Job Centre (Agentur für Arbeit)

The Job Centre provides a service for employees and employers.

Information in English can also be found in the Agentur für Arbeit website.

- Job recruitment and training courses

- Advising employers and job-seekers

- Helping to improve chances of gaining employment

- Liaising between job-seekers and training and further education organisations

Job offers are often posted in daily or weekly newspapers in the classified section. You can also search online. There are many useful websites for job-seekers which work in English too, such as Stepstone or Monster.

To contact companies, it is recommended to set up a personal profile with a professional network like Xing (very popular in Germany) or LinkedIn.

For a successful job application it is neccassary to have a complete and attractively designed folder. It should include:

1. Covering letter

2. Cover for other documents

3. Curriculum vitae with photo

4. Certificates, references, work experience documentation

PS: You also have the choice to submit a speculative job application. If you are interested in working at a specific company, you send them an application without a job offer. The personnel departments collect these applications and refer to them if a job position becomes available.

If you have paid unemployment insurance contributions for at least 12 months and have a valid settlement or residence permit that allows you to work in Germany, you are entitled to receive financial support for the unemployed.  On becoming unemployed, register immediately and in person with the job centre in your area.  Benefits will be of approximately 60% of your previous net income and the length of time you receive the benefits will depend on the length of your employment and your age.  Would you like to calculate how much benefit you are entitled to?  Try this Google translated version of the Agentur für Arbeit´s website in German.