Arbeitsvermittler/Arbeitsvermittlerin

Information offers from the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency), Official News (ANBA), further information offers, ARBEIT journal (Labour Research, Labour Design and Labour Policy), Vocational Education Research Network Working Group, Selected Bibliography: Vocational Education Research, Education Monitor 2025, BQ-Portal (information offer on foreign professional qualifications in Germany), Journal for Labour Market Research, NZA (New Journal for Labour Law), publications of the IAB (Institute for Employment Research), SGB II Service Point.

Employment counselors usually work in offices and meeting rooms, and also with clients, for example during company visits.

Core competencies generally required in this profession include: Employment promotion law, labour law, employment counseling, occupational knowledge, decision document preparation, applicant selection and assessment, customer consulting and support, personnel recruitment. Further competencies that may be important for practicing this profession include: Labour market policy, career counseling, vocational training law, applicant training, wage, salary, and collective bargaining systems, HR consulting, private employment counseling, psychology, research and information gathering, teaching and training (non-school area), VerBIS (the Bundesagentur für Arbeit's (Federal Employment Agency) placement, counseling, and information system), behavioural and communication training. Other relevant skills and knowledge: 'Office communication, MS-Office' competence group, 'Target groups' competence group.

Employment counselors usually work independently in their area of responsibility, but also collaborate with other specialists. For example, they organize events for career choice and Ausbildung (vocational training) placement search with career counseling colleagues. They have personal, written, and telephone contact with young people and adults. Depending on their area of deployment, they also interact with employers. Persuasion and negotiation skills are required here. Counseling and placement activities demand commitment and a strong service and customer orientation. They must be able to quickly adapt to their changing clients; this requires strong communication skills and a talent for cooperation. Empathy is necessary to identify their clients' strengths and weaknesses. They treat personal data and documents confidentially. As they may decide on the granting of employment promotion benefits and often work with clients in difficult life situations...

Employment counselors can become self-employed, for example, by starting a temporary employment agency or by working freelance in employment counseling.

Example gross basic collective agreement salary after completing a Studium (university degree) (monthly): 4,099 €. Source: Collective agreement for employees of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) (TV-BA). Note: This information is for orientation purposes only. No claims can be derived from it. Earnings vary; check BERUFENET.

Social insurance, e.g., public employment counseling, employment promotion. Personnel services, placement of workers, e.g., service providers in the private employment counseling sector. Other provision of temporary workers.

For employment in Agenturen für Arbeit (Employment Agencies) or Jobcenter (job centers), a Studium (university degree) in Labour Market Management at the Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit (University of the Federal Employment Agency) is usually required. Private employment agencies often expect a commercial further education in human resources or a corresponding Studium (university degree), e.g., in Human Resource Management.

Labour Market Management (undergraduate), Administrative Management, Public Management (postgraduate), Administrative Management, Public Management (undergraduate), Human Resource Management, -Services (undergraduate), Human Resource Management, -Services (postgraduate).

Employment counselors find employment in Agenturen für Arbeit (Employment Agencies) based on the Social Code (SGB) III, in Jobcenter (job centers) according to SGB II, and with private employment agencies, HR consulting firms, and temporary employment agencies.

Arbeitsvermittler/in (Employment Advisor). Also a common job title/synonym: Vermittlungsfachkraft (Placement Specialist). Job title in English: Employment advisor (m/f).

Employment advisors integrate employees into the labor and Ausbildung (vocational training) market, search for staff for companies, and provide information on employment promotion services.

Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency), local offices, Interamt.de, service.bund.de, Stellenblatt.de.

Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) - Central Office, Gesamtverband der Personaldienstleister e. V. (GVP) (General Association of Personnel Service Providers), ver.di - Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (United Services Union).

Responsibility for individuals (e.g., considering the consequences of one's actions for job seekers and employers). Customer contact (e.g., creating qualification profiles together with employee clients). Adherence to various regulations and legal requirements (e.g., social laws, legal and administrative regulations, implementing provisions). Screen work (e.g., researching job offers for clients in databases and online job boards). Office work (e.g., at Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) offices, but also at private employment agencies, HR consulting firms, or temporary employment agencies).

Documents, e.g.: customer profiles, job offers, application documents, information material, legal regulations. Data management systems, e.g.: job boards and databases. Office equipment, e.g.: PC, internet access, telephone.

Employment advisors help people find a suitable job or an appropriate Ausbildung (vocational training) position. They provide information on labor market requirements and developments in various professions and industries. They develop individual qualification profiles with job seekers and research suitable job offers. Additionally, they support employees by helping them create application documents, preparing them for interviews, or selecting measures for professional development. For employers, employment advisors select suitable candidates and propose them to companies. They also advise on measures for personnel planning and development. Private employment advisors also offer services such as applicant management.

Business Administrator (Fachschule (vocational college)) for Human Resources / Bachelor Professional in Business. Certified HR Specialist (Geprüfter Personalfachkaufmann/Geprüfte Personalfachkauffrau). Certified Personnel Services Specialist (Geprüfter Personaldienstleistungsfachwirt/Geprüfte Personaldienstleistungsfachwirtin).

Anpassungsweiterbildung (adaptive vocational training) helps keep professional knowledge current and adapt it to new developments (e.g., in the areas of HR consulting and placement, social and labor law).

Further career opportunities open up – depending on prior professional education – through a grundständiges Studium (undergraduate degree) or weiterführendes Studium (postgraduate degree) (e.g., in the fields of labor market management or human resource management, -services). Under certain conditions, a Studium (university study) is also possible without a school-based higher education entrance qualification. Further information: Zugang zur Hochschule in den einzelnen Bundesländern (access to higher education in the individual Bundesländer (federal states)).

Inform job and training seekers about current developments in professions and industries, present labor market requirements, and identify individual placement opportunities. Create qualification profiles and research suitable job offers in job boards and databases. Contact companies to identify open positions and promote them to employee clients. Assist in preparing application documents and prepare job seekers for interviews. Advise on suitable further training (Weiterbildung) and continuing education (Fortbildung) measures, and outline career perspectives. Support employer clients in personnel selection, for example, by selecting and proposing suitable candidates. Help with integration services and process applications for employment promotion benefits. Undertake additional tasks in private employment agencies, accompany placed employees during their onboarding (Einarbeitungsphase) or probationary period, and conduct discussions with superiors. Also provides other services.

Legal regulations for the activity include the Social Code (SGB) Second Book (II) - Bürgergeld (Citizen's Income), Basic Income Support for Job Seekers - (Article 1 of the Law of 24.12.2003, BGBl. I p. 2954) in the version of the announcement from 13.05.2011 (BGBl. I p. 850, corr. p. 2094), last amended by Article 1a of the Law of 16.04.2026 (BGBl. 2026 I No. 107). Also, the Social Code (SGB) Third Book (III) - Employment Promotion - (Article 1 of the Law of 24.03.1997, BGBl. I p. 594, 595), last amended by Article 2 of the Law of 16.04.2026 (BGBl. 2026 I No. 107).

The following lists professions or activities that are similar to the original profession. These professions offer a potential alternative for applicants. Employers can also consider individuals from these professions as alternatives for filling a position in the original profession. Some alternative professions only cover partial tasks of the original profession, while others may require an onboarding (Einarbeitung) period, which can vary in length in individual cases. The following direct employment and staffing alternatives are available for the profession of employment agent (Arbeitsvermittler/in): For the overall activity (usually without onboarding): Labor Market Manager (Arbeitsmarktmanager/in). For the overall activity (usually requiring a short onboarding): Business Economist (Fachschule) for Human Resources / Bachelor Professional in Business, Certified Human Resources Specialist (Geprüfter Personalfachkaufmann/frau), and Certified Human Resources Services Specialist (Geprüfter Personaldienstleistungsfachwirt/in).