Qualification requirements for a job in retail

Hey guys, i'm coming to Germany next year for a year or so to see how i like the stay there (wanting a life change).

I've read lots of threads that job qualification is pretty big in Germany - what i understand (about unemployment rate and so forth).

I was wondering what type of jobs, or if my current experiance would be "useable" or excepted for some german jobs (basically maybe a recommendation).

I'm currently working as one of the Computer managers at Harvey Norman in Australia (computer retailer). Im currently managing the software/entertainment area - orders, sell through, ect ect. I have been working in Retail since i was 17 (now nearly 21) so practically 4 years.

Is that type of "qualification" considered good in Germany? Is there any type of job that would accept that type of qualification.

I had a look at media markt but the thing is my german isnt 100% fluent - enough for basic to intermediate converstations etc. Nothing in terms of bigger words etc lol.

For me i am a very fast learner and can adapt quickly to changers - I don't know, but im very efficient - i don't like goofing around all that much, just get the job done and off we go.

Any recommendations/help would be great!

I know its not the easiest post to understand - so i apologize .

Cheers,
Torsten

I don't know anything about how to get a job in retail here, but I would think that your competition for any clerk or managerial retail job has done some sort of Ausbildung in order to get into that field. Having work experience in the field is great, but I suspect that if you don't have that particular training you will probably lose out to someone who does and also speaks the language fluently.

You might also want to look at an Ausbildung for import/export clerk (Groß und Aussenhandelskaufmann).

Agree with Conquistador. However: you have a good reason for not having formally trained in your field (Ausbildung) - such training does not exist in the same way where you are from. This won't make you more appealing to potential employers but explains the absence. So your experience may indeed count as roughly equivalent with a few. BUT - this depends on the individual company and will vary. For one year this may work fine. If you are considering staying on though it will eventually hinder your chances of getting promoted.

Looking at an Ausbildung here may be a good idea. As far as I'm aware, now is a good time to start applying for next autumn. These programmes usually take between 2 and 3 years to complete and are combined work/study. You get paid (on a monthly basis) - not excessively, but in many cases enough to live off. Not grandly, but still. Whereas some places may get a kick out of having someone freshly arrived from Australia, they will want to meet you for interviews and assessments, so attacking this when you're already here may work better for you. Plus, your German will quickly start improving once you're surrounded by native speakers.

Ignoring the Ausbildung-bit for a moment and going back to regular full-time jobs: apply to as many as you can. Good jobs are thin on the ground. The more companies you apply to, the higher your chances that something will turn up. You can always turn a job down after it has been offered if it feels wrong/you don't like it or the company. Also, going through recruitment/temping agencies may also be worth a thought. You don't need to apply in response to a specific vacancy. Sign up with as many as you like while you search, but unlike for instance in the UK you can only sign a contract with one. The ones that are seriously interested in you or have matching job offers will invite you for an interview. The employers to whom they submit your profile will know that the agency has already met you and believes you are capable. This gives you more pull at the job interview with the company itself as you won't seem such a complete unknown and hence less of a risk.

Just some thoughts and a bit of personal experience. Hope it helps.

I'm not sure, but as far as I understand, lots of people employed in retail do not have a formal "Ausbildung". There is in any case no formal requirement (as is the case for many specialised jobs), so it's up to a potential employer to decide if they find your application convincing or not. I think your lack of German fluency is a bigger issue, unless you are satisfied with something very basic such as sitting at a cash register or putting merchandise into the shelves... (though if you've already reached an intermediate level, half a year or so in Germany should do the trick for you language-wise)

Can total understand about the life change part but two questions

are you moving to Germany or to Europe?

Do you have working papers?

Forget it.. even for retail jobs people have to have qualifications here most of the time.. your lack of German in a customer speaking role will count you out for sure..

Your best bet would be to get your TEFL qualifications and then teach English when you get over here.. you can even get a job without qualifications with schools like Berlitz, but you'll get paid really crap... probably not much worse than retail though..

Very much appreciated guys for the help! Gives me food for thought before i get everything ready.

Answer to Tim, yes i'm moving to Germany - i was born there and well i always wanted to see what things will be like living there for abit. Rather now than later while im still young, single and not settled down. Got the rest of my family there so accommodation isnt an issue untill i find a job and get a apartment nearer to it.

I totally understand that Germany has totally different qualifications than here in Australia (there is lots of on the job training) - in retail anyway.
EG: I was hired during xmas time andhad NO! retail experiance, heck that was my first job ever (excluding all the work experiance i have done in the past 3 years at various companies).

But i didnt have to get any paper work etc, all on the job. Now ranked myself up to manager.

So in terms of "qualifications" on paper - well i got none so that, and the fact my Germany isnt 100%, my chances aint going to be big in terms of anything related to talking to people in customer service in German (untill i get all the quirks and bugs that i still need to learn).

Also to Tims Question - Working papers as in Visa working papers? or qualification papers? Sorry didnt understand that.

Teaching English is what everyone is telling me - thing is, i'm sure i am not fit for a teaching job so me personally i don't think i will take that approach (even though it might be one of my only options).

Some of the family know "people" in terms of they might be able to land me a simple job at like a mill, pick and packer etc (labour) - what dosnt bother me. But that will be enough untill i get on my feet and i can slowly find my way to qualifications through the schools (Ausbildung) from what domino has mentioned and so forth while im there.

All in all the info provided by you guys have enlightened me abit and will hopefully have some luck - heck i might some of my charm to win some employers over lol.

Cheers guys!

Regards, TJ

Qualification requirements for a job in retail in Germany? - Can you say oxymoron?

Especially in electronic/computer retail. Rarely do I go into an electronics/computer store, both here and the US, where I don't know more than the sales clerk.

I know this doesn't help. But the Germans are hell bent on a piece of paper that states you've had the required education, regardless of any actual work experience or potential.

Good luck.

reread your first post, your moving to Germany duh should have caught that.

What I meant was do you have a German passport assuming you do as you were born here?

I'd encourage you to make the jump. We did it almost 10 years ago and haven't looked back. Mine you coming over without a job is abit of a strech, not impossible but tough.

what city are you thinking of going to.

Btw, Media Markt has a career page on their website. They do state that for most of their openings, the "ideal candidate" has a "kaufmännische Ausbildung". However, phrasing it that way ("ideal candidate") does imply that they are willing to consider other applicants as well:

http://www.mediamarkt.de/karriere/

I interpret that as meaning they don't want to antagonize any potential customers they have no intention of hiring.

To Tims question about the passport - well for me its a funny story (i don't know if you read my post about aquiring a visa). But here it is anyway .

Yes i was born in Germany (Braunschweig) to German parents, (whole family was born in Germany). When i was 3 - my mum and dad decided to move and live in Australia (the first from the family to move out of Germany).

At the time i was 3, i was on my mums passport (so technically i didnt have a passport). At the age of 7 my parents got me to be nationalised to Australian. 13 years later i want to make the decision to move to Germany. I know it makes it harder, but i have called the embassy a few times (e-mailed them). Honestly im abit shocked that no one answers the phone, or whatever.

Im in Perth so i went to the embassy there - but they said i have to get in contact to the melbourne embassy...what i have tryed and tryed lol.

But yes, thats my case lol.

To Tex - In terms of paper does references (from former employers), help in aquiring a job, or a better chance?

In terms of city - Hannoverish lol. Mainly due to my family live all around there so i can land hopefully a simple job untill i reach the better language curve so i can move to a city (munich, berlin) where job vacancies are abit more common than the other small cities.

The thing is, i don't expect anything "big" in terms of jobs. I know everything in life requires effort and time and thats what i plan on doing. I will put in all the needed time and effort to aquire a job if things seems to fail first off.

Cheers,
TJ

Your competition will have written references, so, yes, they will definitely help you. Try to have them follow the format and wording of a German Arbeitszeugnis, although it is obviously acceptable for them to be in English since they will be from Australian employers.

Maybe, maybe not. Two or three years ago, I would have agreed with that statement. But the economy's been so good lately that it's increasingly hard to find "ideal" candidates, at least in some parts of the country. My guess is that many employers would rather hire somebody who seems promising and well-rounded overall, than someone who has the formal qualification of having barely passed his Ausbildungs-Exam and who clearly has "Null Bock". Can change pretty quickly if the economy falls off a cliff, though...

I also think that meaningful written references issued by a big-name employer (such as Harvey Norman) from a "well-respected" country (such as Australia) are a big plus.