Once you have obtained the necessary work permits (if required) you can begin looking for a job in Germany. There are many places to look for jobs and a number of them can be consulted before you arrive. In recent years, Germany has made job searching much easier for foreigners. Thanks to the increasing use of computers and the internet, it is now much easier to find work in Germany but traditional forms of recruiting, such as public employment agencies, personal networking, trade union assistance, newspaper ads, and other resources are still common and serve to accommodate Germany’s large population and complex job market.

• Newspapers – A traditional and popular way of finding jobs in Germany is in the classified sections of daily and weekly newspapers, particularly on Wednesday’s and at weekends. Almost all German newspapers carry extensive employment listings in their weekend editions (one edition for Saturday and Sunday), especially in major national newspapers such as the Frankfurter Allgemeine or the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Die Welt, Handelsblatt and Frankfurter Rundschau. Most of these newspapers can be viewed online too. Alternatively, for a fee, you can place a ‘job wanted’ ad in the jobs sections of these papers, listing your area of interest, experience and requirements. 
• Career fairs – These are particularly useful for students or graduates and are usually located on campus. Career fairs in Germany normally attract a range of employers and focus on a specific sector. You can often apply by sending in your CV and employers decide who they want to meet and interview in advance. At these events you can gain insight into what working life is like at different companies, and it is also possible to arrange interviews with companies.  
• Speculative applications - This is becoming an increasingly popular way of finding jobs in Germany and is certainly worth trying, as in some companies, applications are retained and checked against positions as they become available. Many companies don’t advertise at all, but rely on 'word of mouth' and by advertizing on their own vacancy boards. Apply from your home country to multi-national companies with offices or subsidiaries in Germany. Many companies recruit a high proportion of their employees through unsolicited applications. It is recommended that you leave your name and address with a prospective employer and, if possible, a telephone number on which you can be contacted, which is particularly useful if a job becomes vacant later on. 
• Networking – Although not as common in Germany as in other countries, sometimes it is the case of not what you know, but who you know. Sometimes it is difficult for foreigners to make contacts among Germans and many turn to the expatriate community, particularly in bigger cities. Once in Germany, another option is to contact or join local expatriate social clubs, churches, societies and professional organizations. Furthermore, asking friends and acquaintances already working there is often a successful way of discovering whether an employer is seeking someone with your experience and qualifications.  
• Professional and Trade magazines - Jobs are also advertised in industry and trade newspapers, magazines and journals. Ask locals which publications and which days are best for job ads in your field. Jobs are also advertised in various English language publications, including the International Herald Tribune and the Wall Street Journal Europe.  
• Labor offices (Arbeitsamt) - There are more than 800 Arbeitsämter (job centers) throughout Germany. EU/EEA nationals are entitled to use these services as the job centers have extensive listings of vacancies which can be consulted for free. However, the majority of job offers are for un-skilled and semi-skilled work. The largest range of jobs can be found on the job site of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit [Federal Employment Agency]. 
• Central Office for Job Placement – This is the international department of the Arbeitsam called ZAV (Zentralstelle für Auslandsvermittlung) for foreigners seeking work in Germany. The Central Placement Office (ZAV) is the German agency responsible for placing foreign applicants with German firms and also for placing German applicants with firms abroad. The ZAV works in conjunction with several other agencies belonging to the Federal Employment Agency. This government agency has free services for EU citizens, as well as positions open to non-EU citizens within Germany. See their website for more details: www.arbeitsagentur.de  
• Recruitment agencies - Most German recruitment agencies are private employment agencies that mainly concentrate on professional and executive levels of employment and placing applicants with specific qualifications such as engineers, consultants, managers in mostly high-end positions. Agencies are generally listed in the telephone directory and yellow pages under Arbeitsvermittlung. A number of them specialize in recruiting for temporary positions, and are a useful step towards a full-time job.  
• Chambers of Commerce - Contact the local Chamber of Commerce of your home country in Germany, as they often recruit candidates and sometimes have a database of available jobs. Often a Chamber of Commerce will have a list of companies from your home country that do business in Germany, and can be good targets for speculative applications.
• EURES (European Employment Service) - Member States of all EU countries including Norway and Iceland exchange information regularly about job vacancies, and local EURES offices have access to information about how to apply for a job and living and working conditions in each country. The international department of your home country’s employment service can provide you with advice on finding work in Germany and put you in touch with a ‘Euroadviser’.
• Internet – The last few years have been witness to a huge growth in online recruitment and online applications are increasingly common in Germany. Large employers are making good use of online job databases and are publishing vacancies online, whereby candidates can complete the job application forms via the internet. Using Online-Bewerbungen is now a popular way of searching for and applying for work, especially among younger people and graduates. 

You can also search for jobs in Germany at: www.entrypark.com/jobs