Recruitment To Germany 2018

Jobs are often advertised on recruitment as well as on company websites. Some international companies will have vacancies in both English and German.

It may be possible to find and apply for jobs from the UK, but there will usually be one or maybe two interviews before a job offer is made. They'll be with personnel (HR), which will focus on personality and motivation; and your potential line manager from your intended department, which will address technical knowledge and skills. They may be held together or separately. Psychological and aptitude tests are usual and assessment centres are often used for managerial positions.

A CV (lebenslauf) and covering letter (anschreiben) are usually required, rather than an application form. See application and CV advice for more details on how to construct a good CV, and Expatica for advice on applications and more.

Will your UK qualifications be recognised?

Following the Bologna Process and the creation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), UK qualifications are usually recognised by an employer.

Germany has 60+ regulated professions, including doctors, opticians and teachers, so if yours is one of them, contact the relevant professional association to get them recognised.

Vacancy sources

Job websites

• Academics.com – academic jobs in research and higher education in Germany.
• Bundesagentur für Arbeit – federal employment agency. Has a wide range of job vacancies, including internships (Praktika).
• 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.
• Jobware – management and specialist jobs, including internships.
• Staufenbiel – career portal for graduates and current students looking for internships, apprenticeships and other training opportunities.
• StepStone (Germany) – includes internships/work experience as well as a range of graduate jobs.
• Stellenanzeigen.de – lists job opportunities in a range of industries. 

Recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies are listed in the Gelbe Seiten (German Yellow Pages) (use the search term: Arbeitsvermittlung). Reputable agencies should also be members of the Federal Employers' Association of Personnel Service Providers – Bundesarbeitgeberverband der Personaldienstleister (BAP).

National and corporate members are also listed at World Employment Confederation.

Most EU nationals do not need a visa or work permit but citizens of non-EU countries may be required to have these documents. 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  Federal Foreign Office for full details.

If you are not a citizen of an EU member state, contact the German embassy in the country where you are to find out about visa regulations. A list of German embassies is available from the Federal Foreign Office website, under German Missions Abroad