Finding a job in Germany

Juan: You need to focus on jobs that no or few Europeans can do, because a potential employer must justify why they want to hire you - and not a suitably skilled EI citizen.
From your short post I cannot tell what kind of roles that would be, but you can maybe find out by doing some of your own research.
Also, a job search is probably easier if you are already in the country. So you may want to consider coming here on a job seeker visa, or attend a language class on student visa first.
Good luck!

beppi wrote:

Juan: You need to focus on jobs that no or few Europeans can do, because a potential employer must justify why they want to hire you - and not a suitably skilled EI citizen.
From your short post I cannot tell what kind of roles that would be, but you can maybe find out by doing some of your own research.
Also, a job search is probably easier if you are already in the country. So you may want to consider coming here on a job seeker visa, or attend a language class on student visa first.
Good luck!

It's been widely reported that the German laws requiring a business to prove an EU citizen could not be found for a job before recruiting a non-EU citizen from abroad have been relaxed. But I don't know the details of what this really means.  The person would still need to get a work permit with assistance of the new employer. So it would be less trouble but still an extra effort for a business to hire such a person. And the question becomes; why should they bother? Are they having skills not easily found or perhaps willing to do a job for much cheaper?

I am interested in working for Marketing positions. But I think it is interesting the academic opportunities, how can search for it? I mean, you said google but should it be something like ''academic positions Germany''?? or something like that, or what institutions could be good to search for?

Thank you for your reply.

first of all, thank you for your reply

when you say short post what do you mean? maybe I should give some more information about my situation. I am currently taking German classes in the Goethe Institut, I am in A2 but in two months I will start B1. I have previous experience as an intern in Toyota working 6 months in the financial division and 6 months in the imports divisions. Later I command a sales project for one month in a call center, I had 6 people under my leadership. and Finally, I worked for 2 months for a Publicity agency as a Purchasing analyst. I currently speak Spanish native level, English C1, French B1. And having German classes. I am interested to work in the Marketing division but I don't have any problem to work in any of the areas I have previously worked for. What would you recommend me in terms of doing something other Europeans can't do?

Juan: We are not going to find the right search keywords for YOUR jobserach, nor can we tell you which of YOUR skills might be valuable for such a search. That is up to YOU to figure out.
Resourcefulness is a precondition for a successful search!
But I can tell you that reading related discussions on this forum, which contacin lots of good advice for job search in Germany, is not a bad start.

Hello great insights on this thread, not sure if any past info already answers my questions.

New to Düsseldorf, Advertising, Marketing and a MFA in Graphic/Environmental Design. I have a slight dilemma, I am trying to integrate to make my job search easier so I am taking German classes in the mornings.
About web search:
- Could you please give me some insights, and websites thats specific to find contract and remote jobs or maybe companies well known to hire part time? (tried Craigslist found funny things like guys asking to have sugar mommies under the Creative section :-D

- Is there also a good site to find salary information? A lot of the job applications needs your salary requirements, and I'm a bit lost comparing what I made in the USA.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Craigslist does not work in Germany.
For classified ads Quoka and Ebay Kleinanzeigen are the best.
But for jobs better look for Stepstone, Indeed and similar sites.
If you want to become a freelancer (does your visa allow that and are you able to fulfill the formal and buerocratic requirements?), it is more difficult and nothing replaces connections and a good network. But you can also try freelance.de or freelance-market.de.
Salary is a touchy subject in Germany and there is little information available online. There are sites like gehalt.de or gehaltsvergleich.com, but the quality of the data is variable.

Thank you for the response.
Yes I have a permit to work. Is Freelance is different here than the US? In the US you just have to declare how much you made when doing taxes, but not have a special permit to freelance.

Could you explain a little more why salary is "touchy".

I had asked one company to make me an offer and they disappeared, when I researched and gave a salary to another company, they said they had only a certain budget then they disappeared...do or don't give salary seem not to be helping.

In Germany, you can only be "Freiberufler" (=freelancer) in certain professions - and even there you have to follow accounting and tax reporting standards and above a certain (low) turnover get a value added tax (MWSt) number.
In all other professions you need to register a business (which means more buerocracy) and some even need special permits.

Salary is not a topic to be discussed in public in Germany. Even for my best friends and direct colleagues, I don't know what they earn - and that is normal. Many employment contracts specify that pay cannot be disclosed to anyone (unless legally required to, e.g. to tax authorities). Therefore most people are hesitant to give this information even in anonymous surveys.

I am dealing with freelancers and self-employed often in my work (not your industry, though). In most cases, we only engage those that we know and have a long-standing relationship with (and often a framework contract that specifies hourly rates, among other things). What rate you offer depends on market standards and the customer's budget - this is always a difficult issue!

Do you stay in Germany?

Hi,
Hope you are doing well. I noticed a thread in which you spoke about getting a job in Germany. I have currently moved to Reutlingen, Germany since Feb 2019 & I have been actively looking for job. I am a Masters Graduate in Marketing from the University of Birmingham & I have been learning German as well (learning B1 level as of now). I have been trying to apply for jobs in the job forum & according personalising each CV with my very own cover letter (in English). I was wondering if you have any idea about what are the requirements to find a Marketing job in Germany, as I am struggling & haven't received a single phone call but I received lots of rejections. Would you have any advice on how I should go about finding a job or are there any requirements I have missed out on
Any advice or options would be very helpful for me.

thanks

There are no standard requirements for finding a job in Germany - it all depends on the individual needs and wants of each employer.
But I believe that especially in Marketing, which requires a very good understanding of the customers' expectations is a must - and those are inevitaly in German. Thus B1 level (and a cover letter in English) might not be favourable.

Thank you for your help, will put in the efforts to work on my German

Unfortunately, a lot of attention is paid to your professional experience. And not what your strengths, hobbies and passion are ...

I recently came across this page and thought it might be helpful for those who are looking for a job in Germany:
https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/

A few years ago, on a visit, I saw an job at the local ALDI supermarket. Stocking shelves, cleaning the floor? What did they want? A: a CV without "gaps".

Those who worked in less formal jobs, a few months here, a year there, may not have the paperwork. (Let's forget "time in prison", this doesn't apply).

An able bodied guy, fluent in English. No hassle like needing a Work Permit etc., would that person i. find work quickly? ii. These days? iii. What could he do?

Just wondering.

There is something decidedly bureaucratic and it hams the less formal economy. We call it red tape

KruChris: It is true that German employers are, in general, very conservative and put a lot of value into such details like certificates and a flawless CV.
But in my experience you can give a convincing explanation for a gap, so that it is not necessarily counted against you. You should try to present it in a way that underscores your positive traits. "I lost my job and took a year to find another one" sounds far worse than "I took the opportunity of the job loss to focus on what I really wanted - and therefore did ... (e.g. a further education course, a world trip, volunteering, build a house, start a business, etc.)"
But anyway, Aldi and shelf-stocking or cleaning are not desirable positions - count yourself lucky that you didn't get that job!

KruChris. Well, what an employer ideally wants and what they will accept in the end or often far apart. Having a gap is not the same as failing to have a degree in a necessary field to do a particular job. Makes a difference if one was doing a degree or volunteering in the third world – or sitting in prison.  Unless there is something horrible to hide then having a gap is not likely to keep one from getting a job stocking shelves. As if this were a desirable job to begin with. And having a work gap or not is not a governmental thing so it is not bureaucracy. Every employer will have a profile of who they are looking for and what requirements or wishes they have. And this is not just Germany, this is everywhere. What kind of job have zero requirements and would take anyone under any circumstance?!

Well, I've worked for a bank (until it folded). The degree is a good one, from a top 50 university. But I somehow lost the bank's reference. Just to give you an idea.

Schools have been closed since January and I can't help worying.

Thanks for your answer!

KruChris, not sure what you mean by having lost the bank's reference? But sounds strange one would be considering a job stocking shelves in a supermarket if they are German, worked formerly in a bank and have a university degree. And also not sure what schools being closed have to do with a person's job prospects and their work record? Schools and many businesses are closed due to the Corona virus. Yes, it is worrying but one can only have patience till it passes. But obviously this is not the time to be looking for a new job in most fields. People are at home or being let go. Hires are only likely in areas having increased demand like in providing some essential service needed during this time

TominStuttgart wrote:

But obviously this is not the time to be looking for a new job in most fields.

This is absolutely true for at least 90% of the jobs.
But there are exceptions: Medical device companies (my wife works in one, which makes ventilators, among other stuff) are ramping up their production to 24/7 and are urgently hiring. So is agriculture, which faces the almost complete absence of foreign harvest helpers - maybe they would now even pay reasonable wages for this backbreaking work?
That said, all these are temp jobs and nobody now plans further ahead than two/three months.

Hi everybody!


First of all, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Blas Muscolino and I am 26 years old. I am currently living in Argentina, where I was born. Some important information is that I have two citizenship: Argentinian and Italian (I have both passports).
I just ended up my university degree in Argentina (Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering) and I am a Spanish native speaker, fluent in Englisch and I am going to take B2 Goethe Zertifikat (a german certificate) when the Corona crisis is over (hopefully will be by the end of this year  ).

That being said, I would like to comment that I am planning to go to Germany in the next months and look for a job there.

As I noticed from differents comments in this forum, I think that I kind of have 'lots of advantages' from many other people because I do have a European passport, I have quite a good level of German and I have a technical degree. However, what I realize is that I do not have working experience (I just did a one-year internship in Switzerland but I think that I did not learn so many things there, I do not know if I can take it as working experience). In addition, I think that I am not so young (as I said I am 26) to only have a Bachelor degree (I know that in Europe most of the students end up university with a Master degree).

Can you please give me some advice on what is the best thing to do in my situation?

I have found really good information in this forum. Thanks a lot to all of you guys!

Blas

Blas: There is lots of good advice on this forum and other places in the Internet about finding a job in Germany. Read and follow as much of it as possible!
You indeed have a great advantage over many other foreigners, that you can settle and work in Germany without needing a visa and/or sponsor. You also have two great disadvantages: You have little work experience and you don't speak German well enough (most jobs that involve communication require C1 level).
So you face an especially high hurdle convincing a potential employer that it is in their own interest to hire you (and not any other applicant). You could, for example, focus your search on niches where you have skills that not many others have.
On top of all this, of course, the economic situation post-pandemic does not help.
Good luck! (You need lots of that, too!)

Thanks a lot for the quick response!

Blas

I think Beppi has covered it well. B2 is a good level but it depends on the nature of the job if it is really enough. And to add that you have just a bachelor and no professional work experience is not a factor in your favor especially since the current job market due to Covid-19 is uniquely difficult.

My suggestion would be that since the job market is so difficult then maybe it would be a good opportunity to do a Master's degree in Germany. Thus you would have more educational credentials and get to further improve your German in the meantime. And with an Italian passport you should be able to study here tuition-free.

The question might be if you qualify since many programs taught in German will require C1. And to have that level of German and then do an English taught program is questionable since it is much less likely to help one afterwards for a job in Germany. Doing English taught programs mostly make sense for people planning to return to their home country or to go to another English speaking one.

Thanks a lot, TominStuttgart!

I have one more question. Do you know if the german job market takes much consideration about the age of possible employees? As I said, I am 26 years old and If I decide to study for a Master degree in Germany I will be around 28/29 years old and still without work experience. Is age an important thing in Germany regarding employability?

Again, thanks a lot for all the information given.

Blas

Age is a major hindrance for finding a job - if you are above 50.
Long study durations are common in Germany, so no issue here!

blasmusc wrote:

Thanks a lot, TominStuttgart!

I have one more question. Do you know if the german job market takes much consideration about the age of possible employees? As I said, I am 26 years old and If I decide to study for a Master degree in Germany I will be around 28/29 years old and still without work experience. Is age an important thing in Germany regarding employability?

Again, thanks a lot for all the information given.

Blas

As Beppi also mentioned, its not a problem. Many Germans don't finish with their studies until their late 20's or even early 30's. But over 50 is definitely difficult

Thanks a lot to both of you !

Ego is very bad

For your info. until Job seekers visa is given to highly skilled professional,majority of them from IT and technology (MINT),No i dont think any from india working in IT will come to germany and do bartending job.
if some one think that then its ignorance, Most of  IT professional get decent salary and other perks.
coming to germany is better prospects for them

I seen hundreds of persons from india who works in IT comes to germany on JSV ans successful in finding job.

Live example is me,i got JSV and from india itself i got offer and came to germany on blue card


so again nothing is generalise

Hi,

Share your story have you finally got job in germany

rgds

hello i'm a jobseeker aus indonesien & plan to do an FSJ next year. if you guys have any info about traeger that wants to hire a volunteer directly from a heimatland w/o hospitation, kindly let me know. Or if you need an aupair, you can consider me. Danke!

gladddyyys wrote:

hello i'm a jobseeker aus indonesien & plan to do an FSJ next year. if you guys have any info about traeger that wants to hire a volunteer directly from a heimatland w/o hospitation, kindly let me know. Or if you need an aupair, you can consider me. Danke!

Maybe you can next time have someone proof read your post, there are multiple mistakes and you are mixing German words in. I speak both languages and am still not sure what all of this is supposed to mean other than you are looking for an opportunity to do a volunteer year in Germany or find a job as an aupair. I think you can find organizations in the internet that deal with both of these. It's not so likely you will find someone on this site that just happens to be in a position to help.

Both FSJ (volunteering) and Aupair are NOT considered work, so you are not a jobseeker, I assume.
There are specialized websites for finding Aupair host families, e.g. aupair.com, but despite all their talk of “free”, you need to get a paid membership to make any use of them. Furthermore, no Aupair visa are currently issued due to Corona, so you should wait until the situation normalizes.
(My family has Aupairs since a few years, but take only Chinese speaking ones, so I guess you do not qualify.)
I have no idea about FSJ, but I guess there are also websites listing applicable organisations and maybe openings you could apply for. Once you find these sites, please post them here, so future readers may get the information more easily! You should also check whether FSJ visa are currently issued (I guess not).

Thank you for the insight. I am American and currently living in America. I am planning to apply for a resident visa to study German for about six months. While studying the language I might consider to look for a job there. I have 10 years of experience in healthcare and retail accounting at management level positions.  I have a master degree in this field. Is this plan realistic and achievable? Thank you for any comments and suggestions. Happy New Year!

Zjohns wrote:

Thank you for the insight. I am American and currently living in America. I am planning to apply for a resident visa to study German for about six months. While studying the language I might consider to look for a job there. I have 10 years of experience in healthcare and retail accounting at management level positions.  I have a master degree in this field. Is this plan realistic and achievable? Thank you for any comments and suggestions. Happy New Year!

Your plan to study German in Germany is certainly achievable.
The job chances depend on your German and what kind of job you can do: Nurses are in short supply, accountants and managers less so.

Zjohns wrote:

Thank you for the insight. I am American and currently living in America. I am planning to apply for a resident visa to study German for about six months. While studying the language I might consider to look for a job there. I have 10 years of experience in healthcare and retail accounting at management level positions.  I have a master degree in this field. Is this plan realistic and achievable? Thank you for any comments and suggestions. Happy New Year!

This plan will entail a language learning visa. Similar to a study visa which means university but not with quite the same benefits. For example, one on a study visa one can work part-time, on a language visa not. 

But like Beppi mentioned, nurses are in very high demand here. The only thing restricting you will likely be getting your German language skills up to par. And yes, while on such a visa you can also ask around about job opportunities. What is not (usually) possible is to actually agree to a job and then start working directly. You would have to return home and apply for the work visa from there.

There is something called a job seekers visa (JSV) which allows one to do this without returning home but it is more difficult to get and most people need to go home to get their things in order anyway, like giving up their residence and storing their belongings. And one cannot be on a language visa and JSV at the same time. Thus inquiring about jobs, one has to let their status be known to avoid misunderstandings.

But while it is not usually allowed, possibly one could get an exception and bypass the requirement to return home to apply. This is only speculation on my part but in light of the shortage of nurses and the recruiting efforts being done overseas - who knows. Might be worth inquiring about once in Germany if you managed to reach an adequate level of German. Germany is known for having strict rules but often pragmatic exceptions are made.

The other thing I would mention is that there is a lock-down due to Covid.  It is supposed to expire in mid Jan. but this is very unlikely since infection rates have failed to significantly come down. So I think all language schools, like other schools and university are shut down and it is questionable if visas are being issued.  Universities are managing a lot of online remote teaching but I don't know if language schools would accomplish this. Even if you would manage, you would be in quarantine and then in a new place locked down... Best to wait until things are better under control, like summer or beyond. And the time spent learning the  language should give you time to see if you really like Germany enough to want to immigrate. Most love it but not everyone. And it will be impossible to properly judge during a lock-down.

Another thing is that your profile says you are looking to go to Dubai and doesn't mention Germany?

Hi, I'm a C++ developer (have more than 3 years of experience in IT), currently in treatment in Dortmund (got a blow into my head from grenade attack during the Presidential elections of Belarus). I would like to take this opportunity & am excited for a potential on-site interview. i don't wanna to be seeking asylum in the Germany, but i can. I'm just looking for a job in Germany. Money doesn't matter. It is hard for me to put thoughts into words cause i have expressive aphasia but i will do my best to express myself in clear and concise way. Thank's a lot in advance!

Hi, I'm a Freelance Web Developer and Web Maintainer, love to move in Germany with my freelance portfolio [link moderated].