  We survey the job situation of women in astronomy in Germany and of German
women abroad and review indicators for their career development. Our sample
includes women astronomers from all academic levels from doctoral students to
professors, as well as female astronomers who have left the field. We find that
networking and human support are among the most important factors for success.
Experience shows that students should carefully choose their supervisor and
collect practical knowledge abroad. We reflect the private situation of female
German astronomers and find that prejudices are abundant, and are perceived as
discriminating.We identify reasons why women are more likely than men to quit
astronomy after they obtain their PhD degree. We give recommendations to young
students on what to pay attention to in order to be on the successful path in
astronomy.
