Lektionsüberblick

This final lesson of our Thema Beruf will focus on your dream job. Most people rarely find their dream job right after graduation. It is often something you need to work towards. It is part of your possible but hypothetical future. Alternatively, feel free to dream big and come up with an impossible future! In the end, you will be able to 1) describe your dream job, 2) read job listings and compare with your dream job, and 3) gather advice about searching for a job after graduation.

1) Mein Traumjob

A mind map is a visual representation of ideas. Perhaps you have used them before in other classes. We are going to use a mind map today to generate some ideas about our dream job. Take a look at Sara’s mind map below. What characteristics does Sara associate with her Traumjob?

Let’s go through the following steps to build your mind map.

In your written journal, draw a circle with the word Traumjob in the center. From there, let your mind explore and make associations. Write whatever comes to mind in the spaces coming out from the central idea of Traumjob. Use as much German as you can, but don’t worry if you get stuck on a word. Just jot down the English word for now.

Remember we are talking about a dream job. Hopefully, it will come true, but for now it is an unreal situation, so we will need to use the verbs that indicate that it is not real. Recall those words:

Mein Traumjob hätte…

Mein Traumjob wäre…

Look at your mind map. Next to each word or expression, write if it is a characteristic that your dream job would have (Mein Traumjob hätte...) or a characteristic / in a location that your dream job would be (Mein Traumjob wäre…). Here are a few sentences Sara wrote down:

Do you remember the other option beyond hätte und wäre? If not, see if you can tell what the following sentences mean.

Bei meinem Traumjob würde ich mit Kindern arbeiten.

Mein Traumjob würde mir viel Spaß machen.

Let’s practice.

Luxemburg im Blickpunkt

In Luxemburg gibt es etwa 70 Burgen und Schlösser. Viele Namen haben einen deutschen Ursprung, weil das Land lange von deutschsprachigen Regionen beeinflusst war. Beispiele sind Burg Vianden, Burg Bourscheid, und Schloss Clervaux. Burg Vianden ist besonders interessant, weil sie wie ein Märchenschloss aussieht und hoch über der Stadt Vianden liegt. Die Burg wurde im Mittelalter gebaut und ist eine der schönsten Burgen in Europa. Heute kann man viele Räume besichtigen und viel über die Geschichte Luxemburgs lernen. Unter dieser Link kann man mehr dazu lernen.

Luxembourg boasts approximately 70 castles and palaces. Many of their names have German origins, reflecting the country’s long history of German-speaking regions. Examples include Vianden Castle, Bourscheid Castle, and Clervaux Castle. Vianden Castle is particularly interesting, because it resembles a fairytale castle perched high above the town of Vianden. Built during the Middle Ages, it is one of the most beautiful castles in Europe. Today, visitors can explore many of its rooms and learn a lot about Luxembourg’s history. You can learn more about it under this link.

2) Die Arbeitssuche

Now it’s time to compare the reality of available jobs with the characteristics of your ideal job. Take a look at the job listings below. Which parts match with your ideal job?

Sara read the listing for a teacher in Liechtenstein, and here is what she has to say about how the available job listing stacks up against her ideal job. Read along as you listen to her thoughts, then check your comprehension below.

Die Stelle in Liechtenstein hört sich gut an, aber mein Traumjob wäre in der Schweiz. Mein Traumarbeitsplatz wäre eine moderne Schule mit innovativer Technologie. Die Schule in Liechstenstein ist auch modern mit guter Ausstattung. Das passt ganz gut zu mir. Mein Traumjob würde mir Spaß machen. Diese Stelle bietet ein motiviertes Team mit freundlichen Kollegen. Wir würden viel Spaß mit den Kindern haben. Insgesamt klingt dieser Job fast ideal.

3) Der Weg zum Traumjob

Landing your first job or your dream job is rarely a linear process; that’s why it is advantageous to hear from those who have gone before you. With that in mind, listen to Angi’s story about her job search. You will hear many of the words you have learned in this unit and a few new ones too. Be on the lookout for Praktikum (internship), Werkstudentenjobs (work-study jobs with specific conditions), und Ehrenämter (volunteer positions). If you would like to skip Angi’s personal story and go straight to her tips, start at time stamp 3.50 in the video. Aim to understand the gist of her tips and certainly not every word. Have the closed captions on so that you increase your German input. Answer the comprehension questions that follow.

Let’s check your comprehension.

Media Attributions

• Video “Berufseinstieg nach dem Studium – TIPPS für den ersten Job! Suche, Bewerben, Soziale Netzwerke,” by EasyAmbitious, licensed under CC BY International License.