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Working in Germany: How to write the perfect cover letter in English

Looking for a job cover letter that will catch an employer's attention? German careers columnist Chris Pyak gives a good example.

Published: 30 January 2020 15:52 CET
Working in Germany: How to write the perfect cover letter in English
Photo: DPA

Just a few days back I got a message from Michelle, one of my clients in the Expats Job Offer Miracle.

She just had just gotten off the phone with a manager that I had introduced her to.

READ ALSO: Six golden rules for creating the ideal German cover letter and resume

The impressions from that phone call were still fresh, so she wanted to apply for the job as quickly as possible. Here is the first draft of the cover letter that she sent to the employer.

While you read her letter, imagine that you would compete with Michelle for the same job. (Because you do compete with someone like Michelle for the same jobs.)

Here's the letter:

Dear Mr. Walter,

I had the pleasure of speaking with your colleague, Janine Meier, regarding your biggest challenges you are trying to solve with the Junior UX Researcher position. My understanding of one of these challenges is listening and developing a strong message to your customers through user research.

Recently I conducted six user interviews to test a mobile app prototype where users can reach out to experts in virtually any field. Through speaking with the participants I learned that the browse function wasn’t meeting the needs of the users because they weren’t able to view all experts.

During the next iteration I modified this feature in order for them to have the ability to view the full range of experts. We will see in the near future how this performs through another round of testing.

I look forward to discussing this topic with you further.

With warm regards,

Michelle

Whether writing by hand or computer, there are a few tricks to writing a cover letter than catches an employee's attention. Photo: DPA

Here's a few interesting things about this letter:

1. As you can read, the person that I had introduced her to wasn't the right contact person. That happens. We have to take a shot at our best options when we reach out.

2. Clearly it did not matter. Once the two ladies began to talk, they immediately built trust and a bond. As a result, her conversation partner was more than happy to introduce Michelle to the actual manager for this job offer.

3. Notice how honest Michelle is. She doesn't know yet if her changes in the design improved the results. Instead of making up some fake story, she tells it like it is: “We will see.”

READ ALSO: 10 German words you need to know when looking for a job

If you were the manager, would you like to interview Michelle for the job?

The candidate who was:

  • interested enough to ask what you actually want to achieve?

  • who made an effort to reach out?

  • who gives a concrete example of how she could help you?

  • who comes with a recommendation from your co-worker?

Reaching out to managers before you apply, sending a personalized, specific cover letter: That's one of the strongest tools for job seekers.

I want you to have more success in your job hunt. That's why I give you 8 pages of advice on how to write the perfect cover letter. You find them – and everything else that you need to convince employers to hire you when you are “unusual” – in my book:  “How To Win Jobs & Influence Germans”.

I wish you success.

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

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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