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How to be seen as the best candidate for that job in Germany

Some German companies receive hundreds - or even thousands - of applications for a position. How can you stand out? Careers columnist Chris Pyak explains.

Published: 2 July 2019 10:57 CEST
How to be seen as the best candidate for that job in Germany
A man holding a 'Bewerbung' or job application. Photo: depositphotos/racorn

The light is so bright, it nearly blinds the presenter. For a moment she takes the whole scene in: The huge auditorium, full of celebrities, each of them full of anxiety – will she pull their name out of the envelope? She takes a breath, opens the envelope and starts to talk:

“The job goes to…”

When you apply for a job in Germany, you are one of the people in the audience. You hope that your name is in the envelope, that you will be called on to the stage to receive your award: “Best candidate for this job.”

Woman holding a 'Bewerbung' or job application. Photo: depositphotos/alexraths

Here is your challenge. You are not alone. There might be a hundred, even a thousand of you in the room. They all hope to win the award – get the job. They are as competent and well educated as you are.

How do you beat them?

A while ago, I interviewed Saurabh Paramveer for the Immigrant Spirit Podcast. Saurabh is Product Owner for the new project at Zalando. They have no problem finding candidates.

Thousands of software developers apply for jobs with Zalando every year. Saurabh can afford to look for real stars – those who would win the Oscar – and hire the very best.

SEE ALSO: Why it's a myth you need to know German to get a job in Germany

But what exactly makes you “the best”?

Here is the solution to your challenge. You see, the Oscar is not about “The Best”. They are always about “The Best” in categories: “Best supporting actor”, “Best Makeup and Hairstyling”, even “Best short subject, two reel”.

Sorry, what was that last one?

“Best short subject, two reel”.

That's a very specific category. 

Turns out, hiring managers think in these extremely specific categories, too. When Saurabh says that he wants to hire the best candidate for the job, he means a candidate who is not only a very good coder, but also has experience developing systems that work seamless with the software of other companies.

In Saurabh's project the “customers” are big manufacturers. “The best” candidate for Saurabh is someone who has experience with the specific demands that these integrations create.

It's the combination of two unrelated skills that makes you the number one in your field: “Great software developer, who also understands integration with…”, “Excellent anti-fraud specialist, who also speaks fluent Russian”, “Outstanding automotive Engineer, who also is very strong in software integration.”

Here is one thing that you can do today:

Take a blank sheet of paper and a pen. Find a quiet environment and 30 minutes of time. Think about the last three jobs that you had:

1. Which of your tasks / projects created the biggest value for the employer? Be as specific as possible.

2. What helped you the most to achieve these outcomes? Again: Be as detailed as possible.

3. Combination of which skills/abilities/attitudes made this possible?

Zalando's chairmen at a press conference for the companies new headquarters in Berlin's Friedrichshain in February 2019. Photo: DPA

Now you need to be brave.

Give a call or write an email to your last three supervisors. Ask them, which of your tasks/projects created the biggest value for them, and why? Compare results.

If you hope to compete with thousands of other candidates for the same job, my advice is: Don't.

Find the employers, who want exactly the combination of two or three abilities that make you unique. You are sure to win the Oscar if you compete in your category.

FIND A JOB: Browse thousands of English-speaking jobs in Germany

ABOUT CHRIS PYAK

Chris Pyak is the Author of “How To Win Jobs & Influence Germans“. The managing director of Immigrant Spirit GmbH has worked in four different cultures and lived in five different countries.

Chris returned to Germany in 2011. His mission: Bring the Immigrant Spirit to his home country. Chris introduces international professionals to employers in Germany.

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Bavaria is no doubt a beautiful state with a strong economy, but can be a hard place for non-German speakers to integrate. The Local takes a look at job opportunities in Germany’s southeastern 'Free State.'

Published: 7 February 2024 10:54 CET
Updated: 10 February 2024 08:20 CET
Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions. 

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds. 

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local. 

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with. 

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