Deutsch im Beruf Was dir niemand über die Arbeitskultur sagt

If you work in or plan to work in a German-speaking team it's possible tha f you're facing any difficulties with the language or workplace culture In this video I'll show you what matters most so you feel like a true part of the team and don't feel like your language skills undermine your expertise Also I’m speaking with Sabine a German teacher whom I’ve previously discussed this with discussed a wide range of topics and have already reached hundreds of students And before we begin one more important note Below this video you'll find a free PDF file containing useful expressions on at the C1 C2 level the kind you can use every day in the office I asked Sabine this question What do you think is the biggest challenge when learning German for professional purposes and how can we support these learners The biggest challenge in my experience isn 't grammar but the real-world application That’s usually when questions like Sabine’s arise—how do I phrase something politely yet firmly Or how can I offer criticism without coming across as unkind And many also tell me that I understand everything Sabine but I'm afraid to speak up So what would I recommend Preparing specifically for such situations And this is exactly where we focus in our one-on-one lessons You can and should practice these situations I'm sure that then you'll also be able to ease someone's fear a little because then you're not afraid oh God I'm actually in the real situation Right now I just need to be here with Sabine and she's helping me Exactly exactly And that way I think students gain confidence Yes they might say something wrong sometimes Nothing happens in class It's just a role-playing game after all Especially if you're working and have little time it's also difficult Consistently and systematically working on your German That's exactly why I find italki so helpful On italki you can learn flexibly with teachers from around the world exactly when it fits into your schedule You're not tied to fixed hours or a subscription instead you book and pay only for the hours you actually need What I find particularly important is that you work there with empathetic and competent teachers like Sabine who truly understand What you need in your everyday work life When you sign up for italki you can also specify your interests and your goals For example you could say that you are specifically preparing for the profession Then teachers specializing precisely in that area will be suggested to you Personally I recommend Sabine to you because I know her very well and since in my opinion she is one of the best teachers out there On italki you'll find thousands of teachers in total available for over 150 languages and covering a wide range of specialties With italki Plus you also get flashcards Lesson summaries and exercises designed to help you truly reinforce what you've learned When you create a new account use my code Lara2 to save five euros on your first lesson You'll find the italki link in the video description and in the first comment using my code supports my work and my channel Point number one Learn everyday language Let's start with the first and most important tip Learn everyday slang—it's far more important than you think This includes expressions like "I'm drawing a blank " f you don't immediately understand something or I'm in a hurry if you need to leave quickly and can't chat with your colleagues Such expressions ensure you come across as relaxed and confident I used to think personally that everyday language isn't necessary in the workplace but that's not true Casual conversation makes the difference between quietly sitting in a corner and actively participating in team life Also learn everyday speech to become more confident relaxed and above all free Number two: understand the work culture When I had my first job in a German-speaking team back then as a student assistant and later as a research assista At Heidelberg University I quickly had to learn a few things that no one had explained to me Don’t expect much praise or appreciation That's not meant negatively but in German work culture praise is not often expressed there's a certain reserve My experience however was that appreciation is shown differently —such as through regular salary increases or greater flexibility planning For example the supervisor might approve vacation more quickly or that last-minute appointments aren't a problem What could also happen is that you end up with even more work and above all greater responsibility This is a way of telling your supervisor: Hey you' ve done a great job You' reliable you work effectively There's more work here But that often comes with a bit of praise as well For example when I worked at the language school I quickly got the key to the school was allowed to open in the mornings when my supervisor wasn't there and was also partly more involved in planning This is a sign that your supervisors trust you and that you are reliable and that you complete your work effectively Personally I still believe in praising people and giving them positive feedback But I realize that so much praise is simply unfamiliar I'm now on the other side of the employment relationship And I have two German colleagues who are absolutely top- notch I often tell them how grateful I am for their work and the way they handle problems and challenges They're thrilled about it one hand On one hand people often say things like "That's just my job" or "I'm just doing my part " so I realize that they don't really expect much praise from me I'll keep praising it anyway because I truly believe it's extremely important But if you're in an employment relationship Don't expect that to happen often as it probably won't Point number three: meeting expectations Speaking of expectations There are a few things you simply have to meet Punctuality I believe is obvious Another extremely important matter is personal reliability This is also a very significant topic When someone gives their word and states they will or won't do something One should actually maintain that stance Additionally it is expected that personal and professional lives are clearly distinguished Calling colleagues after 6 p m or on weekends is absolutely off-limits—unless you're in a job where you save lives or you're very close to it Otherwise everything can wait until Monday Depending on the company hierarchy is also very important You can leverage your superiors in certain companies but that doesn't mean you should be friends with them or feel free to discuss everything Equally important I'd disclose as little as possible about my private life At least at first so during the first and second years I'd say at I have certain problems at home or let's say if I had a child who had diarrhea I'd have to be at work despite that No one knows not even if I stay longer in this company Point number four Small talk and topics What initially somewhat bothered me is how certain topics are handled For instance you're allowed to talk about politics I wouldn't reveal too much personally here either But it's equally important to have some sense of what's currently happening in Germany and even what happened 15 or 10 years ago so you can understand what the others are talking about One should have at least a sense of what is currently happening in the world It is very important that one expresses their opinion especially not strongly advocating controversial topics Also I wouldn't get into political debates at work In such situations phrases like I'm curious to see how the situation will unfold That works very well This shows that you're listening and engaged in the conversation without revealing just how strongly you might feel yourself Politics isn't an absolute taboo either One just needs to be careful I also find small details such as the fact quite fascinating People often comment on what others are eating during lunch For example things like "That looks delicious " or "What do you have there " It was a bit unfamiliar to me at first because I grew up in a culture where people don't openly comment on things like that because it comes across as intrusive And this is something that also bothers many students In my classes I mention how they find it strange that people comment on others' food By now I find it completely fine and to me it's simply a sign that someone is interested But at first I had to get used to it so you know how to behave in such situations Watch your colleagues closely How do they greet each other What topics do they discuss What is addressed and what is never mentioned What rituals and habits do they have All of this helps you feel more comfortable within the German team And that is extremely important Keep in mind that your goal is learning not evaluation It’s neither better nor worse than in your culture—it’s simply different And it's simply something you have to learn Point number five: communication and vocabulary Another aspect is communication in general In Germany clear and direct communication is expected That doesn’t mean one can be unfriendly or disrespectful but simply that one communicates clearly what needs you have When giving feedback be polite yet direct In most cases people greatly appreciate being told exactly what they could do better to meet expectations That might come across as a bit too direct for some cultures But it's rarely meant in a negative way It's simply a way of communicating which also means you can clearly tell your supervisor when something isn't working Of course always respectfully But you shouldn't fear consequences because honest feedback is truly valued and is perceived positively We previously mentioned that one should learn colloquial language It's also very important that you know vocabulary at the C1 and C2 levels For most jobs a B2 level is the basic requirement But a B2 level is often simply not enough o be able to clearly and precisely describe complex matters And thus many get the impression that they lack their competence Some people even say they feel like children when speaking German It's very important that you know vocabulary related to your profession at the C1 or C2 level And it's actually not that difficult to remember such words It's important to work through situations and ask oneself which situation one needs which adjectives or verbs and which adjectives should I use to describe a project and the team's wor How do I describe a task What verbs do I need for Zoom meetings when the internet connection is poor and I’m having technical issues or if I have to give a presentation Only if one can clearly imagine the specific situation in which one would say something You can also effectively learn new vocabulary A few of these expressions can be found in the PDF available below this video Point number 6: Targeted preparation Related to that here's the next tip Prepare yourself specifically for situations If you know you have to give a presentation then learn vocabulary specifically for that purpose For example What if you can't remember what you were just talking about Learn phrases like "Sorry I lost track for a moment" Where was I If you know you need to call someone ask yourself what do I expect from this call What do I need and what wording do I require to achieve this For instance if you know that you need to contact Frau Müller's secretary You will speak because Frau Müller is your superior then learn sentences like "I would like to speak with Frau Müller " Could you please put me through to Frau Müller I've partially done it by practicing entire conversations When I came back from vacation for example I practiced full conversations so I could tell people what I'd experienced on my trip Or when I knew I had to discuss an issue with a webmaster I researched all the terms I needed for the conversation Then I simulated those conversations At first it felt a bit strange but over time you get used to it especially People will actually practice more and simulate more because they see how effective such simulations and self-talk really are Before I say goodbye one final important note Even if you keep all of this in mind There will be mistakes in certain situations and it might even be awkward at times but that’s perfectly fine That says nothing about how competent you are in your job Sometimes you just have to make mistakes in order to learn from them And of course you should work on your language skills if you're part of a German-speaking team But and that is a big but the fact that you occasionally make mistakes does not diminish your professional competence Simply the fact that you had the courage to leave your homeland learn a new language and venture into a new country It's a sign of your strength and competence Download the free PDF now Thank you to Sabine and italki for the enriching conversation I hope you've learned something new Thank you for watching That's all for today See you next time