Hi Nik,

Here is an ebook that will help you navigate the German bureaucratic system: http://www.getvisagermany.com.

If you are serious about making the move, the process can be narrowed into 3 steps.
1. Research the job market and city from your current location in the USA. Does your current employer or any previous employers have employment opportunities in Germany? Reach out to current and former colleagues – can anyone connect you in any way to Germany?
2. Join relevant Facebook and Linkedin Groups where you can easily get advice and leads for jobs. Suggested groups can be Americans or Expats in Berlin or whatever city you plan to move to.
3. Highly consider changing your Linkedin profile location to the city in Germany that you intend on moving to. Do this before you start applying to jobs because most companies won’t take you seriously otherwise. Plus, companies have plenty of candidates applying from Germany that they will consider over you, for many reasons. Changing your location on Linkedin also allows for you to show up in relevant searches that recruiters are performing and can create unique networking opportunities.