Ask VMW: Is it easy to get a job overseas?

Here's a question I recently received:

I have been reading the blogs about Germany and I appreciate all of the insight! I am a newly married military wife, and we just found out our next assignment will be to Germany.  We are ecstatic to say the least but besides the bagillion questions, I have one really important one.....jobs for spouses, are there any? I am beginning to feel that knot in my stomach known as "anxiety" so any insight you might have would be greatly appreciated.


 Jobs....not as easy as in the US, but if you are persistent, you'll find something...eventually...the easiest to get are AAFES retail and commissary baggers/cashiers and such....office jobs are a bit harder.  Your first stop should be Army Community Service (ACS) at your new post, as they have the leads for all kinds of jobs in your area, to include contractor jobs and those obscure jobs that aren't really listed anywhere that you would find them.  Since you will fall under the SOFA agreement, which was made between the US and Germany after the war, there will only be certain jobs on post you are eligible for and no jobs off post if you are a US citizen (unless you get hired by a company from stateside).  I did have a friend who worked under the table in a German restaurant, working back in the kitchen.  She loved it, because she learned how to cook German dishes, except for the special sauces they made...they made those before the hired help came in!  Another friend who had a horse taught lessons to American kids at a local stable.  ACS will also help you with your resume and get you in the system to look for jobs...many people think there are just government jobs, but you'd be surprised what you'll see offered.  I know the government is trying to get rid of some of these contractor jobs, as many get paid beaucoup bucks when they could pay a government worker much less.  Good for the country, not so good for the worker....but, I still see a lot of them out there, and if you have a security clearance, you will move to the head of the line.  As a sidenote, I got a job once by volunteering.  I always volunteer anyway, but had I not volunteered, I would not even have been offered this job.  The amazing thing is that the agency went through the process of doing other interviews, but since they were so happy with my work and I was known entity, I got the job in the end....right or wrong, it pays off to volunteer and network I think.  Good luck in your search!