Where to look for a job in Germany
To look for jobs in Germany there are lots of places you can go and many can be contacted before you arrive. We have collected some of the most effective resources, to get you started:
Newspapers & Magazines: In the classified sections of daily newspapers (often on Wednesdays and weekend issues) job offers are posted, in weekly newspapers, monthly magazines (city magazines) and specialised trade magazines and journals. If you are looking for a highly qualified or academic job at a national level you should consult the Saturday edition of national papers such as the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Die Welt, Handelsblatt and Frankfurter Rundschau.
Look at local newspapers, such as the Westdeutsche Zeitung, Stuttgarter Zeitung or Berliner Zeitung, which often also carry positions on Wednesdays. Placing a job wanted advertisement in the jobs section could also be an option.
Internet: In the online job market we’ve seen a huge growth the last few years, especially among younger people and graduates. Online-Bewerbungen is now the most popular way to apply for work. According to your criteria, such as sector, salary, and region, recruitment websites (Jobsbörsen) allow you to focus your search. Posting your CV on websites so that companies looking for specific skills can find you is also an option.
Labour offices (Arbeitsämter): Throughout Germany there are more than 800 Arbeitsämter (jobcentres) and EU/EEA nationals are entitled to use their services. Look at their website for more details – www.arbeitsagentur.de. For extensive listings of vacancies you have to go the jobcentres which are free to look at (even without a work permit). Most of these offers are for unskilled and semi-skilled work. Usually positions at professional and executive levels are filled by a recruitment agency or advertised by the company. Foreigners searching for work in Germany should check the international department called ZAV (Zentralstelle für Auslandsvermittlung). In the telephone directory and yellow pages (Gelbe Seiten) the address of the nearest Arbeitsämter will be listed.
EURES: A partnership between the employment services in the EEA to support the free movement of workers is the EURES network. It assist the progress of the circulation of vacancies and allows online access to up-to-date information on living and working conditions in each EEA member state. EURES staff specialize in the practical issues surrounding employment in member states. They help employers find suitable employees from other EEA countries and assist people who wish to work abroad. They can be contacted by way of the Arbeitsämter, of which 50 centres are linked to the EURES network.
Recruitment agencies: Listen in the telephone book and yellow pages under Arbeitsvermittlung are private recruitment agencies. A number of them, such as Manpower and Adecco, specialize in recruiting for temporary positions. It can sometimes be a useful step towards a full-time job.
Career fairs: To visit a career fair is a good place to get started. Fairs usually concentrate on a specific sector and have a range of employers. Usually you need to apply by sending in your CV. Employers then decide who they want to meet in advance. As well as getting general information on employment perspectives in different companies, it is often possible to arrange interviews.
Speculative applications: You can send a specific application if a company is of interest. In Germany this is common and (unlike in many other countries) is worth trying. As applications are retained and checked against positions as they become available in some companies.
Chambers of Commerce: As they are often asked for candidates and sometimes have a database of open job positions contact the local chamber of commerce of your home country in Germany. A chamber of commerce often will have a list of companies from your home country doing business in Germany which can make good targets for speculative applications.
