German Speaking Jobs
Just launched: Job board for German language Jobs
German expertise and the German language are in high demand abroad. A job abroad can be very attractive: getting to know other cultures, broadening your horizons, learning or perfecting new languages, and providing an immediate boost to your CV. Often there is even a substantial salary increase if you have the necessary expertise. For some people, a job abroad can also mean a way out of unemployment. Especially young graduates who want to utilise their German language skills can find a good entry-level job abroad after completing their studies.
More than half of the German population wants to live and work abroad at some point in their life. Nowadays, a semester abroad is almost standard on a German CV, but only a handful of Germans have professional work experience abroad to show.
However, looking for international jobs in German job boards is like looking for that famous needle in a haystack. We want to close this gap and give our community a platform to look for jobs directly advertised by companies abroad.
About us
Auslandskarriere ‘career abroad’ is the online platform for German speakers, helping them to make their dream of living abroad come true. Whether you want to do an internship or sabbatical in an exotic location, whether you want to live as a digital nomad or plan to emigrate completely: Auslandskarriere will give you tips on how to do it.
Our online magazine started in 2015 and has grown to 46,000 – 79,000 pageviews per month. Spread across five continents, all of our contributors have lived and worked abroad themselves. Our magazine is for German expats – from German expats.
We also had the chance to be featured in a number of major German online magazines, including Business Insider, Focus Online, t3n, Unicum, Gründerszene and e-fellows.
Our platform is about our community. Having walked a few million miles in our expat shoes, we know all the hurdles when you want to step out of your comfort zone and start from zero.
Our mission is to create a transparent platform that helps German speakers find their dream job abroad, have a smooth transaction when moving to another country, and be 101 per cent prepared when daring to set off on a new adventure.
Employers: Advertise with us and find German talent
Our contributors have lived in more than 13 countries combined. We know what we are talking about and are happy to pass on our knowledge to our community. We aim to be the number one place where German speakers turn to when they embark on their international journey.
Looking for a German speaker for your company?
We value transparency and want to make a positive impact on the global workforce. As an expat magazine, we are able to give employers the opportunity to advertise directly to this exciting niche audience on our website.
Advertising with us means that…
… you become part of our community! Our readers want to live and work abroad. Your job ad will not be lost in a sea of other job ads. This is the beauty of a niche job board.
… you can show us what your company is all about! Our magazine is all about career-related companies and we know how important company branding is. All of our job ads include a picture and a video at no extra cost.
… you do not have to stress about the timing! Regular job ads are online for only 30 days. We know that filing relocation jobs will often take a little more time. This is why we have decided to go the extra mile. All of our job ads are kept up online for 60 days.
Candidates: Find your dream job abroad
Being German has advantages. In many places, employees from Germany are said to be particularly conscientious and reliable. Products from Germany are in demand all over the world, and ‘German quality’ is not only valued elsewhere but often opens up great job niches for German job seekers abroad.
Below is a list of some of the fields of activity in which German employees are particularly welcome. Sometimes, the pure mastery of the German language is even the main requirement and also offers non-specialists undreamt-of opportunities on the job market abroad. In view of so many fantastic opportunities: How about brushing up your CV, sending off your application, and living abroad for a while?
Best Industries in demand of German Speakers
1Customer service by email and phone
The majority of global corporations have moved their customer service centres to more cost-effective locations. Where the tax structure is advantageous, wages are low, and employees are still well trained, it is particularly attractive. If a Swiss customer of a globally operating online bookseller asks for advice by email, a German-speaking service employee, working from South Africa, Ireland, India or Costa Rica may help.
German customer service usually no longer comes from Germany but can be accommodated in the remotest places in the world as long as telephone and internet connections are fast and reliable. The service is provided by German-speaking employees who live abroad. Since the demand is huge, many companies in Germany advertise call centre jobs abroad and even pay for work visas, accommodation, and health insurance. For entry-level positions, often only an intermediate school-leaving certificate and a command of the German and English language, both spoken and written, is required. Since the German teams also have to be managed, niche career opportunities are available in supervisor and management positions.
Companies with a need for German-speaking customer service staff can be found in Greece, South Africa, Thailand, Portugal, Ireland, Poland and many other countries, including with such renowned companies as Amazon, Shell, PayPal, IBM, Teleperformance and Lufthansa.
2Tourism and travel industry
Germans have more paid holidays than workers in many other countries. Therefore, they often not only have the desire to travel but also have the necessary means. Tour and safari operators and travel agencies abroad, therefore, need a certain proportion of German-speaking staff to sell tours, provide advice on travel planning or act as German-speaking tour guides. Popular holiday destinations for Germans include southern Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa. Anyone interested in a job in the travel industry abroad should take a look at our job board.
3Hotel and catering industry
In order to communicate better with German-speaking holiday guests, many hotels and restaurants abroad are looking for German-speaking receptionists and service staff.
Being able to buy German rolls in Indonesia means that holidaymakers and expats alike have a piece of home within reach. So even the production of German gastronomy products or the operation of a German grocery store abroad can be quite lucrative and offer niche opportunities for butchers, bakers, and cooks.
4Marketing and communication
Foreign companies often want to offer their websites in several languages in order to be present in other markets, such as the German market. German-speaking marketing and communication staff are helpful when it comes to the search engine-optimised preparation of the German internet presence or the design of a marketing strategy tailored to German customers.
5Education sector
Wherever German employees settle abroad, there is automatically a demand for German schools and kindergartens. These educational institutions need specialists, such as educators, social workers, and teachers. The sponsors of such educational institutions are sometimes also churches or non-profit associations. Here you can find a directory of German kindergartens abroad.
6Personnel consulting and placement
All the fields of work described above depend on people who bring job seekers and companies together. The recruitment sector abroad represents another niche for German personnel consultants and recruiters. Job offers can be found on the internet.
7Development aid and peace service
Exciting and challenging positions for German executives and scientists are offered where infrastructure, economy and energy production still must be developed. Organisations such as CIM and GIZ recruit experts in the fields of rural development, climate science and energy use. Archaeologists, geographers, horticulturalists, cartographers and agricultural scientists are in demand to assist developing countries such as Pakistan, Cameroon or Ethiopia in the field. For peacekeeping missions in conflict regions, they are primarily looking for nurses, psychologists, lawyers and mediators.[td_smart_list_end]
The top 8 German-speaking jobs abroad
All over the world, there are job offers in which a command of the German language is the decisive hiring criterion. Especially for those who would like to live and work abroad but are not (yet) comfortable with the local language, these job offers provide excellent opportunities for a start in the country of their dreams. And wouldn’t it be great to live in an exotic country, but mitigate existing insecurity by being able to do a job and work with colleagues who speak the language you are used to?
1Customer Service Agent
Whether customers for a major German automobile company, globally operating internet department stores, insurance companies, airlines or hotel chains: the task of the customer service agent remains the same. They provide information on products and support customers when problems arise. Friendliness and a professional appearance at all times are basic requirements. Since services are mainly provided by telephone (via customer hotlines), live chat or email, a customer service agent must also have computer and communication skills.
Many companies have outsourced their customer service to countries with tax incentives. Some service providers have even specialised in managing the customer service of German and European companies from abroad. There are numerous options, and if you are looking for one, you will certainly find a German-speaking customer service job in the desired country.
2Key Account Manager
The task of key account managers is to look after key customers with high customer value and to achieve growth. Business relationships are to be expanded over the long term and new customers are to be acquired. When applying for a position as a key account manager, professional experience in sales is a very good way of proving that you can advise customers competently and, above all, convince them.
3Translator
The profession of a translator is one of the classic jobs abroad. And theoretically, anyone can work as a translator. However, translating texts in writing from one language into another often requires additional specialist knowledge—or at least is useful. After all, anyone who is well-versed in a particular specialist field, such as renewable energy, information technology or advertising and marketing, can acquire a niche position that few can fill. Translation agencies in the country of your choice are a good place to start looking for permanent or freelance jobs as a German-speaking translator.
4Tour Guide
As a Tour Guide you accompany city tours, day trips, complete travel stages or museum tours in the language of your clients. Applications can be found for jobs with cruise ships, bus companies, as well as with travel and tour operators. Most job offers are at popular holiday destinations for German tourists, where the language barrier is relatively high.
5Receptionist
A Technical Support Specialist provides technical assistance to companies or individual customers who experience difficulties with technical equipment or software. In most cases, customers can contact the Technical Support Specialist by email or phone, who will analyse the problem and suggest solutions. Technical Support Specialists are mainly needed by telephone and internet companies and all companies that sell technical equipment.
6Technical Support Specialist
A Technical Support Specialist provides technical assistance to companies or individual customers who experience difficulties with technical equipment or software. In most cases, customers can contact the Technical Support Specialist by email or phone, who will analyse the problem and suggest solutions. Technical Support Specialists are mainly needed by telephone and internet companies and all companies that sell technical equipment.
7Telemarketer
Telemarketers are telemarketers who give product advice over the phone or even sell products directly. Telemarketers are usually employed by call centres that serve one or more corporate customers at the same time. Telemarketing is location independent and a perfect way to advise German-speaking customers from abroad or to introduce products to them. In this professional field, the joy of communicating with people is a basic requirement.
8Travel Consultant
Travel consultants offer travel advice to clients, and German-speaking consultants are in high demand, especially in those countries where many Germans go on holiday. German travellers want to book tours and inquire about in the German destination with the tour operator in advance.