Key takeaways
  • Tech, startups, research and large international companies hire in English most often.
  • Berlin has the most English speaking roles, but Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt have many too.
  • Search in English and use phrases like "English speaking" or "international team".
  • Even in English speaking jobs, basic German helps you stand out.

"I don't speak German yet. Can I still get a job?" Yes, in some fields. But you need to know where English speaking jobs actually are, and how many other people want them.

Fields that hire in English

  • Software, data and cloud. Developers, data engineers, data scientists, DevOps and IT security. The biggest group of English speaking roles.
  • Product and design. Product managers, UX and UI designers, especially in startups.
  • Research and academia. Universities and research institutes often work in English.
  • International business roles. Supply chain, procurement, controlling and marketing in global companies, often when the market is international.
  • Engineering in large companies. Some teams at large automotive, semiconductor and industrial companies work in English, though German usually becomes important later.

Where to look

  • Berlin: the startup capital, with the most English speaking roles and the most competition.
  • Munich: large tech, automotive and engineering companies, plus many startups.
  • Hamburg: e-commerce, logistics, media and gaming.
  • Frankfurt: finance, fintech and consulting.
  • Also: Cologne, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Leipzig and Dresden have strong employers with less competition.
  • Search in English. An ad written in English usually means the team works in English.
  • Add terms like "English speaking", "international team" or "no German required".
  • Use Google to search company career systems directly, for example site:jobs.personio.de "English". More tricks in my job portal guide.
  • Read the full ad. "German is a plus" is very different from "fluent German required".

How to compete

English speaking jobs attract applicants from all over the world, so your application has to be sharper, not longer.

  • Show results in your CV, not duties. See the German CV guide.
  • Put your German level on your CV, even if it is A1. It shows you plan to stay.
  • Contact the hiring manager directly. A short message often matters more than the application itself.
  • Apply in the first days after a job is posted.

The honest truth about German

You can get a job in English. Building a long career, living comfortably, and getting permanent residence faster is much easier with German. With an EU Blue Card and B1 German, you can apply for permanent residence after 21 months instead of 27 (Make it in Germany). Start learning now, even while you apply. Read how much German you need.

Free PDF: send ENGLISH to @swapnil_in_germany on Instagram for "English speaking jobs in Germany: where to look". See all 33 free guides.

Sources

Written by Swapnil (Samadhan Mule)

I moved to Germany for my master's, collected more than 1,000 rejections, and then got multiple job offers within six months. I work in digital marketing in Germany and help international professionals get hired in Europe. Read my story.