How to Discover a Job In Berlin

Greg is the co-founder of GermanTechJobs.de.

This guide assists you discover a task in Berlin, from discovering job listings to your first day at work.

On this page

1. Before your job search Can you operate in Germany?
Do you need to speak German?
The length of time does it take to get worked with?
Salaries in Germany
General job search
English-speaking tasks
Tech jobs
Creative jobs: media, interactions, style
Startup jobs
Internships, employment temperature work and minijobs
Freelance work
Restaurant jobs
German resumes
Cover letters
The phone screen
The technical interview
Meet the group
Salary settlement
The task agreement
Things your employer requires
Things you need to know
Career coaching
Before your task search

Can you work in Germany?

If you are not a person of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you require a home license to operate in Germany. You can get a work visa or a Blue Card, for example. There might be a minimum salary or education requirement.

Do you need to speak German?

No, but it helps. You can find English-speaking jobs, however most business desire German speakers.

If you don't speak German, you can still find jobs in ...

Tech companies
- Companies with English-speaking offices
- Delivery services like Lieferando, Wolt and Flink
- Client service and call centres
- Restaurants and bars

Do you require to speak German in Berlin?

The length of time does it take to get hired?

A few months. Even if you find a job rapidly, the employing process is extremely slow.

Know how much you should make, and how much taxes you need to pay. This assists you negotiate a better salary.

Calculate your income tax

1. Try to find tasks

General job search

Indeed.com - Job search engine. You can filter by language and set alerts.
LinkedIn - Networking site with a huge tasks area. Popular.
Jobsuche der Bundesagentur (in German) - Run by the Agentur für Arbeit
Talent Berlin - Run by the state of Berlin. You can't filter by language.
HeyJobs - Job listing site. Made in Berlin.
ArbeitNow - Job listing website. Made in Berlin.
Jobted
Xing - Similar to LinkedIn. You can't filter by language.
Glassdoor - Company reviews, income reports and job listings. You need an account.

English-speaking jobs

These websites just have English-speaking jobs, or let you filter by language:

Berlin Startup Jobs - Most tasks are in English-speaking workplaces
Englishjobs.de - Only English-speaking jobs
JobsInBerlin.eu - You can filter jobs by language
Germany Startup Jobs - You can filter tasks by language and salary
The Local tasks - Run by a popular English-speaking paper
Jobted
English-speaking tasks in Berlin - Facebook group, 89,000+ members
English jobs in Berlin - Facebook group, 43,000+ members

Tech jobs

GermanTechJobs - You can filter by language and technology.
Berlin Startup Jobs - English-speaking tasks in startups and tech companies
Administrator/ Web Entickler/ Entwickler Jobs - German-speaking tech jobs
Imagine Foundation - They assist software developers from establishing countries find a job and get worked with

Creative tasks: media, interactions, style

dasauge (in German) - Media-related jobs
Mediengestalter Jobs (in German) - Creative tasks

Startup jobs

Berlin Startup Jobs - English-speaking tasks in startups and tech companies
Startup Sucht (in German).
tbd * job board (in German) - tbd * is a website for entrepreneurs. You can filter by language.
Wellfound - International startup job portal.
Germany Startup Jobs - You can filter jobs by language and salary.
Berlin Startup Jobs - Facebook group, 56,000+ members.
Berlin Startup Jobs, Internships & Co-founders - Facebook group, 14,000+ members

Internships, temp work and minijobs

Zenjobs.
BSIG - Berlin Startup Internships - Facebook group, 10,000+ members.
Foreign Young Professionals in Berlin - Facebook group, 8,000+ members.
Jobsuche der Bundesagentur (in German) - Run by the Agentur für Arbeit. Has a filter for internships.
Adecco (in German) - Large temp work agency.
Manpower (in German) - Large temperature work agency.
Randstad (in German) - Large temp work company.
Craigslist - Most job listings are for restaurants and cafés

Freelance work

Berlin Freelancers - Facebook group, 25,000+ members

Restaurant tasks

Berlin Food Stories - Restaurant jobs in Berlin.
Huntler - English-speaking dining establishment tasks in Berlin

2. Request tasks

German resumes

German CVs are longer than American resumes. They include your date of birth, your citizenship and a picture of you.1 You ought to go to an image studio and get a professional portrait for your resume. A profession coach can assist you compose a better resume.

Useful links:

How to compose a German resume - HalloGermany.
German resume examples - Imagine foundation.
Resume list - Imagine foundation.
Lingoking - Translate your resume to German

Cover letters

Include a short cover letter (Anschreiben) with your application. It's a personal introduction. It discusses who you are, what you do, why you obtain this task, employment and why they ought to employ you.

Don't send out the very same cover letter to everyone. Do your research, and personalise the letter for each job deal. Keep it short and simple to check out. Get feedback from other individuals before you send it. A profession coach can help you write much better cover letters.

How to write a German cover letter - HalloGermany.
Advice for employment cover letters with examples - Hacker News

3. The job interview

In Germany, the interview process is long. It can take a couple of weeks, and even a couple of months. You might have numerous interviews with various people. It depends upon the company and the task. You need a great deal of time for this.

The phone screen

The interview process begins with a brief call. A recruiter or working with manager will ask you a few concerns. They will try to comprehend who you are, what you desire, and how you fit the task deal. It's a basic check before they invite you for an interview.

How to prepare - Imagine Foundation

The technical interview

Most tech companies have technical interviews or coding challenges. They confirm that you understand how to do your job.

Technical interviews are various at every business. They may ask you technical concerns, ask you to solve a problem during the interview, or finish a technical difficulty in your home. Some companies don't have technical interviews.

Meet the team

Most companies have a group interview. You fulfill your future group to see if you work well together. This interview is more relaxed. You might simply talk with the team, or have lunch together.

4. The task deal

After your interview, the company can make a job deal.

Salary settlement

After you get the job deal, you can negotiate a much better wage. You can likewise ask for things like a moving bonus offer or more holiday days.

Salaries in Germany

The task contract

Read your job agreement thoroughly. If your company assured something to you during the interview, verify that it's in your agreement. Only sign the contract if you concur with whatever. Send the signed contract by email or by post.

If you are not sure about your contract, request for help or speak with a lawyer.

5. Get a residence permit

If you are not a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you need a home authorization to reside in Germany. Sometimes, you should wait for your residence license to begin working. It can take a few months.

How to get a home license

If you currently have a residence permit, you might need the Ausländerbehörde's consent to alter tasks. Sometimes, you can begin your new job immediately. Sometimes, you must wait for your new residence license. This can take a couple of weeks.

How to alter jobs

6. Start working

Things your employer needs

During your first month at a brand-new company, your employer needs a couple of things:

A checking account.
Your employer will pay you by bank transfer. For this, you require a checking account that supports SEPA transfers. Any European savings account will work.
Your tax ID (Steueridentifikationsnummer).
You get a tax ID when you register your address for the very first time. If you can't register your address, you can still get a tax ID. If you can't get a tax ID, you can still begin working. - More details.
Your medical insurance number (Krankenversicherungsnummer).
You get a Krankenversicherungsnummer 2 to 7 days after you choose medical insurance. Your employer needs this number to take health insurance coverage payments from your wage. Your company can pick medical insurance for you, however it's a bad idea. Ask a broker to help you choose, it's complimentary.
Your social insurance number (Sozialversicherungsnummer).
If you have public health insurance coverage, you get this number immediately in the mail. If you have personal health insurance, you should apply for it. Your company can sometimes assist you with this. - How to get a social insurance coverage number

Your employer can't need an address registration certificate.5

Things you must know

In Germany, many people are paid once per month, normally on the 1st or 15th day of the month. You get your very first paycheck after 30 or 45 days after you begin working. You usually earn money by bank transfer.

Most staff members in Germany are paid by bank transfer as soon as each month, on the very first day of the month.4 Your employer takes wage tax, medical insurance, pension insurance and unemployment insurance coverage from your income.

Income tax calculator

How taxes work

During your first 6 months at a new company, you remain in your probation period (Probezeit). 2 During that time, it's easier to get fired. It's also harder to find an apartment or condo, since you don't have a steady job.

How does the probation period work?

All employees in Germany get paid vacation days, and paid authorized leave. You do not deal with public vacations, however you still earn money.

How to take holidays

What to do when you are ill

7. Make a tax declaration

Many of your task search expenses are tax-deductible:3

Relocation expenses
If you move closer to your new job, you can subtract your moving expenses
Job search expenses
Coaching, resume composing, professional images, translations, printing expenses, job search services ...
Travel expenses.
Fuel, train tickets, hotels, meals and parking fees to go to job interviews.

If you began operating in the middle of the year, you most likely paid excessive income tax. Make a tax declaration to lower your earnings tax, employment and get some refund.

Need assistance?

Where to get help about work