The hard part isn't the job. It's everything before it.
Nobody prepares you for the small things. I learned German from zero while working, applying and failing, and every stage had its own lesson.
The supermarket
Fast checkouts, unwritten rules and questions you don't understand yet. Your first German "exam" happens at the till.
The bakery
Ordering in German, with a queue behind you. Small moments like this decide how fast your German grows.
The applications
Around 2,000 of them. Most ended in rejection. Each one taught me something about how German hiring really works.
The interview
Arriving on time, the handshake, the formal "Sie", and answering in German under pressure. I've been on both sides of that table.