Moving to Germany as a Software Engineer [How-to]

[@aikoralambo]

To anyone job hunting in Germany, don’t let negative comments discourage you. As a tech recruiter who moved here from South Africa in 2019, I want to share a perspective: being single doesn’t mean you have to settle for just any offer, and the same goes for job opportunities. Facing rejection doesn’t mean there are no jobs out there; it just means the fit wasn’t right. Just as people have preferences in dating, companies also have specific requirements for who they hire. I reject many candidates every day, often because they don’t meet the job criteria, don’t align with the company culture, or don’t know how to present their strengths. Many candidates, including German applicants, simply apply to roles that don’t suit them, and like dating, job hunting is a two-way street. If you send out 100 applications without understanding the role or the company, you’ll get very good at getting rejection. You do not need a Phd to understand this. On one hand landing a job in Germany isn’t easy, which is why YT channels like this one can offer helpful insights to achieve your goals. On the other one, German companies also need to improve in a lot of areas... so ask yourself honestly: is Germany the right fit for you? If you can’t handle rejection from recruiters (or honest feedback) and adapt to the job market here, it may be tough to succeed. But remember, there are 194 other countries where you can try your luck as well. Just as finding the right partner takes time and effort, so does finding the right job. So learn from Jen and Yvonne and keep it up :)

[@travelpsycho]

Hi i am here in Germany kindly let me know if there is any available vaccines

[@Gwarzonicus]

I am in germany and the biggest barrier is German language. I recently graduated and I can confidently say that over 70% of the jobs that are even technical and non-customer facing thus far are requesting for C1/fließend. While similar titled roles even in the same company are ok with English in the Netherlands branch. Much recently I saw a job that outright stated (not on job seekers visa).I am starting to wonder if this is an attempt to push people out of the country.

[@aikoralambo]

​@@Gwarzonicuscause you are targeting the wrong companies or branch.

[@TheFoki1403]

Put simply, Germany is a bad choice for a tech professional. It is poor in innovation, slow in improving, and values your German language skills more than your technical skills (which historically led to where we are right now: a tech sector lagging not only behind the UK or the Netherlands but also Poland; big tech left or leaving; domestic tech never developed).

[@TheFoki1403]

@@Gwarzonicus@Gwarzonicus Yes, it is an attempt to push people out of the country. C1 is nearly native proficiency. Requiring C1 in tech roles is German way to say "we want a proper German." Why would they do it? Well, it's a deep societal issue. It's too long for a KZbin comment. It can be understood as: in times of crisis, German society behaves self-destructively.

[@thiagogenez]

I got a job offer in Germany as Software Engineer in 2024 after 250+ applications and 25 job interviews. Rejections are very common. Don't give up! =)

[@Newday744]

but like why do they rejecte or like after they rejected someone what can be the resone !

[@wadieabudahoud]

@@Newday744it is easy. For each role you have around 250 applicants. They should choose only one. So statistically speaking, you need to apply 250 times to have a reasonable probability

[@parthokunda]

Can you please share how many years of experience do you have? And in what type of role you got?

[@thiagogenez]

@@parthokunda 4 years of experience in industry and 10 years in the academia. Senior Software Engineer in DevOps

[@aziz9488]

250 ? that's rookie numbers

[@ManBMX]

between 2018 to 2022 I sent 5445 application while I was in the Philippines, did 50 first phone call interviews, 10 got through the 2nd level, 5 went to final interview, 2 made an offer but 1 (IT Manager role) was for Germany. came together with my family early 2023.

[@RuchirChawdhry]

Wow, now that's dedication!

[@codeintherough]

You did applications for different countries?

[@LINYiduo]

I want to express my thanks for your sincere and helpful content! I've been following your channel before coming to Germany, and your videos have been incredibly helpful to me. And now I'm here studying computer science, I really appreciate your effort you put into sharing theses tips.

[@shef142]

Thanks!

[@MRmotorworkz]

Thank you for continuing to create us entertaining and insightful content 🙏❤️ these videos really help me to get a better understanding of German life, culture and community. It's helped me so much preparing myself for a trip and possible move to Germany, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you both 🙏

[@cheluvesha]

You guys are the best when it comes to providing a detailed information.

[@syedibrahim4543]

You are sharing your success story which happened in 2016 to 2018 where economies were growing . In 2023 , 2024 there is recession and I don’t think if the situation is same now

[@simplegermany]

Yeah that’s a fair point. However, I have met multiple international developers still nailing a job in Germany in 2024 ☺️

[@syedibrahim4543]

@ yes exactly you see 2 people here , but you ignored the 1000 people who got rejected . Earlier out of 100 applicants 2 are hired let’s say. Now out of 1000 applicants 2 are hired. This is fine , the audience should know this . Because many leave their current jobs in a hope that they can find jobs here easily as all are publishing Germany is looking for skilled labour , come with visa today and start work from tomorrow .

[@anupamaranupamacool4691]

​@@syedibrahim4543😢😢I agree 💯 I'm also in same boat

[@aybruhm]

​@@syedibrahim4543 dude, what's wrong with you? Did you not watch the video? Go back and watch the video from timestamp 5:15 to 5:30, they literally said they'd be talking about the positive sides of landing a job. Obviously, they know that it's difficult to land a job. They even talked about how fierce the market is. If you can't even pay close attention to a 17 minute video, why are you complaining about the job market?

[@SchwarzeKatter]

@@syedibrahim4543 exactly. Survivorship bias

[@rustix3]

1:57 "currently hiring, at least they have open positions" unfortunately open position doesn't mean the company is hiring externals, or even hiring at all. There are a lot of vacancies(fake job openings), which are not/will not be filled due to different reasons: 1. companies are just waiting for the unicorn engineer, even better if agreed to work for lower salary 2. the job will be filled with internals, the vacancy is job for bureaucracy 3. it's a ghost job (companies just gather CVs and data of candidates) 4. others (I will just copy paste from wikipedia: inflating statistics about their industries, protecting the company from discrimination lawsuits, fulfilling requirements by human-resources departments, identifying potentially promising recruits for future hiring, pacifying existing employees that the company is looking for extra help, or retaining desirable employees)

[@joannunemaker6332]

I love watching your videos!😊❤

[@hamedgabarlo9896]

Your movies, all from driving license to this one , were inspiration for me. Although deutsch hat mein englisch ruiniert 😅😅

[@serinac4419]

It depends on your skill set. Many of my friends are struggling in data science, computer science to find jobs in south Germany. All want fluent German and all want multiple languages in programming.

[@koolmo]

Thanks Jen for sharing your experience

[@thatlostsoul]

I shifted to Germany two months back for my master's. I have three years of work experience with NodeJs and Golang at two different good startups in India. I also know ReactJs and have done an internship in the same. I have been applying to work student jobs for the last month and have only had one interview. I applied to about 60 companies with no luck so far. One of the reasons I could think of is me not knowing German. But, besides this, I can't think of anything else as to why anyone wouldn't want to hire a 3 years experienced person for almost the bare minimum hourly wage(that's what I saw they were willing to give in most of the werkstudent jobs).

[@Gwarzonicus]

I think there is a bit of recession now to be honest, I have been working as a werkstudent with service company myself and my boss who is German cannot find new contracts and wants to close down. So I have to find a new job. Right now I am avoiding any company that is providing software development services. I am targeting companies with an actual product.

[@ssp13087]

I saw Volkswagen, Bosch, bmw, Siemens in list. Guys VW just closed 3 plants for the first time in Germany and now trying to fire 10000 people, you think they are still hiring? Same with Bosch , BMW and others 😢😢

[@TheFoki1403]

No. All of the above have a hiring freeze. Except in the mid-2010s, when there was a global tech boom, Germany never had and will never have a significant tech sector. Even during the largest booms around 2018 and 2022, the German tech market did not grow significantly. It is now smaller than the Netherlands, a three times smaller country. But "Make it in Germany" lunatics just will not get stopped by facts. Denying facts is a German national sport.

[@meropale]

I feel my soft skills are probably the weakest, including lack of self-confidence. The idea of living in Germany is great, including learning German.

[@Dunpil3]

Wow. That was one of the scrariest videos about the German job market that I have seen. You're switching between moods like pros :)

[@simplegermany]

😅 why did it feel scary?

[@TheFoki1403]

​@@simplegermany Because you tried to make it sound optimistic. It is impossible to be factually correct and optimistic about the German tech market at the same time. Sometimes, intellectual honesty should prevail. Especially when, as a rare English language content, you may sway many people to bet their careers on Germany. Currently, the rational decision is to avoid Germany despite the marketing.

[@AhmetMurati]

I have been developing software since 2004 professionally

[@suryavaraprasadalla8511]

super info, Thanks 🙂

[@soumadip_banerjee]

Yaaay! Dankeschön. Need for software engineering related videos, from Deutschland ❤🎉

[@Endrit000]

Germany is wired , if you take a look on all aspects all other Eurpian countries are somehow more connected and more friendly. Tip if you don’t speak German language don’t expect from them to speak other languages. Basically don’t move to Germany

[@syedibrahim4543]

The openings are just open for months . And if you apply no one replies or cares .

[@mixedbyhals1329]

Love you both, this is exactly what I needed the most.

[@n1vca]

Great work and good timing ... many US-Americans will leave the country now👍

[@monakulasic5669]

But German is under its own economic problems not..Germany is even going to have an early vote

[@SchwarzeKatter]

Coming to Germany will be a downgrade for many. As soon as they see salaries are not the same and you are taxed to death, they will feel deceived. Also many wont put the effort to learn German…

[@НикитаМихайлов-э4и]

German IT market is a HUGE downgrade to the US

[@n1vca]

@@НикитаМихайлов-э4и Yes, but under the new leadership freedom, life quality, ethics, honesty and kindness will be gone in many places - what the point of living in an antisocial society where people chose hate, meanness and revengeful behavior over an open friendly progressive and responsible environment.

[@SchwarzeKatter]

@@n1vca don’t come. You will be deceived by paying too much taxes, dealing with bureaucracy, finding house, learning German, and dealing with „friendly „ people. For some reason my comment got deleted. Maybe someone doesn’t want me to warn people

[@SnipeSniperNEW]

Hi team, I'd like to share a bit of my story so far, I have got a work offer in the tech field from a german company, The issue is since I am from Egypt, the german embassy in egypt is taking its sweet time to process my visa, it has been 2.5 months and still in processing. I already left my current job, The germany company has delayed my starting day 2 times now and I can't look for accommodation since I have no idea when my visa will be done. This has made my journey to Germany (even before it has been started) a very anxious one. I'm trying to stay positive but it is hard when you faced with so much unknown

[@simplegermany]

Hang in there! We know many Egyptians working in IT in Germany. We hope you will get your visa soon! 😊

[@mohsinvirk.]

I was trying to find a job from 2022 and got the job in 2024. Job market is not dead but competition is so high and with this AI generated shit, it is extremely difficult to find a job.

[@simplegermany]

Congrats for getting a job in Germany! 🥳

[@hiruniliyanage98]

Could you please do a video on getting grocery items delievered. I live in weil am rhein and I have not found any market chain so far to get my goods delievered😢😢😢

[@simplegermany]

Those services are usually only available in bigger cities. Have a look at our guide where we write about which supermarkets deliver and see whether you have them in your city: www.simplegermany.com/supermarkets-in-germany/#Which_supermarkets_deliver_in_Germany

[@simplegermany]

We know of Picnic and Rewe that provide grocery deliveries.

[@SchwarzeKatter]

Why my comments about the reality of coming to Germany are being deleted? People should know what they might get themselves into.

[@erikpatton3431]

Even if you easily qualify for a blue card, as I understand it, you can’t get it until you are in Germany with a job offer. And to get it you have deal with the Auslandsbehoerde which can take months to even get an appointment. So that means a company has to wait an indefinite period of time before you can start. Why would a company do that when there are other German applicants who can start tomorrow and speak the language? Even as a senior devops engineer with C1 German, I’ve been told by colleagues working in Germany that I would have a hard time getting an offer because there are lots good people looking for work. And even if I did, just the move itself would be super expensive since I wouldn’t be able to work right away. So it is possible but very difficult.

[@Rustam_Baziev]

Thank you for the list! Also noticed most of the companies are in Berlin. Is this an accident?

[@monakulasic5669]

No most of the English speaking jobs are in Berlin or München

[@Rustam_Baziev]

@ can’t entirely agree tbh. There are very few München postings as well though in the table.

[@jckl4085]

Can you recommend in general for engineers? I'm civil engineer but working more in tech let's say, 3D models, coordination etc regarding architecture design, infrastructure etc.. guess there needs to be good German or there is less number of international companies 😅

[@simplegermany]

Engineering is also in high demand! We have plenty of engineers in our community! 😊

[@AhmetMurati]

I know lot of programming languages but I am getting only rejections

[@samerasamera9308]

They want it workers so badly, yet they still require b2 in German So weird?

[@simplegermany]

Not all employers require German. It depends on the industry and job role.

[@SchwarzeKatter]

However if you really want to come here, come at least with the mindset of learning German. There’s nothing that gets more eye rolls than someone who doesn’t speak the local language. You will do yourself a huge favour

[@simplegermany]

Couldn’t agree more! Moving to a country with a foreign language without the mindset to learn the language is not a good idea (at least for the long run).

[@paulaaa990-l1x]

Do Germans need 2-3 years of experience to get a job in Germany as a software engineer/dev, or is this requirement specifically for foreigners? Are there additional requirements for non-Germans?

[@cherishvuppala8251]

I would like to know how much percentage of jobs are there for web development and more specifically the chances for hiring java backend developer in Germany.

[@simplegermany]

There are plenty of jobs for that!

[@cherishvuppala8251]

@@simplegermany Thank you and I would like to know is it the right time for pursuing masters in Germany, I'm a fresher with no work experience.

[@mathnerd97]

5:08 it's true, and it's called Negativity Bias

[@mohamadrezamirali9105]

The German tech market is not as good as it used to be. I am a very experienced software engineer who has more than 15 years of experience in 3 different countries including 4 years in Germany. I could remember 2 or 3 years ago most of the companies were begging for a developer but nowadays a lot of layoffs are happening here, as a result, a lot of experienced software engineers are competing in the market to find a job, even with lower salary. Most of the vacancies are not real. I have seen many vacancies for over one year, the companies just putting the vacancy them rejecting everyone. The German tech market has been over followed. I would not recommend moving to Germany at the moment.

[@mariecurie4]

Your comment summed up the ongoing issue with the global tech market. From what I have heard people describing their situation at an international level, these issues are not limited to Germany itself.

[@mohamadrezamirali9105]

That is correct, this is a global issue but demanding both German and English skills more than C1 Level is the case for many tech companies in Germany nowadays. The German tech market used to be more English speaking friendly which is a sign that the companies here do not need to hire from abroad anymore.

[@emanueledvb]

Please take a second thought on enticing foreigners to come to Germany. A disclaimer of the harshness of Germany even to experienced professionals should be at the beginning of these videos. This sort of advice taken wrong can bring people's lives upside down. There is an ethical measure to be considered on this sort of content.

[@ssp13087]

Guys I love your videos and specially the quality of your videos, but this is not one of them. You have literally mentioned Bosch, BMW, Siemens … in your list, and it is evident that all these companies are firing 10000+ employees each. You can check out news. The jobs you see on their portal, are listed for internal restructuring of people. And same is the case with most of the companies you listed. Upon seeing your videos, people get fake hopes that they will find a job in Germany. Once they are here, they don’t find anything. And you can’t compare your 6-7 years old experience with now. Then economy was going up, and now it’s completely opposite. Being your fan, I would not want to see such a video from you . Anyways you guys make great video, a lot of success for you both ❤ Edit: I saw Volkswagen also. Guys they just closed 3 plants for the first time in Germany and now trying to fire 10000 people, you think they are still hiring?

[@simplegermany]

Thanks for your opinion. Fair point with the big companies - however they are a fraction of the 100 companies in the list. And a fraction of other companies hiring. We get success stories from developers getting hired in Germany - some directly from jobs we put together on that list. We never said finding a job in Germany is easy - we’re just pointing out that it’s not impossible and we are doing our best to help those who want it.

[@Aholfditler37]

Hallo, vielen Dank für das informative Video! Ich habe Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen auf Deutsch in der Türkei studiert, obwohl Deutsch nicht meine Muttersprache ist. Im Rahmen des SAP Young Professionals Program, einem zweimonatigen Trainingsprogramm, habe ich außerdem zwei SAP-Zertifizierungen abgeschlossen. Jetzt möchte ich gerne in Deutschland im SAP-Beratungsumfeld arbeiten. Was denkst du, habe ich als Berufseinsteiger mit nur einem Praktikum und diesen Zertifizierungen eine Chance, einen solchen Job zu bekommen? Danke für deine Einschätzung! Beste Grüße,

[@mogon721]

Jemand, der es für witzig hält, sich unter so einem Nick zu melden, sollte vielleicht besser bleiben wo er ist.

[@paulaaa990-l1x]

Where did you found english speaking IT jobs in the Germany? 🤪 I'm not able to find ! Indeed, linkedin etc. there is no much english job in Germany.

[@RaphaelGuan]

Hello, I am curious that do Germany tech companies prefer the platforms mentioned in the video than Linkedin?

[@hekkcci2695]

If this somebody’s dream then it’s not a good dream.

[@simplegermany]

It was my dream (Jen) and I am happy I went for it. Everyone gets to decide what their dream looks like. Germany might not be for some.

[@ichbinhier355]

do you have any recommendations for a CV? maybe a template? should I put a photo of myself, etc...?

[@simplegermany]

We do! We go into detail in how to craft a CV and find a job in our course: simplegermany.shop/pages/get-hired

[@styzicmuzic]

Hiii, can do for roles like network/system engineer?

[@laminann1958]

Hello, I am from Gambia and reside in Italy. Is it a requirement to submit a TOEFL/EILTS certificate when the official language in Gambia is English, and I also did both my bachelor's and master's in English? Thank you.

[@simplegermany]

You need to speak/look online to your local German embassy to find personal details 😉

[@laminann1958]

@@simplegermany Thank you.

[@chandanmb7]

Please don't share false news. Economy is so poor that companies are in fear to hire people. We are still going through that rough phase from past 3 months. @Everyone - Please don't fall into this trap ads and get into the struggle. Please try once the economy is up and there are several openings listed. Without the German language , openings for software developers is "0" at the moment and people are not even getting calls.

[@simplegermany]

Sorry to hear you have that opinion, but we know developers who don’t speak English that started their jobs in the past 3 months. Of course it takes effort (as anything does) but it is totally possible if you apply the right mindset and tactics.

[@goksenincakr2466]

@@simplegermany You completely overlook how mentally draining it is to deal with unprofessional interviewers, a lack of transparency and feedback from companies, and constant rejection. You unnecessarily set people's expectations too high. This will cause more harm than good.

[@chandanmb7]

@simplegermany Sorry. Everybody who applies for Job will do with right and positive mindset. My only suggestion to my friends or people who are outside Germany not to leave their current job and come here based on Job Seeker Visa . They will have a lot of struggles. Your video portrays wrong messages to the people without the current reality.

[@ssp13087]

@@simplegermany I saw Volkswagen , Bosch, bmw, Siemens . Guys VW just closed 3 plants for the first time in Germany and now trying to fire 10000 people, you think they are still hiring? Same with others you put in list.

[@turjo119]

Im not even 30 seconds into the vid yet im already spamming share everything 😂

[@digimortaluis]

3 years in Germany. If you're a senior software engineer, earning in USD and having a good lifestyle, you ain't missing anything. Research the bad stuff, read about the reality of Wohnungssuche, Schulplatz, Nachbarin Karen, all the insurances and taxes etc. If you still want to come in, congratulations, you're 5 years behind on your German progress. Viel Glück!

[@andreycherevat]

That's totally true, but if you are not a senior and looking for an affordable place to stay in the center of Europe, Germany is a nice option with a wide job market. The main barrier is language, but you may be rewarded with German citizenship after 3-5 years. And it may be worth it before you get a nice offer somewhere else after becoming a wanted developer. But moving to Germany as an already successful English-speaking engineer is ridiculous especially if you are not working for a German company.

[@HoNow222]

DON'T DO IT.

[@SchwarzeKatter]

Most useful comment. Don’t be deceived, you will be taxed to death and if you are not white, you will never be accepted in German Society…whether you learn German or not.

[@simplegermany]

Why not?

[@SchwarzeKatter]

@@simplegermanymany people come with a romantic view of Germany / Europe, only to realize that they will pay more taxes, have a hard time finding houses, driving through bureaucracy, learning German, and of course dealing with German „friendliness“.

[@simplegermany]

Ideally, anyone moving anywhere in the world informs themselves about the systems at work. Knowing about what taxation is in place should not be a surprise (we have plenty of content explaining how things work). And housing being hard to find is also not just a German challenge. Sorry to hear that you are not feeling happy here. Germany is definitely not for everyone.

[@SchwarzeKatter]

@@simplegermany the word here is „ideally“ in addition many of the people I know who came here were actually aware of these things and came anyway but end up complaining because the grass is always greener on the other side.

[@MobileShots]

I wish if German's talk English like you Yuvone