Greg is the co-founder of GermanTechJobs.de.

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

On this page

1. Before your task search Can you operate in Germany? Do you require to speak German? How long does it require to get employed? Salaries in Germany General job search English-speaking jobs Tech jobs Creative tasks: media, interactions, design Startup tasks Internships, temp work and minijobs Freelance work Restaurant jobs German resumes Cover letters The phone screen The technical interview Meet the team Salary negotiation The job contract Things your company needs Things you should understand Career coaching Before your task search

Can you work in Germany?

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

Do you need to speak German?

No, however it helps. You can find English-speaking tasks, but the majority 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?
  
  For how long does it require to get worked with?
  
  A few months. Even if you discover a task rapidly, the employing process is extremely slow.
  
  Know how much you need to earn, and just how much taxes you should pay. This assists you work out a much better salary.
  
  Calculate your earnings tax
  
  1. Search for jobs
  
  General task search
  
  Indeed.com - Job search engine. You can filter by language and set notifies. LinkedIn - Networking website with a huge tasks section. Preferred. 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 site. Made in Berlin. ArbeitNow - Job listing website. Made in Berlin. Jobted Xing - Similar to LinkedIn. You can't filter by language. Glassdoor - Company evaluations, employment salary reports and task listings. You require an account.
  
  English-speaking jobs
  
  These sites only have English-speaking tasks, 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 tasks by language Germany Startup Jobs - You can filter tasks by language and 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 jobs
  
  GermanTechJobs - You can filter by language and technology. Berlin Startup Jobs - English-speaking tasks in startups and tech business Administrator/ Web Entickler/ Entwickler Jobs - German-speaking tech tasks Imagine Foundation - They assist software designers from establishing countries discover a task and get worked with
  
  Creative tasks: media, communications, design
  
  dasauge (in German) - Media-related tasks Mediengestalter Jobs (in German) - Creative jobs
  
  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 start-up task portal. Germany Startup Jobs - You can filter jobs by language and income. Berlin Startup Jobs - Facebook group, employment 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. (in German) - Large temp work agency. 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. Request tasks
  
  German resumes
  
  German CVs are longer than American resumes. They include your date of birth, your citizenship and a photo of you.1 You ought to go to a photo studio and get a professional picture for your resume. A career coach can help you write a better resume.
  
  Useful links:
  
  How to write a German resume - HalloGermany. German resume examples - Imagine structure. Resume checklist - Imagine structure. Lingoking - Translate your resume to German
  
  Cover letters
  
  Include a short cover letter (Anschreiben) with your application. It's an individual introduction. It describes who you are, what you do, why you request this task, and why they must employ you.
  
  Don't send the same cover letter to everyone. Do your research study, and personalise the letter for each job deal. Keep it short and simple to check out. Get feedback from other people before you send it. A career coach can assist you compose much better cover letters.
  
  How to write a German cover letter - HalloGermany. Advice for cover letters with examples - Hacker News
  
  3. The task interview
  
  In Germany, the interview procedure is long. It can take a couple of weeks, and even a couple of months. You may have numerous interviews with different people. It depends on the company and the job. You need a lot of time for this.
  
  The phone screen
  
  The interview process begins with a short 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 offer. It's a simple check before they welcome you for an interview.
  
  How to prepare - Imagine Foundation
  
  The technical interview
  
  Most tech companies have technical interviews or coding challenges. They verify that you understand how to do your task.
  
  Technical interviews are different at every business. They might ask you technical questions, ask you to resolve a problem throughout the interview, or complete a technical obstacle at home. Some companies do not have technical interviews.
  
  Meet the group
  
  Most business have a group 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 job offer
  
  After your interview, the company can make a job offer.
  
  Salary settlement
  
  After you get the task offer, you can work out a much better salary. You can also ask for things like a moving perk or more holiday days.
  
  Salaries in Germany
  
  The task contract
  
  Read your task agreement carefully. If your employer assured something to you throughout the interview, confirm that it's in your agreement. Only sign the agreement if you agree with everything. Send the signed agreement by email or by post.
  
  If you are not exactly sure about your agreement, request for help or talk to a lawyer.
  
  5. Get a home authorization
  
  If you are not a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you require a house license to live in Germany. Sometimes, you should wait on your home license to begin working. It can take a couple of months.
  
  How to get a home authorization
  
  If you currently have a house permit, you might need the Ausländerbehörde's permission to alter tasks. Sometimes, you can begin your brand-new task right away. Sometimes, you should await your new home permit. This can take a couple of weeks.
  
  How to change jobs
  
  6. Start working
  
  Things your company needs
  
  During your very first month at a new company, your company requires a few things:
  
  A savings account. Your employer will pay you by bank transfer. For this, you require a savings account that supports SEPA transfers. Any European bank 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 information. Your medical insurance number (Krankenversicherungsnummer). You get a Krankenversicherungsnummer 2 to 7 days after you choose health insurance coverage. Your company needs this number to take health insurance coverage payments from your wage. Your employer can select health insurance coverage for you, but it's a bad concept. Ask a broker to assist you select, it's complimentary. Your social insurance coverage number (Sozialversicherungsnummer). If you have public health insurance, you get this number immediately in the mail. If you have personal health insurance, you should look for it. Your company can sometimes help you with this. - How to get a social insurance coverage number
  
  Your company can't require an address registration certificate.5
  
  Things you must understand
  
  In Germany, many people are paid once per month, employment usually on the 1st or 15th day of the month. You get your first income after 30 or 45 days after you begin working. You normally make money by bank transfer.
  
  Most workers in Germany are paid by bank transfer once each month, on the first day of the month.4 Your employer takes salary tax, health insurance, pension insurance coverage and unemployment insurance coverage from your income.
  
  Income tax calculator
  
  How taxes work
  
  During your very first 6 months at a brand-new business, you are in your probation period (Probezeit). 2 During that time, it's simpler to get fired. It's likewise harder to find a home, employment because you do not have a stable job.
  
  How does the probation period work?
  
  All staff members in Germany earn money vacation days, and employment paid ill leave. You don't work on public vacations, however you still earn money.
  
  How to take vacations
  
  What to do when you are ill
  
  7. Make a tax statement
  
  A lot of your task search costs are tax-deductible:3
  
  Relocation costs If you move more detailed to your new task, you can subtract your moving costs Job search expenses Coaching, resume composing, expert photos, translations, printing expenses, job search services ... Travel costs. Fuel, train tickets, hotels, meals and parking fees to go to task interviews.
  
  If you started operating in the middle of the year, you probably paid too much wage tax. Make a tax declaration to decrease your income tax, and get some money back.
  
  Need help?
  
  Where to get help about work
  
  Career training
  
  These individuals can help you get employed. For instance, they can evaluate your resume and cover letter. Their cost is tax-deductible.