GitLab

Greg is the co-founder of GermanTechJobs.de.

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

On this page

1. Before your task search Can you operate in Germany? Do you need to speak German? How long does it take to get employed? Salaries in Germany General job search English-speaking jobs Tech jobs Creative tasks: media, interactions, style Startup jobs Internships, 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 needs Things you must know Career training Before your job search

Can you work in Germany?

If you are not a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you require a home permit 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 assists. You can find English-speaking tasks, however a lot of business want German speakers.

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

Tech business

• Companies with English-speaking workplaces
• 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 require to get hired?
  
  A few months. Even if you find a job quickly, the employing procedure is very sluggish.
  
  Know just how much you ought to make, and how much taxes you must pay. This assists you work out a much better wage.
  
  Calculate your income tax
  
  1. Search for tasks
  
  General job search
  
  Indeed.com - Job online search engine. You can filter by language and set alerts. LinkedIn - Networking website with a huge tasks section. Very 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 noting website. Made in Berlin. ArbeitNow - Job noting website. Made in Berlin. Jobted Xing - Similar to LinkedIn. You can't filter by language. Glassdoor - Company reviews, income reports and job listings. You require an account.
  
  English-speaking tasks
  
  These websites just have English-speaking jobs, or let you filter by language:
  
  Berlin Startup Jobs - Most tasks remain in English-speaking offices Englishjobs.de - Only English-speaking jobs JobsInBerlin.eu - You can filter tasks by language Germany Startup Jobs - You can filter tasks by language and employment salary The Local jobs - Run by a popular English-speaking newspaper Jobted English-speaking jobs in Berlin - Facebook group, 89,000+ members English jobs in Berlin - Facebook group, 43,000+ members
  
  Tech tasks
  
  GermanTechJobs - You can filter by language and innovation. Berlin Startup Jobs - English-speaking tasks in startups and tech business Administrator/ Web Entickler/ Entwickler Jobs - German-speaking tech jobs Imagine Foundation - They help software designers from establishing nations find a job and get employed
  
  Creative jobs: media, interactions, style
  
  dasauge (in German) - Media-related tasks Mediengestalter Jobs (in German) - Creative tasks
  
  Startup jobs
  
  Berlin Startup Jobs - English-speaking jobs in startups and tech business Startup Sucht (in German). tbd * task board (in German) - tbd * is a website for entrepreneurs. You can filter by language. Wellfound - International startup task website. 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, temperature 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 company. Manpower (in German) - Large temp work company. Randstad (in German) - Large temp work firm. Craigslist - Most job listings are for restaurants and cafés
  
  Freelance work
  
  Berlin Freelancers - Facebook group, 25,000+ members
  
  Restaurant jobs
  
  Berlin Food Stories - Restaurant tasks in Berlin. Huntler - English-speaking restaurant tasks in Berlin
  
  2. Look for employment tasks
  
  German resumes
  
  German CVs are longer than American resumes. They include your date of birth, your citizenship and an image of you.1 You should go to an image studio and get an expert portrait for your resume. A profession coach can assist you compose a much better resume.
  
  Useful links:
  
  How to compose a German resume - HalloGermany. German resume examples - Imagine foundation. Resume list - Imagine structure. Lingoking - Translate your resume to German
  
  Cover letters
  
  Include a brief cover letter (Anschreiben) with your application. It's an individual introduction. It explains who you are, what you do, why you obtain this task, and why they must employ you.
  
  Don't send out the exact same cover letter to everybody. Do your research study, and personalise the letter for each . Keep it brief and employment easy to check out. Get feedback from other individuals before you send it. A profession coach can assist you compose better cover letters.
  
  How to compose a German cover letter - HalloGermany. Advice for cover letters with examples - Hacker News
  
  3. The job interview
  
  In Germany, the interview process is very long. It can take a couple of weeks, and even a couple of months. You may have several interviews with various people. It depends on the company and the task. You need a great deal of time for this.
  
  The phone screen
  
  The interview process starts with a brief call. An employer or working with supervisor will ask you a couple of questions. They will attempt to understand who you are, what you desire, and how you fit the job deal. It's an easy check before they invite you for an interview.
  
  How to prepare - Imagine Foundation
  
  The technical interview
  
  Most tech companies have technical interviews or coding difficulties. They validate that you know how to do your task.
  
  Technical interviews are various at every business. They might ask you technical concerns, ask you to solve an issue during the interview, or finish a technical challenge at home. Some companies do not have technical interviews.
  
  Meet the group
  
  Most companies have a team interview. You fulfill your future team to see if you work well together. This interview is more unwinded. You may just talk with the group, or have lunch together.
  
  4. The task offer
  
  After your interview, the company can make a task offer.
  
  Salary negotiation
  
  After you get the job offer, you can work out a better salary. You can likewise request for things like a relocation bonus or more getaway days.
  
  Salaries in Germany
  
  The task contract
  
  Read your job agreement carefully. If your company promised something to you during the interview, confirm that it remains in your agreement. Only sign the contract if you agree with whatever. Send the signed agreement by email or by post.
  
  If you are not sure about your contract, request for help or talk with a lawyer.
  
  5. Get a house license
  
  If you are not a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you need a house license to reside in Germany. Sometimes, you must wait on your house license to begin working. It can take a couple of months.
  
  How to get a residence permit
  
  If you already have a home permit, you may require the Ausländerbehörde's consent to change tasks. Sometimes, you can begin your brand-new job instantly. Sometimes, you need to await your brand-new home permit. This can take a few weeks.
  
  How to alter tasks
  
  6. Start working
  
  Things your employer needs
  
  During your very first month at a new business, your employer needs a few things:
  
  A bank account. Your company will pay you by bank transfer. For this, you need a savings account that supports SEPA transfers. Any European checking 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 info. Your medical insurance number (Krankenversicherungsnummer). You get a Krankenversicherungsnummer 2 to 7 days after you choose medical insurance. Your company requires this number to take health insurance payments from your income. Your company can choose medical insurance for you, however it's a bad concept. Ask a broker to help you choose, it's free. Your social insurance number (Sozialversicherungsnummer). If you have public health insurance coverage, you get this number instantly in the mail. If you have personal medical insurance, you must request it. Your employer can in some cases assist you with this. - How to get a social insurance coverage number
  
  Your employer can't need an address registration certificate.5
  
  Things you should understand
  
  In Germany, the majority of people are paid as soon as each month, generally on the 1st or 15th day of the month. You get your first income after 30 or 45 days after you begin working. You generally get paid by bank transfer.
  
  Most staff members in Germany are paid by bank transfer as soon as each month, on the first day of the month.4 Your company takes salary tax, medical insurance, pension insurance and employment unemployment insurance coverage from your income.
  
  Income tax calculator
  
  How taxes work
  
  During your first 6 months at a brand-new company, you remain in your probation period (Probezeit). 2 During that time, it's easier to get fired. It's likewise more difficult to discover an apartment or condo, since you don't have a steady job.
  
  How does the probation duration work?
  
  All employees in Germany get paid getaway days, and paid sick leave. You do not work on public holidays, but you still earn money.
  
  How to take trips
  
  What to do when you are ill
  
  7. Make a tax declaration
  
  Many of your job search costs are tax-deductible:3
  
  Relocation costs If you move closer to your brand-new task, you can subtract your moving expenses Job search expenses Coaching, resume composing, professional pictures, translations, printing expenses, task search services ... Travel expenses. Fuel, train tickets, hotels, meals and parking charges to go to task interviews.
  
  If you started operating in the middle of the year, you probably paid too much salary tax. Make a tax declaration to decrease your income tax, and get some refund.
  
  Need help?
  
  Where to get help about work
  
  Career training
  
  These individuals can assist you get hired. For example, they can evaluate your resume and cover letter. Their charge is tax-deductible.