IT Interview Practice for Russian Speakers (Germany)
Practise the questions an IT professional interview commonly asks, and see where your English needs work before the real interview. Built for people who moved from Russian-speaking countries and are interviewing in Germany.
What an IT professional interview asks
Employers often ask these questions. You can practise any of them out loud, with feedback.
- Walk me through a system or feature you built. What did you decide, and why?
- Tell me about a technical trade-off you made and what it cost you.
- Describe a bug that took you a long time to find. How did you find it?
- Tell me about a time you disagreed with a technical decision on your team.
- How do you explain a technical problem to somebody who is not technical?
What Russian speakers commonly say in English
These are habits, not mistakes about intelligence — your first language works differently, and it shows through under interview pressure.
Article dropping
Often said: I led team.
Instead: I led the team.
Missing 'to be'
Often said: I responsible.
Instead: I am responsible.
Word order flexibility
Often said: Project very complex was.
Instead: The project was very complex.
How interviews run in Germany
Talking about your own work
Factual and precise. Back every claim with data. Avoid vague superlatives.
What interviewers here tend to value
- Precision
- Reliability
- Technical expertise
- Thoroughness
- Qualifications
What catches people out
- Being too casual
- Vague answers without data
- Not including certificates
- Poor punctuality
What is expected of your English
Good English for international roles; many roles require German
Moderate — clarity and precision in language valued
Preparing for interviews in Germany
General guidance from published sources, not a confirmed process at your employer. Use what fits your role and stage.
- The interview is held in the language of the job advert, but expat career guides commonly report that an interviewer may switch to German part-way through, even for a role advertised in English. Decide in advance how you will handle that: answer in German at your level, or ask politely to continue in English. Source: expatrio.com, iamexpat.de
- Contracts and most workplace paperwork are usually in German. Being open about your current level is generally read better than avoiding the question. Source: findenglish.de
Phrases that carry weight here
- My contribution was [what I actually did]. The team's contribution was [what others did].
- The decision was [decision]. My part in it was [actual role]. We considered [alternative].
- The outcome was [what happened]. I know this because [evidence]. What remains uncertain is [limit].
Where this pairing usually stumbles
- Check that your example answers the question and matches a requirement of this role.
- Keep team credit accurate. Do not turn 'we did' into 'I led' unless you actually led.
- Use known facts. If you do not know a number or outcome, say what you know and what is uncertain.
- Ask the recruiter about the format, timing and any access arrangements you need.
Questions worth asking them
- What would good progress look like in the first three months?
- What support would help someone succeed in this role?
- What should I prepare for the next interview stage?
Asked about local experience?
Many interviewers in Germany ask if you have local work experience. Type the job you did in Russian-speaking countries. See job titles an interviewer here may use for it, three points for your CV, and a short answer you can practise. Explain your overseas experience (free tool)
Reading about it only takes you so far
Answer a few of these out loud. You will see where your English needs work, and what to fix first. A first look takes about a minute. The full check is 3-5 questions, about 12-20 minutes. Free, and you do not need a card.