A 4 DAY WORKWEEK IN GERMANY?
What’s on this week?
Germany’s 4 day workweek pilot shows promise. Wired profiled Berlin’s hottest startups. Insights into East & West Germany’s phantom borders. Germany’s AI travel influencer gives all the icks.
Join Our Community
Stay Ahead of the Game: Get the latest news on immigration, job opportunities, and life in Germany delivered straight to your inbox.
Expert Career Advice: Benefit from my 10 years of experience as a career coach. From CV workshops to personalized coaching, I’ve got you covered.
Insider Tips & Guides: Access 50+ free guides to living, working, and moving to Berlin. Whether navigating bureaucracy or finding the best local spots, I’m here to help you easily navigate life in Germany.
Community Events & Networking: Join our events to connect with like-minded professionals, make new friends, and build your network in Berlin.
Authentic Stories: Enjoy a personal touch from me with stories, rants, and reflections that make the newsletter informative and enjoyable.
⭐ “Can I just say, even though I live in Munich and am not looking for a job – I LOVE your newsletter. Anyone who is a German expat should sign up for it – a lot of value, humanity, and humor in there.”
- Eleanor, Munich
⭐ “Thank you, Cheryl! Always find your newsletters brilliantly written and full of useful tips and insights! 🙏”
- Liudmyla, Germany
⭐ “Always short and sweet - if you want a sharp update on Berlin life, this newsletter will help you keep up with the latest topics.”
- Alexandra, Berlin
⭐ “Just wanted to pop in and say your page on LinkedIn, as well as the newsletter, are amazing and provide so much value - and relatable stories. ☺️ 🌼” - Arunima, Berlin
Don’t miss out on the insights, support, and opportunities that The Berlin Life offers. Subscribe now to become part of a community here to help you thrive in Germany.
Personal News & Musings
🫣 Sometimes, I’ll overshare and/or rant a bit.
Following last week’s musings about the importance of learning German, I thought that sharing examples of typical language requirements for jobs in Germany would be helpful.
I don’t have any hard data, but I can tell you my general impressions. I scour job portals daily to not only share opportunities with you, but also observe what the market is demanding from candidates.
These are my personal reflections:
⭐ English jobs seem very limited right now, even in tech.
⭐ Most, if not almost all, jobs require German fluency, usually at a B or C level.
⭐ There is a growing trend requiring fluency in both English and German.
Below are examples of language requirements I saw recently for open roles:
⭐ Business fluent in English and German. German fluency is a must, since you will be interfacing in German with auditors, medical experts and other non-English speaking external stakeholders.
⭐ You are fluent in German and English, as communication with stakeholders is mainly in German and our developers in English.
⭐ You have business-fluent German and conversational English skills.
Read last week’s newsletter: The Importance of Learning German. You can also peruse our archives.
Community News
🤝 News from our community.
⭐ Our last poll asked: How do you like to build your professional network? 63% of our respondents say attending informal events helps them the most.
⭐ Take part in this week’s poll: Are you hyped for a four day workweek potentially being a perk of working in Germany?
⭐ This week’s featured Berlin Life guides: Practical Ways To Save Money In Germany and A Practical Guide To Negotiating Salary In Germany.
⭐ Social media milestones galore:
🌟 We’re close to 3,000 people on Substack, with a recent injection of new subscribers. Welcome newbies!
🌟We hit 2000 on LinkedIn and 1,100 on Threads, the latter of which is impressive, considering we only had about 150 followers a couple of weeks ago.
🌟 I made it to 5,000 on Twitter after being on the platform … for 15 years.
⭐ Do you know you can win a free job application review or career coaching session if you refer people?
⭐ I was on the EETF podcast (Everything Except the Football), where a fellow Canadian interviewed me about living and working in Germany.
⭐ You can also get occasional emails about our women’s events on our separate mailing list.
⭐ A Berlin-based startup is calling for a female founder to join their team. If you’re into sustainability and tech, get in touch.
Food For Thought
💡 Interesting articles about the world of work and other random things.
⭐ It’s an oldie but a goodie – 70% of German men lie on their CVs.
⭐ This mind-blowing graphic depicts East and West Germany’s phantom borders, showing income inequality, unemployment disparities, and more.
⭐ Mark Cuban (perhaps the future owner of Twitter) shares the top three skills you’ll need to navigate the future job market.
⭐ Why so many Gen Z employees are getting fired and why it’s more complicated than you might think.
⭐ One of the biggest “trends” in the world of work is hiring white men to fill executive positions.
⭐ America’s Chipotle is using a new AI recruiter that’s reduced hiring times by 75%.
⭐ The world’s smallest Rubik’s Cube requires tweezers to move or rotate and comes with the hefty price tag of $5,250 US.
⭐ Talent Crunch Berlin recommends creating an “anti-CV,” and it’s something I’ll be trying myself soon.
Companies Hiring
🇩🇪 Companies in Germany hiring right now.
⭐ Choco (Berlin, 11 jobs, EN required)
⭐ Omio (Berlin, 15 jobs, DE &/or EN required)
⭐ Snowflake (Berlin, Munich, & remote, 20 jobs, EN required)
⭐ SongPush (Berlin, 6 jobs, EN & DE required)
⭐ SumUp (Berlin, 55 jobs, EN required)
🇩🇪 German startups that recently raised new funding also have vacancies.
⭐ Autarkize (€2.3 M) | Pfronten | Jobs
⭐ Dryad Networks (€6.3 M) | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ Dunia.ai (€10.6 M) | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ 🇩🇪 Enpal (€1.4 B) | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ Exomatter (€1.7 M) | Munich | Jobs
🇩🇪 Padel-City (€3 M) | Munich | Jobs
⭐ Passionfroot (€3.8 M) | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ Rebike (€13 M) | Munich | Jobs
⭐ Recyda (€6.3 M) | Freiburg | Jobs
* 🇩🇪 The linked article is in German.
ℹ️ We share new job postings daily on LinkedIn. Follow us.
General Happenings
⭐ The Berlin-Hamburg train line is about to get 5G.
⭐ The number of births in Germany is on a steep decline.
⭐ Smokers are going to hate, hate, hate, but a new EU plan would see a clamp down on smoking.
⭐ Lieferando no longer only delivers takeout – they also deliver items from your local Apotheken.
⭐ German politicians have taken up the issue of menopause, but at this point, it’s mostly an “election performance” move.
Politics & Economy
⭐ Wired profiled the hottest startups in Berlin.
⭐ Aldi now offers cashback on purchases over €1.
⭐ Lilium, the German flying taxi company, didn’t get their state bailout and had to file for bankruptcy.
⭐ The aviation industry is demanding lower taxes for their carriers to operate in Germany.
⭐ Plans to build an EV microchip factory are now on hold.
⭐ In a country that loves all things paper, Germany is trying to compete with the US and China in AI.
Labor Market
⭐ 90% of people participating in a German-wide 4-day workweek pilot reported positive developments.
⭐ The Bundestag has approved another round of changes through the Bureaucracy Reduction Act, permitting employers to keep employment contracts digital.
Immigration Insights
⭐ Germany and India are strengthening ties by offering more visas for skilled workers.
⭐ Op-ed: A new immigrant to Germany shares her thoughts on the recent border protection measures.
⭐ A must-watch – Nurse Chi shares her experience of living in Germany.
Fun, Interesting, and/or Useful
⭐ The German tourism board has launched an AI travel influencer, and it’s giving alllll the icks.
⭐ A Berlin problem, if there ever was one – a plethora of wild boars.
⭐ A German 3-year-old, dubbed a “Mini-Picasso,” has foolish people buying up all his artwork.
⭐ Visit: A list of Berlin’s schnitzel hotspots.
How We Can Help
😇 Good stuff from the Berlin Life.
⭐ Get help preparing for job interviews and creating standout job applications through our career coaching and review services.
⭐ Connect with other professionals in Germany with our LinkedIn Connect & Exchange list.
⭐ Settle into your new life in Germany and save money with our partners on insurance, banking, and more.
⭐ Read our 50+ free guides to living, working, and moving to Germany.
⭐ Ask questions about living and working in Germany, and join our chat. 💬
❤️ Thanks for being part of our community. Support us by buying us a beer.
How are you feeling about your work situation right now? Are you grateful to have a job?
RELATED CONTENT
International Students Are Good for Germany
International Students Are Good for Germany. Gender pay gaps aren’t improving, nor is racism and discrimination. 15 funded German startups.
Berlin Has a High Quality of Life
Berlin has a high quality of life. A revamped salary negotiation guide. Unbridled racism in hiring. The German economy en route to recovery?!
Job Searches in Germany Are Lasting Longer
Job searches in Germany are longer, with community members reporting durations of 6+ months. Munich is the new darling for start-up hubs.
Cheryl Howard, Founder @ The Berlin Life
Hi, I’m Cheryl. My mission is to help you move to Berlin and find work.
A Canadian in Berlin for 10+ years, I have the unique experience of moving to Berlin – not once, but twice. During my time in Berlin, I’ve had five different visas and worked as both a freelancer and a permanent employee for numerous Berlin companies. I even managed to find a new job during the pandemic and again in 2023, during Germany’s recession and massive layoffs in tech.
My day job has involved work as a hiring manager, overseeing the recruitment of countless people, as well as a team coach helping teams and individuals work better and find happiness in their careers. Through my side projects, I’ve also shared my personal experiences by publishing a series of helpful blog posts, creating a thriving community of job seekers, and hosting events to help people find work in Berlin. In 2021, I decided to put my coaching and recruiting talents to use by creating The Berlin Life, bringing my existing content and community together in one spot.
The combination of my personal and professional experience means I know exactly what it takes to move to Berlin and find work.