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GermanRemote

Job board for remote & international jobs for German-speakers

German Speaking Jobs and Internships | Remote & Home Office

About us

Working from home with flexible working hours has its perks. No need to rush in the morning, squeeze yourself into packed trams or buses or get stuck in another traffic jam. Recent studies confirm that working from home increases productivity as well as mental wellbeing.
It does not matter what you call it: remote or home office jobs. They are here to stay!
When done right and with a set working routine in place, remote or home office jobs are becoming more and more popular.
Auslandskarriere.de (“career abroad”) specializes in helping Germans find jobs abroad or remotely.
This article is for employers looking to hire German-speakers for a remote position.

How to find German-speakers for remote jobs?

Digital nomads were the pioneers for remote jobs. While traveling around, they financed their nomadic life with freelance or remote jobs. Since our working life has changed and travelling abroad can be challenging more and more people look for alternatives.

Freelancing can be though! Constantly looking for new jobs is a job itself.
Remote jobs however combine the best of two worlds: working from home with all its perks and having the security of a full-time position.

Whilst remote jobs are becoming increasingly popular the majority of jobs span around technical, design or support roles. Employers who look for German-speakers often do not know where to find the right candidates.
The requirements for remote jobs do not only require employees to be tech-savvy, fluent in English but also happy to work on their own. Posting English job ads in regular German job boards can be tricky! We hear you!
Our community combines all requirements with the thirst to work with an international team. Our section “remote” helps newbies as well as established remote workers and functions as an information board. Our articles about remote work gives tips on balancing the everyday remote lifestyle, ensuring productivity and communication with an international team.

How to find the right German-speaking candidate for your job opening?

Although the English-speaking world knows this kind of work as „remotely”, German-speakers would rather use the term “Home Office”. Using both terms in the title of your job ad will ensure that people are on the same page what this job is actually about!
Hiring Germans can be different than hiring other nationalities. We have been told that the German recruitment market is though.

As a job board we focus on intercultural competences and working in diverse teams. Hiring the right candidates starts with the job ad. There are a few things you must pay attention to. Knowing a few things about the German market will help you immensely to attract the right candidates for your remote job.

Here are three things to keep in mind when writing your job ad:

    • It is all about the headline: The title of your job ad should be precise to what the position entails. “Remote German-speaking Social Media Specialist | Home Office” is more specific than “Be our next Community Rockstar”. Unclear job ad headlines can be a deal braker and result in poor application numbers or simply the wrong applicants.
    • Details, Details, Details: Germans are known to be highly efficient. This is intertwined with being “direct”. The German language and culture are none where you have to “read between the lines” or “beat around the bush” to sell an idea.
      Germans like to know every single detail when it comes to a new job. Just say it how it is. When a job entails “cold calling” but you do not want to be upfront, please note that this will probably beat you in the butt later in the recruitment process. Vague job descriptions create a certain mistrust between you and the German applicants. If both parties know what the other one wants the recruitment process will be much smoother. Transparency is certainly the backbone of efficiency.
    • Introduce your brand and create trust: Americans are peaches and Germans are coconuts. What?
      The peach/coconut comparison is often used in cultural studies. Americans are being compared the peaches – soft on the outside and hard on the inside. This means that Americans are super friendly when approaching strangers, but it can take a while to truly get to know them. Germans seem to be more reserved upon the initial meeting. However, once they trust you – you are in and they will open up.
      Using no logo and a tiny description about your company creates suspicion.
      All of our job packages include the use of a logo, a large banner image and a video. There is no need to create a video just for a job ad but using a photo of your company will build trust.
      Your vibe attracts your tribe! Tell applicants what working with your company is all about. You do not need to be super creative but giving some insights into the day-to-day business will help applicants to understand you better.

Tips for hiring remote German-speaking employees (home office)

Working from home has become more and more common. However, not everyone has worked on a part-time or full-time remote basis. Working in a regular office job and then working from home for one or two days is completely different to a remote role which is designed to be 100 per cent remotely from the start.
There is not “looking over your colleagues’ shoulder” or asking a team member when you face a problem. The following tips are designed to help employers with the recruitment and hiring process of German-speakers.

    • Onboarding and getting to know each other virtually: Onboarding is usually about ensuring that employees have all the information they need to become full team members in the company. Working at home can be great but it is not for everyone. Feeling lonely and isolated are the most common concerns of remote work.
      Ensure that your teams gets time to get to know each other. Especially new employees can feel lost at times without ta proper onboarding process. Please keep in mind that getting to know someone virtually takes much more time than seeing someone everyday at the office.
      Good onboarding has a considerable effect on performance of the employees, as he/she will feel that they are part of a team.
      Onboarding can include a checklist with all important points, video meetings, networking on linkedin or even a virtual lunch meeting for the whole team to get to know each other.
      The first working week is especially important. Plan your induction and have a dedicated team member train the new hire.
    • Clear project with regular check-ins: Vague project descriptions are a recipe for disaster. A detailed project with small milestones and clearly defined KPIs will avoid frustrations on both sides.
      Having someone who regularly check-ins with the employees helps to keep the overview of their workload. A daily email exchange and a weekly meeting are crucial that the project is on the right track.
      A preferred method of contact should be discussed in advance. It is important that new employees have the option to ask as many questions as they like but they should ensure that they do not disturb the other team members work. Emails may be better suited in some situations when there is no dedicated supervisor. Instant chat functions are great to quickly communicate but they can also distract employees from each other. Employees need to think about the problem before writing it down.
    • Training and further education: Remote positions face a big problem when training new employees: shadowing other team members seems to be tricky but it is not impossible. Skype or other software enable people to share their live screen and walk the other person through the work process.
      Ongoing training should not be ignored when it comes to remote positions. Bigger companies certainly have training options in place which are part of their intranet, but small companies can make use of online courses to help employees with industry-specific knowledge.

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