Working in Munich
Munich is one of Europe's most prosperous cities, as many German and international corporations, including Siemens, BMW, Microsoft, and Google, have headquarters in Bavaria. Hence, expats from all over the world search for work opportunities in Munich, especially in the automotive and mechanical engineering industries, as well as the biotechnology, environmental, and energy industries. Munich is one of Europe's most attractive locations for professional expats who wish to progress their careers next to like-minded colleagues.
Munich's economy
Munich offers work opportunities in various sectors. However, its main economic pillars are automotive manufacturing, biotechnology, aerospace, financial services, scientific research, and information and communication technology. The processing industry, as well as insurance, tourism, and social services, also contribute significantly to its economy. Munich hosts many large German and international companies' head offices and subsidiaries, such as BMW, Amazon, Philip Morris, Siemens, Oracle Deutschland, MAN, Allianz, Linde, Microsoft, IBM Deutschland, MTU Aero Engines, Osram, Arri, GlaxoSmithKline, Süddeutsche Zeitung, ARD, Deutschland RedHat and many more. You will also find many bank head offices such as Stadtsparkasse München, Bayrische Landesbank, BNP Paribas, and HypoVereinsbank, making Munich the second-biggest financial center in Germany after Frankfurt.
Also, Munich has some of the best universities in the country for those who wish to study in Germany and establish their career in the country afterward. In fact, the economy and education are interconnected to ensure that there is no short supply of skilled workers on the market. The universities have well-organized networks of partner companies, which offer opportunities for internships and jobs during and after studies, as well as many possibilities to learn in practice while applying the theories taught:
- The Technical University of Munich;
- Ludwigs Maximilian University;
- University of the Federal Armed Forces for civil and aerospace engineering and human sciences for physics, chemistry, biology, and humanities;
- The Munich School of Philosophy;
- Munich Business School;
- Hochschule Macromedia or University of Applied Sciences for Macromedia for applied sciences;
- SDI University of Applied Languages for languages, economy, media, and technology;
- Fresenius Applied University for Business Management;
- Mediadesign University of Applied Sciences in München for media design.
The labor market in Munich
Besides the colossal companies that have their headquarters in Germany and are featured in the DAX stock index, Munich is home to many small and medium-sized enterprises, which employ a great amount of the city's new or international talent. According to the Bavarian authorities, more than half of the region's active population is employed in these sized organizations. Of course, this implies that the labor market in Munich is diverse, and therefore, it is more difficult for it to be negatively affected by global economic developments and crises such as the COVID-19 health and economic crisis. In 2024, Bavaria has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is higher than the national average of 3.1%.
Good to know:
The most sought-after jobs in Munich are in mechanical engineering, automotive manufacturing, metallurgy, information and communication technology, energy, electrical engineering, healthcare, and tax advising fields.
Finding a job in Munich
During your job search in Munich, you can check out offers on the Internet and in classified ads in local newspapers. Consider sending spontaneous applications to big companies operating across the city. If you are already in the city, you can also register with a recruitment agency. According to recent data, some of the sectors with the most vacancies and less demand are healthcare and nursing, train driving, plumbing, energy engineering, tax consultancy, mechatronics and automation, education, electrical engineering, information technology, medical laboratories, waste disposal, and more.
To find a job in Munich, you will have to consider some essential steps:
- Knowing the language is a significant advantage in Germany, and sometimes it is even an absolute necessity. Besides, a good knowledge of German is important for networking and communicating with colleagues at the workplace. Germans are very proud of their language and have great respect for those trying to learn it. Of course, there are jobs that don't require knowledge of German, usually in multinational companies or customer service centers, where knowledge of another language can be required. Overall, once you have reached a good level of German, you will have an advantage over other candidates. If you want to be ahead of the game, speaking and understanding Bayerisch is the ideal situation;
- A good CV will open many doors, while an inadequately organized curriculum may harm your opportunity to get a job. It is advised that you include a professional picture on your CV and translate it into German. In addition, German employers like getting to know you as a person rather than as an employee only, so it is a good idea to include even extracurricular activities, showcasing your wider knowledge and character.
Good to know:
Munich may be one of the most expensive cities in Germany. However, in terms of salaries, it is also the second-highest-paid city. It is a megalopolis but is cheaper than other large European cities such as Paris and London.
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Last update on 02 April 2024 08:01:00