Many German municipal interviews use a panel: HR, the hiring department lead, and sometimes a staff council representative. Questions are often scored against fixed criteria, so concise structure matters more than theatrical storytelling.
Expect a motivation round — why this authority, why this Amt, why public service now. Prepare a specific answer that mentions the municipality’s tasks, not a generic love of “helping people.” Fachfragen follow; they test whether you understand the work, not whether you memorised textbooks.
Situational prompts are common: an angry citizen at the counter, a missed internal deadline, a conflict between two Fachbereiche. Answer with calm steps — listen, clarify rules, escalate when required — rather than promising to please everyone.
Some processes add a short written exercise or group observation. Dress conservatively, arrive early, and bring printed copies of your documents even if you applied online. After the interview, a brief thank-you note is optional; in many authorities it has little effect on scoring.