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How to get hired in Germany when your qualifications aren’t recognized

How can you convince an employer of your worth when a fancy degree or certificate doesn't mean anything anymore?

Published: 30 July 2019 15:21 CEST
How to get hired in Germany when your qualifications aren't recognized
A woman at a job interview. Photo: depositphotos

KFZ, u.U., bzw., mfG, WTF?

We Germans have a thing for abbreviations. We even have a name for it: Abkürzungsfimmel, or rather: Aküfi.

We also use abbreviations in our professional life. We hear the name of a famous university and we think: “She is super talented.”

He worked in this job for 20 years and we translate that as experience. A master's degree becomes synonym with the actual skill.

SEE ALSO: Find an English-language job in Germany

It's important to remember: The abbreviation is not the real deal.

When you move to a different country, your abbreviations might lose their meaning. No one ever heard of your famous university. That “world leader” employer that you used to work for – well, that just elicits a shrug.

And the value of your degree will be doubted, just because it's foreign. (Unfair, but sadly true.)

When you cannot rely on abbreviations to promote your value to the labour market – what do you do? You need to convince employers with the real thing, not the short code. 

SEE ALSO: Which German companies hire foreigners

“The real thing” is not your skill, either.

Say you are a shaman by profession. It's cool that you attended an advanced training course called “Rain Dancing: New moves for the disco age.” But does your employer care?

No. He wants to know if you can make it rain. 

Job applicants waiting for that big interview. Photo: depositphotos

A boost to employability

Even before being invited to a job interview, the paper version of you will still matter. Through this website, you can check if your qualification is recognized in Germany or what the equivalent qualification would be.  

You can also contact the governmental organization through the website if you have any questions.

Now let's imagine that you've passed the Human Resources department. Here is an exercise to improve your employability, whether you are interviewing for a new job or a promotion to your current one.

Imagine you are your potential boss. What is the most valuable result that you achieved for your current or previous company? Why was this result so important? Write down the answers to both questions. 

Let's take an interview for a sales professional, as an example.

You might face this typical question: Are you a good fit for our sales team?

That's easy to answer: How much money did you make for your current or previous company? What was the profit margin? Are the customers still happy?

But can you explain in detail where you generated the biggest value for your employer? And why it matters?

At the end of the day employers don't want the abbreviation. They want the real thing.

A bonus question if you are still deciding what to apply for: You can also use this exercise in a slightly different version. By asking: Which of my daily tasks do I actually enjoy?

Sometimes a better life quality can be achieved through a promotion in the same profession. But sometimes it takes finding the guts to do what you love instead.

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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