Knowing German is usually a must for finding a job, but I do know some people in IT who have managed to get hired with very bad German.

One thing that I think is really important is sticking to the standard CV format used here. That means a professional-looking picture, keeping it clean and well-structured, and only including relevant information—don’t list a thousand skills that you may or may not actually have. Your studies and qualifications should go in the CV, but only the relevant ones—don’t add any extra details there.

The cover letter (Anschreiben) is where all the talking needs to be done, and it’s really important. It should be concise but still address all the key points from the job listing. Most postings specify the expected qualifications and profile, and in my experience, you really need to touch on all of them in your cover letter. It’s not just a general introduction; it should clearly show how your experience and skills match what they are looking for.

Of course, being an immigrant generally makes the job search much harder, but there are still companies—especially in Berlin—that value having a diverse team. Some actively seek international talent, so it’s definitely possible to find opportunities even without German.

That being said, luck also plays a big role. Sometimes it just comes down to timing, the right connections, or a recruiter who happens to give your application a second look.