I moved here for a job that isn't working out

Hi all;

I came here for a job, and I've got the feeling it's not going to work out. I just received an email from my boss that made me feel a bit paranoid. Has this happened to anyone else here? I was working in tourism, so that could be out... I'm a writer but at this point I will do anything.

Any ideas on how to get work fast?

Lauren

Is your work visa attached to this one job, i.e. conditional upon being employed by that company?

I'm still waiting to hear what you did about the electricity in your flat. You never gave any feedback on that, or thanked anyone for their suggestions, so can we assume you're living in the dark?

This could get ugly...

If you'll do anything to tide you over, and you have experience in tourism, and German language, you should have no problem picking up work during the summer in the services/tourist industry - tour guide work, working in hotel, bar etc.

That should then give you time to get something more interesting sorted out for the winter time.

It depends on what your work consists of right now.
If you are a stripper willing to expand your horizons, then it should not be too hard to find new adventures.
If you are looking for a real job, then perhaps things could get hectic

To Georgia Girl- Just updated that... sorry- it took 5 days and was quite an ordeal.

To everyone else:
I was in tourism- working as a guide- so now I'm looking at other companies. Sadly, one of the reasons I came was to also work on my German, so it's not so great at the moment.

I'm probably just fretting in advance, but it's a little daunting being very unsure about work when I moved a very long way for a job.

how classy, if it was a guy in the same situation would you also suggest hooking?

If you have a university degree then you could work in a kindergarten as a teacher. Bilingual schools are popular here. Good luck.

This is not strictly correct - to work in a state funded kindergarten (i.e. most of them) you need a specific qualification as a kindergarten teacher.

Yeah, you need a degree in padogoogo, padogogico, padalogico, shit, padogogiphilia.

If you want work as a waiter, you can apply at Play-Off American Bar & Restaurant in the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden. They're always looking for new people and you can start right away. I used to work there. Tips are ok and the people are super friendly. Give it a shot.

Leave Berlin.

Thats a real good positive piece of advice? No cmon I'm sure you'll find something, Im coming over next month with no chance in hell getting a job doing what I normally do so its the bars and stuff for me, failing that I have seen a few ads regarding stripping and sucking peoples toes but thats only if it gets desperate! Its lucky Ive got my girlfriend to rely on or it might get that way.

Eh... links to ads please...?!

True, it wasn't very positive. Then again, neither is the outlook for a career move in Berlin. There are plenty of jobs in Germany; I feel kind of bad for all these college-educated people who move to Berlin and then can't support themselves without working like crazy. Well, good luck.

I read somewhere the unemployment rate in Berlin is around 30%. Is this true?

Yes it is! It's a bit scary!

Things seem to be looking up at work, which is a gooood thing. Finally had some positive communication with my boss.

Thanks to everyone with positive advice. I really appreciate all the help. It's been a brutal couple of days.

For all you negative people- You know- it's hard enough to be in my position. Does it make you feel all big to make it worse?

No, it's not -that- high.

There are also a lot of people that choose not to work, and I'm pretty sure they are counted in the unemployment statistics as they are able bodied but don't have a job and collect unemployment.

The best thing you can do to get work is to learn German. If you learn German it's really not that bad. Sure, it will take you some time to establish your career, but you'll find -something- to tide you over. It's a bit trickier if you don't have a visa though, and quite tricky if you don't speak much German. So get learning!

Glad to hear things are working better

its about 14 to 17% depending on what part of the city you are talking about i.e. east vs. west

Thanks Venus! I appreciate it! I'm planning to work hard on my Deutsche because I'm thinking this comapny might be a wee bit flakey.

Now if only I could get rid of the cold I caught on the plane!

Jaysus, if it's not one thing it's the other. I once knew somebody like that - they foot turf in season now.

The official employment rate for Berlin in April 2008, published today is 14.1% - still pretty high, but 30% is just a myth.

Well I spose its out of the frying pan and into the fire because the UK certainly doesn't seem to be going forward!
I was made redundant 3 weeks ago and I can't see things getting better over here!? I might as well have a go in Berlin?

Confidence in the economy evaporates

becoming a hooker is not advisable.

I went to look at a flat today and the old lady landlord said (in german as she didnt speak any english but saw fit to beast me over my poor german)
"You cant rent here unles you have a job and its very hard to get a job there are many young people who can speak german better than you, you should probably go home"

Day 1 in Berlin, Brilliant

Don't worry - this can happen but is not typical - just think that you really would not want a landlord like that, so she can bugger off. In general, if the landlord can see that you can pay the rent, don't have a bad credit record in Germany, and can pay the deposit, the you will be fine. Usually the best bet is to rent via a "Hausvervaltung", as these people are simply working for a company who manage the properties, and so don't really care too much about who or what you are - as long as the paperwork is in place then you'll get a place. ALso good possibilities for you first apartment is to sub-let form someone who needs to move out - this is quite common in Berlin and often means you're dealing with someone not too different form yourself - i.e. a tenant - look for something like "Untermieter sucht" in the ad.

Just persevere for a bit - it will be worth it as Berlin isa great place to live.

Why not set a time limit for yourself. E.g. Give yourself a month to find something new and if you haven't got anything then leave. Berlin isn't that great. The thing about Berlin is that yes it is cheap but there is a reason for that. The reason is that the economy is terrible, there's hardly any good jobs, the unemployment rate is about 25% and there's very few affluent people. Before I came to Germany I lived in London which is very expensive but for all its faults, it is a city which offers such a huge wealth of jobs compared to Berlin!! I was recently in Madrid also. What a city. Why not try working there? It makes Berlin seem so unbelievably unfriendly and boring.

@ danclarkie

Not trying to defend the old Krone, but you should understand .. this is Germany. Being honest is more important than being polite. I doubt she even though she was saying anything offensive.

I'll grant you, it could partially be just plain old xenophobia. She doesn't want you here.

And another part is probably arrogance, the thinking that you don't know it is hard here, you must be stupid.

But this doesn't change the facts. It could be quite hard to find work.

Anyway, that's my two cents.
Good Luck

Got to disagree with most, if not all of this. I'd be interested to know how long you lived in Berlin. I commuted into London for a 6 month contract a couple of years ago and it was dire. The underground system is expensive, crowded, decrepit and hardly ever functions properly at the key rush hours - Berlin's public transport system is excellent and good value. London is hugely expensive for everything, and is dirty, and I find that a very large proportion of the population there are very unfriendly.

And, as mentioned in another thread the other day, the official unemployment figures for Berlin in April 2008 is 14.1%. While this is hign, there is no need to go scaremongering with inaccurate and unjustifiable information such as saying it is 25%.

For me Berlin is a great city to live, and bring up a family. Lots of green space, very child friendly, good schools (when living in the UK it would have cost 950 euros a month to have my youngest child in a creche/kindergarden. Here is is just over 100, including qualified teachers. My daughter goes to a state run school where everything is taught is English and German, she is of course fluent in both, my young son is beginning to talk now (in English, Russian, and German). This is the reality of normal life for the majority of people in Berlin. And finally, the majority of normal Berlin people are very friendly - with a black humour to match even your most hilarious cockney!

Another thing about Berlin is that while we don't have Roman Abramovich, Boris Johnson, City workers on their fat cat bonuses (your affluent people I guess), what we do have is alot of people living a decent quality life, with fair access to an excellent health care system (what you pay depends on what you earn). Salaries are not huge in general, but it is possible for most people to partake in what the city has to offer in terms of culture (which is vast), nightlife, sport etc. And people can actually afford to go and watch the local premier league football team in the magnificent Olympic Stadium.

I'll have these things any day, and you can keep Mr Abramovich and his corrupt mates for yourself, and enjoy the expensive fare they serve up to you in London.

Oh, I just remembered, I quite like the fact that teenagers in Berlin don't generally hang around in gangs and knife or shoot each other on a regular basis. Nor do they generally murder ordinary citizens who try to protect their property and family form regular inane abuse.

I sure do know that we have certain problems here in Berlin, unemployment being one of them. However I think our problems are pretty small compared to those of London, and the quality of life for most people who live in Berlin, is way above that for the average London resident. What an awful socialist point of view to have!

Yes but for all the positives I'm sorry but IMHO Berlin is not a very good place to carve out a career for most people unless you're doing something very specialist or work in a job that you love and want to stay in literally the rest of your working life. I went to an interview at a company in Berlin last week. Everyone was smoking in the office (is this even legal?). The pay rates were relatively low. The management seemed cocky and arrogant. They can afford to be like this in Berlin because unemployment is high, there aren't many competing firms and young people are desperate for work. Work in London in more or less any profession and management has to buck its ideas up because if they act like this then their best people will move to the company down the road . It's a far more competitive labour market. Also London's economy is huge, almost every profession is very well represented and lots of jobs pay very well . This also means there's more professional people. Outside one or two posh districts where are they in Berlin? Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain, Mitte and Kreuzberg are great if you're a student or an artist but young professionals are sneered at in them. I got dreadful service in a cafe after my interview in Mitte from a nasty surly waitress and i think it was because i was wearing a suit. I saw a poster which says there's even a 'kill yuppies' party or something in Prenzlauer Berg. So I would say Berlin is a great city for students and artists and teachers maybe but as a place for other young professionals or even to work in general I doubt it.

As stated earlier in this thread, the unemployment rate is NOT 25%

I live in Pberg and I can attest that young professionals are the NORM in this district. Sure there are funny slogans and stuff but it's not the norm of the district. I am young, VERY not alternative (I love designer clothes and tend to dress more 'professional') and I never feel sneered at here. About 5 years ago it was more students, but now the yuppies have definitely taken over and now I see more stroller moms and guys in suits than I see punks, at least south of Danziger Strasse.

And I currently go to a lot of fashion events and can attest that Berlin definitely has it's fill of rich people.

Pretty much everything you say could apply to almost every city in the world. Sounds like you had a bad experience - unfortunate, but that is often the case when you first arrive in a new place. Of course there are some bad cafes, and no doubt some bad employers. As I indicated above, in my opinion Berlin is a much safer, more efficient, and positive place to live than London. If that's not what you want, then so be it.

Not sure about the prevalence of smoking in offices, but it does not happen in any of the companies I deal with.

As for your analysis of the various Berlin districts, I've got to say you've misread the situation quite badly. I've lived in Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg and now Steglitz - pretty contrasting districts. I am a (not so young now) professional, in the IT industry, and have been working for quite a period in the pas here self employed. The people I've mixed with in these districts were very diverse, from top level professionals, to people not interested in working, families, artists, musicians.

Any the company I work for is a software development company with about 30 employees - nearly all german, and all young professionals (at 47 I am the oldest person in the company). Our employees live in various parts of berlin (and a couple outside the city), everybody is very friendly, and work is done all the time in a mixture of English and German - what ever suits.

^^^
Ya I find my experiences to be similar to yours colin. I think that making broad, sweeping statements is kind of a bit rash in this place. I did it too my first year here (I think the words 'no one works' came out of my mouth once or twice) but I wasn't really involved enough in the city or the culture to really know what I was talking about.

I've been here for 7 years and I don't think Matthew Smith is entirely wrong. I've known way too many people with professional qualifications working in crappy jobs earning peanuts, if they managed to find work at all. And there are a lot of people here (generally students or people who receive benefits, go figure) who consider it very uncool to have a regular job working for The Man. You might not encounter these people when you are hobnobbing with the schicki-micki crowd, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

Obviously Berlin has its good points or I wouldn't have stayed so long. As cities go it's pretty liberal, low stress and the nightlife is decent (until you burn out on that, which happens to most everyone at some point). But I don't think it's anywhere near as cosmopolitan as it likes to imagine. Obnoxious white hipsters in scarves, skinny jeans, All-Stars and asymmetrical haircuts do not a cosmopolitan city make.

hahaha.

now that i moved to wilmerdorf/schoneberg i see less of those. thankfully obnoxious white hipsters are mostly concentrated around p'berg/f'hain/etc

love it!
the problem is that a lot of these kids move here for Uni from horribly uptight and boring places like Heilbronn or Giesen or wherever, and they are JUST TRYING TO LIVE THE DREAM,MAN! They wanna fuss and protest and ride around on beater bikes with their kaffaya scarves flitting in the breeze. I remember how badass I once thought I was. But those were good times, wouldn't change em.

oh wow. some dream. if i were an ambitious type i would not stay in berlin for long. there are so many better opportunities out there (given that you have decent education).
making a fuss and protesting and riding around on beater bikes is cool only in movies, not in real life. (e.g. Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei)

ah loosen up a little, vdog. we are only young once - but if we do it right - once is enough. ohhh yeah.

i s'pose you're right.. in hindsight i'll be the one regretting

Hey all!

So far, I love the city- still hoping to make it work! I hear you, Dan Clarkie, about the people here tho. I agree withthe person who said 'In germany, they are brutally honest, not polite. It really seems to be the way of it here. I don't really understand it. Just have to get this job thing nailed down.

Just wanted to let everyone know that the Job situation worked itself out!

WOOHHOOOO!

Id endorse the points made by matthewsmith and also fruitlassie. I lived in Berlin in the 90s and my impressions were very similar. And I too encountered inverse snobbery when walking down the street wearing a suit (in both eastern and western districts - and which incidentally Ive experienced in the north of England as well). Im no lover of suits, indeed about the only time I would wear one is for a job interview, but there is a prevailing attitude in Berlin which is definitely not conducive to achieving and getting on in life. Indeed the very opposite. Berlin still has too much of all that Kill Yuppies, F*ck-Parade, Dieses Haus Ist Besetz, Zeitarbeit Ist Sklavenarbeit, playing at revolutionaries nonsense.

You have to be careful who you mix with, because when you are surrounded by this kind of culture otherwise its all too easy to sink into the prevailing Berlin quagmire of low-aspirations.

The big problem with Berlin is the weak economy and lack of a sophisticated professional employment base and this was the reason I finally left the city. Minimal rent and outgoings are all very well, but they also spell minimal opportunities. Also, Berlin is located "out on the prairie" - the surrounding area is mostly sandbox-forest with very little in the way of any cities of decent calibre where one might also have a chance to look for work or commute to.