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What are the top holiday jobs for students in Germany?

The Christmas holidays offer students many flexible job opportunities in industries which can help to sharpen transferrable skills. Here's where - and how - to apply.

Published: 5 December 2019 13:46 CET
What are the top holiday jobs for students in Germany?
A student working in an office over Christmas. Photo: DPA

Classes are wrapping up, revision is done and you’ve finished up the last of your exams for the year!

READ ALSO: Working in German over the festive period: What you need to know about the rules

Tempting as it is to kick back and binge on all the available Netflix boxsets, you might be thinking that this is a good time to bank a little extra income.

Seasonal jobs are ideal for gaining initial experience in the world of work and a nice boost to your bank account for the coming year!

It's not hard to find Christmastime work in Germany, usually minus the holiday sweater. Photo: DPA

Future employers always appreciate students taking on seasonal work, as it shows a willingness to get stuck in and gain some more experience. It is also a great chance to hone social skills such as manners, punctuality and customer service; all things that are useful for future applications!

What kinds of seasonal jobs should students look for?

The Christmas holidays and the build-up to them offer students many flexible job opportunities in industries which can help to sharpen your transferrable skills. Here are some popular seasonal options for students:

Bar and restaurant staff. Christmas work parties; friends and family getting together to celebrate; and tourists visiting the famed German Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets).

December is a busy time for the gastronomy industry! Students can often easily pick up hours in bars, cafes and restaurants seeking to cope with their numbers and increased number of guests. Tips are generally quite good as people are feeling more generous during the festive season.

Events and catering. Bars and restaurants are great, but don’t forget to check out catering and event companies too. At this time of year, there are big Christmas dinners, balls and company events so there’s generally a solid demand for work in event and catering companies. 

Whether you assist with logistics, set-up or hosting on the day, there are many opportunities for students. Big recruitment websites like Indeed will have plenty of offers, but why not check out other specialised websites such as HotelCareer or Apetito Catering?

Photo: DPA

Courier/delivery worker. More and more people opt to do their Christmas shopping or order food online because they don’t fancy facing the chilly winter winds. The result being delivery drivers certainly have no shortage of work at this time of year. Alternatively, there are also general roles available in warehouses and the sorting rooms of post offices.

Check out companies such as Lieferando, DHL, DPD and Hermes, or even enquire with local restaurants whether they are in need of extra delivery drivers. Alternatively, there are also generally roles available in warehouses, particularly Amazon, and the sorting rooms of post offices.

Pet-sitting. Those with experience of caring for pets should consider pet-sitting during the holidays. There are lots of mobile apps like Rover and Pawshake in additional to lots of Facebook groups for various cities that you can join and advertise your services.

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about having a pet in Germany

This can be a fun and easy way to earn some extra pocket money while helping owners who are away during the holidays and unable to take their furry friend with them.

Retail. A holiday season staple. Retail stores often take on extra staff to cope over the Christmas holidays, but it’s worth getting your application in early as they normally start taking on staff in November.

If you’re interested in working on the shop floor, a reasonable command of German is necessary to give the customer service needed, but back-office roles may be more flexible.

Malls like this one in Erfurt are busy places over the holidays. Photo: DPA

Customer Service. Gift giving is a wonderful thing, but invariably there is always the odd gift that doesn’t quite hit the mark, or the receiver isn’t sure how to use it. To tackle the increased demand on their services, many companies try to boost the availability of their customer service support. 

Whether it’s via telephone, webchat or answering emails, getting some customer service skills under your belt will serve any student well for future employment.

If multi-lingual support can be provided, even better. Websites such as Studitemps are great for students looking to pick up work or even just shifts in areas like customer service and promotion.

Every experience counts!

Don’t forget, every job, no matter how long or short, is also a fabulous networking opportunity. Not only can you make new friends outside of your college, but you can connect with colleagues and managers who may be able to assist you in finding more work in the future!

Don’t forget to add this experience to both your CV and LinkedIn profile too. Employers value people who show a drive to work and the proactiveness of taking on a job during semesters.

READ ALSO: How to reach out to German employers on LinkedIn or Xing

By Catherine Flynn, Student Services Manager at Berlin School of Business and Innovation (BSBI)

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Five things to know about salaries in Germany

Finding a job is typically a top priority when planning a move to Germany. The country boasts the third largest economy in the world and a continuing need for skilled professionals. 

Published: 2 May 2024 12:26 CEST
Five things to know about salaries in Germany

If you are moving to Germany, you might soon start looking for a job in the country. However, like many other aspects of living abroad, there are several cultural differences and specificities when it comes to job hunting in Germany – especially when it comes to salaries.

Here are five things to know about salaries in Germany.

There is a minimum wage in Germany

Germany’s minimum wage of €12.41 per hour, pre-tax came into effect at the start of this year. This amounts to a monthly salary of €2,054 which ranks ninth in the world. The minimum wage will rise again in 2025 to €12.82 per hour before tax deductions.

There have been calls recently to hike the salary up higher to €14 per hour.

READ ALSO: Millions of workers in Germany ‘earning less than €14 per hour’

Find out salary expectations

Germany does not require companies to list salary ranges for listed positions. But that may be changing soon. The EU parliament passed a wage transparency law to require companies to publish annual reports detailing wage and wage discrepancy information. The rules, which are set to go into effect in 2027, are intended to help close the gender pay gap. 

In the meantime, employees can utilise online resources to find industry averages and expectations for different roles:

  • Gehalt.de offers users access to salary information on more than 800 professions
  • Online platform, Kununu provides compensation information and employer reviews to users in the DACH region  
  • Berlin residents can utilise REDSOFA’s salary survey for an overview of salary averages in the country’s capital city

As of April 2023 the average gross monthly salary was €4,323 according to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office.

Two-thirds of full time workers make less than this average monthly salary and one-third of workers earn more than this average monthly salary.

While wages after deductions may be less than similar roles in other countries, it is also important to take into consideration what other benefits come with a salary. Paid holiday leave, pension contributions, long notice periods and annual bonuses can help make up some of that difference. 

READ ALSO: How much do employees in Germany typically earn?

Check your payment schedule

Internationals can usually expect their salary once a month when working in Germany. Many German companies choose to pay employees either on the 1st or 15th of the month. It is also important to note that most employees can expect to receive their first pay check within 30 or 45 days of starting. 

For positions that offer yearly bonuses, these payments are included in a 13th pay check which are subject to income tax.  

A person works on a laptop.

A person works on a laptop. Image by Bartek Zakrzewski from Pixabay

How many hours do you work?

When looking for a job, don’t forget to check how many hours you can expect. Job descriptions will include expectations for time commitments. 

Mini-jobs, as expected from the name, are limited in hours and pay. Employees can expect up to €538 per month. Mini-jobs do not provide social security because they do not require social security contributions. Employees are also not automatically covered by health and nursing care insurance. 

Teilzeit, or part time jobs, are defined as any job where working hours are less than a full time position.

A common misconception is that part-time work requires working 20 hours or less a week. But an employee working five days a week for 30 hours, at a position that is typically 40 hours when full time can also be defined as a part time worker. 

READ ALSO: The rules in Germany around ‘mini’ and ‘midi jobs’

In fact, Germany has a term for workers who work between 28 and 36 hours a week. Vollzeitnahe Teilzeit, or nearly full time part time workers, can be a popular choice for some people, including parents. These positions can give employees more flexibility to balance work and family responsibilities. It is important to note that these workers are paid according to their time worked, so it will still amount to less than full time.

Depending on the work schedule, part time employees can earn the same amount of vacation as their full-time counterparts. That’s because holiday leave is calculated based on days worked, not hours. If a part time worker comes in five days a week, they will be eligible for at least 20 days of holiday. If that same part time worker comes in three days a week, they will be legally entitled to twelve days of vacation, even if they worked the same hours as the other employee. 

In most companies, weekly working hours between 35 and 40 hours are considered full-time employment or Vollzeitbeschäftigung. 

Watch out for the gross v. net difference

Before you sign the dotted line, it will be important to check how much of your gross salary you’ll be able to keep come pay day. Companies that include salary expectations in descriptions include gross salary (Bruttoeinkommen) – not the net income after taxes and deductions (Nettoeinkommen). The amount deducted will depend on how much you earn, the tax class you’re in and on other factors such as how much you’re paying for healthcare but it is usually around 40 percent. 

Salaried employees can find information on the deductions on their pay slip. Some to expect to see include:

  • Taxes are deducted directly from the gross pay. The amount is based on the tax bracket your salary falls within 
  • A percentage of your gross salary is also deducted for your pension / retirement contributions
  • Church taxes between eight and nine percent of your salary will also be due if you are affiliated with a religion
  • Unemployment insurance amounts to a 2.5 percent deduction from your gross salary. It is important to note that the insurance covers a salary up to €90,600 
  • Health insurance contribution rates are typically split between employers and employees. The rate depends on the provider. In 2024, the TK contribution rate to health insurance is 15.8 percent of the gross income

READ ALSO: What you need to know about your payslip in Germany 

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