Need advice on job hunting please

Hi All,

I've been looking at this forum for some time now, with much interest, but this is the first time I've posted a question. My top goal for next year is to leave the UK and relocate to Germany (or a few other European countries I'm considering), and I'll begin my job search in February. I'll be looking for a job in the area of Finance, preferably Treasury but I also have experience in both financial analysis and accounting etc. My biggest hurdle: Although I'm bilingual I unfortunately do not speak the language of any of the countries I would consider moving to (although I'll be happy to start learning once I settle somewhere)...so I'll need an English-speaking role.

Do you have any advice for someone in my position? On the bright side, I am well qualified as I have a broad range of experience in Finance and an MBA from a top-ranked university. However, I'm sure it will still be a challenge to get over this "language barrier". I've met plenty of people who have acquired exactly what I'm looking for, an English-speaking role in Europe, but it's usually via a transfer in the company they are already working in, whereas I'm looking to join a new company with a role of this sort.

I'm going to use all my networking contacts, and I have several jobhunting website ideas, plus I'll use recruiters, but if you have any specific tips in those regards, or any other fresh ideas, I'd be very grateful to hear them. I have both UK and U.S. citizenship so I can be hired as a local in the E.U. Finally, if your company is doing any hiring in the areas I specialize in, please don't hesitate to contact me and I could forward my CV. My e-mail address by the way is minister951@yahoo.com.

Many thanks and have a great weekend.

Try PM'ing Bendus, he works in the financial sector in Düsseldorf if
I remember correctly, perhaps he can give you a few tips.
...and good luck !

Try contacting Eurolondon Appointments in Frankfurt - they do multi lingual recruitment and I believe they work with most of the Frankfurt financial institutions - even if you don't speak German they look for other langage skills too. http://www.eurolondon.com/

They found me my job in Frankfurt, & when I arrived my German was very limited.

Good luck!

I work for a bank in Zürich and I hardly ever speak German at work. Even outside of work, you don't need much German to get around. Even my telephone bill is printed in English!

When I arrived, I spoke Hochdeutsch but no Schweizerdeutsch, and it didn't take long for my Swiss colleagues to point out that they preferred speaking English rather than Hochdeutsch... who was I to complain !!

@ The Sun King

With a name like that you should open a Sonnenstudio. They're quite popular here

...

@ The Sun King

With a name like that you should open a Sonnenstudio. They're quite popular here biggrin.gif

NO!!! No more Sonnenstudios, Telefonläden, or 50-Cent shops please!! Germany is starting to look like south London. At least they dont allow minicab firms here.

You have my word of honour that I will not open a Sonnenstudio.

Hi Sun King,

You could also try emailing your CV (including photo, - unfortunately necessary here in Germany) to companies on spec. Particularly, if you can find out the names of people, heads of sections, divisions etc in the industry sectors or companies you're interested in, this might also create a few more chances.
This approach has at least worked for me although you do need to send out loads of emails to get maybe one positive responce.

Good luck

Ray

Wouldn't bother looking in Germany, theyve just hung up "Abandon all hope, ye who here enter" signs on all border crossing points

Seriously good luck, German language skills would in most cases help enormously, even if they are basic it shows keen.

QUOTE Wouldn't bother looking in Germany, theyve just hung up "Abandon all hope, ye who here enter" signs on all border crossing points wink.gif

Seriously good luck, German language skills would in most cases help enormously, even if they are basic it shows keen.

LOL! With the addition "The End Is Nigh". As it will be, after another few more years of Do-Nothing german political stalemale

but rick_de, what kind of an attitude is this? How does it go on TV, "Du bist Deutschland, Du bist der Baum!"

When you say Treasury, what exactly do you mean - Do you mean internal treasury for a corporate group or Treasury in a Bank? And how old/senior are you?

If it is in banking then Frankfurt is obviously your place. I remember when I was looking last year that there were quite a few corporate "European financial accountant/analyst" type roles in Munich in IT related companies

ok - I've just had a look at an Edinburgh based website that specialises in international financial recruitment (ie outbound from the UK) - www.thinkgr.com I got my job out here (I didnt (and still dont to be honest) speak German) through them a year ago, and I have got to meet the managing director and a few of their senior consultants...they are pretty good.

I found this "Their European operation has over 4,500 staff across 16 countries and is headquartered in Hamburg.

They are now looking to strengthen their European Treasury function with the appointment of an experienced Treasury professional. Reporting to the European Head of Treasury, you will join an established team of professionals in Hamburg."

Interested?

ps - dont forget my commission...

Hi Jonnyboy,

Thanks very much indeed for your post, especially since after the last few gloom and doom responses (which I'm sure have some valid reasons behind them, mind you!), I was envisioning having to resort to flipping burgers- or sorry, flipping schnitzel- or male prostitution just to get into Germany! Hey, Midnight Cowboy was decidedly NOT in my career plan!!

To answer your question, I am in internal Treasury, on the corporate side (in a large tech firm) currently. I'm 34 years old and have more than 10 years of solid experience in Finance- I guess you could currently classify me as being at junior management level now. I'm relatively new to Treasury (around 2 years of experience) but was lucky enough to kind of "dive into the deep end" due to my Project Manager role, so I've had my hands in some fairly advanced FX hedging strategy projects rather than the more routine cash management functions etc. , although I've learned a bit about how they work too.

I have totally enjoyed my time in Treasury and would love to stay in that field, whether in another corporate or in a bank, but if I have to leave Treasury and go back to Finance/Accounting in order to get to Germany or Denmark etc., I am willing to do so. I will look at the website you mentioned below tonight and respond further soon...the job you mentioned does indeed sound interesting...Thanks again!

Sun King, just a thought since you are also an American, I think it would be easier to apply to a US company and then transfer to Germany. I am also in the finance field and my former company (PIMCO) wanted me to work in Germany for a year. The supervisor to be in Germany told me that there is a demand, well at least last year, for people with U.S. financial reporting experiance.

If you have financial reporting experiance in U.S. or UK then try Allianz, who bought PIMCO, or Deutsche Bank investment side.

Thanks very much HighnDry and Jonnyboy for your suggestions- I'll definitely act on them.

saw this on another post may be of interest

Google International

and click on Germany

Thanks mate, I'll take a look.