I just got my b1 diploma and I’m about to start for b2 I have heard and read that b2 German is enough for an Ausbildung as a bank clerk but lately I have been looking to apply and some bank say C2 or Muttersprache
Which I dont have enough time to get till next year
Does anyone know if it’s Like this in all Banks or just this one Happens to request this Level

by Away-Regular-2595

3 comments

  1. As your screenshot correctly explains: A large part of this Ausbildung will be in customer service where you must be able to communicate in German. And that will include talking to customers who may need help with some banking issue, which you then have to be able to explain to them in German and banking-specific vocabulary.

    Do not think that B2 will be sufficient. And even if you have C1 on paper, you actually need to speak it in a professional setting.

    A bank clerk was a safe job 50 years ago, now the banks are closing branches and jobs will be replaced by AI (this is a simplified statement). If you haven’t done any Ausbildung yet, please consider finding something more future-proof and requiring less than native-level of German language skills.

  2. Language requirements for jobs are getting more absurd recently. I’ve been learning English since 1st grade, finished my bachelor’s in English in a foreign country, and now I’m doing my master’s and working here in Germany. However, when I took a TOEFL test, my writing and speaking results were still considered CEFR C1, because you need to score near perfect to get that.

    They could ask for a fluent, business-fluent, or C1 certificate, or so, and it’s probably more than enough.

  3. They state the reason for their demand of high language skills and realistically they are right. You cannot have fluent Kundengespräche with B level skills, especially  not on the phone.

    Make no mistake, B level is still pretty rudimentary in many ways and customers rightfully expect their bank staff to be able to communicate clearly. 

    So, you can of course keep looking for a bank to accept your relatively low German skills, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up tbh.

Comments are closed.