My First German Job Interview: A Cloud Operations Adventure

Moving to Germany – It’s More Than Just Learning the Language

Okay, so let me tell you, moving to Berlin from London was… intense. I’d done my research, learned some basic German – “Hallo,” “Danke,” “Entschuldigung” – but nothing really prepared me for the daily grind of trying to navigate everything, from understanding the public transport system (the U-Bahn is a beast!) to figuring out the local customs. I’m a software engineer, and I landed an interview for a Cloud Operations role in Krefeld, which was a bit of a surprise. I’d been looking on Indeed – you know, the site (Read More – and saw a few Java positions in the area. It felt like a good step up, and honestly, a good chance to really immerse myself in the German tech scene.

The Initial Enquiry – Is Krefeld Really Accessible?

The first thing I wanted to know was the commute. I live in Düsseldorf, and I didn’t want to spend my entire life on the road. So, I called them, and this is how it went:

“Hallo, ich wollte mich erkundigen, ob die Stelle als Software Engineer (Cloud Operations) in Krefeld wirklich in der Nähe meines Wohnorts ist?” (Hello, I wanted to inquire whether the position as a Software Engineer (Cloud Operations) in Krefeld is really near my place of residence?)

The voice on the other end was really friendly. “Hallo! Ja, absolut, die Lage in Krefeld ist sehr gut. Es sind etwa 45-60 Minuten Fahrtzeit mit dem Auto, und es gibt auch gute Bahnverbindungen.” (Hello! Yes, absolutely, the location in Krefeld is very good. It’s about a 45-60 minute drive by car, and there are also good train connections.)

“Wir haben da auch ein paar Leute, die von Bonn oder Ratingen kommen. Das klingt schon mal gut.” (We also have some people who come from Bonn or Ratingen. That sounds good so far.)

Honestly, 45-60 minutes felt manageable. I’d done worse commutes back in London!

Delving into the Team and “You Build It, You Run It”

After that initial chat, I asked some more specific questions. I was really interested in the team dynamics.

“Ich habe mich auf der Indeed-Seite nach ähnlichen Jobs umgesehen, und es gibt einige Java-Positionen in der Umgebung. Können Sie mir mehr über das Team und die Zusammenarbeit erzählen?” (I’ve been looking at similar jobs on the Indeed page, and there are several Java positions in the area. Can you tell me more about the team and the collaboration?)

“Klar, die Teamzusammenstellung ist sehr spannend. Es ist ein agiles Team, das eng mit den DevOps-, Security- und Testteams zusammenarbeitet. Ihr baut die Cloud-Lösung von Anfang an mit – ‘you build it, you run it’ ist hier der Schlüssel.” (Certainly, the team composition is very exciting. It’s an agile team that works closely with the DevOps, Security, and Test teams. You build the cloud solution from the beginning – ‘you build it, you run it’ is the key here.)

“You build it, you run it” – I liked that! It sounded like a really hands-on role, which is what I was hoping for.

Technical Details and the Azure/Kubernetes Mix

Then we got into the technical stuff. I’d seen the job description mentioned Java, Azure, and Kubernetes, and I wanted to understand how central these technologies were.

“Wie sieht es mit der technischen Ausrichtung aus? Ich habe gelesen, dass es viel mit Java, Azure und Kubernetes zu tun haben wird. Sind das wirklich die Hauptaufgaben?” (What is the technical orientation? I’ve read that there is a lot of work with Java, Azure, and Kubernetes. Are these really the main tasks?)

“Absolut! Java ist zentral, natürlich auch Spring. Azure ist ein weiterer wichtiger Baustein, und Kubernetes und Container spielen eine große Rolle. Aber auch die Angular-Frontend-Entwicklung und die Optimierung der Cloud Services sind integraler Bestandteil der Arbeit.” (Absolutely! Java is central, of course, as is Spring. Azure is another important building block, and Kubernetes and containers play a big role. But Angular frontend development and the optimization of Cloud Services are also an integral part of the work.)

I felt relieved – it seemed like my skills were actually a good fit.

Training, Benefits, and a Healthy Work-Life Balance

Of course, I asked about professional development. You hear stories about companies not investing in their employees, and I wanted to make sure that wasn’t the case.

“Gibt es Möglichkeiten zur Weiterbildung, da im Bereich Cloud-Operations ständig neue Technologien kommen?” (Are there opportunities for further training, as new technologies are constantly emerging in the field of Cloud Operations?)

“Definitiv! Wir bieten umfassende Weiterbildungsprogramme und individuelles Coaching an. Außerdem gibt es Sabbatical-Möglichkeiten und attraktive Angebote für Gesundheit und Fitness. Und wir haben ein Gesundheitszentrum vor Ort.” (Definitely! We offer comprehensive training programs and individual coaching. In addition, there are sabbatical opportunities and attractive offers for health and fitness. And we have a health center on site.)

That sounded fantastic. It’s important to me to keep learning and to feel valued.

The Interview Question – The Structured Approach

Then they threw me a curveball: “Gibt es aktuell noch offene Fragen, die Sie sich stellen würden, um meine Eignung besser einschätzen zu können? Eine Frage: Sie haben erwähnt, dass Sie eine strukturierte Arbeitsweise haben. Können Sie mir ein Beispiel nennen, wie Sie ein komplexes technisches Problem angehen und lösen würden?” (Are there any open questions you would like to ask in order to better assess your suitability? One question: You mentioned that you have a structured approach to working. Can you give me an example of how you would approach and solve a complex technical problem?)

This is always a tricky one. I took a deep breath and started to explain how I’d tackle a problem, breaking it down into smaller steps, documenting my process, and collaborating with others to find the best solution. I talked about using diagrams and flowcharts to visualize the issue, and about regularly checking in with stakeholders to ensure everyone was on the same page. I realized they were looking for more than just technical skills; they wanted to see how I think.

Overall Impression – A Positive Start

Overall, the interview went really well. It felt like a genuine conversation, and I got a really good sense of the team and the company culture. They really emphasized collaboration and continuous learning, which is exactly what I was looking for. I think I’ve got a good chance, and I’m definitely excited about the prospect of working in Krefeld and continuing my journey in Germany! Jetzt muss ich nur noch üben, wie man den Fahrstuhl richtig benutzt! (Now I just need to practice how to use the elevator properly!)