Berlin: A Wall's Fall and Rising Job Prospects  

While the Berlin Wall has fallen, you can build your future by working in the city. Berlin is Germany's capital and the country's largest city. The city was founded in the 1200s, and has functioned as the capital of various German realms. From 1945 until 1989 the city was split into East Berlin and West Berlin. Today, the population of the German city is roughly 3.4 million.  

Berlin provides its visitors with several quality tourist spots to visit. Some of the best ones include the Museum of Applied Art, Brandenburg Gate, the Charlottenburg Palace, the Pergamon Museum, the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, the Zoological Gardens, and the Dahlem Museums. 

Besides touring Berlin, the city also provides an array of quality job opportunities. While the country's unemployment is fairly high (about 16%), job seekers can still find numerous teaching and Information Technology (IT) positions in the country. Quite frankly, it's somewhat difficult for foreigners to secure jobs outside of these two fields. Fluency in German is also required for those interested in such positions.  

If you're a European Union (EU) citizen, then you're allowed to work in Germany without securing any work permits. However, other nationalities will have to follow the standard procedures for acquiring a work permit. They'll also have to secure a residence permit and tax certificate. Those who are studying in Germany may also secure a work permit. That grants you the ability to work 20 hours a week during the academic semesters, and 20 hours per week. For each of these items, you'll need to supply the necessary requirements. 

If you're interested in teaching English as a foreign language, then Berlin is definitely the place for you. In fact, several language schools provide English instruction at the primary school, secondary school, and adult levels. There are also classes that specialize in conversational English and business English. You'll need to have certification in TEFL to secure such jobs. Search for such job listings both online and offline.   

Regarding the living conditions in Berlin, the central region is the most developed, with other sections showing signs of urban decay due to the past reign of Communism in East Berlin. The city has nearly half a million foreigners, which tend to congregate together. You can find several inexpensive Berlin apartments (about 300 DM) in the east section of Berlin. While the newer ones have rents about three times higher (about 1,000 DM), they're much cleaner and are furnished with full bathrooms. There are various resources for finding apartments in Berlin, with agencies being one of the most popular ones.  

If you're planning to visit and work in Berlin, then it's highly advisable that you book a holiday apartment online. This will guarantee you accommodations once you arrive in Germany.

Jobs Berlin!

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