English speaking jobs in Bamberg

[Sparks61 0]

Hi,

 

I'm an English citizen and my girlfriend is German, and we both currently live apart in England and Germany. If all goes according to plan and she gets accepted onto her course, she'll be moving to Bamberg in a couple of months to attend University there.

 

I don't speak German (other than basic words I've picked up off her) so my question is ... If I moved to Bamberg to be with her how difficult would it be for me to get a job with the very limited German I possess?

 

I wouldn't be fussy about what line of work I did, even something as simple as bar work perhaps. Any feedback or help anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you!!!

[medic82 889]

Get that English grammar book out and start polishing up you English. You could probably easily find a job as an English Teacher, if you have a good grasp of the language and speak it well.

 

What is your background, what experiences do you have, and what sort of job market will you be looking in?

[Sparks61 0]

I spent five years working in a bookmaker/betting shop before I left to travel and work in Australia, where I met my girlfriend. This involved being in the leaisure/retail industry in a shop environment. I studied Media at University which developed my interest in marketing. Whilst having no background in labour work here in England, I did various lines of labour work over there, specifically in the Agricultural field.

 

As I say though, I'm not really looking for a career in Bamberg, just a line of work which will enable me to earn money so that I can move there to be with my girlfriend.

 

Would a job as an English teacher be the most realistic way to find work then?

 

Thank you for your reply, I really appreciate it!

[medic82 889]

If all you are looking for is work to get you by, then getting a job as an English teacher at a language school is probably the fastest way. once you get here, then you can spend more time looking for something else.

[Sparks61 0]

Ok, thank you very much for your help. I'm not really keen on the idea of becoming an English teacher so I shall continue looking into other possibilities, but I guess if I really cannot find anything than I will have to reconsider.

 

Thanks again for helping me!

[medic82 889]

You could also get a job working for one of these parcel delivery companies such as UPS, TNT,GLS. etc.... there are a lot of physical labor positions open I'm sure. basically they look for guys to load up the containers with packages. UPS advertises a wage of €12.50 per hour plus if you work the night shift an extra €3.00 per hour. Not much German is needed as you won't be talking much anyway.

 

looking online is a great way to find openings, but you will find that a lot of employers will only go so far with you, if you are not physically in the country. Reconsider the English teacher idea, its a great way to get introduced to new companies, and then perhaps you might find something you like.

[Sparks61 0]

That definitely sounds something more like what I had in mind, I'll have to investigate this further. I agree with what you say about actually being in the country, I realise this is only hindering me further! I'm planning on visiting my girlfriend in September so I think perhaps I will use that time to find out exactly what opportunities I have whilst physically in the country.

 

As I said previously, I'm not looking for a career or anything so earning a wage will entitle me to live is all I'm really after, but the 12.50 per hour (sorry I don't have the Euro sign) you mentioned does sound very good indeed! I'll do some investigating and see if this gets me any further.

 

Thanks!

[Brod88 0]

Hey Mate, your story sounds very familiar. I am an Australian that moved to Bamberg with my German girlfriend who I met in Australia so she could start university here this year. Upon arriving in Germany I could speak about 2 words of German, So i did a intensive course in german for 6 weeks, which i would recommend to do and even longer if possible.

The first thing I did when I got to Bamberg was go down and hand some resumes in at the irish pubs, the first question they asked me is how is my german? I was honest with them and was still offered a part time job at one of them (only for her to never call me back).

My girlfriend then called about 7 job agencys of only 2 who would accept me with my very basic german. I luckily got a job through one of the agency's labouring at a brewery, the work is hard and the pay is crap but its a job.

I wouldnt hold your breath about getting a job as an english teacher, most language schools want teaching degrees or at the very least a course in teaching english. There is an army base in Bamberg with a few thousand american soldiers and their families, so there is a lot of competetion for the slight chance a language school is looking for a english teacher with the only requirent being english is your mother tongue and you have recently 'polished' up on your english.

Anyway best of luck mate.

[Sparks61 0]

Hello Brod. Sorry I taken so long to reply, internet's been down. Thank you for taking the time to help me out.

 

I kind of had the same idea as what you say you actually went through - as in I was hoping to just arrive and then go to agencies and look around to see if there is anything I can do with the extremely limited German I have. Something like labouring at a brewery would be ok for me for the time being. I just really want to be able to make ends meet and be able to afford to live there really. I guess an awful lot of it would be down to luck as you say.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I'm not really keen on the idea of becoming an English teacher and was hoping for some sort of crap job to just to pay my way, and I guess the American Army base would make this quite a competitive market anyway. I'll investigate into the intensive course because as I'm starting to realise fast - I kinda have to learn German haha!

 

I did think bar work would be an option, perhaps an Irish Pub as you say, but then I guess a large percentage of the people drinking in there will still be German which would make sense for them to not be too keen. Did you have any experience of looking into the parcel delivery companies that Medic mentioned above? And I also read that there are a few large companies such as Siemens and Bosch that do employ English speaking people, do you know anything about either of these either? Again, just options that I read about and am interested to see if these could perhaps be possible or not.

 

Thanks alot mate!

[engelchen 12,260]

 

UPS advertises a wage of €12.50 per hour plus if you work the night shift an extra €3.00 per hour. Not much German is needed as you won't be talking much anyway.

 

Where do you live? In Berlin these jobs pay around 7€/hr and they want Gute Deutschkenntnisse.

 

 

I luckily got a job through one of the agency's labouring at a brewery, the work is hard and the pay is crap but its a job.

 

How long are you planning on staying? What will you do once your WHV expires?

 

 

And I also read that there are a few large companies such as Siemens and Bosch that do employ English speaking people, do you know anything about either of these either?

What type of formal qualifications do you have?

[Sparks61 0]

Engelchen,

 

I've got GSCE's from High School, two A levels in Media Studies and English Language at College, and a 2:2 BA Hons Degree in Media Studies from University.

 

Do you have idea what is required to access these kinds of jobs then? Or any other information which could help?

 

Thank you!

[engelchen 12,260]

 

Do you have idea what is required to access these kinds of jobs then? Or any other information which could help?

 

The army base is going to make any type of position only requiring English very difficult; there are obviously more than enough native English speakers in the area. The only real advantage you have is that as an EU citizen you can work through temp agencies without a problem.

 

You can first try contacting all the temp agencies you can find to see if they'd be willing to put you in their database (you might want to PM Brod88 for the ones that were willing to consider him).

 

Otherwise you can try companies in the area with an international focus. You might get lucky (although it is possible, I don't think it is very probable).

 

Sorry, but the best advice I can give you is to learn as much German as you can ASAP and take intensive courses up to B1 when you move here (you might to look into the courses on offer and sign up before you move for the first module).

[Sparks61 0]

OK thank you very much for your help. I'll spend some more time researching this over the next couple of weeks and see if things become clearer.

 

I appreciate your help!

[Abadon58 1]

Why don't you try for a job with Aafes on the US army base there. I doubt you can get one working for the army as I have been trying for 8years, the German woks council are biased and won't allow non Germans in. I have had people request me for some jobs. I work for Aafes in Grafemwoehr and I know there is a Brit at the Care Garage on post there as I have spoke to him on the phone once.

[Sparks61 0]

Thank you for your post Abadon, I had a look on the Aafes website and it does look like a company who would perhaps be an option for me, if of course they're hiring. Do you have a contact email address for maybe a recruitment department over there? Sorry to ask but from what I found on the website I was unable to locate any details for the Bamberg site.

 

Thank you for your help!

[Abadon58 1]

Here is the link for LN jobs with the US army, I don't have the Aafes phone number here I will contact out HR tomorrow. send me a mail at stephensmarc@aafes.com to remind me I will be there from 1000 and I won't be able to send right away as I will have a lot of sorting out to do as I was not there today. This won't be a permanent job as the Base in Bamberg is due to close next year, there a couple of positions in Graf and Vilseck but they are an hour plus to Bamberg. I am doing interviewing for a tyre buster/oil change mech on Tuesday but there is a job at the garage in Vilseck if its not run out yet. Just tried the Aafes site and its totally changed since I last looked at it and my link no longer works. Will send you a phone number and an application form tomorrow.

 

https://lnjobs.army.mil/vacancy/vacancy_list.asp?nation=LN&fund=AF&type=CLOSE_ONLY&country=DE

[Sparks61 0]

Awesome mate thank you so much. I'll message you tomorrow lunchtime then and remind you as you say yeah. I really appreciate you putting in the effort for me, it's greatly received. I'll give them a call and see what possibilites they would have for me and if they'd take me on. I don't drive and know little about cars so not sure the garage work would be best for me haha, but if they have other general labour jobs perhaps I'll aim for something along those lines. Anyway, I'll see what they say.

 

Thank you mate, speak tomorrow.

[Abadon58 1]

I did see the Bamberg Aafes jobs and only saw 2 posted, I would not recommend any of the food places as normally 30 hours and shift till 11pm and the lowest wage. Don't be put off with the garage work I have two women, late 20's, who knew nothing but trained them and they are both quite competent now they have been there a few years but they still don't know technical stuff but that is what I am good at. Which is why after a day off there is often stuff to sort out with orders and talking to customers. Anyway until tomorrow

[Sparks61 0]

Ok mate sounds good, I'll see what they say when I call them then. Feel slightly better about it now! Thanks!!

[Abadon58 1]

Pity your not here now, cracking weather 34 deg on Sat, went half way to Bamberg on the bike today some great roads, raining now though.