Bureaucracy when arriving: What I wish I had known before

When moving into an apartment or private shared accommodation, it is very important to document the condition accurately – preferably with photos or videos. For example, if the wall have been painted a different color, or the bed is damaged, you must be able to prove this when you move out. Otherwise, you could be held responsible for the damage. In student dormitories, you have up to two weeks to report any problems or uncleanliness.

Depending on the city and region, you must register within one month of moving. You can do this at the town hall of the respective district.  In some cases, you can make an appointment. However, if the town hall is busy or experiencing staff shortages, you may sometimes need to arrive early in the morning and wait.

I found it particularly remarkable that many things still have to be done in writing by letter. Some organizations still use fax machines. Although digital signatures are possible, documents often have to be physically signed, sent by mail, and received by the other party. This results in high paper consumption and costs a lot of money. Nevertheless, the digitalization of communication is advancing gradually across many industries.

In the beginning, it is often challenging to find a job that aligns with your field of study. Many students therefore start out in the restaurant industry, e.g. as waiters or bartenders. You can find these kinds of jobs both locally in cafés and bars via notices and via online platforms such as Zenjob.

These jobs have advantages and disadvantages: On the one hand, they are easy to find, but on the other hand, you usually only earn minimum wage and the work is physically demanding. However, if you are friendly and serve your guests well, you will receive tips, which are tax-free. In addition, the work helps with integration, as you talk to guests a lot and thus quickly get to know the culture and learn the language. I have met many students who have learned German without taking a language course, simply by working in the restaurant industry.

After a while, students usually look for a more suitable position, e.g., as a working student or student assistant at the university. It should be noted that communication skills and the ability to work in a team are particularly important in Germany. In some cases, people with good communication skills are even preferred over technically skilled applicants. It is therefore essential to communicate in a friendly and respectful manner with everyone, regardless of whether they may become future colleagues. As they say in Germany: “You only meet twice in life.”

It is always wise to establish friendly connections with potential future teams at an early stage. Companies, especially human resources departments, receive numerous applications every day and often do not take the time to review each application in detail. Those who stand out from other applicants are more likely to be remembered and have a better chance of getting an interview.

If something goes wrong or you need to assert your rights, always communicate in writing. Written documentation can be very helpful later on when enforcing or defending your own claims.

Arya