How Internationals Can Find a Job in Berlin

Are you an international that’s looking for a job in Berlin?

Then, you may feel like cornered prey in a jungle. It could seem like there are fearsome hyenas at every corner, looking to devour your hopes, dreams, and career aspirations. After all, you want to be gainfully employed—but it must be the right fit and not in an environment that hinders your quality of life. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to fall into that kind of trap. Those mind-numbing workplaces are much like the predators and scavengers of the jungle.

Furthermore, as a non-German professional, you may be struggling even to get a foot through the door. Less than prey, you probably feel like an insignificant blade of grass getting trampled in the jungle.

Finding your dream job in Germany doesn’t have to be hard!

Fortunately, there are various processes that internationals in Berlin can follow that will make finding that ideal career fit much likelier. Namely, what’s most integral to finding a job in Berlin is developing a firm grasp of the city’s job market as a whole.

Read on as we delve deeper into the basics of finding a job in Berlin.

Section 1: Jobs Versus Careers

Finding a Job Where You Won’t Clock-watch

So, let’s set one thing straight; there’s a drastic difference between a job and a career.

Now, don’t get us wrong, there comes the point where – even as an educated employment seeker – you’ll end up taking a few ‘jobs’ along the way. You know what we’re talking about, a job where you can’t help but think about binge-watching “The Fresh Prince” for the 10th time when you’re supposed to be focused on work.

What comes with that? Well, usually, a tendency towards watching the clock while desperately awaiting the end of each workday. Then there are the other setbacks; burnout, a lack of productivity, and – if we’re being honest – job loss. We’re not trying to be too cynical, it’s just that these are the things that happen when you’re not truly committed to your work.

The problem you’ll deal with while searching for employment in Berlin is that you’ll be faced with plenty of ‘job’ offers. Those aren’t hard to come by. Sadly, these employment situations make it feel like you’re nothing but a hamster running aimlessly on its wheel.

However, what you should be aiming for is a genuine career opportunity.

Here’s what we mean—you need to work in a position that makes you all warm and fuzzy inside.

No, that doesn’t mean you’re looking for a free ride where it’s a full-throttle party every day and night. Instead, you want to land a role that both suits your interests and skillsets, but is also part of an enriching, engaging, and challenging workplace culture.

Far be it from us to make assumptions about your circumstances. If you’re interested in undertaking a soul-sapping job,’ along with a few side gigs to pay rent while enjoying Berlin’s thriving social scene, there’s plenty of options for you. And why not be content with your situation if it suits your needs?

Alternatively, the above scenario doesn’t depict the employment goals of most international job seekers in Berlin. If you’re reading this blog, you’re likely studying hard to accumulate valuable skills in your given discipline. Finding a run-of-the-mill ‘job’ is the last thing on your mind. You’ve made a bold and brave choice in moving to this beautiful city, and you intend to reward yourself with a fruitful and fulfilling role with a thriving organisation.

In German, this is called a “qualifikationsadaquater job.” It’s the type of position that’ll move you forward in your career and help you flourish and steadily rise in pay and prominence in the years to come.

Now, the big brave world of Berlin might be intimidating as an international professional. We called it a jungle for a good reason. Still, we’re experts who can offer you sound advice on how to utilize an assortment of resources that will help with landing you a fulfilling role.

See us as a mix between your spirit guide, sparring partner, and savvy guru as we walk you through how and where to find work in Berlin:

There’s a Thriving International Startup Scene in Berlin

Of all the places to work in the world, Berlin only ranks below New York and London as the most desired. This stat is even more impressive when considering that none of Germany’s prominent companies are located throughout the city.

What’s responsible for this shocking number of job seekers? First and foremost, Berlin is ranked the fourth-most desired city for startup professionals.

Studies compared 85 cities and assessed each through the scope of the following five categories:

• Startup Ecosystem
• Salary
• Social Security and Benefits
• Cost of Living
• Quality of Life

Berlin scored extremely high in the ‘Startup Ecosystem’ category, as well as excelling with ‘Cost of Living’.

For further context, London has always been considered a hub for startups. However, it only finished 43rd on the list of top cities for these organizations. In direct contrast to Berlin, specifically, the high cost of living in London makes it comparatively undesirable.

Even when stacked up against another noted startup hub in Paris, Berlin’s ecosystem is superior.

After reading all this information, you might be wondering exactly how it all applies to you as an international professional with dreams of conquering the Berlin business scene.

Well, allow us to clarify any confusion. Top international talent is responsible for much of the strength of the community and ecosystem that helps Berlin’s startup scene thrive.

Most relevantly, if you don’t yet speak any German, the startup scene is your best bet to find employment.

“You need neither an Ivy League degree nor a German passport to succeed in Berlin”

Founder and CEO of Factory Berlin, Udo Schloemer, proudly proclaims that you need neither an Ivy League degree nor a German passport to succeed in the city. It’s a place where a startup is developed every 20 minutes—meaning talent and founders from all over the world are welcome to open shop. With a wealth of available capital, education, and training opportunities, the innovative tech-forward businesses are responsible for Berlin’s ascent up the startup food-chain.

As such, we provide you with a helpful list of the best websites that’ll help you find a job at a startup in Berlin or a traditional corporate in Germany:

**CORONA-19 Resource to find companies still hiring  

• This amazing resource has been set up by a German HR veteran to support job seekers during the CORONA-19 pandemic. It contains contact details and information about companies still hiring during the Corona pandemic:
  techhiringcorona 

Startup job boards to find your dream job in Berlin and beyond

• Berlinstartupjobs – Job board for Berlin (and German startup jobs). In English and German.
• Gruenderszene – Gründerszene is one of the most relevant and far-reaching online magazines for the startup scene and the digital economy in Germany. With up-to-the-minute news and background information, specialist and video contributions as well as analyzes, opinion articles, and reports, Gründerszene reaches more than 1,400,000 unique users per month.
• Germany Startup Jobs
• Startup Sucht
• StartUpers
  

Also, governmental institutions run Job Portals worth having a look at:

• Make it in Germany 

Government job portals for foreign talents in in-demand industries in Berlin:

• Talent Berlin – Job opportunities curated by BerlinPartners job board Talent Berlin

Now, here’s a list of some of the best resources to help you find an English-speaking job in Berlin:

• The Local  
• X-Pat Jobs 

If you are looking for a job at a tech startup in Berlin or beyond, you should have a look at these resources:

• talent.io – Reverse-recruiting platform for tech talent in Europe 
• Honeypot – Online tech matching marketplace for IT professionals.  
• t3n
• truffls – Tech matching platform 
• GermanTechJobs

You are willing to relocate to Berlin, then have a look at these resources offering a relocation package:  Relocate

Lastly, we’ve also provided you with resources to find jobs in Berlin through the more known and general job boards: 

• Stepstone – Founded in 1996, StepStone is one of the most successful online job boards, operates in over 20 countries, part of the job board portfolio of Axel Springer Digital Classifieds GmbH. 

• Monster – Still one of the largest job boards / CV databases around. 

• LinkedIn Jobs 

• Indeed

If You Can’t Speak German, Why not Giving it a Try to Start Learning

There’s no doubting the sheer magnitude of Berlin’s startup scene. However – last we checked – the human population doesn’t consist of a bunch of clones. Therefore, we’re guessing not all of you are attracted to the startup culture, which involves enough tech and innovation to bore people uninterested in those genres to tears.

Still, if you don’t speak German, the startup scene is your most viable option. And if you insist on not learning the language, you better start boning up on your tech jargon and be ready to ‘fake it until you make it,’ so to speak. 

While we can sugar-coat this blog and treat you like children, you aren’t a child. You’re a full-grown, educated adult looking to make waves in the Berlin business scene—even if you do still enjoy candy and video games.

Therefore, we’ll give it to you straight. By opting out of learning German, you’ll be limiting your employment opportunities and career growth potential drastically.

Firstly, although Berlin’s startups don’t necessarily require fluent German speakers, it’s an increasingly competitive field. Eventually, something like the ability to communicate in the country’s native tongue will make a difference to hiring managers.

On top of that, you’ll find that despite finding some success as a non-German-speaking employee in Berlin, you’ll possibly hit a ceiling at some point at your career. Chances are high that your German-speaking colleagues will get promoted before you do due to their superior communication skills. 

Plus, even if you landed a role in one of Berlin’s international work environments, the chances are that the primary decision-makers in the company speak German. If you wish to converse and exchange ideas efficiently with these people to make a real impact at your place of employment, knowing German is a must.

What’s more? Say you’ve been doing well at your job and wish to negotiate a pay raise—but don’t speak German. You’re at an immediate disadvantage during negotiations because you’re lacking an attribute shared by most employees throughout the city.  

Don’t get us wrong. We aren’t saying that learning German is as easy as counting ‘eins, zwei, drei.’ It requires commitment and dedication. However, if you intend to realize all your career potential as an international professional in Berlin, incorporating the German language into your vernacular will take you to the top.

Section 2: Building Your Network

Getting Your Foot in the Door Before Moving to Berlin

If you’re moving to Berlin without any inroads or network connections linking you to the business infrastructure, perhaps you haven’t thought things through.

Think about the notion of uprooting your entire life to go somewhere on a wing and a prayer, hoping that you’ll land something just by pounding the pavement. We’re not going to lie, the professional world is cruel and unforgiving to those without a solid fundamental plan in place to find work.

Realistically, the majority of employers based in Berlin are going to prefer international candidates who boast a proven track record of working for German companies. If you arrive in Berlin with nothing but hopes, dreams, and professional/educational credentials from your native country, you’ll be faced with an array of obstacles.

It’s fair for you to ask how you can get work in Germany without living here in the first place.

Though, for the sake of keeping you engaged in this blog, we’ll ask you to guess how…

…okay, you’ve had enough time to guess. If your answer was “lie about it on my resume,” that is both unethical and incorrect—though we appreciate your participation.

The correct answer lies in seeking out remote work from a German employer before you move to Berlin. Of course, there’s no guarantee you find this remote work. Still, it’ll give you a good idea of whether there’s a viable opportunity for you in the city. More importantly, you’ll plug yourself into a German professional pipeline without the risk of spending your life savings moving to Berlin. Then, if it doesn’t work out, you know to research another city or stay put wherever you are.

It’s worth noting that failing to land a remote role with a German company is the worst-case scenario with this option. The more likely circumstance is that you’ll find remote work and be able to gain significant experience with a German company while putting their name on your CV.

Such an addition to your resume will look favorable to Berlin-based employers. Plus, you’ll likely benefit from a reference provided by the company for which you did work.

So, if you have an enticing skillset, all you’ll need to do is utilize the resources below, and you can land a remote job in Germany. From there, you’ll vastly enhance your chances of landing a gig in Berlin before you make any geographically based decisions.

Here’s a great resource to find remote employment at a German startup or company: Remotive.io

Or directly get relocated to Berlin 

You already know you want to live in Germany and you are ready to relocate to Berlin? There are a lot of Berlin startups and companies supporting you with relocation. This is a resource you should have a look at Relocate.me 

Plugging Yourself into Networks is Essential to Finding Work in Berlin

Berlin’s professional networks are vast. Earlier, we referred to the city as a jungle, but if you aren’t plugged in, it can feel like a barren desert.

Frankly, decision-makers tend to hire people with which they share some manner of connection. It comes down to trust and accountability. Whereas hiring a complete stranger comes with a fear of the unknown.   

If you’re able to get yourself involved in the array of professional networks throughout Berlin, it’ll pay massive dividends in helping you find gainful employment.

How to Find Your Proverbial “Tribe” in Berlin

There is a wealth of co-working spaces throughout Berlin that you can leverage if you already live in or occasionally visit the city.

For instance, ‘The Factory’ pivoted from a co-working space to a community of more than 3000-plus members.

On the platform, you can communicate via Slack while utilizing the ‘Jobs’ Channels to streamline your hunt while simultaneously building upon your network.

Below, are further Slack channels and co-working spaces that’ll connect you with your ‘tribe’ of like-minded professionals who’ll connect you to the Berlin professional landscape:

The best coworking spaces in Berlin, as voted by the local ecosystem: startupguide 

Slack Communities with a focus on Berlin or Germany in general with a job section that you can join for free 

• Startup Berlin – Startup Berlin Chat Group is a 5500+ Members Slack-Chat for Berlin Startup People where you can connect and find work opportunities for freelancers and full-time jobs in Berlin. Request access here: startupberlin.slack.com
• Berlin Techs – Berlin Techs is a place for techies who live and work in the Berlin area to share, talk, organize and get to know each other. Plus it offers a job channel where you can find jobs in Berlin. Request access here: berlintechs.slack.com

Industry-Specific with Networking

Job search networking platforms aren’t enough to plug you into Berlin’s pipeline. You must go one step further and consider exactly where the professionals in your given industry can be found.

If you’re a marketer, where exactly is your future boss going to grab drinks? Provided you’re in Game Development, where would your potential colleagues get together to discuss the latest console releases.

There are digital groups on Slack Communities and groups on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Xing, for instance. The more specific to your desired profession, the better.

Whatever you do, don’t go into these groups expecting handouts.

Make sure to leave a good impression with these people by introducing yourself and communicate who you are before disclosing your professional discipline. Then, let the network know what you’re looking for—but remember to offer something of value first. And don’t hesitate to contact the community organizer to ask them about various network protocols. 

Ensure Your LinkedIn Profile is up to Standards  

It’s 2021—meaning you need a LinkedIn profile that follows optimal practices that impress potential employers.

Xing is Germany’s version of LinkedIn—we do not think it is necessary to have an account at Xing when you are already active on Linkedin. While there’s a free version, you may want to have a look and leverage its integrated job board.

Just like with LinkedIn, Xing allows you to join various industry-specific networks and groups that’ll enhance your chances for employment.

Do you want to learn more about finding your dream job in Germany? Then subscribe to our newsletter today 🚀