Confirming My Job Interview – A B1 Writing Headache (and How I Got Through It)

Okay, so here I am, six months in Germany, and I’ve finally landed an interview for a marketing assistant position at a small tech company in Berlin. It feels amazing, genuinely. But then came the email – a request to confirm the interview. And that’s when the panic started. I knew I needed to nail the TELC B1 Writing exam, and this felt like a mini-version of it. Let me tell you, writing a confirmation email in German, especially when you’re feeling a little stressed, is hard.

The Initial Email – A Messy Start

The email from the recruiter, Sarah, was simple: “Bitte bestätigen Sie Ihren Termin am Dienstag, den 14. November um 10:00 Uhr.” (Please confirm your appointment on Tuesday, November 14th at 10:00 AM). My first instinct was to reply with something super basic like “Ja, bestätige” (Yes, confirm). Big mistake. It felt… transactional. And honestly, a little pathetic. I immediately regretted it. I wanted to sound professional, but also friendly and eager.

What I Should Have Said – And What I Actually Did

Let’s break down what I should have written and then how the real thing went. The key with B1 Writing is demonstrating you can express yourself clearly and accurately. I needed to use appropriate vocabulary and sentence structures. Something like this would have been much better:

“Sehr geehrte Frau Schmidt,

vielen Dank für die Einladung zum Vorstellungsgespräch. Ich bestätige hiermit meinen Termin am Dienstag, den 14. November um 10:00 Uhr. Ich freue mich sehr über die Gelegenheit, mehr über die Position und Ihr Unternehmen zu erfahren.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

[Mein Name]”

(Dear Ms. Schmidt,

Thank you for the invitation to the interview. I hereby confirm my appointment for Tuesday, November 14th at 10:00 AM. I am very excited about the opportunity to learn more about the position and your company.

Sincerely,

[My Name])

What I actually wrote was something like: “Ja, Termin bestätigt. Danke!” (Yes, appointment confirmed. Thank you!). Sarah responded with: “Perfekt, vielen Dank!” (Perfect, thank you!). Relief washed over me, but it highlighted just how much I’d gotten wrong with my initial approach.

Key Phrases and Vocabulary for Confirmation Emails

Here’s the vocabulary I found particularly useful:

• Termin bestätigen: To confirm an appointment
• Hiermit bestätige ich…: I hereby confirm… (This is a slightly more formal phrase, good for business emails)
• Ich freue mich…: I am pleased/excited…
• Ich bin sehr daran interessiert…: I am very interested in…
• Ich bin gespannt auf…: I am looking forward to…
• Vielen Dank für die Einladung: Thank you for the invitation.
• Ich bin zuversichtlich: I am confident (useful to show enthusiasm)
• Mit freundlichen Grüßen: Sincerely (standard business closing)

A Slight Misunderstanding – And How I Handled It

Later, I received a message from Sarah asking if I had any questions about the interview location. I stumbled. I wanted to be polite, but I panicked about phrasing a question correctly. I blurted out: “Wo ist das Büro?” (Where is the office?). It felt so… basic.

Sarah quickly corrected me, gently explaining: “Nein, nein, ich wollte fragen, ob Sie die Adresse wissen. Die Adresse lautet: Musterstraße 12, 10117 Berlin.” (No, no, I wanted to ask if you know the address. The address is: Musterstraße 12, 10117 Berlin.)

This was a great reminder – don’t be afraid to ask for clarification, especially when you’re feeling unsure. I responded, “Entschuldigung, ich habe mich geirrt. Ja, ich weiß die Adresse.” (Sorry, I was wrong. Yes, I know the address.) Showing you can correct yourself and ask for help demonstrates self-awareness, a really important quality.

The Takeaway – And What I Learned for the TELC Exam

This whole experience really hammered home the importance of planning when it comes to B1 Writing. Simply replying with a yes isn’t enough. I need to practice crafting emails like this, focusing on clarity, correct grammar, and appropriate vocabulary. I also realized that a little bit of enthusiasm goes a long way.

For the TELC exam, I need to build on this experience. I’m going to focus on writing formal emails, practicing different phrases, and, most importantly, taking the time to really understand what’s being asked of me. Who knows, maybe confirming a job interview is the first step to a brilliant career in Germany! Ich drücke Ihnen die Daumen! (I’m rooting for you!)