Since March 2020, it has become easier to get a job in Germany in work specialties. To obtain a visa, you must find a job on your own. We tell you where to look for it and how a specialist with secondary vocational education is sure to respond to a vacancy advertisement.

Applying for a vacancy in a job specialty

For starters, in Germany, applying for a job is taken very seriously. There are certain requirements for its structure, which we wrote about earlier. In short: the application consists of a cover letter, curriculum vitae and testimonials and certificates. And that pattern is the same for everyone. But if, in the case of highly qualified specialists, the employer pays attention to writing style and literacy, companies looking for workers do not attach much importance to every misplaced comma. “The content is much more important to them: what kind of work the specialist did, where he worked, what he can do. Regarding the application form, the requirements are not that high. German Federal Labor Agency. But it is better not to refuse certificates (for example, a copy of a diploma with a translation into German), certificates (in language knowledge) and letters of recommendation from previous jobs – a German employer loves this kind of evidence of experience and knowledge.

If you don’t see the jobs you’re interested in, but you’d really like to work at a particular company, you can try applying on your own. However, one should not get too much hope: workers in Germany are most sought after by small and medium-sized companies with a limited number of employees. The Federal Labor Agency advises those who think it’s important to find a job in a certain region or city to do so, and if small businesses don’t respond for a long time, don’t give up. Unlike large companies with personnel departments in small companies, the boss often does everything – including the selection of candidates, and he may simply lose sight of some application. It’s best to ask again, and in general, briefly inform the employer in advance by phone or email of your interest in the job or venture, and ask if it’s possible to apply.

Occupation: who has a chance in Germany

In Germany, there is a virtual call center for specialists from abroad (Virtuelles Welcome Center). This year alone, more than 17,000 people without higher education have already applied here – including nearly 240 from Russia. The center’s staff advise on employment in the German market. Questions can be asked by email ([email protected]), by phone (+49 228 713 1313) and via chat. Here, if you have specific intentions, you will be asked for an action plan, and with a good assessment of the odds, your documents will be transferred even further – to the employment service for foreign personnel.

When are the odds good? “The knowledge of the German language must be at least at the A2 level. In the craft sector, most workers do not speak other languages. German is important for communicating with colleagues and understanding the boss’s instructions”, explains DW in the Internationaler Department of personal service of the Federal Employment Agency. With rare exceptions, English is also required – in companies serving customers from other countries.

Knowing the German language is especially important for specialists with professional training.

For a successful job search, recognition of qualifications in Germany is inevitable. One of the requirements is professional training lasting at least two years. This qualification is verified against German standards. If there are not enough training modules, but there is work experience or advanced training, then all this will be taken into account. In the best case, an equivalent certificate of qualification is issued, with which you can obtain a visa. In the worst case, deficiencies can be identified. Most of the time it’s Germany-specific things like knowledge of DIN standards or data protection. With this certificate, you can also apply for a job, but you will have to fill in the gaps – take courses or professional training in the company. For this knowledge of German should be better: at the level of B1 or even B2. And, of course, the employer must be ready to hire this employee and offer him the opportunity to improve his qualifications in parallel with the work.

The Federal Labor Agency advises applying for recognition of qualifications before looking for a job. At least to find out what your profession is properly called in Germany. Just for electronics specialists there are several dozen designations. The Virtuelles Welcome Center will tell you where to apply and what documents are required.

where to look for vacancies

You can find out who is needed in Germany today by consulting the list of few employees with secondary vocational education, compiled by the Federal Employment Agency. The agency explains that workers are mainly needed in the construction sector, but there are few vacancies in the metal processing area due to the fact that many companies in the automotive industry have suffered from the coronavirus crisis. Nursing and elderly care professionals, cooks, truck and locomotive drivers, mechatronics assemblers, educators – most of the professions on the list are still relevant.

Vacancies can be seen on the Federal Employment Agency’s exchange – this is Germany’s largest job exchange. Job advertisements are also published on the Make it in Germany portal. It is worth looking at the main job sites: Monster.de, Stepstone.de, Indeed.de. There are also specialized job exchanges, for example in the construction industry – Bau-stellen.de or Bau.de, in the energy production industry – Energiejobs.de. You can also search on Google by setting your profession in the search engine. Well, if you have specific ideas about the city or employer, it’s best to view ads on local job exchanges or directly on the companies’ website.