Good advice

I found a couple of articles about c.v.s: Word to Banish and Why Your Tech c.v. Sucks.

I like both of them but read the comments too for some alternative takes on the issues.

LinkedIn message

Received today:


On (very recently), (someone) wrote:
--------------------
Dear (Job Hunter with No Name),

I`d like to add you to my network to discuss an excellent opportunity within (worst company ever). We`re currently looking for an experienced Senior Project Manager (major projects). Please let me know if potentially interested, I`ll gladly send more details.



Regards,



(someone)


To which I replied:

Dear (someone),

Thank you for contacting me.

I actually worked for (worst company in the world ever) for two months during the summer. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it and was glad to leave.

It's not something I would put in my c.v. or LinkedIn details so you weren't to know.

Regards,

Job Hunter with No Name

Breaking the news

Yesterday I went into the office in Frankfurt.

My boss called asking me to go straight over to the client.

No problem I told him.

But I then told him I was resigning.

He said he was not surprised but disappointed.

He asked but I told him there was nothing he could do to change my mind.

He asked me to give it a week - which I can't as I've accepted another job - and to keep an open mind - which being an open minded sort of person I agreed. But I told him I was still submitting my resignation.

It is very bad for him as a fellow project manager (who has worked there longer) is off sick and may be so for quite a while.

But it is even worse for him. Later today I was talking to a project controller who told me that she had also resigned.

Thinking

Since the good news on Wednesday I have been thinking and talking to people about the options.

Except there is no option - I can't continue in the current company. Even though I've been told it will get better. I've talked with some colleagues and they don't think it will.

In a little while I will be going up to Frankfurt. My case is packed and I have written a letter of resignation.

Meanwhile I have also signed and emailed my acceptance of the new contract.

Food

After writing my thank you note I went out for some food.

And a glass of wine (ref Rioja).

Halfway through it my recruitment agent called me.

This was a bit embarrassing as it sounded as if I was in a pub.

Because I was in a pub.

The recruitment agent explained that the interviewers liked me.

And that they were going to offer me the contract (they couldn't be arsed with all that waiting until next week nonsense).

I decided to have another glass of wine.

Thank you

So I had the interview and it seemed to go ok.

They said they would get back to me next week.

Afterwards I contacted the Texas-based recruitment consultant.

During the debrief she suggested I write a "thank you" note.

Of course, Americans expect that.

Being English I had never, ever done that before (it would come across badly to cynical British eyes).

So, I wrote my first ever thank you note.

Interview

Tomorrow.

But I am off sick.

But it is a telephone interview.

I will call a conference number in the US but the actual job should be in Frankfurt.

Late night call

From America.

A few weeks ago an agency contacted me about a possible contract in Frankfurt.

Now I have just started a permanent job in Frankfurt so normally would not be interested. Except, this is no normal situation, so I am interested.

Few more calls then it went quiet.

But the agent called at around 2245 last night to say that the client wanted to interview me.

Although I was asleep in bed and therefore woken up I was delighted.

Hoping they will interview soon.

ApplyMate

Why didn't I think of this?

Hat tip to Lifehacker.

War Work is Hell

Until Saturday I spent the last three weeks working on a stupid project in Hamburg.

Very long hours, lots of uncertainty and pressure.

Incredibly unstructure at both project and programme level.

And I hadn't been in the company a month when I went up to the city after a terrible handover.

Today I was suppose to go back there. In fact I flew to Hamburg but felt sick so grabbed a flight back to Munich.

And the company still hasn't found me a flat - which they had promised to do.

When I get the time to job hunt I will update this blog, but basically I need a(nother) job more than I needed a job just a few weeks ago.

Conflicted

Let me give you some background:

1. I've worked for three SMBs and none of them exist now (not taken over, just went out of business). Actually, since Tuesday I am working for a fourth.
2. When the interview was arranged for last Monday it was orginally set for 3pm. Then it was moved to 7pm
3. I was told the company would find a room near the central railway station in which to interview me. Turned out to be the terrace of an, albeit very nice, ice-cream parlour.
4. They then tried to meet my minimum salary requirements by a combination of basic plus bonus. To be fair they quickly accepted my insistence.
5. I was told they would find a "nice flat" for me for three months. Today they sent a link to the flat they had found. Basically a studio. Except there was only a single bed, almost a camp bed. And the bathroom was a shower with a toilet so close to it that I doubt you could properly sit on it. I told them straightaway this was unacceptable and they will keep me in a hotel for a bit longer.

Now, I know a lot of people would be very grateful for the above. I know too how difficult it is to get a job - heck, it once took me two years (as well readers of this blog will know). But the company keeps giving me bad feelings.

Except they also give me good feelings. The people I work with, even the HR people ("the enemy) - they were fine when I told them I would not accept the flat - all seem pretty decent.

It ain't Munich but most jobs for which I've applied haven't been there.

The job is not in the slightest technically demanding. The main thing is to simplify a needlessly chaotic situation.

I can walk away from it (in Germany the practice is two have a trial period of about six months when each side is on two weeks' notice) if I want to.

I don't know.

Today I applied for one freelance job which is located somewhere in Bavaria.

Slept on it ...

... and talked to friends including those who have done business in Germany, one of whom is a procurement specialist at director level.

Anyway, might write more about it later but today is my first day.

Staying in a hotel in Frankfurt.

The company had suddenly moved very quickly (and they were pretty quick before).

Contract arrived at 5.30pm on Friday, just before I was going to go out. My name was spelt wrong.

They wanted me to start at 09.30 on Wednesday (and in the whole of Germany Monday was a public holiday).

More talking, thinking, fretting, then on Monday accepted and booked a train ticket to Frankfurt.

Except that ...

I get told the offer.

It is significanlty less than the minimum I expected (and stated).

Although with a bonus it would take it above the minimum.

Not happy.

I always ignore bonuses. They are just nice to haves.

I talk to a couple of friends with business experience in Germany.

Both of them point out that German companies like to "assume" that the bonus will be met so is part of the basic package.

But this is primarirly a British company with a GmbH in Germany (for whom I would be working). I was interviewed by a Brit and an American. So our meanings of salary expectations should have been understood.

They later came back with an offer which consisted of:

1. what they originally offered but
2. after six months raised to my minimum, subject to performance.

I think they have honest intentions but I am worried about the viability of my situation.

Need to sleep on it.

Nice sushi and nice cameras

The recruitment agent called me today.

The client appreciated my limitations in German but would like to go ahead and offer me a permanent position. In Frankfurt.

So, now I have to see the conditions of the offer.

Kinda sad that I would be leaving Munich but it would be good to move forward rather than treading water job hunting.

And like I said, Frankfurt ain't that bad.

Frankfurt - nice sushi

So yesterday I took the train to Frankfurt.

Arrived at 1pm and met up with the recruitment consultant, who is also a friend (after an embarrasing him-calling-me on-the-mobile-whilst-standing-one-meter-away thing) and went for sushi.

Very good sushi: better and cheaper than what they have in Munich.

The interview has been postponed until 7pm so I walked a bit around Frankfurt in the rain.

Found a Leica museum where they let me play with an M7 and MP camera.

Such nice cameras. I have an M3 which was built in the 1950s and is just awesome.

The body (lens not included) of a new Leica film camera only costs €4000 so you can imagine the restraint I showed in not buying one.

Then I found a Starbucks and used the Wifi to kill more time browsing.

Then I went to the Starbucks at the main station which was the rendez-vous.

Met up with the interviewers. Went to an outside cafe/ice-cream place and had the interview.

Some of it was in German and although it went okay I am not sure if I could sustain it for a whole day on a client site.

After the interview, no more than an hour, waited for the train home. Much slower train, I spent almost an hour from 11pm in Nuremberg waiting for the connection and only got home at 2am.

A long day for an hour-long interview.

Progress

The phone interview on Wednesday has resulted in me being invited to a face-to-face interview this coming Monday in Frankfurt.

Initially it was going to be at 3pm and I booked train tickets accordingly.

The agent then asked if I could instead meet them at 7pm.

Well the last feasible train back to Munich leaves just before 9pm. And that gets in at 1am.

Anyway a compromise was reached: we meet at the station at 7pm. The company should be able to get a meeting room there as it is a huge main station for the business/finance centre of Germany.

Sneaky

I see a job on indeed.com which links to www.jobleads.de

In fact it says details of this job is only available to registered members of that site.

So I register, but not as a premium member. Takes about 15 minutes (it's in German).

I then search on the job and find it. And also then find that details of the job are only available for premium members.

I do not upgrade my membership.

So that's why it's so quiet

Just went to the local shops.

They were all closed.

Hmm.

I didn't feel like I had been in a coma for three days (that is waking on Sunday when shops are always closed in Munich).

Turns out it's a public holiday in this part of the world.

Stats

Forgot to mark the 100th application but anyway,

from last year to yesterday I have:

• made 124 applications
• had 35 bites
• and had six interviews

Normally I expect one in ten applications to result in a bite and one in ten bites to result in an interview. So I am, or the economy is, doing well.

Actually this is even better as I am applying to mainly countries (e.g. DACH) where English is not the first language.

So, I am doing well, except I don't have a job yet so "doing well" is meaningless.

Strong

Quite a few people (e.g. recruiters, interviewers etc) say I have strong marketable skills ... except that don't have anything for me just now.

Grrr.

Phone interview today

for a programme management job based in Frankfurt. It was with an English integrator.

It went well but they nearly all do.

German

I took the B2 "für den Beruf" exam in occupational German in early March.

In early April I got the result. I passed with a score of 80%. Actually 80.25% which is graded as a Note 2 - good. Note 1 - very good is what I achieved for the B1.

According to an owner of a German school I met at the AGBC that means I'm almost fluent.

Fast fließend mein Arsch.

Anyway I put this acheivement down on my c.v.

At the interview in Bonn yesterday I was asked if I would prefer to speak in German or English and a compromise was reached. Introductions in German, then I would speak about myself in English then more in German.

(For the job it is essential to have English only).

But that's the thing: as soon as people switch into English no-one switches back. That is one of the reasons I am not fluent in German yet. One word of English and the die is cast.

Not that I was complaining.

Travel

So, I can travel to Beijing or Tokyo, and ater reaching the hotel go and lead a meeting, or run for 20 minutes on a treadmill.

But yesterday I went to Bonn for the day (which is about the same time in total in terms of train travel) and return exhausted and am still exhausted today.

Anyway the interview went well and I had a nice ice cream (afterwards).

about me

Not sure if I mentioned this but I have an about.me page.

Good but all the examples are really creative with great photographs.

I just have a head shot and my usual "elevator pitch".

So, I need to have a good photo taken but I don't want to spend money on do that as I'm not sure the return will be significant (that is, it will make a difference in me getting a job).

Tiring

Well that was a tiring Saturday morning.

I hate having to dress for work and going into an office on the weekend.

And that's what I had to do today.

Except it was worse than that as I don't actually have a job.

It was Munich's American German Business Club's Exchange event. Three seminars and the opportunity to network. Held at KPMG's offices. A good event except it meant getting up early (that is, before midday).

Earlier during the week I had finally got around to getting my own business cards.

I had been meaning to do this for weeks. In fact, I had earlier opportunities to give cards to people I had met but I didn't have any (and this is someone who has been on business trips to Japan).

So, before this event, I made sure to get some.

And yesterday I had a haircut as well, just to be safe.

Anyway, today I gave out three of the hundred business cards I had - all to people who already knew me.

Interview!

In two weeks time for a major company, in Bonn.

Good start to the week.

Oh, and they would be paying very well (and the Bonn, Düsseldorf region is cheaper than Munich).

"Interesting" Job of several weeks

Total Oil and Gas are recruiting big time, apparently and are advertising in LinkedIn, as well as other places.

I won't copy the advert from LinkedIn as it may breach their copyright but in it readers are asked to contact a Dr. Morgan Phawoski(PhD) emailing recruitment@careers-total.co.uk

Except that Total uses another domain name.

Plus, on their web site, Total warns about fake recruiters (though I can't find the link again). And a site called Complaints Board also has entries about similar adverts or emails from the same person.

If you search on his name up appears what looks like a Xing.com page, inviting you to log in to see his details. Except that the URL is not that of Xing.

Hmm.

I sent an email to LinkedIn support questioning the veracity of the advert but have as yet not received a reply and have seen the advert re-posted.

Refreshing

As well as the interview in Munich last week, I also had an interview in Düsseldorf on Thursday.

The recruiting company actually flew me over there - a day trip for me.

There I had a 90 minute interview where I felt it was clear that I didn't have sufficient relevant industry experience for them.

Then I went into the city's Altstadt and had an excellent but not expensive steak. This is a big deal because Bavarians seem to be genetically incapable of cooking steak - it is always well done. In fact I asked the waitress if she understood my meaning of "medium", which, not coming from Munich, she did.

The next day I advised the agency who had arranged the interview of my feelings.

After my debrief they then told me that the company had already contacted them. Apparently I had interviewed "brilliantly" (it was a tough interview, barely within the Geneva Convention) and they felt I would be "a great fit for their company".

But they also felt I lacked relevant industry experience. Nevertheless they were going to see if they could create a suitable role for me.

Anyway, today the agency called me to advise that they were unable to ... at the moment.

But if things change they will want to talk to me again.

Now, this happens a lot but what really impressed me was the agency. Initially I had applied for a role for which I was, it turned out, totally unsuitable. But they sent my details to their client anyway in case they thought there was some other, more suitable match.

And they were always prompt in sending me information and keeping me up-to-date.

I was so impressed that I sent them a thank you e-mail.

Mate

A friend suggested I send him my c.v. for his employer in Munich.

He actually suggested this several times but always in a pub-type situation so I always forgot.

Eventually he reminded me by Facebook IM.

I sent the c.v. and tomorrow I have an interview.

Over the weekend I printed off my c.v., a six-page Powerpoint presentation they had asked me for, and a Mind map of my career.

I'm not sure about the Mind map (it wasn't asked for) but maybe it will look good.

I am very grateful to my friend for his help but I am sad as he is now seriously ill.

Mind maps

My German course tries to be practical by having the teachers talking about things like the German economy, the work situation and applying for jobs.

On Friday the teacher mentioned that she had been on a seminar about job hunting.

There she heard that recruiters were getting bored with the usual German approach to job hunting.

One thing they would like to see is mind maps about the candidate.

Mind maps.

Really?

The German unemployment problem

Look, certain things have been happening in my life recently:

1. I lose my job
2. I get the B1 competency exam in German after three exhausting weeks of intensive study
3. My bird girlfriend visits
4. The German unemployment office tells me I have to do at least three regular applications
5. I feel slightly panicked because that is quite difficult for someone who doesn't have fluent German
6. So the unemployment office sends me on a German B2 course
7. I feel slightly more panicked because I am already exhausted from learning German
8. I then re-read the form and it say at least three applications per month

Per month! I thought it was per week.

Even I could do three application per week in this country.

Except this language course is from 8.15am to 3.15pm everyday which makes job hunting quite difficult.

Naughty

Someone is being a naughty blogger and not updating his site frequently.

Today I had a telephone interview for a job in Düsseldorf.

After the interview I phoned the agency who said they would contact the client: usual thing, interested etc.

I expected to hear back by the end of next week, as the interviewer had told me.

Anyway after talking to the agency they called back, about five minutes afterwards.

Before they could email the client, the client had called them: they want to interview me next week in Düsseldorf.

A pattern

It seems every time I need a new job I need a new PC.

My current laptop, actually a tablet, is really coming to the end of its life.

The fan rattles and I think its vibrations have loosened screws because the panel for the hard disk drive keeps falling off and the HDD then falls out.

Annoying.

Also it is just too slow.

Today I applied for one job, eventually, and decided to buy a new laptop very soon.

Rubbish

I went to look at my website today.

It's URL is of the format [my initials].eu.com because it would be easier to spell out over the phone.

But I found it was no longer valid.

Apparently it had expired in October even though my account should have automatically renewed from a credit card.

Well this time it hadn't and I wasn't sent a notification.

I emailed the domain company's (123-reg.co.uk) support people. They replied, quite quickly to be fair, that it had expired because there was no valid credit card number.

They didn't explain why I hadn't been contacted about this but did tell me that the domain was still free so I could take it again.

From them? I don't think so.

And thinking about it, I don't need this domain name any more. I now use [my initials].tel, which is even easier to use and has contact links and links to my LinkedIn and Xing pages.

That'll do.