Jobs in Germany

Jobs in Germany can by tricky to find due to the high unemployment rate. However, if you do go to work in the country, you'll be able to enjoy a shorter workday, high pay, great benefits, and maybe even a bit more job security than you experienced working in the U.S.

Adapt to a new workday in Germany.

ToytownGermany.com is a straightforward site with job postings listed by date. You can search by city, but your time may actually be better spent scrolling through the mix.

Just Landed is a one-stop-shopping type of site when it comes to looking for work in Germany. By visiting this resource, you'll find out everything you need about benefits, insurance, finding a job, and more. There's even a forum there.

About-Germany.org can provide tips for moving to Germany, working there, cultural etiquette, and more. Learn things like where to keep your hands while you eat, how to use formal and informal pronouns, and what to think when the Germans are simultaneously reserved and direct with you.

Want a shorter workday? You can get one if you find yourself a job in Germany. They typically end their workday around 4:00 in the afternoon. The flipside of that is a lack of "water cooler time," so to speak. You'll spend less time goofing off with co-workers in Germany than you will in the United States, for example. German workers do get a few fifteen minute breaks, plus a forty-five minute lunch.

Workdays in Germany are a bit more rigid than in most other countries. Punctuality is part of the German culture, and it applies to work, dinner parties, and other engagements. Don't spend time chatting up your co-workers. Efficiency is arguably the most important thing in the German workplace. Some companies only require a 30-hour workweek.

While workers in Germany enjoy high salaries, they also cope with a high cost of living. The eastern part of Germany is generally the least expensive region, but unemployment rates are higher there than in other parts of the country. About-Germany.org states that, "All in all for (accommodation, food, leisure, etc.) EUR 1.000 per month is a realistic amount, depending on where and how you choose to live."

If you're looking into getting a job with a company in Germany, it doesn’t hurt to check out the list of the World's Most Admired Companies 2007. See how companies like BMW, Metro, DaimlerChrysler, and Bayer are doing.

You can read about work permits in more detail at About-Germany.org, but here are the highlights:

• If you're from a country that is a member of the European Union, Switzerland, or Liechtenstein, you don't have to get a permit to work in Germany. However, you do have to register your stay three months prior to your arrival.
• If you are not a from a European Union nation, prepare to wait, wait, wait.
• Getting a work permit takes a long time, so don't expect to move there and find work on a whim.
• Speaking German will, of course, speed along your job hunt.
• Each family member will need to apply for a work permit.

• Permit or residency permit
• Tax card
• Social security number (you can get one through your employer)

Salaries in Germany are among the highest in the world. If you can get a job there you'll not only likely really enjoy your salary, but will be pleased with the benefits and job security as well. However, the unemployment rate is around 12 percent, and it will be exceptionally hard for a non-German speaker to find employment there.

Germany may be a case of, "Great to visit, but wouldn't want to live there" merely because it might be hard to provide for yourself and/or your family in the country. It's worth noting, though, that a large portion of the unemployment is concentrated in what used to be East Germany.

Right after graduation, people can expect to start out making roughly €30,000/year, and sometimes more than that. According to Just Landed, though, "taxes, depending on your salary, can be more than 50% of your gross salary." If you can read German, which will be helpful while trying to find work, check out PersonalMarkt.de for salary information to help you determine how much your ideal career should bring in in Germany.

AISEC is a good place to start if you're looking for an international internship. The internship you find can help you pay your way through school and get some real-life experience in a new country that will also help you when you're done with your studies.

The good part about getting a job in Germany as a student is that you don't have to worry with the workers' permit (according to Just Landed). Instead, you can stay for up to ninety days, working and going to school without the hassle of applying for the permit.

Aside from internships, other popular jobs for students include: bartending, office work, driving taxis, and even street cleaning. According to the Just Landed site, pay for students is, on average, €10-15/hour.

Remember: Quality not quantity; efficiency is the single most important thing you can focus on in your work. Stick to the schedule, too. Planned meetings and punctuality make the German workplace what it is. Jobs in Germany aren't abundant, so expect your search to take awhile and be impacted by your ability to speak the language and adapt to the culture.

• Top Job Search Websites
• Proper Dress for Job Interviews
• Rules for Collecting Unemployment
• Perfect Job Quiz
• Career Choice Quiz

• K-Mart Job Applications
• Sears Online Employment Application
• Target Job Applications
• Taco Bell Job Applications
• Winn-Dixie Employment Application

• Jobs in Switzerland
• Jobs in Sweden
• Ethiopian Jobs
• Main Page
• Jobs in Turkey