German Jobs in Greece
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]et against the dream scenery of the Acropolis, downtown Athens pulsates with life. Smaller cafés have been open since the early morning hours, while tourists jostle for the best seat to the Parthenon. Many Athenians work in tourism, but as the capital of Greece, this is of course also the hub of the Greek economy and administration. From Athens you can reach the Greek islands and coastal resorts within a few hours. Glass-clear blue sea, beautiful beaches, friendly people and of course fantastically good food distinguish Greece. Greece is an absolute dream for tourists. Many of them come back every year. Others have decided to emigrate to Greece. While in recent years many retirees have moved to smaller Greek coastal towns for retirement, there are now many young Europeans who want to work in Greece for a few years. Also many German speaking graduates and young professionals can find a fun job in Greece. We show you how!
What job opportunities do German-speakers have in Greece?
Current employment situation in Greece
Greece was hit hard by the economic crisis. Youth unemployment in particular caused young Greeks to increasingly look for work abroad or opt for longer studies. In the meantime, the rate has improved somewhat, but at 18.08 percent it is still not at the same level as before the crisis. Here, the unemployment rate was only 7.76 percent. (Statista.com) Therefore, anyone looking for a job in Greece as a foreigner should ask themselves: What do I have to offer that the Greeks themselves do not have? In many respects, this is of course the German language. EU citizens and citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland do not need to apply for a visa or residence permit to work in Greece. Once you arrive, all you have to do is register with the local authorities.
In-demand jobs in Greece for Germans
Utilizing your German language skills can help you find the following jobs in Greece:
- Customer Service Agent: Customer service agents with German language skills are always in demand in Greece. Meanwhile, Athens is one of the telesales hubs attracting large multinational companies. Together with other Europeans, they advise customers from all over Europe from Athens. As a German account manager, one then naturally takes over the German customers.
- Key Account Manager: As a key account manager, you have your own customer base, which you look after by phone and email. In most cases, this is an interface with multinational companies that also have sales staff directly on site with the customer. However, as a key account manager abroad, you usually take on the lead generation.
- Technical consultant: As a classic telesales job, you help the customer out with technical questions. Don’t worry. In order to really help the customer, you will of course be trained by the company.
- Recruitment Consultant / HR Employee: If the company has a lot of German-speaking employees, it also makes sense to hire a German-speaking HR employee who looks for new German employees and looks after them on site.
- Reservation Agent (Hotel and Tourist Attractions): Not everyone books their Greek holiday via the internet. Many customers call a German-speaking centre in Athens. Often, German travel agencies also communicate with the tourist centres or hotels directly in Greece. A German-speaking employee ensures smooth communication with the German tourists.
- Skilled workers: As in most countries, the typical skilled workers in the medical or IT fields are desperately sought after. But also craftsmen with a good education of first work experience can find employment in Greece.
Who should apply for a telesales job in Greece?
University graduates in particular can quickly find suitable work and thus a connection with a job in customer service. Of course, people with vocational training are also welcome, as they already have sound practical experience. Depending on the company, high school graduates are also hired. In some cases, this can be extended internships or even short apprenticeships. In a telesales job, one should not forget that the training takes place directly in the company. The actual requirements are therefore good language and communication skills. Most telesales jobs are with well-known companies. A job in customer service can lay the foundation for a further career. After all, where else can you learn first-hand what bothers customers or what questions they have about a service or product? Multinational companies are also known for offering the highest level of training and development. You improve your English almost by yourself. Greek and intercultural skills are also picked up. The name of a well-known company on your CV has opened many a door.
How to find jobs in Greece for Germans, Austrians and Swiss?
For some it may sound strange at first: Working in Greece and speaking German at work? If you think about it carefully, however, it makes sense. The German-speaking region is economically the strongest in Europe. To save taxes and costs, some companies have outsourced their customer service team abroad. Salaries are lower in Greece, but so is the cost of living. The incentive for such a job is the change of scenery to another country, the climate and the experience itself. Greek companies working with German clients or other German companies also have a need for a native speaker who is familiar not only with the language but also with the culture and the country itself. Auslandskarriere.de cooperates directly with companies worldwide. So there are always new jobs in Greece on our job board. International recruitment usually takes a little longer. So if you find a somewhat older job ad, you should still apply, because most companies are always looking for suitable German-speaking staff.
Living in Greece
The climate and a good dose of vitamin D can quickly put a smile on your face. If you decide to live in Greece for a while, you will quickly make friends with the Greeks themselves and with other Europeans.
Housing situation and cost of living in Greece
As is the case everywhere in the world, the most expensive housing situation in Greece is in the city. The international cost of living calculator Numbeo can be used to quickly calculate a few general costs. For example, comparing Athens with Frankfurt am Main, Numbeo states: “You would need about €2,754.68 in Athens to get the same standard of living that you can have with €4,100.00 in Frankfurt (assuming you rent in both cities)”. This calculation uses our cost of living plus rent index to compare the cost of living. It assumes a net income (after income tax). Rent in particular is cheaper in Athens compared to other German cities. According to Numbeo, a one-bedroom flat in the city centre of Frankfurt costs around 1.061 euros, while this would only cost 421 euros in Athens. It should not be forgotten, however, that earnings in Athens are lower than in Germany.