What’s on this week? 

Berlin ranked as the third happiest city on the planet, but where are the happy people? We still have a few spots open for our next meetup on Tuesday, and we would love to see you there. AC/DC is something that legends are made of. We want to know how you feel about life in Germany.

Personal News & Musings

🫣 Sometimes, I’ll overshare and/or rant a bit.

⭐ I finally lived out a childhood dream and saw AC/DC live in Dresden this week. While I am not an ardent fan, I’ve always liked them and wanted to experience their music in person. It was A LOT of fun – they shook me all night long. The average age of the band members is 65. They take great joy in performing; you can feel it as an audience member. They perfectly epitomize my life goals, as I want to live with that much zest when I’m that age.

⭐ I also attended the Tech Jobs Fair and helped moderate a talented speaker line-up. I heard soooo many inspiring talks and will share some insights in the coming newsletters. There’s a lot to unpack! As a bonus, I was a little less nervous moderating this time.

Community News

🤝 News from our community.

⭐ Our next community event is on Tuesday, June 26, and we still have some spots. Join us for beers at the stunning Cafe am Neuen See and meet some cool Berliners. Sign me up. 

⭐ This week’s featured Berlin Life guides include: What Are The Best Berlin Job Search Websites? and Avoiding Embarrassing German Interview Mistakes: Dos and Don’ts.

⭐ Read last week’s newsletter, Students in Germany Are Set to Get More Financial Assistance. For past editions, dig into our archives.

⭐ Take part in this week’s poll: As a foreigner in Germany, how good do you feel about living here right now? When answering, consider political developments, quality of life, and your daily challenges. 

Food For Thought

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

⭐ If you regularly attend meetings or interview frequently, learn what negative body language signals to avoid.

⭐ Have early conversations with yourself early in your career to make better-informed decisions about where to direct your career.

⭐ Companies are cracking down on those who pretend to work remotely. Find out how to avoid the surveillance.

⭐ Futurist Ray Kurzweil predicts how AI is going to transform our physical world.

⭐ The €1 B Nato Innovation Fund has announced some of its first investments, with Munich-based ARX Robotics landing some cash to further evolve its autonomous, modular unmanned ground vehicles and robotic systems for both military and commercial applications.

⭐ Happy people are more successful, and here’s why.

Companies Hiring 

🇩🇪 German companies that are hiring right now. 

⭐ Forever Day One (Berlin, 6 jobs, requires fluent German)

⭐ Sparrow (Berlin, 1 job, English required & German a plus)

⭐ Automation Factory (Berlin & Munich, 3 jobs, fluent German required)

⭐ eLearnio (Berlin, 3 jobs, fluent German required)

⭐ Shook Digital (Berlin, 3 jobs, English required & German a plus)

⭐ Mimecast (Munich, 2 jobs, English & German fluency required)

⭐ KNIME (Berlin, 6 jobs, English required & German a plus, does not help with relocation)

German startups that recently received funding.

⭐ Isar Aerospace (€65 M) | Munich | Jobs

⭐ Atmio (€5,1 M) | Hamburg | Jobs

⭐ forward earth (€3.2 M) | Berlin | Jobs (Bonus points for employing a gender-diverse team!)

⭐ StoryBox (€5.5 M) | Munich | Jobs

⭐ mika (€800 K) | Berlin | Jobs

ℹ️ We post new jobs on LinkedIn every single day. Follow us to learn about employment opportunities in Germany (and other bonus content). 💪​​

News in Germany

🗞️ All of the news in Germany.

⭐ Berlin was named the third happiest city in the world on the 2024 Happy City Index. Have they tried making friends here?

⭐ Amazon plans to invest €10 M in Germany, upgrade its data facilities in Frankfurt, build two new offices, and hire 4,000 new employees.

⭐ IG Metall, one of Germany’s largest trade unions with almost four million employees, is asking for a 7% raise.

⭐ Do you know which German companies are the biggest employers? Read this article and start applying for jobs.

⭐ While it’s possible to sign new employment contracts with German companies digitally, you must submit your notice on paper when you quit. (Read our guide to quitting your job in Germany.)

⭐ The Ministry of Education and Research has funded a Robotics Institute, a project to last at least four years.

⭐ Fans attending Euro 2024 have been surprised by dramatic transit delays and finding out that German efficiency is a myth.

⭐ Government officials met this week to discuss bunker availability in a war. Not a single public or civil bunker is deemed viable.

⭐ Applications for 189 services offered by Berlin authorities are only possible via fax (or carrier pigeon).

⭐ The Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs, and Spatial Development (BBSR) predicts what the German population will look like in 2045. (paid article on The Local)

⭐ Germany still imports most of its energy, which needs to change if the country wants to remain a leading world economy.

⭐ After the recent election, Germany may have faired slightly better than other European countries, but Scholz’s coalition is barely holding on. Settling the budget will prove challenging.

⭐ Seeking to rival Apple Pay and PayPal’s services, the European Payments Initiative (EPI) is launching a new payment system called “wero.”

⭐ Inflation went down, and everything is still super expensive, but go ahead and make it more expensive to indulge in a sugary drink – German states support introducing a soft drink tax.

⭐ Changes are coming to the so-called German “TV tax,” which is really just a fee to fund public broadcasting. There’s a lot you need to know. (paid article on The Local)

⭐ Find out how to experience the best possible summer in Berlin.

⭐ If you’re a fan of pub quizzes, read this guide to the scene in Berlin.

How We Can Help

😇 Good stuff from the Berlin Life.

⭐ Connect with like-minded professionals through our LinkedIn Connect and Exchange list.

⭐ Chat with others in our Facebook and Slack community spaces.

⭐ Attend one of our many networking events.

⭐ Benefit from our career coaching (and other services).

⭐ Read our 50+ free guides to living, working, and moving to Berlin.