ON BEING GRATEFUL TO HAVE A JOB RIGHT NOW
What’s on this week?
Reflections on the job market in Germany. Our community has a bleak outlook on the economy. A job rejection 48 years later. One in seven Berliners are depressed.
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Personal News & Musings
🫣 Sometimes, I’ll overshare and/or rant a bit.
A recruiter I follow posted a message this week: “Be grateful to have a job right now.”
That simple message resonated with me. We’ve seen massive layoffs in Germany over the past two years and may see way more. Times have changed, opportunities aren’t as abundant, and it’s taking people longer to find work. There are also fewer English-speaking jobs available in the local market.
We haven’t even seen AI’s impact yet. Companies like Klarna and Salesforce plan to lay off hundreds of people due to automation made possible by AI. If these trends continue, our future will look a whole lot different.
It’s got me thinking about how to remain relevant and what future-proof actions I can take. My first thought was to enroll in a German class to upgrade my language skills—it fits into my plans as I want to get dual citizenship anyway. In the meantime, I cling to the comfort of having a job and feel immensely grateful.
During this time, we should support one another as much as possible. Small actions can have a considerable impact on someone else’s life. If your company is hiring, refer a friend. Give shoutouts to former colleagues on LinkedIn. Ask your network who’s hiring and share those opportunities on social media. Send your friends to local events where networking is welcomed.
For any of our community members looking for work, hang in there! Keep up your search—it may take longer, but something will eventually happen. And see the footer of this email for information about how The Berlin Life can help you.
Community News
🤝 News from our community.

⭐ Our last poll asked: How do you feel about Germany’s future economic prospects? Our community thinks it’s looking grim, as 39% of respondents claimed to feel pessimistic, and another 30% said they didn’t know.
⭐ Take part in this week’s poll: On Being Grateful to Have a Job Right Now.
⭐ This week’s featured Berlin Life guides: Why It’s So Important To Learn German in Berlin and Why Knowing Salary Ranges In Germany Is Essential.
⭐ Read last week’s newsletter: People Are Still Happy to Change Jobs Right Now. For our past editions, visit the archives.
⭐ Check out our partners and save your precious Euros: Find an apartment in Germany with Homelike. Use BERLINLIFE50 for €50 off your first booking.
Food For Thought
💡 Interesting articles about the world of work and other random things.

⭐ Looking to make some extra money on the side? Consider these passive income ideas.
⭐ A timeline with predictions of the future of work – all the way to 2074.
⭐ A 40-year CEO shares HER secret to productivity and how she prioritizes her work after founding a successful business.
⭐ A woman in the UK received a rejection of her job application … 48 years later. She’d applied to be a stunt rider!
⭐ Gen Z is experiencing more wealth than previous generations, and I’m soooo darn jealous.
⭐ Nintendo is making an alarm clock so you can wake up to Mario and Zelda sounds.
⭐ President Macron wants Emily in Paris, to stay in Paris even though the show has teased her move to Rome. I think an Emily in Berlin would be way more entertaining.
⭐ Plastic bottle caps in Europe have been redesigned to reduce litter and are blowing tourists’ minds.
Companies Hiring
🇩🇪 Companies in Germany hiring right now.
⭐ Deutsche Welle (Berlin & Bonn, 10 jobs, DE &/or EN required – other languages a bonus)
⭐ Hashtag You (Berlin, 2 jobs, DE & EN required)
⭐ innn.it (Berlin, 1 job, EN required, DE strongly desired)
⭐ Skyseed (Berlin & Külsheim, 4 jobs, DE required)
⭐ Wayfair (Berlin & Lich, 28 jobs, DE &/or EN required)
⭐ WePlanet (Remote in Germany, 1 job, EN C1 required)
🇩🇪 German startups that recently raised new funding also have vacancies.
⭐ Building Radar (€6.5 M) | Munich | Jobs
⭐ forward earth (€4.5 M) | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ Hypros (Undisclosed) | Lübeck | Jobs
⭐ Nelly (€100 M) | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ Phantasma Labs (Undisclosed seven figures) | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ PropTech Mietz (Undisclosed seven figures) | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ Purpose Green ($15 M) | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ Spiritory (Undisclosed 6 figures) | Munich | Jobs
⭐ Unify ($12 M) | Hamburg | Jobs
ℹ️ We share new job postings every single day on LinkedIn. Follow us.
General Happenings
⭐ Three German universities made it into the world’s top 50.
⭐ Official stats from the health insurance companies confirm that 450,000 people in Berlin are depressed. That’s one in seven people.
⭐ Thankfully, Berlin was able to avoid a kita strike, and speaking of kids, there are also major plans to reform Germany’s adoption laws.
⭐ The German government plans to launch an app that allows you to show a digital form of ID. Sadly, it’s limited to German citizens only.
Politics & Economy
⭐ Berlin hasn’t been “poor but sexy” for the longest time, and it’s now one of the three most expensive cities in the country.
⭐ Germans fear many things, and the rising cost of living is one of them.
⭐ Rents will increase for 90,000 tenants in Berlin next year as state-owned landlords have little choice but to raise the monthly fees.
Labor Market
⭐ Tesla recently sent managers to visit sick employees at home, but can they do that?
⭐ Family-owned businesses in Germany need to groom their next generation but struggle to find people to fill the positions. Could this be an opportunity for others?
⭐ A sign of the times, forming unions is on the rise in Germany.
Immigration Insights
⭐ Do you need to learn German to work in Germany? The answer is more complex than you might think.
⭐ The FDP has proposed a law allowing non-EU residents to vote in local elections.
⭐ Not Germany, but relatable: Hear stories first-hand from immigrants who migrated to the EU, one living in Rome and another in Sofia.
Fun, Interesting, and/or Useful
⭐ Berlin was named the City of the Year in the Food and Travel Awards.
⭐ Aside from Haribo, have you ever wondered if there are bears in Germany?
⭐ Take a spooky Halloween-themed day trip from Berlin to the ruins of Beelitz-Heilstätten.
⭐ A gigantic butternut squash, 62.2 kilos in weight, garnered Germany a world record for being the heaviest one grown to date.
⭐ A German language controversy is in the making, with purists claiming English has too much influence after the approval of the “idiot’s apostrophe.”
⭐ A post from Berlin Reguided once again smashes that myth about Germany’s efficiency.
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?
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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.