• 3rd March 2021

Good news about German jobs

Carlos Valcárcel, Director at Europe Language Jobs, reports that German business is on the lookout for the right kind of people.

Media headlines may still be dominated by the social and economic damage done by Covid 19, but there is plenty of good news for jobseekers to be found in Germany’s resilient labour market as the country wriggles free from these unprecedented times.

Of course, the German economy suffered a significant blow amid the pandemic. But compared to the rest of the continent, the country succeeded in minimising financial catastrophe to the extent that its economy only shrank by five percent in 2020.

Carsten Brzeski, Global Head of Macro at ING research, elaborates: “the German economy still performed better than most of its European peers. Relatively light and shorter lockdowns than in the spring, staycations in the summer, strong fiscal stimulus (though only a fraction of the announced stimulus has been used so far) as well as the economy’s strong manufacturing basis have been the main drivers.”

In fact, Deutschland has kept a firm hold on its proud position as the world’s 4th strongest economy, and Focus Economics predicts that it will remain there as far ahead as 2024. So if you are looking to get hired or change career, it is a promising place to find a job.

The most in-demand jobs specific to Germany fall under the following sectors: IT & Software Development, Banking, Telecommunications, HR, Engineering, Marketing/PR, Construction/Real Estate.  Salary levels are generous, according to Y-Axis career consultants. Typically upwards of €3,500 per month for all except Construction (€2,240 per month), and over €4,000 when it comes to Banking and Marketing/PR.

Naturally, expats or internationals with a proficient level of German can enter into these sectors, providing they have the right immigration status. But it is important to highlight two areas that are easily accessible for foreigners, where the demand is already high and quickly increasing: international Customer Service and Sales. In these market sectors,  mother tongue is often necessary for client care or business development. According to Salary Explorer, the average monthly salary for a Customer Service Representative in Germany is €2,610, and €2,440 for a Sales Representative.

The languages currently most in demand are Dutch and Polish, but there are hundreds of jobs available for speakers of all languages, and, as in many countries, English-speaking jobs are also plentiful.

Germany is a very pleasant country to work in, with relatively short working hours and a healthy work-life balance maintained by a nationwide appreciation of family time. As the country bounces back from the virus with the rollout of the vaccine, Germany’s robust economy can only get stronger, benefitting all locals and expats alike.