To get a job in a German company, foreign specialists should make useful contacts, but there is no question of pull
"Back in the 1990s, when I was doing an internship at a bank, only the children of employees and clients had a chance to get a place for practice in that company. Such interns used to be called Miki (Mitarbeiterkinder – children of employees) or Kuki (Kundenkinder – children of clients). Now everything has changed, even such candidates have to participate in the standard selection process," recalls career expert Barbara Tete in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
In fact, finding a job in Germany through personal contacts involves several stages. First, the candidate must know what the company of their dreams does, what strategy it follows, and what requirements it places on potential employees. Second, it is worth constantly asking acquaintances working in this field about personnel changes and the creation of new departments in their companies.
Often, companies open new vacancies first only for their own employees. Thus, from acquaintances you can learn about the availability of free jobs even before your competitors become aware of the vacancies. Many company managers in Germany use the method "employees attract employees." This means that first the boss asks subordinates to recommend their acquaintances for a particular position. Then the candidate is invited for an interview, their portfolio is reviewed, which negates any favors "through connections." This tactic is usually used by small firms where the number of employees does not exceed 50 people. A new IAB study confirms this fact: about half of vacancies in small enterprises are filled in this way.
Barbara Tete notes that getting a job through relatives or acquaintances can have an unpleasant side effect. "For example, if I am hired by a company on the recommendation of my uncle, then expectations of me and accordingly pressure on me will be higher than for other newcomers," the expert believes. Therefore, Germans try to avoid pull.
For foreign specialists who want to find a job in Germany, the career consultant recommends "testing the waters" first in their own circle – maybe someone will give you useful advice. In addition, good contacts at home will not hurt in the future. If you have already moved to Germany and do not know how to acquire business connections, it is worth starting by visiting career fairs.
It makes sense to join a trade union, where you can meet people working in your field. Even free time should be spent usefully: you can, for example, join a sports club or get to know your neighbors. The expert recommends entering existing contacts into a table, indicating the name, position, phone number or email address of the person. This way you will clearly understand who can help you.
Unlike other countries, you can forget about social networks in Germany. No one forbids making friends, commenting, and "liking," but finding a job there is almost impossible. According to the Institute for Employment Research, only one percent of new employees are found by firms through social networks.