Quick note: this is just my personal experience. It will differ by field, background, and a hundred other factors. Sharing it purely in the hope that someone finds it useful.
My profile: B.Tech Chemical Engineering (India) | M.Sc Process Engineering (ongoing October 2025) | B1 German (in progress) | 2 years as a Process Engineer
Stats: ~300 applications | Oct 2025 – Apr 2026 | 5 interviews | 1 offer
01 — Apply fast on job portals, or don’t bother
LinkedIn and similar platforms only work if you apply within 24 hours of posting and the listing has fewer than ~10 applicants. Otherwise you’re buried. People get too focused on finding the perfect role and miss the timing window timing is the whole game on these platforms.
02 — Cold email startups (this was underrated)
I researched startups in my field, found the CTO or HR email, and sent a short cold email with my CV. Out of ~20 emails, 15 replied. Most weren’t hiring, but 2 led to interviews . Startups often have zero other applicants. You might be the only person they’re talking to.
03 — Use LinkedIn to find people, not just jobs
Search for seniors or alumni from your university or field already working in Germany . See which companies they joined. Reach out many will share how they got in and what the process was like. This is literally how I found the company I got hired by. The people who previously worked there also gave me some insight about the company and interview process.
04 — Fix your resume first
I lost 3 months because mine was wrong. German resume standards are specific. One experience = one line. No paragraphs. If you have limited experience, keep it to one page. HRs are not reading your story they’re scanning. I lost three months before I figured this out. YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR RESUME FOR EVERY ROLE ACCORDING TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION.
05 — Understand why you’re actually being rejected
My rejections came down to: location (first semester, limited to nearby cities), German level, and occasionally skill gaps. Knowing the real reason helps you fix the right thing instead of applying blindly.
06 — Start early — the blue collar job trap is real
It’s easy to fall into quick jobs for quick money I worked at Flink for a while. Nothing wrong with that, but don’t let it eat your bandwidth entirely. It takes real time to figure out what works. The earlier you start, the more runway you have.
07 — Your mental state is part of the process
Waking up to five rejection emails a day is genuinely hard. There were days I seriously thought about going back home. You just keep going. Your situation is not permanent. It came for me after 6 months and 300 applications . it will come for you too.
I know most of these points seem obvious but it is very important to actually implement it .
This is just the beginning . Finding a full time job is the next step.
If anyone wants to share their experience/feedback please do so in the comments or send me a text.
A lot of people will tell you , the market is not good bla bla whatever , it is up to you to do something about it. I know a lot of people around me who are successful and have worked hard . You have to decide what you want to be. You can complain or you can actually do what needs to be done.
Thank you for reading ! I wish you luck !
Link to resume format :