Career Coach in Erlangen – Online Coaching for International Professionals
Erlangen is a city of 115,000 people that hosts a concentration of world-class employers that would be remarkable in a city five times its size. Siemens Healthineers – the global leader in medical technology, with revenues of over €21 billion and 70,000 employees worldwide – has its global headquarters here. Siemens AG has its European hub here: Siemens Mobility, Digital Industries, Smart Infrastructure, and its central R&D operations. The Fraunhofer IIS, the largest institute in the entire Fraunhofer network and the organisation that invented the MP3 format, is headquartered here. The Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) is one of Germany’s top research universities. All of this, in a compact Bavarian university city.
What this means for job seekers is a highly competitive environment where preparation genuinely separates candidates from one another. A generic application to Siemens or Healthineers competes with hundreds of similar ones. A targeted application – one that demonstrates a clear understanding of the company, its culture, and its specific hiring signals – stands out in a way that cannot be faked without doing the work.
I’m Sasha Osypenko, career and integration coach at Supported Growth. I work with international professionals, skilled specialists, and people navigating career transitions – helping them position themselves clearly and compete effectively in Erlangen and across the Nuremberg metropolitan region. All sessions are online, in English, German, or Ukrainian.
What makes Erlangen’s job market genuinely exceptional
The ratio of employer quality to city size in Erlangen is unlike almost anywhere else in Germany. Munich has Siemens too, but it also has 1.5 million people. Frankfurt has global financial institutions, but it’s a major city. Erlangen has world-headquarters-level employers and the day-to-day feel of a university town. That combination creates a specific kind of opportunity: meaningful careers at globally significant organisations, without the relentless scale and anonymity of a large metropolis.
The dominant sectors here are medical technology, electrical engineering and automation, semiconductor research, IT and software, and academic research. For professionals with backgrounds in any of these areas, Erlangen is one of the more compelling locations in Germany. The competition is real – but so are the opportunities, for candidates who prepare specifically rather than generically.
The regional picture adds more options. Fürth is 15 minutes away. Nürnberg is adjacent. Herzogenaurach – home to Adidas and Schaeffler – is 20 minutes by car. The full Nuremberg metropolitan corridor is accessible from Erlangen with no meaningful commute overhead. In coaching, we build a strategy that reflects the full picture, not just one employer or one city.
Who is career coaching in Erlangen for?
My clients come from very different starting points. I work with people who:
– want to land a role at Siemens, Siemens Healthineers, Fraunhofer IIS, or FAU and need employer-specific preparation, not just a polished CV
– are new to Erlangen or Germany and navigating a highly competitive market for the first time
– have strong qualifications but aren’t getting interview invitations – a specific, solvable problem
– want to explore opportunities across the Erlangen–Nürnberg–Fürth–Herzogenaurach corridor strategically
– are planning a career change and want to understand where the real growth is within the Erlangen ecosystem
– work in or want to move into medical technology, research, engineering, or IT
– are returning to work after a career break, parental leave, or relocation
All coaching takes place fully online. You book the time that fits your life and we get started.
Erlangen’s key employers – what you need to know before applying
Siemens Healthineers – global headquarters in Erlangen
Siemens Healthineers is the world’s leading medical technology company – producing MRI, CT, X-ray, laboratory diagnostics, molecular imaging, and radiation oncology systems used in hospitals and clinics worldwide. The global headquarters is in Erlangen. With around 70,000 employees globally and revenues exceeding €21 billion, this is not a minor employer. For professionals in medical technology, engineering, clinical research, regulatory affairs, IT systems, and commercial functions, Healthineers offers careers at the absolute frontier of their fields. The hiring process is international in character and highly structured. Preparation that reflects genuine knowledge of the company’s products, culture, and strategic direction is not optional – it’s what gets you through the door.
Siemens AG – European hub in Erlangen
Siemens’ European operations are centred in Erlangen. The city hosts Siemens Mobility – a global leader in rail technology – alongside units from Digital Industries and Smart Infrastructure, and the company’s central research and development operations. A new Siemens Campus is emerging in the south of the city, designed to bring thousands of employees together in a modern, sustainable working environment. For engineers, software developers, project managers, and business professionals, the Siemens presence in Erlangen represents a depth of career opportunity that is hard to replicate elsewhere in Germany.
Fraunhofer IIS – the world’s largest Fraunhofer institute
The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) is headquartered in Erlangen – and is the largest institute in the entire Fraunhofer network, with over 1,280 employees, 400+ student researchers, and annual revenue of €240 million. This is the institute that invented the MP3 audio format. Its current research spans microelectronics, audio and media technology, machine learning, medical imaging, and satellite communications. For engineers, physicists, computer scientists, and researchers with a passion for applied science, Fraunhofer IIS offers a working environment of genuine international significance – in a university city setting.
Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg)
FAU is one of Germany’s largest and most research-intensive universities, with around 14,000 employees and over 38,000 students across five faculties. It is consistently ranked among Germany’s top universities for natural sciences and engineering. Beyond academic positions, FAU maintains constant demand for IT, administration, communications, and technical support staff. As a public employer with stable working conditions and an internationally active research environment, FAU is an option that many professionals significantly underestimate.
The wider metropolitan region – Fürth, Nürnberg, Herzogenaurach
Living in Erlangen means having the full Nuremberg metropolitan region within easy reach. Fürth is 15 minutes away – with Leonhard Kurz and uvex. Nürnberg is adjacent, with its own diverse employer base. Herzogenaurach, 20 minutes by car, is home to both Adidas and Schaeffler. In coaching, we identify which of these adds genuine value to your job search strategy and build accordingly.
How online coaching with me works
Every session is fully online – no commuting, no logistics. You log in and we get to work.
– Flexible scheduling: mornings, afternoons, or evenings – whatever works for your life.
– Three languages: English, German, or Ukrainian – you choose what you think in.
– The same depth as in-person: reflection, strategy, feedback, practice – all of it works just as well over video.
– Fully confidential: what we discuss stays between us.
Here’s how we work together:
1. Free 20-minute first call: We get acquainted. You describe your situation. I explain how I can help.
2. Diagnosis and goal-setting: We clarify where you are, where you want to go, and what’s in the way.
3. Individual sessions: A single session for a specific question, or a structured programme over several weeks.
4. A concrete action plan: You don’t leave with general advice. You leave with clear next steps you can act on immediately.
Results from my clients
Liliia came to coaching looking for her first job in Germany. Biology background, limited German, significant lack of professional confidence. Two months later, she had two job offers – and chose the better one. She now works as a Biological-Technical Assistant in Germany.
Olha arrived in Germany as a project manager and didn’t know how to translate her experience into something legible to local employers. After one session, she came back for full mentoring. The result: a position as Project Coordinator in Germany.
Yuliia had already received several rejections before we started. We reworked her documents, trained her interview skills – and she received four interview invitations and a job offer for a position at a German public institution.
Career coaching in Erlangen – also via AVGS or Bildungsgutschein
If you’re registered with the Jobcenter Erlangen-Höchstadt or the Agentur für Arbeit Erlangen, you may be able to access coaching free of charge – through the AVGS (Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein) or the Bildungsgutschein. You request the voucher from your advisor, send it to me – and we begin.
→ Full guide: How to use the Bildungsgutschein for coaching in Germany
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer career coaching in English in Erlangen?
Yes – all sessions are available in English, German, or Ukrainian. Siemens Healthineers and Fraunhofer IIS in particular operate in strongly international environments where English is the primary working language. Coaching is equally effective in any of the three languages.
Is the Erlangen job market still strong given recent restructuring at Siemens?
Siemens and Siemens Healthineers have announced restructuring measures – that’s a real context worth understanding. At the same time, both remain massive employers with a broad range of open positions. Fraunhofer IIS, FAU, the University Hospital, and a dense ecosystem of technology mid-sized companies provide substantial depth beyond the Siemens group. Erlangen remains one of the most technically rich job markets in Germany – the environment is competitive, but it is genuinely strong.
What sectors are actually hiring in Erlangen?
Medical technology (Siemens Healthineers), electrical engineering and rail technology (Siemens Mobility), microelectronics and applied research (Fraunhofer IIS), education and research (FAU), healthcare (Universitätsklinikum Erlangen), IT and software development, and a range of mid-sized technology companies across the wider Erlangen-Höchstadt district.
How much does career coaching cost?
A single session costs €120. Structured programmes start at €330 for three sessions, up to €2,500 for an intensive two-month leadership programme. The first 20-minute conversation is always free and non-binding.
Can I use an AVGS or Bildungsgutschein for coaching in Erlangen?
Yes, if you’re registered with Jobcenter Erlangen-Höchstadt or the local Agentur für Arbeit. Ask your advisor directly – both vouchers are available to German nationals and international residents registered in the system.
Ready to take the next step?
Erlangen is small on the map and extraordinary in terms of employer quality. Siemens Healthineers’ global headquarters. Siemens’ European hub. The world’s largest Fraunhofer institute. FAU. All within the boundaries of a compact university city. For a well-prepared professional with the right background and a clear strategy, this is one of the most compelling job markets in Germany.
Book your free 20-minute first session – and let’s figure out together what would actually move things forward for you.
Sasha Osypenko is a career and integration coach at Supported Growth. She works with professionals, international talent, and people navigating career transitions – helping them position themselves clearly and move forward with confidence on the German job market. Online, in English, German, or Ukrainian.
