EU HELPERS GUIDE FOR JOB HUNTING AND WORKING IN GERMNAY

Job-hunting on the Internet Whether you are still in your home country or already in Germany, the best way to start looking for a job is over the Internet. One place to find vacancies in Germany is on the Internet pages of the following government institutions:

• Federal Employment Agency: Germany’s largest official job portal belongs to the Federal Employment Agency (BA). One of its tasks is to support job-hunters in Germany and abroad in their search for suitable job offers. On the BA Web site, you can do targeted searches for vacant jobs. The search engine is available in German, English and French. However, for the moment most of the job offers are in German only. (http://jobboerse.arbeitsagentur.de) You will find many of the jobs which are posted on the Federal Employment Agency portal also on the “Make it in Germany” job exchange. Here, you can do targeted searches in professions where Germany lacks qualified professionals.

• International Placement Service: Job-seekers who do not yet live in Germany but are interested in working in Germany can ask the International Placement Service (ZAV). The ZAV is part of the Federal Employment Agency. One of its core tasks is to provide advice and find jobs for people at the international level.

• EURES: The BA is also a member of the network of European employment agencies, which is called EURES. EURES is committed to promoting the mobility of job-seekers in Europe by providing advisory and job-finding services. EURES offers interesting job prospects and funding programmes. You can find out more about this from the EURES advisors in the respective countries. The EURES Internet portal has job offers from 31 European countries – including Germany – information about living and working in the different countries and the contact details of the EURES advisors. The portal is available in 25 languages. In addition, every spring and autumn EURES organises European Job Days in a large number of European countries, at which vacancies in Germany are also presented. You can find the dates of these events by asking the EURES advisors of the respective countries, or by consulting the EURES Web site or Facebook pages.

• Job portals: Many German companies advertise their vacancies not only through official agencies, but also publish them on the Internet. Take a look at the well-known job portals and on social networking sites. Otherwise, search for companies in Germany which are most likely to offer jobs in your line of work. Many of these companies offer vacancies on their own Web sites.

Job-hunting in Germany

Are you already in Germany? In that case, you have other ways of looking for a job besides over the Internet:

• Newspapers: Look through the pages of German newspapers. Many of them publish job vacancies in their weekend issues. Maybe there’s something there for you.

• Local employment agencies: It can also be worth visiting your local employment agency. There are branches of the

• Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit, BA) in nearly all towns and cities in Germany. Their mission is to help people in their search for a job and the service is free.

• Advertise yourself: Don‘t wait to find the perfect job offer. As well as searching for vacancies, you can take positive action yourself by publishing your own job ad on the Internet or in newspapers. Alternatively, you can post your profile including your qualifications and professional experience on the Federal Employment Agency’s job portal and on business networks on the Internet for free. That way, companies which are interested in your profile have a means of contacting you. In Germany, that is a normal thing to do. In your job ad, supply the most important information in brief: the kind of post you are looking for, your activities, qualifications and career milestones, and the place where you would like to work. Interested companies or personnel recruitment businesses will then respond to your advertisement. However, experience has shown that advertising for a job yourself is less effective than applying for actual job vacancies advertised by companies.

• Job fairs: You can make direct contact with companies at trade shows, job fairs and congresses. The advantage here is that you can make a positive first impression on them by talking with them in person. The best thing to do is to find out in advance which companies are taking part in an event. That way, you can address companies that are relevant to your profession. Before events, prepare some application folders that you could then leave with the companies. It is also important to ask for the business card of the person you have spoken with, or at least for his or her name, after talks at the event. This will enable you to mention your conversation with that person at a later stage in your application.

• EURES job fairs: European Job Days, held in all the countries which are a part of the EURES network, take place every spring and autumn. The International Placement Service (ZAV) routinely takes part in these job fairs with current job offers on the German labour market. Often, German employers accompany the ZAV to be able to make direct contact with potential employees like you.

• Personnel recruitment agencies: Another alternative is to use the services of private recruitment agencies. These look for suitable jobs on your behalf. However, they can ask job-seekers for fees of up to €2,000.

• Acquaintances: Friends and family often give us a helping hand in life – and sometimes they can help you in your search for a job too. Talk to your friends about the fact that you‘d like to work in Germany. Perhaps one of them has heard of a vacancy and can give you the names of contacts in Germany.

Applying for a job

Application documents

In Germany, the usual way of doing things is to send your application documents – printed – in a special application folder by post. However, more and more companies also point out in their job offers that they will be glad to receive applications online. In that case, you can send your documents in a PDF file. However, regardless of whether you apply by post or online, the information and documents that go to make up your application are the same:

• Covering letter: In your covering letter, you give the company a first impression of yourself. You explain why you are interested in the post and describe your own strengths. In your letter, try to express yourself convincingly to set yourself apart from the other applicants.

• Curriculum vitae: In your CV, you describe your personal and professional career so far. A CV does not have to be written out in full: you can list the most salient information in the form of a table. Previously in Germany, applicants were expected to include a photo of themselves in their CV. However, depending on the company this is no longer necessarily the case. As a rule, German CVs are not written in strict chronological order. However, the most recent professional experiences are usually placed at the beginning. Divide your CV up into the following categories:

1. Personal details: name, address, contact details

2. Professional experience: what companies have you already worked for? What did your work there consist of? You should list this information in chronological order. Start with your most recent professional experience.

3. Education: which schools and universities did you attend? What were your final grades? What subjects did you study? Have you completed a vocational training course? Or, have you done any continuing education courses? You should list this section chronologically too, with the most recent qualification first and your school education at the end.

4. Language skills: what languages do you speak? How well do you speak them? In Germany, the following terms are often used to describe this: “Muttersprache”, or native language; “verhandlungssicher” or business fluent (excellent skills); “fließend”, meaning you speak the language currently (sound knowledge of the language); and “Grundkenntnisse”, or basic skills (beginner). However, it is more advisable to refer to the standards of the Common European Reference Framework for Languages (CEFR).

5. Special aptitudes and interests: For example, do you have any special computer skills that are important for your work? And what are your hobbies.

6. Certificates: Finally, include your most important certificates in your application. Examples of these include certificates obtained during your vocational training, as well as your school-leaving and university degree. If you have any references from previous employers, you can include those too. Do not send any originals, only copies. This is because very often, the documents are not returned. In normal circumstances, an ordinary photocopy will do. You only need officially certified copies if the company asks for this expressly. Important: it is advisable to have your certificates translated into German or English so that the company can understand your qualifications.

Work contract

• Read the contract thoroughly

It is most unusual for a work contract to be delivered orally in Germany. This is why serious employers will always send you a written contract. Read the contract thoroughly from start to finish before signing it. If you do not understand something, this is not a problem: ask the company‘s personnel department or the personnel officer about it. What you should find in a work contract. Every work contract should contain the following information:

➢ Name and address: yours and that of the company

➢ Date on which the contract starts: the date on which you officially become an employee of the company (that means: starting from which date is the contract valid?)

➢ Term of contract: is your contract only valid for a certain period of time? When does it end? The term of the contract must be agreed in writing, otherwise it is considered to be valid for an undetermined period of time.

➢ Trial period: How long does the trial period last? This is the period during which you or the company can terminate the contract relatively quickly.

➢ Place of work: where will you be working? If you are to work in different places, this should be stated in the contract.

➢ Job description: what tasks will you be expected to do in the company?

➢ Remuneration: how much will you be paid for your work? Will the company pay you supplements or bonuses, for example at Christmas or for working weekends, on top of your normal pay? When does the company pay you – for example, at the end or beginning of the month? Note: the work contract usually states the gross remuneration. From this, certain amounts will be deducted for tax and social contributions, such as health insurance, long-term care insurance, a pension scheme and unemployment insurance.

➢ Working hours: how many hours a week will you be expected to work?

➢ Holiday: how many days‘ leave are you entitled to per year?

➢ Notice period: how long in advance must you notify the company, or the company notify you, that the work contract is going to be cancelled?

➢ Collective agreements and works agreements: often, in addition to the work contract, special regulations also apply. For example, in many branches of industry, employer associations and trades unions have reached collective agreements. These agreements may regulate questions of remuneration, bonuses or holidays. Companies can also sign special agreements with their Employee Councils, which represent the interests of the employees. These are called works agreements. You can ask your employer if these agreements also apply to you. This may also be stated in your work contract.

Language skills

A language is always a part of home. If you speak German, you will see how quickly you feel at home in Germany. Before or after arriving in Germany, over the Internet, in a language school, watching TV or cooking with German friends – there are all kinds of ways to learn German.

• Just talk

Shopping, discussions about work – once you have arrived in Germany, a large part of your everyday life will involve speaking German. No doubt you already know how to say a few words, such as “danke“ and „bitte“. Use all the words that you already know. And you will see that German is not half as hard as many people say. And many Germans will be delighted if you are able to say a couple of words or sentences in German. If you don’t know the right words, just say it in English. Nearly all Germans have learned that at school.

• Learning German the easy way

The best way is to start learning a bit of German before you leave your home country. Many language schools provide help – and even run special courses for your later professional career in Germany. The bestknown language service provider is the Goethe-Institute, the official cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany. The GoetheInstitute offers German courses in 92 countries all over the world – from intensive courses or courses for business German right through to learning German while cooking. Like a few other institutions, the Goethe-Institut also offers online courses with exercises and drills, as well as forums for learning German and information on chats. And on the subject of chatting: make German a part of your everyday routine even before you board the plane. Read the newspapers, watch TV and listen to the radio in German. Or simply stick a few Post-its on your furniture or other objects with the German name for that particular item. Perhaps you already know some German people with whom you can talk a bit about the language and the country. All that will help you to master everyday German faster. That way, you‘ll soon be able to answer the question „Sprechen Sie Deutsch?“ with: “Ja, natürlich”.

• Funding To help you learn German better, you have the possibility of getting funding to attend a language course. You could start by asking your employer. If your company is large enough to have its own personnel department, this might be able to tell you more precisely which language courses are suitable and whether it is possible to be funded by the company. You will also find reasonably priced language courses at the „Volkhochschulen“, the state-run adult education institution. Besides this, integration courses are an excellent means for you to acquire German language skills and at the same time get acquainted with German culture.

For further details and to know more about living, working or studying in Germany you can always contact EU helpers through our official website and through WhatsApp, Instagram and other platforms. Reach out to our website and consult our consultants today.