Unemployment has reached the highest level for 14 years in January, but at the same time the number of vacancies is high. We show you which businesses you have the best chance of new jobs.
In January, 2,993,000 people were unemployed in Germany. So only 3 million marks missed. The last time it was broken in March 2011, so almost 14 years ago. Compared to the previous year, the Federal Employment Agency declared more than 187,000 unemployed.
The reason for this increase is quickly acknowledged: Germany’s economy is in a crisis, and the GDP must have diminished for the second consecutive year in 2024. It was the last in 2002/03, however, the decline in two years is now lower than the 2009 financial crisis or the Corona crisis of 2020.
Many unemployed do not match vacancies
On the other hand, the number of open seats registered in the federal company is even more. It was about 632,000 in January 2025. This is the lowest value in nine years, but it is even more than the previous decade. It is clear that many unemployed people do not match open areas these days. This may be because candidates are trained in other industries other than looking for companies, but the appropriate applicant lives in Munich, but the work is advertised in Hamburg.
So if you are looking for a job, it is better to know which fields are looking for too much. Here’s the top 6:
1. Sales (without product special) – 39,943 open places
What business are these? Products include specialist vendors, for example, retailers, cashier, branch manager, special vendor, shelf filler, retailers and men and businessmen and men.
Where can I find these jobs? The conditions of this type can be found almost in retail, for example in supermarkets, special stores, hardware shops, cinemas, petrol stations and more.
Why are many places empty here? Many old employees are retiring and the lack of young people suffer more than others. It should also be done that these businesses are often geex. Wages are low, especially for simple sellers or assistants, working hours are not very attractive.
2. Warehouse Management, Post and Distribution, Goods Handling – 37,167 Open Places
What business are these? This section includes ambassadors, rail and port workers, posters and parcel distributors, logistics, warehouses, master of logistics or warehouse and furniture packers.
Where can I find these jobs? The group is different. Most jobs are found in the storage and logistics area in private companies or public companies. In addition, all providers from shipping services to Amazon from Doyc post to Amazon.
Why are many places empty here? Like the type in front of it, most of the jobs are badly paid here, and they often come with generous work hours. In addition, the demand for employees is high due to fast -growing online trading.
3. Education, Social Work, Disease Education – 27,372 Open Places
What business are these? In this category, for example, work and social workers, foreigners and unemployed advisers, disabled assistants, all kinds of supervisors, social workers, cutritual educators, educators, child and elderly nurses, family counselors and assistants, healers, coordinators, coordinators, coordinators Advisors, drug consultants and child mind.
Where can I find these jobs? Employees of this type often work on the amenities of their respective sectors, such as kindergarten, schools, a variety of homes and private or state counseling centers.
Why are many places empty here? There is much need due to our elderly community in this area. This is strengthened by the fact that this professional group has a big problem of young skills. The main feature of criticism is the hard work conditions that lead to the highest sick leave of all professional groups in Germany.
4. Mechanical Engineering and Operating Technology- 25,538 Open Slots
What business are these? For example, lifts builders, machines (construction) technicians, mechanical engineering engineers, lock worker, device technician, heating technician, electronics technicians, designers, all kinds of fitters, customer service technicians, mechanical and plant drivers, mechanics, Maccotronics These include and engine builders.
Where can I find these jobs? In this section you are working somewhere in the industry or the service area for customers – it can be private homes or other companies.
Why are many places empty here? Like all the businesses needed, there is a shortage of skilled workers, in which more employees are retiring than the offspring. This has been strengthened here by the fact that the requirements for these industries have increased in recent years, as many professional sectors have been digitized, and applicants need to be familiar with this technology. This is an opportunity because you can open the best opportunities with a little more training. With a good qualification, you will come up -the average wages in this field.
5. Energy Technology – 21.130 Open Places
What business are these? In this field, all types of electrical machinery builders and electrical system installers, as well as nuclear technicians, all kinds of electrical engineers, electrical engineers, electronics technicians, energy plant manufacturers, installers and installers, solar technicians, solar technicians, long -tiescent cables Engineers, gas turbine champions, engineers from the area of electronics and energy technology, power plant workers, Meskin engineers, switch gear builders, strom electricity, power and energy technology and windmill managers.
Where can I find these jobs? Energy technicians need a variety of work. The area of renewable energy is growing rapidly, ie solar technology, wind power and everything around the biomass. The industry also needs energy technicians for the construction and operation of systems and machinery. The third part of the application is the service area.
Why are many places empty here? In addition to the general lack of skilled workers, energy change in this industry is noticeable, which causes more demand for appropriate employees. This applies to the construction of large systems, the expansion of the electrical phase, but the establishment of private photo systems. On average, these businesses are paid more than average.
6. Vehicle Management in Road Transport – 20,382 Open Places
What business are these? The type is more detailed than you think. In addition to truck drivers, bus drivers and train drivers, ambulance drivers, drivers, drivers, food suppliers, bicycle couriers, taxi drivers, urban cars, drivers, napkin machines or waste vehicles, courier drivers, transporters, roads and tunnels.
Where can I find these jobs? Logically, you will find these places where a driving service is needed, ie for companies in the local public transport sector, Toich Pan and other rail and bus companies, for example courier services and many more delivery sand, uber and similar services in the area. In applications.
Why are many places empty here? The biggest problem in this field is aging. About 40 percent of all buses and tram drivers over 55 years of age will soon retire. There is a shortage of young people because the jobs in this area are paid on average poorly, but they have hard work conditions and the time of work. On average, bus drivers earn about 25,000 euros according to the Hald.De. Train drivers arrive on average below 3200 euros. With new applications such as leafrando or uber, wages are usually low.
Conclusion: There are more jobs, but …
Good news: A lot of work is open. We only portray the officially declared places to the federal employment agency. But there are still a large number of unprecedented cases. The company of the Labor Market and Industry has estimated the number of open seats for the last autumn at 1.3 million.
Bad news: Many of these places are open, because jobs are generous – less wages, hard work conditions or less attractive work time. So if you are looking for a job, you need to think about how long you can keep waiting for your dream work, and when you want to bite the acid apple and take a less attractive job.
There is no more confidence in the improvement in this year’s labor market: the IFO employee is not very constructive to question the motivation of companies in hiring employees in the coming months. In January it was 93.4 points. It was slightly higher than a month ago, but more than 100 points under the threshold. This means that “there is still a tendency to reduce employees,” says Class Wolrabe, headed by IFO’s survey. The last windmill was in the positive area in the summer of 2022. In addition, there are weak predictions for economic growth: various economists expect to increase by 0.2 to 0.4 percent.
