Greg is the co-founder of GermanTechJobs.de.

This guide helps you find a task 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 require to speak German? How long does it take to get hired? Salaries in Germany General task search English-speaking tasks Tech jobs Creative jobs: media, communications, employment style Startup jobs Internships, temp work and minijobs Freelance work Restaurant jobs German resumes Cover letters The phone screen The technical interview Meet the group Salary negotiation The job contract Things your employer needs Things you must know Career training Before your job search

Can you operate in Germany?

If you are not a resident 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 income or education requirement.

Do you need to speak German?

No, however it assists. You can find English-speaking tasks, but a lot of companies want German speakers.

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

Tech business

• 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 require to get hired?
  
  A couple of months. Even if you find a job quickly, the hiring process is very sluggish.
  
  Know how much you should earn, and just how much taxes you should pay. This helps you negotiate a much better wage.
  
  Calculate your earnings tax
  
  1. Search for jobs
  
  General task search
  
  Indeed.com - Job online search engine. You can filter by language and set notifies. LinkedIn - Networking site with a big tasks area. 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 website. Made in Berlin. ArbeitNow - Job noting site. Made in Berlin. Jobted Xing - Similar to LinkedIn. You can't filter by language. Glassdoor - Company evaluations, income reports and task listings. You require an account.
  
  English-speaking jobs
  
  These sites only 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 tasks JobsInBerlin.eu - You can filter tasks by language Germany Startup Jobs - You can filter jobs by language and salary The Local jobs - Run by a popular English-speaking newspaper 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 tasks Imagine Foundation - They assist software developers from developing countries discover a job and get worked with
  
  Creative jobs: media, interactions, style
  
  dasauge (in German) - Media-related jobs Mediengestalter Jobs (in German) - Creative tasks
  
  Startup tasks
  
  Berlin Startup Jobs - English-speaking jobs in start-ups and tech companies Startup Sucht (in German). tbd * job board (in German) - tbd * is a site for business owners. You can filter by language. Wellfound - International start-up task website. Germany Startup Jobs - You can filter jobs by language and income. 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 temperature work agency. Manpower (in German) - Large temp work agency. Randstad (in German) - Large temperature work company. Craigslist - Most task 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 dining establishment tasks in Berlin
  
  2. Get jobs
  
  German resumes
  
  German CVs are longer than American resumes. They include your date of birth, your citizenship and employment a picture of you.1 You must go to an image studio and get a professional portrait for your resume. A career coach can help you compose a much better resume.
  
  Useful links:
  
  How to write a German resume - HalloGermany. German resume examples - Imagine structure. Resume checklist - Imagine foundation. Lingoking - Translate your resume to German
  
  Cover letters
  
  Include a short cover letter (Anschreiben) with your application. It's an individual introduction. It discusses who you are, what you do, why you request this job, and why they ought to hire you.
  
  Don't send out the exact same cover letter to everybody. Do your research study, and personalise the letter for each task offer. Keep it short and simple to read. 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 task interview
  
  In Germany, the interview procedure is long. It can take a few weeks, and even a couple of months. You might have several interviews with various individuals. It depends upon the business and the task. You need a great deal of time for this.
  
  The phone screen
  
  The interview procedure begins with a brief call. A recruiter or working with manager will ask you a few concerns. They will try to understand who you are, what you want, and how you fit the task offer. It's an easy check before they welcome you for an interview.
  
  How to prepare - Imagine Foundation
  
  The technical interview
  
  Most tech companies have technical interviews or coding obstacles. They validate that you understand how to do your job.
  
  Technical interviews are various at every business. They might ask you technical questions, employment ask you to solve a problem throughout the interview, or complete a technical challenge at home. Some business don't have technical interviews.
  
  Meet the team
  
  Most business have a group interview. You meet your future group to see if you work well together. This interview is more unwinded. You might simply talk with the team, or have lunch together.
  
  4. The task offer
  
  After your interview, the business can make a task offer.
  
  Salary settlement
  
  After you get the job deal, you can work out a better wage. You can also request for things like a moving perk or more trip days.
  
  Salaries in Germany
  
  The job contract
  
  Read your job agreement thoroughly. If your company guaranteed something to you throughout the interview, verify that it's in your contract. Only sign the agreement if you agree with whatever. Send the signed agreement by e-mail or by post.
  
  If you are not exactly sure about your agreement, request assistance or employment speak with an attorney.
  
  5. Get a home permit
  
  If you are not a resident of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you need a home permit to reside in Germany. Sometimes, you must await your home license to start working. It can take a few months.
  
  How to get a house permit
  
  If you already have a residence permit, you may require the Ausländerbehörde's consent to change jobs. Sometimes, you can begin your brand-new job right away. Sometimes, you need to await your new home permit. This can take a couple of weeks.
  
  How to change tasks
  
  6. Start working
  
  Things your employer requires
  
  During your first month at a new business, your employer needs a couple of things:
  
  A bank account. Your company will pay you by bank transfer. For this, employment you require a bank 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 info. Your medical insurance number (Krankenversicherungsnummer). You get a Krankenversicherungsnummer 2 to 7 days after you choose health insurance. Your company requires this number to take health insurance payments from your income. Your company can choose medical insurance for you, but it's a bad idea. Ask a broker to assist you select, it's free. Your social insurance number (Sozialversicherungsnummer). If you have public health insurance, you get this number instantly in the mail. If you have private health insurance coverage, you need to request it. Your employer 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, most individuals are paid as soon as monthly, 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 generally get paid by bank transfer.
  
  Most staff members in Germany are paid by bank transfer once monthly, employment on the first day of the month.4 Your company takes income tax, medical 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 company, employment you remain in your probation duration (Probezeit). 2 During that time, it's much easier to get fired. It's also harder to find a home, since you do not have a steady task.
  
  How does the probation duration work?
  
  All in Germany earn money getaway days, and paid authorized leave. You do not work on public holidays, however you still get paid.
  
  How to take vacations
  
  What to do when you are ill
  
  7. Make a tax declaration
  
  A lot of your job 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 writing, professional pictures, translations, printing costs, task search services ... Travel expenses. Fuel, train tickets, hotels, meals and parking costs to go to job interviews.
  
  If you began operating in the middle of the year, you probably paid excessive wage tax. Make a tax declaration to decrease your earnings tax, and get some refund.
  
  Need help?
  
  Where to get assist about work
  
  Career coaching
  
  These people can assist you get worked with. For example, they can review your resume and cover letter. Their fee is tax-deductible.