What’s on this week? Germany isn’t a comfortable place to be at the moment. We’ve got your back with a vast assortment of free courses from Google (including certifications!) and Harvard job application templates for CVs and cover letters. We debate thank you notes after job interviews. We’re also (somewhat unwillingly) on Instagram now.

Personal News

🫣 Sometimes, I’m going to overshare and/or rant a bit.

Germany feels like a very weird place to be right now. 😳

This week alone, the country went on trial for genocide at the International Court of Justice, and police disbanded a peaceful Pro-Palestinian conference, which also resulted in at least two guest speakers being barred from entering Germany and being threatened with prison. The government’s efforts to selectively limit freedom of speech are puzzling, especially when actual Nazis are legally allowed to have public gatherings on days like May 1.

General Community News

🤝 News from our community.

⭐ Trends indicate that fewer people are using Google to search for readable, long-form content and that more people are using Instagram and TikTok instead. To remain somehow or somewhat relevant, I reluctantly created an Instagram account for The Berlin Life. Give us your support and follow us there. I promise lots of funny work memes and, in the not-too-far future, reels of me talking about working in Germany. 🙃

⭐ We still have open spots for our “Ladies Networking Dinner” on Wednesday, April 24. Come to meet other Berlin-based female professionals over a nice meal and drinks. Book your spot.

⭐ If you missed last week’s newsletter, give it a read: Take Time Off of Work and Get Additional Training Paid for by the German Government. If you’re new here, see the archives.

⭐ In last week’s poll, we asked the community: What is most important to you when accepting an offer from your new employer? Unsurprisingly, salary and benefits came in at 62%, a good work/life balance at 17%, and career growth, remote work options, and Innovative products/skilled staff tied at 7%.

⭐ Participate in this week’s poll – Do you send thank you notes after a job interview? Take the poll and see why sending a thank you note after an interview in Germany is important.

Food For Thought

💡 Interesting articles about the world of work and other random things.

⭐ From Sifted: Female-founded startups raised €1.9bn across 385 deals in the first three months of 2024. Among those deals were Berlin-based e-commerce aggregator Razor Group’s $100 million Series D, and Swedish longevity startup Sand Clinic’s €4m angel round, both in March.

⭐ This week on Twitter (because I don’t want to call it X), I:

⭐ Joyously discovered that you can now fill your medical prescriptions digitally in Germany;

⭐ 🤡 Got blocked by Daniel Ryan Spalding on Instagram for daring to question his narrow-minded politics;

⭐ Spotted a woman getting a ride on her friend’s cargo bike; and

⭐ Came to understand that Twitter’s overlord only likes speaking to the AfD, intentionally amplifying their voice.

⭐ 🤓 Google has launched 33 FREE courses with certificates. Take a look at this list and get your learning on!

⭐ Harvard also offers free CV and cover letter templates to assist you with your job search.

Companies Hiring

🇩🇪 German companies hiring right now.

⭐ DigitalService | Berlin

⭐ join.com | Berlin

⭐ jungwild.io | German-wide and remote

⭐ BMW Group | Germany-wide

⭐ Orange Quarter | Germany-wide

⭐ Lion Studios | Berlin

⭐ finbyte | Berlin and remote

German startups recently receiving funding could be good places to look for jobs.

⭐ Proxima Fusion | Munich | Jobs

⭐ Torg | Berlin | Jobs

⭐ zolar | Berlin | Jobs

⭐ Scavenger AI | Berlin | Jobs

Follow our LinkedIn page for even more job postings (and other good stuff). 💪​​

News in Germany

🗞️ All of the news in Germany.

⭐ German tax submission portal now available in English – In a tiny step forward for humanity, ELSTER is now available in (poorly translated) English using DeepL. 😲

⭐ Giant vertical garden to replace exploded aquarium at Berlin Radisson hotel – The still-closed Radisson plans to build a new 16-metre-high vertical garden.

⭐ Third of German firms skeptical about 2024 – German companies aren’t feeling good about the future; however, 23% expect an increase in job vacancies, and 34% of those in the service sector anticipate creating new jobs and attracting new investment.

⭐ Revealed: the picture sneaked by employee into a German gallery – A German museum worker snuck his painting into an exhibit, and people are debating if he did it for fame or to strike up controversy. Whatever it is, I’m here for it. 🎨

⭐ Germany passes law making it easier to legally change gender – In a nugget of good news, it will now be much simpler for people to legally change gender.

⭐ Record number of people travelled by rail in Germany in 2023 – Despite issues, there were 104.2 billion passenger kilometers recorded last year. Meanwhile, one German minister is threatening weekend driving bans. 🚂

⭐ German food and energy prices fall, inflation sinks to 2.2% – Yet, my weekly grocery bill doesn’t seem any cheaper. 🤔 Also, the German supermarket guide you never knew you needed.

⭐ Explore a maze of abandoned mines at Museumspark Rüdersdorf – For the keen urban explorers out there.

⭐ What does the extension of Germany’s rent brake law mean for tenants? – The current ban set to expire in 2025 will be extended until 2029. Unfortunately, this ban still doesn’t help many people and 75% of Berliners are still overpaying on rent.

⭐ Germany’s far-right AfD polling high, despite legal scrutiny – We urgently need to keep on “fighting the good fight” to keep Germany a decent place to live and work. See my intro paragraph. ☝️

⭐ Balcony solar panels see boom in Germany – During the first three months of 2024, Germans installed 50,000 new solar panel systems.

⭐ World’s oldest gorilla celebrates 67th birthday in Berlin – “When Fatou first moved to Berlin in 1959, the Berlin Wall was still two years away from being built. When it fell in 1989, she was still there.” 🥹

⭐ The divisive ‘Görlitzer Park Fence’ and why it’s destined to fail – 💯.

⭐ Berlin father sues state over failing to enshrine new paternity leave law – Unlike other EU countries, Germany failed to pass Vaterschaftsurlaub – which gives partners of parents who give birth paid leave.

How We Can Help

😇 The good stuff offered by the Berlin Life.

⭐ Connect with like-minded professionals in our community by adding your info to our LinkedIn Connect and Exchange list. You can also chat with others in our Facebook and Slack community spaces.

⭐ We offer career coaching (and other services), plus free guides to living, working, and moving to Berlin. Here’s a sampling of some of our guides:

⭐ Researching German Companies During Your Job Search
⭐ Build Your Network With These Berlin Startup Meetups
⭐ FAQ: Unsolicited (or Cold) Applications In Germany