Spring 2020 is a time of uncertainty, for all of us. 

 

But I know that quite a few students  are running out of money.  

Unfortunately I don’t have a magic wand, but I hope it’s a tiny help to give you an overview about the job market for student jobs.

 

These jobs can be found in your neighbourhood or the rural area close to your city.

 

In the following I’m describing the domains that prosper in this time of poor economic status and offer additional jobs to be filled. 

 

Job market for students

In some areas, employment has dropped to almost zero within days, such as in the catering trade, trade fairs and large parts of the retail sector. Many industrial production facilities also take a break or work short time.

 

Other sectors of the economy are literally flooded with demand and are desperately seeking personnel: supermarket employees, supervisors, drivers.

 

This is also a great opportunity for students to find a new job. Supermarket staff:
Food is always in demand. In the Corona crisis supermarkets can hardly escape from customers, so much is bought. That’s why a lot of goods are reordered fast and then put on the shelves. For this purpose many supermarkets do not have enough staff.

Therefore, if you are a student or want to increase your study money, try to find a job as a helper in the supermarket.

 

My tip:
Go directly to a supermarket in your area and ask for a job. You can also call a number of temporary employment agencies in your area. You‘ ll quickly learn if they speak English and place employees in retail outlets.

 

 

Delivery and parcel services

If you have a German driving licence, you might want to try finding a job as a driver.

 

Regardless of whether it’s one of the official parcel delivery companies or a restaurant in your neighbourhood newly offering a delivery service for private individuals: They‘ re all looking for drivers. What language skills are required is most likely very different. The only thing that helps is to find out personally how much or German is required.

 

My tip: walk around your neighborhood with open eyes. Restaurants, pharmacies or shops often have a note on their doors if they are looking for help.

You can also go via the regional temporary employment agencies.

 

Do not assume that these companies post job advertisements online. Better is to be active and ask on your own initiative. It‘ s also a good exercise to practise your communication skills. Simply see how far you get with your German language skills so far. And if it doesn’t work out, you can probably switch to English.

 

 

Farming and Agriculture

We have a lot of agriculture in Germany and particularly in spring and the first days of summer there‘ s a lot of work. 

 

Since many European borders are closed, no workers are permitted to work in Germany for their yearly summer jobs. It is reported that over 100,000 workers are missing in the agricultural sector.

 

In early April many Germans have already volunteered to help in the countryside.

 

What has to be done?

 

It is primarily a matter of harvesting vegetables and fruit.

 

From April to mid-June asparagus is cut, a vegetable that is loved by many Germans and is quite expensive.In June the strawberry season begins. Strawberries have to be picked in the fields. From June the strawberry season begins. Strawberries have to be picked then. For sale many small strawberry stalls are set up again, as strawberries are often sold privately. Maybe you know these stalls on the streets? By the way, minimum wage is paid there too.
And certainly there are many other tasks where helpers are needed in agriculture. You can research here for vacancies in your region. Or ask via temporary employment agencies.
It is important here to react quickly and be open to new tasks.

 

 

Nursing / Care / Children and senior citizens

It is common for us to require a qualification for many jobs. Now, however, the crisis is a very exceptional situation and many aspects of our business are subject to short-term changes.

 

It is reported that hospitals and retirement homes are now also in need of unskilled employees. I can well imagine that many families may soon prefer to look after their grandpa or grandma at their homes rather than run the risk of infection in a residential home.

 

Here it’s certainly a good idea to walk around the neighbourhood with your eyes open.

Talk to a temp agency, find out how you can place an advertisement for „Kleinanzeigen“ in a local newspaper. There are free digital newspapers or city magazines, where an advertisement itself is free or can be placed for a few euros.


In Paderborn, for example, this is the HEFT magazine, but you can find similar offers in any city.