja, das ist ein guter Anfang!” (Yes, that’s a good start!). That felt good, but also underlined just how much I still needed to learn. I needed to be more specific, more confident. I realised that I needed to really understand the nuances of these questions.

Learning the Lingo

Okay, I’ve been spending a lot of time on Duolingo (yes, I’m embracing the awkwardness) and looking up technical terms. “RESTful API” – it’s basically a way for different computer programs to talk to each other over the internet. “Microservices” – small, independent pieces of software that work together. “Versionskontrollsystemen wie Git” – Git is like a super-powered version of Word that lets you track changes to the code. And “DevOps” – it’s all about automating the process of building and deploying software, basically making it faster and more reliable. It’s making so much more sense now.

The Team and Early Tasks

I’ve started working with a small team, and everyone is really helpful. There’s a guy called Thomas who’s been patiently explaining things to me. He told me they were working on improving the Check24 website, and I’m going to be involved in developing the backend – the part that handles all the data and logic. He explained that they use Agile development methods, meaning we break down the work into smaller chunks and review them regularly. It’s already helping me to get into a good workflow and pace.

A Small Win

Yesterday, I finally got the unit tests for one of the smaller features working! It was a tiny victory, but it felt amazing. Thomas gave me a huge thumbs-up and said, “Sehr gut!” (Very good!). It really boosted my confidence and showed me I can actually do this. I still have so much to learn, but I’m starting to feel like I’m getting my feet under me.

Looking Ahead

I’m still tackling the Kubernetes thing, but I’ve found some good online courses. I’m also trying to be more proactive about asking questions – Martin’s really encouraging that. I’m determined to understand the full picture, to grasp how all these technologies fit together. This job – this whole experience – is already teaching me so much, not just about software development, but also about working in a new country and adapting to a new culture. And, fingers crossed, I’ll be contributing significantly to Check24’s success soon. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some more Duolingo to do… “Wie ist der Kaffee?” (How is the coffee?) – just asking!

<a href="Read More“>Here’s the original job posting link