In many German manufacturing plants, pay sits inside a Tarifvertrag. Your current Gruppe and Stufe are not gossip — they are the reference employers use when they place you. Walking into a Gespräch without knowing them weakens your position.
Before you apply elsewhere, gather: current Gruppe, Stufe, Zulagen for shifts or hardship, and whether your role is paid above Tarif. If you are unsure, your Gehaltsabrechnung and the works council notice board usually show the framework.
When a new plant offers a lower Gruppe with a promise of 'fast promotion,' ask for the written criteria and typical timeline. Plants under pressure to hire sometimes compress titles; clarify whether the work matches Meister-level responsibility while the pay sits lower.
If you are moving from a non-Tarif Mittelstand employer into a tarifgebunden plant, bring a clear list of duties and machine families. That list helps HR map you fairly instead of defaulting to the lowest entry Stufe.