Finding Suitable Staff

Germany has over 400 universities and universities of applied sciences (UAS) with over 285,000 graduates in 2007. Through a combination of on- and off-the-job training in Germany’s so-called dual education system (please see chapter eight, Living in Germany for detailed information), hiring and training costs are reduced (especially for skilled craftsmen and technicians) and recruitment risks minimized. Vocational colleges closely cooperate with approximately 500,000 companies in Germany, ensuring that education always meets specific industry needs.

Recruitment services are offered by the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), which provides its services free of charge and operates job centers in all large towns and cities in Germany.

There are several programs offering extensive public support for hiring employees. Please refer to our chapter on incentives for more information.

Alternatively, private employment companies can help in finding the appropriate specialist. Companies usually charge 1.5 - 2 monthly gross salaries from the employer or a fee from the job applicant (usually not exceeding EUR 2,000).

In addition, companies seeking new personnel usually advertise open positions in newspapers, journals, company websites, or on internet job market websites. Ads for specialists and highly qualified staff are usually placed in national newspapers and professional journals, whereas ads for skilled workers or low-qualification jobs normally appear in local papers. Reflux is usually high.

Employers are free to define the recruiting process based on individual requirements. There are only a few guidelines to be observed, such as the need for jobs to be offered in a non-discriminatory manner - meaning that employers are required to hire on an equal opportunity basis without discrimination in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, ideology (Weltanschauung), disability, age, or sexual orientation.