Germany
Job market
What are my chances of getting a job?
New graduates from the UK rarely secure work immediately after graduation at a professional level in Germany, except teaching English as a foreign language, although there are opportunities in casual work in the hospitality and other service sectors.
- Typical problems encountered: unlike the UK, there are no graduate level positions that are open to graduates in any discipline. In addition, German students almost always complete one or more periods of work experience (Praktikum) before graduation, and go on to apply for work in the same field.
- How to improve your chances: you are more likely to secure graduate-level work in Germany if you first gain qualifications and experience in the UK. A further qualification gained in Germany could also boost your chances. If you are determined to get work there as soon as possible, securing at least one Praktikum should improve your chances.
- Language requirements: While most well-educated Germans can speak some English, many fluently, and English is widely used in international business settings, you will need a strong command of German to stand a realistic chance of getting work in Germany. Learndirect
has a searchable database of courses in the UK. Your university may also run modules in some foreign languages, including German. Self-study and distance learning courses are available through organisations such as Eurotalk Interactive
, Key Languages
and the Open University (OU)
.
Where can I work?
- Major industries: chemicals, engineering, electronics, IT, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles.
- Recent growth areas: telecommunications, hi-tech manufactured products, automotive industry, banking, tourism.
- Industries in decline: mining, forestry, steel, agriculture, the remnants of former state-run industries in the former East Germany.
- Shortage occupations: skilled trades, engineering, IT, hospitality, administration, teaching.
- Major companies: Allianz, BASF, Bayer, BMW, Bosch, Deutsche Bank, SAP, Siemens, Volkswagen.
- Search for more companies: the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany
, Gelbe Seiten (German Yellow Pages)
, the German-British Chamber of Industry and Commerce
, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
, Kompass Germany
and Wikipedia - List of Companies in Germany
also provide information about companies operating in Germany as well as German companies operating in the UK.
- Major cities: Berlin (the capital and largest city), Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, München (Munich), Stuttgart.
What’s it like working in Germany?
- Average working hours: slightly shorter than in the UK, at an average of around 35 hours per week.
- Holidays: minimum 24 days per annum, but usually between 28 and 32, plus nine days’ public holiday. 3 October is the Day of German Unity, a national holiday; otherwise the major Christian festivals are holidays as in the UK. See How to Germany
for a full list.
- Average graduate starting salary: comparable to the UK overall - €35,973-€39,897 (Hobsons Careers in Europe).
- Tax rates: income tax is on a progressive scale ranging from 0% to 45% (2009). Compulsory contributions are made by workers into a social insurance fund to cover medical treatment, pension contributions, etc. (About Germany).
- Work practices and customs: business etiquette is somewhat more formal in Germany than in the UK. Titles are accorded greater importance, and people are more often addressed by their title and surname than in British workplaces. Dress and behaviour are expected to be conservative by British standards.
Applying for jobs
How do I apply for a job?
Jobs are often advertised on recruitment websites (Jobsbörsen) as well as on company websites. Some international companies will have vacancies in both English and German.
While it might be possible to find and apply for jobs from the UK, there will usually be two interviews before a job offer is made. As this process could take some time, it would be unwise to wait until arriving in Germany before starting the job search, but also a good idea to wait for a firm offer before making arrangements to move there.
A CV (Lebenslauf) is required more often than an application form in Germany. It is important to supply exactly what the employer asks for, typically including:
- the CV, with a good quality passport-sized photograph attached to the top right-hand corner;
- a covering letter on a single side of A4;
- copies of all qualifications from secondary school onwards;
- evidence of professional experience, including professional certificates and work samples where appropriate;
- references from universities and previous employers.
See the following websites for more information on working in Germany:
What kind of CV do I need?
CVs should be in strict reverse chronological order, leaving no gaps unaccounted for. As the information given is usually very factual, without explanation or interpretation, most graduate CVs fit onto a single page. A CV can, however, run to a maximum of two pages.
The CV should include a passport-sized photograph and provide information on your personal and professional development. You should briefly describe your professional experience and achievements, as well as detailing your language skills and level of fluency. Hobbies are usually only mentioned if relevant to the job. It is common in Germany to sign your CV at the bottom.
The covering letter should briefly express why you are seeking a job, what interests you about the post and why you think you are the best person to do the job.
The working abroad section of the Eurograduate - The European Graduate Career Guide
has an example of a German CV.
What will the interview process be like?
There are often two interviews for professional positions: one with personnel, which will focus on personality and motivation; followed by a second with a manager from your intended department, which will address technical knowledge and skills. Psychological and aptitude tests are usual and assessment centres are commonly used for managerial positions.
See the Eurograduate - the European Career Guide (Working in Germany) website for more information.
Will my UK qualifications be recognised?
Visit the ENIC-NARIC
website for information on how to find out about the comparability of your academic qualifications.
The UK National Europass Centre (UK NEC)
gives information on how to make your skills and qualifications easily understood in other European countries, including Germany.
Do I still need to pay UK tax and National Insurance?
If you are planning to live and work in Germany, check your UK tax and National Insurance position with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
to ensure that you are not losing any UK pension rights.
Vacancy sources
Job websites
- Academics.com
- academic jobs in research and higher education in Germany.
- Alma Mater
- jobs and careers advice for students and graduates.
- Bewerbung
- job vacancies, CV, interview and assessment centre advice.
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit
(German federal employment agency) - includes a wide range of job vacancies, including internships (Praktika)
- CareerJet
- job vacancies searchable by sector or region.
- EURAXESS Germany
- jobs, information and advice for researchers.
- EURES - European Job Mobility Portal
- provides job vacancies and a CV-posting service for jobseekers, as well as information on living and working conditions and labour markets in Germany.
- Jobonline
- vacancies, advice on applications and interviews, as well as briefings on job sectors and listings of careers fairs.
- JobScout24
- jobs by sector and also student jobs and internships (Praktika).
- Jobware
- management and specialist jobs.
- Monster (Germany)
and Jobpilot - Germany
- job vacancies and CV-posting service.
- Staufenbiel
- career portal for graduates and current students looking for internships, apprenticeships and other training opportunities.
- Stellen-online
- internships/work experience (Praktika), as well as graduate jobs.
- Stepstone (Germany)
- includes internships/work experience as well as a range of graduate jobs.
Recruitment agencies
Recruitment agencies are listed in the Gelbe Seiten (German Yellow Pages)
(search under Arbeitsvermittlung). Reputable agencies should also be members of the Federal Employers' Association of Personnel Service Providers (Bundesarbeitgeberverband der Personaldienstleister (BAP))
.
Newspapers
Other German newspapers may be found via the Kidon Media-Link
.
Other sources
Hidden vacancies
Speculative applications are accepted in Germany. As with any speculative application, you will need to do your research thoroughly. Pay particular attention to demonstrating that your qualifications are a match for German applicants. Applications should be typed in German and include a photo and a covering letter.
If you are already interested in working for one of Germany's major employers, it is often worth applying directly to them. Target German firms with an office in the UK, and UK firms with a presence in Germany. See job market for details of where to search for companies for speculative applications.
Work experience
Work placements and internships
It is possible to apply for one of the internships (Praktika) which are completed by German students as part of their courses. As these are usually closely linked to the subject of study, UK applicants should do their research carefully in order to show that they have appropriate skills and knowledge, as well as sufficiently strong language skills, for each vacancy.
Useful resources include:
Exchange programmes
AIESEC (Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales)
provides an international exchange programme for students and recent graduates. They offer voluntary and paid work placements in professional organisations, schools and charities in a range of countries, including Germany.
Your institution may be involved in the Leonardo da Vinci Programme
through which vocational training exchanges and work placements are arranged with partner organisations in other countries, including Germany. Contact your institution’s international office or your careers service for more information.
Teaching schemes
The British Council
- Language Assistants programme provides the opportunity for undergraduates and graduates of any discipline (as long as they have AS level German or equivalent) to work in Germany as a language assistant.
If your university has a department for foreign languages or equivalent, you may be able to pick up useful advice, guides and contacts on teaching opportunities available in Germany.
The Teaching English Abroad publication includes a directory of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) training courses, contacts for jobs and a list of recruitment organisations, as well as a country guide, for those interested in teaching English in Germany.
Volunteering
The Youth in Action
programme is funded by the European Commission and provides young people with a variety of opportunities to experience Europe. The European Voluntary Service (EVS)
is part of this programme and offers young people (18-30) the opportunity to volunteer in a range of countries, including Germany, for a period of two to twelve months.
It is also possible to find volunteering opportunities via a range of volunteering websites, for example Volunteer Abroad
and WorldWide Volunteering (WWV)
. Research any opportunities thoroughly to ensure you are happy with the project and terms and conditions on offer.
Casual work
Typical areas where temporary work is available include tourism, especially in the Alps, the Black Forest and on the North Sea coast. Opportunities for students also exist for seasonal work on farms, in hotels and in vineyards. See Summer Jobs Worldwide for opportunities.
Within Germany, the Bundesagentur für Arbeit
(German federal employment agency website) can help you find casual work.
Short-term opportunities
Teaching English is one of the few short-term work opportunities in Germany open to large numbers of UK graduates. Opportunities for teaching business English exist if you have good business knowledge and experience and good German. A formal teaching qualification is not always necessary. All major language school chains have branches in Germany. Further possibilities exist in Volkshochschulen (Adult Education Centres) - see Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband (German Adult Education Association)
for a list of adult education centres and their contact details. Also see Teaching English Abroad for more information.
Gap year opportunities
There are many organisations offering gap years in Germany. To choose a reputable organisation, you should seek advice from your university careers services or check whether the company is registered with Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL)
or other similar organisations. Some companies will also offer services such as a 24-hour emergency helpline. See Your Gap Year for more information on planning a gap year, including information on jobs, voluntary opportunities and specialist gap year programmes.
Postgraduate study
How does the higher education system work?
There are three main types of higher education institutions in Germany:
- research-led universities - offering a broad range of courses and subjects and of particular interest to those interested in research and following a doctoral programme;
- universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen) - generally more vocational and often including internships and practical modules;
- colleges of art, film and music - covering subjects such as painting, design, architecture, music and drama.
There are generally three levels of qualification:
- Bachelors degrees are available in a wide range of subject areas.
- Masters degrees are the next level of qualification and are intended to expand your subject-knowledge.
- Doctoral degrees involve the completion of a research paper and generally take two to five years to complete.
Most universities and colleges in Germany are public and receive funding from the federal government. Some are financed by the Church and there are also more than 80 private universities and colleges, largely universities of applied sciences, with officially recognised degrees. See the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
for more information on the types of higher education institutions and what they offer.
What courses are available?
- The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) website has a searchable database of first degree, graduate and doctoral level courses. (You can include language of study in your search criteria.)
- International Bachelor, Masters and Doctoral programmes are also available offering internationally recognised degrees that are taught primarily in English. They have been designed specifically to meet the needs of international students and include German tuition.
- Summer schools are also available in a wide range of subject areas.
Where can I study?
- The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) includes a searchable database of over 300 higher education institutions in Germany. It has also compiled rankings of universities in collaboration with the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit and the Centre for Higher Education Development. See the DAAD website for details.
- Universities Worldwide
also has details of universities and Fachhochschulen in Germany.
What are the entry requirements for postgraduate study?
If you have already graduated from a study programme in the UK, you will generally be able to study in Germany. However, not all foreign academic degrees automatically qualify you to take up a postgraduate course. For example, Bachelor's degrees are sometimes only recognised as an intermediate qualification (Zwischenprüfung or Vorprüfung) in Germany.
If you have questions about this, it is best to contact the international office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) of any university in which you are interested. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has a list of these offices on its website.
When do I apply?
Application deadline dates vary and you should contact the international office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) at the institutions you are interested in attending for information on deadlines. See the DAAD website for a list of offices.
How do I apply?
- Applications are usually made directly to individual institutions.
- Applications are usually accepted online, although paper copies of academic certificates and transcripts along with other supporting documentation will have to be posted.
- A CV is usually requested, along with a personal statement.
How much will it cost?
- Although you don’t have to pay tuition fees at all German universities, some will charge a fee of around €500 per semester. See the Deutsches Studentenwerk - Information for International Students
for a list of federal states that have introduced general tuition fees. It is more usual to pay fees for postgraduate courses (Masters and PhDs) than for undergraduate courses.
- You must be able to prove that you have enough money to finance your studies in Germany (currently €7,716 for one year of study, May 2010).
- Semester contributions (a registration fee payable every semester) of between €50 and €250 is payable every semester
- Health insurance, which costs around €280 per semester, is compulsory. Students from countries that are members of the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) and who have public health insurance (the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
) can get this insurance coverage approved by a public health company in Germany. This insurance may not, however, cover all costs in Germany so check what services you are entitled to. See the Deutsches Studentenwerk - Information for International Students website for more information.
- Check with individual institutions for more specific tuition and fee information.
- On top of any course fees, an estimated minimum monthly budget is €630, with books and other study materials in addition. One third of this is generally spent on rent. While it is possible to live frugally for this amount, it is a bare minimum and more should be set aside if at all possible.
- See the Deutsches Studentenwerk - Information for International Students website for a breakdown of monthly expenses and prices of general commodities.
Are any scholarships available?
- The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers one-year scholarships for Doctoral research, which can also be used to support Masters courses.
- DAAD also provides information on scholarships from other foundations. Search their scholarships database for funding opportunities.
- Individual institutions also often have some scholarships available.
Are there any exchange programmes?
UK students on undergraduate degree courses, Masters programmes or some PhD programmes may be interested in spending time studying in Germany through the Erasmus
scheme. This programme covers all subject areas, but check what links your university has with your university’s Erasmus coordinator (usually based in the international office).
Will my qualification be recognised in the UK?
As part of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)
, a German postgraduate course should be directly comparable to the UK equivalent. Full details on comparing international qualifications are also available from the UK NARIC (National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom)
, which gives information and advice on vocational, academic and professional qualifications from over 180 countries.
Visa and immigration
Do I need a visa and/or work permit?
Most EU nationals do not need a visa or work permit to work in Germany. However, once you have taken up work in Germany, you must obtain a certificate of residence from the local Ausländeramt (Foreign Nationals Authority) or Einwohnermeldeamt (Residence Registration Office). This must be done within the first three months of your arrival and you will usually need proof of employment (contract, letter of employment, etc.) and proof of accommodation. See the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
website for full details.
Citizens of the new EU accession countries should check with the German embassy to find out whether any restrictions apply.
If you are not a citizen of an EU member state, contact the German Embassy
in the country where you are (a list of German embassies is available at Embassies Worldwide
) to find out about visa regulations.
How do I apply for a visa and/or work permit?
Most EU nationals do not need to apply for a visa or work permit. However, you must obtain a certificate of residence from the local Ausländeramt (Foreign Nationals Authority) or Einwohnermeldeamt (Residence Registration Office) within three months of your arrival.
If you are not a UK national, contact the German embassy in the country where you are currently residing about how to obtain visas and work permits. If you are living in the UK, go to the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
.
You might also find it helpful to contact your ministry of foreign affairs (or your own embassy if you are not living in your home country) to ask whether there are any issues to be taken into account when considering working in Germany.
How do I apply for permanent residency?
Once you have taken up work in Germany, you must obtain a certificate of residence from the local Ausländeramt (Foreign Nationals Authority) or Einwohnermeldeamt (Residence Registration Office). This must be done not later than three months after arrival and you will usually need proof of employment (contract, letter of employment, etc.) and proof of accommodation.
See the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany website for more information.
Help and advice abroad
Public employment services
The German equivalent of the Jobcentre is the Bundesagentur für Arbeit
(German federal employment agency), which can help you find permanent or casual work, as well as offering advice on jobs and careers. These agencies are located throughout Germany and their services are available to European Union (EU) nationals. Addresses can be found on the Bundesagentur für Arbeit website and it is worth registering as soon as you have even a temporary address.
You can get contact details for European Employment Service advisers in Germany through the EURES - European Job Mobility Portal
. EURES advisers are trained specialists who provide information and guidance to job seekers interested in working in Germany.
Higher education careers support
Most German universities have a student advisory service, which is primarily involved in giving educational advice. However, the student advisers and the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Jobcentre) work closely together where possible.
There are, of course, many informal contacts between recruiters and individual professors and student advisory services.
Many institutions, especially technical universities and Fachhochschulen (vocational colleges), have a service for dealing with practical placements, which are often obligatory.
Some German universities have a Studentische Arbeitsvermittlung (student employment bureau) which advertises casual work for students.
Help in an emergency
The consular section of the British Embassy Germany
(in Berlin) and the Consulates in Munich and Dusseldorf (contact details on the Embassy website) can offer some assistance to UK citizens who have been the victims of crime or bereavement or in the case of a natural disaster or terrorist incident.
Other emergency contact numbers in Germany include:
- 112 - emergency (general - ambulance/fire department);
- 110 - police.
Country overview
Geography
- Full country name: Federal Republic of Germany
- Population: 81.8 million (Eurostat, 2010)
- Border countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland.
- Climate: variable climate with frequent changes of weather (see BBC Weather Country Guides: Germany
for further details).
- Terrain: lowlands in the north, uplands in centre, Bavarian Alps in the south.
- Natural hazards: flooding.
Living in Germany
- Cost of living: cost of living in Germany is relatively high. Rents vary from region to region and some cities, such as Hamburg and Munich, are markedly more expensive than average. Food and other basic purchases may be cheaper than in the UK, whereas entertainment including eating and drinking out are generally more expensive.
- Utilities: all of a world-class standard and costs are comparable to those in the UK.
- Internet domain: .de
- Health: Germany has one of the highest standards of healthcare in the world, and some of the lowest rates for key indicators such as infant mortality. If you work in Germany, compulsory health insurance is automatically arranged by employers and, similarly to UK National Insurance, contributions are made both by the employer and the employee. Practitioners and hospitals deal directly with insurers for billing, so you can access any insurer-improved healthcare provider when you need to without worrying about payment. Health insurance for students is compulsory and costs around €280 per semester. See About Germany
for more information.
- Laws and customs: while business customs are relatively formal, Germany is a tolerant and liberal society by global standards, with sexual orientation, for example, regarded as a matter of private choice. Laws are broadly similar to those in the UK for personal conduct, e.g. in matters such as drug possession.
Economy and finance
- Currency: Euro (€)
- Type of economy: Germany has a liberal free market economy. It is part of the Eurozone of European economies with a shared Central Bank, interest rate and currency.
- Health of economy: Germany went into recession in 2008 when the world economic climate led to a reduction in the demand for its exports. It emerged from the recession in the middle of 2009 and exports have been recovering in recent months as the global economy recovers.
- Unemployment rate: 7.3% (Eurostat, Mar 2010)
- Main exports: electrical machinery, motor vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals (EconomyWatch).
Culture
- People: Germans 94%.Turks make up the single largest ethnic minority group with significant numbers of Greeks, Italians, Poles, Russians, Serbo-Croats and Spaniards.
- Major religion: Christianity; 3.7% of the population are Muslims.
- History: see BBC Timeline: Germany
.
- Local etiquette: largely the same as in other European countries.
Politics
- Type of government: federal democratic republic with two houses of parliament, the Bundestag, elected by the population on the basis of proportional representation, and the Bundesrat, made up of representatives of the cabinets of the 16 federal states. The Chancellor heads the Government and is elected by the Bundestag. The President has mainly representative powers and is elected by a body called the Bundesversammlung, which meets every five years for this purpose only.
- Major political parties: Alliance 90/The Greens; Christian Democrats (CDU); Christian Social Union (CSU); Free Democrats (FDP); The Left Party (Die Linke); Social Democrats (SPD).
Travel advice
Find the latest travel advice and a traveller’s checklist on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)
website.
Contacts and resources
Jobs and work
- Academics.com
- academic jobs in research and higher education in Germany
- AIESEC (Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales)
- provides an international exchange programme for students and recent graduates
- Alma Mater
- jobs and careers advice for students and graduates
- Bewerbung
- job vacancies, CV, interview and assessment centre advice
- British Chamber of Commerce in Germany
- includes a list of member companies and organisations in various sectors such as banking and insurance
- British Council - Language Assistants
- opportunity to work as a language assistant in Germany
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit
- German federal employment agency. Includes a wide range of job vacancies.
- CareerJet
- job vacancies searchable by sector or region
- Deutsche Bildungsserver
- for links to the main internship vacancy websites
- EURAXESS Germany
- jobs, information and advice for researchers
- EURES - European Job Mobility Portal
- includes job vacancies and a CV-posting service for jobseekers. Also includes information on living and working conditions and labour markets in Germany.
- Eurograduate - The European Graduate Career Guide
- includes a section on working on Germany with information on applying for jobs, CVs and interviews
- Financial Times Deutschland
- direct equivalent of the UK Financial Times, although it does have some entry-level vacancies for graduates
- Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
- daily newspaper with national reach
- Frankfurter Rundschau
- Frankfurt-based daily newspaper with vacancies
- Gelbe Seiten (German Yellow Pages)
- search for details of recruitment agencies
- Federal Employers' Association of Personnel Service Providers (Bundesarbeitgeberverband der Personaldienstleister (BAP))
- German-British Chamber of Industry and Commerce
- includes a list of member companies and a Jobs Online database for those speaking German and English
- Handelsblatt
- Duesseldorf-based financial daily newspaper
- Hobsons Careers in Europe
- IAESTE (The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience)
- summer placements for science and engineering students
- iAgora
- internships in a variety of European countries, including Germany
- Jobpilot - Germany
- JobScout24
- jobs by sector and also student jobs and internships (Praktika)
- Jobware
- management and specialist jobs
- Kidon Media-Link
- includes links to a range of German newspapers
- Kompass Germany
- Leonardo da Vinci Programme
- organises vocational training exchanges and work placements
- Monster (Germany)
- job vacancies
- Staufenbiel
- comprehensive career portal for graduates and current students looking for internships, apprenticeships and other training opportunities
- Stellen-online
- internships/work experience (Praktika), as well as graduate jobs
- Stepstone (Germany)
- includes internships/work experience as well as a range of graduate jobs
- Sueddeutsche Zeitung
- Munich-based daily newspaper, mainly vacancies in Southern Germany
- Summer Jobs Worldwide
- Teaching English Abroad
- Volunteer Abroad
- lists organisations recruiting volunteers to work on projects across Germany
- Wikipedia - List of Companies in Germany
- WorldWide Volunteering (WWV)
- searchable database of volunteering opportunities in a range of countries, including Germany
- Your Gap Year
- Youth in Action
- programme funded by the European Commission that provides young people with a variety of opportunities to experience Europe
Study
Government websites
Embassies
Reference
AGCAS
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