Job Application  

When you choose the right job , the next step is to apply for the position. Depending on where you are from, there is a number of official documents you should have when you apply for a German job. 

The Companies require a job application to be submitted in hard copy by post. Most German companies require 1 PDF file that includes all your application documents. It must include the following:

  1. Cover letter
  2. CV
  3. Copies of Diploma and certifications
  4. Reference letters of previous employers

Cover Letter ( Motivationsschreiben ) 

A Good Cover Letter is your key to an interview. The cover letter is often the first element of your job application that your prospective employer will read, often ahead of your CV. 

A poorly crafted letter that fails to clearly articulate why you are the ideal candidate for the role, or one containing bad grammar and spelling mistakes, will result in your application getting dispatched to the reject pile. But a good cover letter can work wonders in convincing an employer of your credentials and your professionalism, as well as providing insights into your personality and character.

Curriculum Vitae ( Lebenslauf ) 

An outline of a person's educational and professional history, usually prepared for job applications. A Curriculum vitae should include

  • Personal Details : Include your full name, phone numbers, Email address. The date of birth can be omitted unless and until it's relevant to the job.Only include a professional sounding email address and not with nick names
  • Education and Qualification : List the highest qualification first. List the institute name, years you attended and qualifications done.
  • Work Experience : Give a brief outline of the career history beginning with the current or recent role. Choose only your key responsibilities and experience relevant to the specific job you are applying.
  • Interests and Achievements : Leave this section short and to the point. Any interests relevant to the job are worth mentioning.
  • Skills : The usual ones to mention are languages (good conversational French, basic Spanish), computing (e.g. "good working knowledge of MS Access and Excel, plus basic web page design skills" and driving ("full current clean driving licence").
 

Sample CV Template

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Recruitment Process 

All in all, the job application process may take weeks or sometimes even months. Be sure to be very patient all along from the application submission to the end. The steps may vary depending on the job you apply.

The company will call for an interview if your application is selected among the applicants. 

The interview will be conducted in either German or English, depending on the company and on your fluency.

Germans expect discipline and order and are more formal and punctual than most of the world. So, arrive at least 10 minutes before the job interview and turn off your mobile.

Generally, two job interviews are held. The first is with the personnel hiring agent, in which the personality of the candidate plays a major role. The second job interview is with the technical team, sometimes accompanied by certain specialists, who test your technical and professional skills.

You will never get a second chance to make a first impression, so prepare yourself and find out information about the company you want to work for.

When introducing yourself with a friendly face, use only your last name without your title. Likewise, use last names and appropriate titles of your hosts. Titles are very important.

Shake hands firmly and slightly bow with everyone present. Never put your hands in your pockets when talking with someone. Do not sit until requested.

Present your CV in a binder so that all the educational certificates, diplomas, testimonials and references can be included. 

Prepare for the questions regarding your current activities, expected wage and activities of former company. Answer them with precision providing examples to illustrate your achievements, avoiding yes and no answers. You may be asked to solve a problem, which might occur in your future job.

German job interviewers often ask about your past successes and mistakes on the job. It is a good idea to prepare a few career success stories and also where you did not have favourable outcomes but were learning experiences.

Do not interrupt the interviewer and criticize former employers. Maintain eye contact while talking to someone.

Thank for interview and shake hands with everyone present when leaving.

Work Contract ( Arbeitbescheinigung )

 When your hard work has paid off and you have the job in the bag.

The employment contract puts a seal on your employment relationship and contains important conditions of your employment. This is why you should read through the contract carefully before signing, and not hesitate to ask questions. There is no obligatory template for employment contracts. Nonetheless, certain minimum conditions required in Germany must be met.

Pay attention to 

  • definition of the salary
  • definition of your tasks
  • length of the probationary period
  • Working Hours

Definition of the salary. It is important to ensure that not only the agreed salary but also any increase after the end of the probationary period is fixed in writing. The mode of payment is also to be specified.

Definition of your tasks, your position within the company, the beginning of your employment relationship and the specification of your place of work. Pay particular attention to the definition of your tasks. The more vaguely your job description is worded, the more tasks can be assigned to you. The more precisely your job title and description are worded, however, the easier you will find it to reject tasks which do not match your qualifications or yield a lower salary.

The contract must also specify the length of the probationary period. In Germany, the probationary period is usually three months to six months. During this time, the employment relationship can be terminated by either party with two weeks notice. After the probationary phase, you may resign without giving reasons. But the employer must give reasons for terminating the contract if you have been employed for more than six months.

Working hours is also to be specified in your contract. Specification of hours to be worked per week, and of payment for overtime, are crucial here. There may be hidden potential for future conflict here. Pay attention to how much overtime can be expected and the supplements your employer is prepared to pay for it. The German Working Time Act limits permissible working hours to no more than ten per day.

After six months of employment, you are legally entitled to holidays of 24 business days per year. If you do not claim your holiday entitlement, it will expire by an agreed date in the following year.

Getting the complete idea of a German contract is not always simple.

If the contract is long and complicated, ask a lawyer to check the contract for unlawful clauses. Most large companies have their own legal departments to draw up employment contracts, and their terms only very rarely run contrary to the law. Smaller companies make more frequent use of standard employment contracts, which they adapt to their businesses. However, unlawful clauses are fairly rare.

Types of Work Contract 

Work contracts in Germany depend on the duration of employment. These include

  1. Employments with a set time or duration (befristet)
  2. Full-time employments (unbefristet)
  3. Probationary-type employments (Probezeit)

From these three contract types are several specific contracts.

Independent Contractors (freie Mitarbeiter)

This type of contract are subject to minimal protection under labor laws. However, these employees enjoy almost full social insurance.

Youth Employment (Arbeitsvertrag mit Minderjährigen)

In Germany, 15 is the minimum age for regular employment in a certain company. Under the Child Protection Law, child labor is prohibited. Children who are under the age of 18 and are still schooling on a full-time basis are also subject to prohibitions in terms of the number of their work hours.

However, those aged 15 and up and no longer in school may work for up to 40 hours a week, or 8 hours a day, in a job with a description that suits them. This implies that they should not be given tasks that are inappropriate to their experience and age.

Self-Employed Workers (Selbstangestellte)

This type of contract comprises all business ventures for which a trade license is not mandatory. These workers include psychotherapists, lecturers, translators, consultants, and writers, among others.

Apprenticeships (Praktikantenverträge)

Trainees or apprentices in all types of sectors should accomplish their contracts of apprenticeship in written form. For under-aged trainees, their legal representative must provide their consent as well. Trainees are subject to full insurance protection including pension, unemployment, accident, and sickness insurance.

Other Employment Contract Types in Germany:

  • Voluntary (Freiwilligendienst)
  • Agency (Agenturarbeiter)
  • Seasonal Workers (Sommerarbeiter)

Voluntary workers have apprentice status. These workers have no claim to salaries and are under no obligation to do work.
Agency workers are, to a certain extent, subject to statutory provisions particular to them, such as protection against short-term dismissal. These workers enjoy full insurance protection.
Seasonal workers in the catering and hotel trade enjoy full social insurance protection.

Mini-Jobs

There is an increasing number of people who work part-time. Aside from the usual part-time employment, which is subject to insurance protection, there is also the so-called 400 Euro job (mini-job) wherein the worker may earn up to €450 in a month. The mini-job scheme primarily exists for domestic household employees such as gardeners and cleaners.

The mini-job scheme is coordinated by the Mini-job-Zentrale, which provides a comprehensive list of employment contract types that would qualify as mini-jobs.