Vom Hörsaal in die Arbeitslosigkeit - deshalb ist die Jobsuche oft so schwierig
German graduates face unprecedented job market challenges as AI disrupts traditional career paths and industries transform, creating a paradox where half a million positions remain unfilled while qualified candidates struggle.
Key Points
German university graduates encounter a transformed job market where traditional qualifications no longer guarantee employment. At the Absolventenkongress in Cologne, young people with excellent grades struggle to find entry-level positions.
The AI disruption cuts across fields. Marketing graduate Hanna Zupfer reports that managers now believe AI can replace junior positions. Computer science graduate Rachita Maruti Gundi describes sending 200-250 applications to receive two or three interview invitations—a stark contrast to the ten-application success rate of previous years.
Industry transformation reshapes opportunity. The automotive sector that once absorbed engineering graduates now sheds thousands of jobs at companies like Bosch, Siemens, and VW. Defense and startup sectors grow, but graduates must pivot quickly. Career advisor Anja Robert at RWTH Aachen notes that students who started preparing for automotive careers five years ago now face a changed landscape.
A paradox defines Germany's labor market. Roughly 500,000 skilled workers are needed in trades, nursing, and STEM fields, yet graduates resist these paths. Markus Neumann from the Federal Waterways Administration attends four job fairs annually but struggles to fill apprenticeship positions—candidates prefer remote work possibilities his field cannot offer.
Practical Advice from Experts
Career advisors recommend:
- Learn AI tools and digital project management during studies—demonstrate this in applications
- Target SMEs and startups, not just major corporations
- Analyze what you learned about yourself during studies, not just technical skills
- Highlight achievements rather than activities in CVs
- Stay flexible about industries and roles
Related
This report connects to broader themes explored in the-age-of-the-generalist, which argues that AI commoditizes specialist tasks while high-agency generalists thrive. The economic transformation echoes Keynes' predictions in economic-possibilities-for-our-grandchildren about technological unemployment.
For another German perspective on AI's societal impact, see lanz-precht-226-florence-gaub-zukunft-pessimismus on future-oriented thinking and the concept of "Arbeitsgesellschaft" (work-based society).