JOB SEARCHES IN GERMANY ARE LASTING LONGER
What’s on this week?
Community members report job searches of 6+ months. Munich is the new darling for start-up hubs. German service businesses are outperforming their manufacturing counterparts. Tesla sales are down.
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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
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Personal News & Musings
🫣 Sometimes, I’ll overshare and/or rant a bit.
Happy belated International Women’s Day! Sending so much love to our FLINTA community members. 💕
I finally started working on getting German citizenship. As a first step, I attempted to book an appointment for the citizenship test. I soon learned that securing one is oddly almost more difficult than the test itself. After refreshing the related page for several days, I scored an appointment at the VHS in Spandau for May! Wish me luck. 💪
Community News
🤝 News from our community.
⭐ Our last poll asked: If you’ve been out of work over the past year in Germany, how long did it take for you to find a new job? It’s rough out there, folks. 132 people participated in the poll, and 50% reported that it’s taken them more than six months to find work.
⭐ Take part in this week’s poll: 🏙️ 🇩🇪 Which German city has the best quality of life?
⭐ Recent podcast episodes: Work and life were busy this week, so there is no new episode. 👉 If you’re new here, you can listen to past episodes and subscribe on YouTube or Spotify.
⭐ This week’s featured Berlin Life guides: I updated two of our existing guides. 👉 Read all our 50+ free guides to living and working in Germany.
🌟 Picked by Locals: Our Favourite Bars for Craft Beer in Berlin – Sadly removed a classic spot due to its recent closure, but added two new spots based on community member recommendations.
🌟 How Much Does it Cost to Move to Germany? – Updated with fresh information and a new companion expense tracker. 💵
⭐ ICYMI: Last week’s edition – The Top 25 Growing Jobs in Germany. 👉 For more, browse our archives.
⭐ Our events: We had a great community mixer on Thursday. Thanks to everyone for coming out. 👉 Subscribe to our events calendar to avoid missing out on future events.
⭐ Berlin events: 💐 Talent Crunch Berlin has two great ones coming up – The Power of Inclusion: Workshops and Stories on Inclusive Actions Shaping the Future of DEI and DEI Beyond the Optics: Moving from Tokenism to Structural Change. Another good one – Tech Workers Conference 2025 in Berlin.
⭐ Berlin Life Hack: If you’re a UI/UX researcher/designer in Berlin, check out the Berlin Design Network. You’ll find jobs, events, and other resources. 👉 See more Berlin Life Hacks.
Food For Thought
💡 Interesting articles about the world of work and other random things.
The World of Work
⭐ The American tech broligarchy is all in with their desire to turn regular people into slaves.
🌟 Just think, if you work 60 hour weeks and go to the office each day, you can help Google win the AI race. 🤡
🌟 The US wants all government workers in the office, but the new FBI head is somehow exempt?! Government workers who lost their jobs have become targets of Russia and China.
⭐ Women face bias in hiring processes; here’s how to reduce that bias.
⭐ Despite a 12% decrease in funding for women-founded startups in Europe in 2024, the size of funding rounds and the number of exits for these companies increased.
⭐ The top startup hubs in Europe, with Munich repping for Germany.
All Things Tech
⭐ Social media oldies might remember Digg. It’s coming back to the internet.
⭐ The tech industry’s middle class of software engineers is vanishing as AI empowers product builders and increases the demand for more elite engineers.
⭐ Cortical Labs developed a revolutionary ‘biological computer‘ by integrating human neurons with silicon chips, paving the way for advanced AI and deeper insights into brain function.
Random Life Things
⭐ During tough times, we need to lean into resilience – a skill that can be cultivated through specific practices and mindsets.
⭐ When depression makes getting out of bed feel impossible, follow these steps.
⭐ If you want to maintain sharp memory, do this one thing.
⭐ Why introverts often find writing easier than speaking.
Companies Hiring
🇩🇪 Companies in Germany hiring right now.
⭐ Eye Security – Various German Cities | Jobs (11 openings)
⭐ Numa – Various German Cities | Jobs (8 openings)
⭐ Sumup – Various German Cities | Jobs (112 openings)
⭐ Tenth Revolution – Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt | Jobs (9 openings)
⭐ Visa – Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich | Jobs (14 openings)
🇩🇪 German startups that recently raised new funding also have vacancies.
⭐ Alpine Eagle – €10.25 M | Munich | Jobs
⭐ Conceptboard – €10 M | Stuttgart | Jobs
⭐ Hello Better – €6 M | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ Ineratec – €40 M | Karlsruhe | Jobs
⭐ Needle – €2 M | Berlin | Jobs
⭐ Radical Dot – €2.7 M | Munich | Jobs
General News
⭐ Germany builds more wind turbines than any other EU country.
⭐ To celebrate International Women’s Day, Deutsche Bahn operated an all-women-run train from Berlin to Frankfurt, highlighting women’s contributions in the railway industry.
⭐ Travelling on Monday? Check whether your flight will be cancelled due to planned strikes at 10 German airports.
⭐ Berlin’s mayor wants to ease BER’s night flight ban, but faces opposition from those seeking stricter noise restrictions.
Politics & Economy
⭐ Germany’s top businesses are shifting from industry to services, with firms like SAP and Allianz outperforming their local rivals.
⭐ The new government plans to finally lift the debt brake to fund massive military defense and infrastructure investments.
⭐ Germany’s slow economy might be revived as car factories pivot to making tanks and other military supplies.
⭐ Protesters targeted a Tesla showroom at the Mall of Berlin, throwing blue paint on the windows. Meanwhile, Tesla sales in Germany went down by 70%.
⭐ A recent dating app survey showed surprising LGBTQ+ support for Germany’s far-right AfD.
⭐ Germany has warned its transgender citizens to avoid travel to the US. A survey also shows that Germans no longer see the US as a reliable and trustworthy ally.
⭐ Berlin launched a new hotline to help tenants understand their rights regarding rent reductions, offering legal advice and other support.
⭐ Pensions will increase by 3.74% in 2025, boosting retirees’ incomes.
Immigration & Labor Market
⭐ Many people in Germany have jobs, but somehow find themselves homeless.
⭐ A handy guide from Red Tape Translation about how working for a foreign company may be possible when living in Germany.
⭐ The German postal service plans to cut more than 8,000 jobs.
⭐ Eight German AI startups to watch – and perhaps, apply for a job. 😉
⭐ Germany lags in boardroom gender equality due to deep-rooted corporate culture, gender norms, and structural barriers, despite legal quotas and slow progress in increasing female leadership.
⭐ Some idiots think that cutting maternity leave benefits for mothers will help “save” the German economy.
Fun, Interesting, and/or Useful
⭐ Rostock’s not playing. You need to be 100% naked on naturist beaches. If you ever wondered if Germans swim naked, read this.
⭐ There’s a new pair of baby kangaroos at Berlin’s zoo. 🥺
⭐ The Berliner has rounded up the best new places to eat in Berlin during March, as well as the best events this month.
⭐ An exhibition “Women in Divided Germany” explores the differing experiences of women in East and West Germany.
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.
⭐ Subscribe to local newsletters: 20% Berlin.
⭐ Ask questions about living and working in Germany, and join our chat. 💬
❤️ If you like what we do, support our work.
How has your job search in Germany been going? Is it taking you more than half a year to find a job? Share your experience in the comments.
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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.