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.

You've got to call

Yesterday I applied for a job to which I thought I was very well suited.

Today I called the agency and the agent told me he thought I wasn't very well suitable at all.

For that job.

But he was willing to consider me for other jobs.

Ten minutes later he called back. He wanted to consider me for some potential project management positions at his client.

He gave directions on how I should tweak my c.v., I dutifully tweaked, and now the c.v. is going to the client.

From the jaws of rejection comes a bite (not sure that sounds right but you know what I mean).

Inappropriately named agency of the week

In Switzerland there is an agency called "ASSpro".

And yes, they capitalise their letters like that.

And they advertise in English.

For what? For IT project managers, of course, so I applied to a job for which they were recruiting.

If they call me I will try not to snigger.

7 Silver Linings Now That You've Lost Your Job

Found on Cracked.

Good

Today I applied for five jobs.

Three were for the same freelance job advertised by different agencies. But they still count. And the job was right up my street.

Another job I applied for was brought to my attention by a former colleague and friend (still a friend if that sentence was misleading). Thanks Elliot.

It asked for bilingual German and English but I applied anyway.

I relayed this to Elliot, pointing out that I am not bilingual in those languages and he replied that I was never good at English. Bloody cheek.

Lack of attention

It seems that although my German may be not bad my English has deteriorated. In response to the first job I saw today I started off a covering email with:

"Your requirements for an IT manager seem to meet my requirements well."

I'm having an emergency cup of coffee.

B1

Well, I got the B1 from the Goethe Institute.

It wasn't easy, three hours a day one-to-one tuition plus homework for three weeks.

This was all extremely exhausting.

Anyway I passed with an average of 93%; this puts me in the top category and the pass mark was 60%.

It means I have a proven ability in German which is quantifiable. Hopefully this will help when I apply for global roles where I will never need to speak another language but English.

During the last three weeks it hasn't only been this blog which has been neglected.

I haven't applied for jobs, I haven't looked at my to do list, I haven't even exercised.

In fact I forgot that I don't have a job.

Have to get back to the hunting now.

Blank stare

You know I've been busy.

Not job hunting mind.

Or working.

No, busier than that. I've been on an intensive German course.

My brain hurts.

And it ain't over.

Viadeo

Found out about this business networking site.

Currently investigating but can't see the value add over LinkedIn, Xing or Facebook.

Bite

Shopping in a supermarket in Munich is getting better.

But not as good as in the UK.

Nevertheless my mobile rang whilst I was there.

It was then that I noticed the ambient sound, the musak.

And I'm tired and not in the mood to speak German.

Which is a pity as the agent calling didn't speak English.

Anyway I gave him some pertinent answers: availability and salary and he said he'd get back to me.

Clarity

Is it "focussed" or "focused"?

Microsoft spellchecker doesn't help on this.

I found a site which claims to know and apparently it is ...

... either. Although the one "s" version is gaining prominence.

Americans

I love them.

OK, not true in slightest. I love only one American ("Hey Babe").

But Americans as a group are lovable (when they are not pissing me off on construction projects which is something they, collectively, like to do).

I have an American contact, with whom I worked when he was with our supplier, who is also on Facebook.

Tonight I saw he was on line and sent him a quick message, which summarized said I am looking for contacts in our mutual Telepresence field.

His response was "let me make some enquiries and try to get back to you by the end of the week".

Awesome.

And earlier an American friend who lives in Munich sent me loads of job details from the company where she is currently working.

Also awesome.

You never know

A friend of mine commented on one of his contact's LinkedIn updates - they were looking to fill roles in Asia.

I didn't know this contact but sent a message as a short contract or interim assignment might be quite good, at least for now.

Experteer

I've just upgraded my membership of Experteer to Premium for the next three months.

Basically it's a site which claims that a lot of headhunters use it.

Yeah, right.

But I met a highly qualified job hunter at an Internations dinner and she said that it was effective.

I am not convinced as I would have thought LinkedIn and Xing would be as sufficient.

But I am finding the market tight for what I want to do. So, I will give it a go.

I've already made a note to cancel my subscription before they automatically renew it.

Zwei

Today I applied for two jobs.

In Germany.

In German (I think).

the company which should know better

clearly doesn't know better.

Pout.

Dissing the enemy

In times of turmoil I turn to Cracked for some interesting reading which is often funny (I think they would like it to be always funny).

They had their usual articles of lists, one of which today, in its number 2 section, had the wonderful phrase: Well, you think, everyone knows that people who work in HR are jerks.

You think that's unfair? Then read this example.

And if you still think that these are valid reasons, or, in particular, handwriting analysis is a real science then go-away. I don't want you reading my blog. You probably work in HR anyway.

More uh oh

A contact I know socially (um, guess that's a friend then), who is a recruitment consultant (does that make them best friend for ever, no really?) contacted me today.

None of her clients want non-German speakers.

And this is in Munich.

Strange. It's like there are people who speak German, on a regular basis, here in Munich (and not just in the Arbeitsamt).

Who'd have thought.

But as I was told today (from a speaker of German in the Arbeitamt) apparently I do speak German.

So maybe this post should be titled "Mehr ach nein".

Uh oh, German bureaucracy

This morning I went to Munich's Arbeitsamt, employment office.

This is something you have to do if you live in Germany and are losing your job.

I've heard a lot of bad things about this place. One friend had to ask the official at her meeting if their comments were appropriate and if she would have to return with a lawyer.

I have also read frightening things on Toytown about this office.

So ... Well, they couldn't have been nicer.

In the first meeting the official was surprised to be told by me that my German wasn't very good. Perhaps it was because I told her this in German. Or perhaps it was because we had been talking for about an hour without any English being exchanged.

By the second meeting I was a bit tired and the official took mercy on me and spoke in English.

I then tried to get to work but the underground train drivers here in Munich have gone on strike.

On strike!

It's 2010, masses of people are losing their jobs, they are already paid well and have great job security. And they are on strike.

Anyway I fired up the VPN and am working from home.

Another week, another application

Last week I managed, and it wasn't easy, to apply for one job.

And I am supposed to do five per week.

Today, and it is only Tuesday, I saw an advertisement in Xing.com for a suitable job in Munich. In English.

I applied.

Slightly less evil

So on Friday I received an email from the company who should know better.

They told me there was an "Other - not listed" option for college.

I had looked - honest - but there were a lot of entries under the letter O and we are not talking the largest typeface (renders as about 9pt on most browsers) so I guess I missed it.

Anyway last week I applied for one job, eventually.

Even more evil

So, I emailed the company which should know better's technical support.

And they were prompt, acknowledged my email and forwarded it to the recruiting team.

Who were equally as prompt and asked me for the reference to the job advert in question.

Good. Nice experience.

But when I reply to them the email is bounced by their internal systems (it seems the address given is an alias and the real address is not valid).

Bad. Not nice experience.

So, I've sent another email to their technical support.

Part of me thinks this doesn't bode well.

Once after an interview I was knocked down by a bus. A big red London one. I was only grazed but should have taken it as an omen. I didn't, got the job and it turned out to be the worst company for whom I have ever worked.

So, I'm now worried when things don't go well.

Anyway for now I'm persevering.

But if they make it too hard to apply, or I suffer calamitous accidents during the selection process, then I will withdraw my application.

More evil than the world can bear

What happens if you give The Enemy* access to the internet?

On-line application forms.

To be more precise: on-line application forms which don't fully work.

This morning I applied to a company for whom I have a lot of respect. A company which should know better.

The job, which they were advertising on-line, is very appropriate for me. In fact, another company already approached me about a very similar role having read my details in LinkedIn.

But this high-technology company, which should know better, waited for me to find their advert and then only gave me the option of filling out their form. On-line.

Part of the form included giving details of my degree and alma mater.

There was a long pull-down list of colleges and universities, including the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, the Beijing Dance Academy and Beaver University where I guess they study beavers.

But not my university - with a good reputation and established early in the last century - where the study of beavers was a purely optional, private matter.

These fields are mandatory. You can't submit an application without completing these fields and there was no "Other" option.

I found an email address on their page. But they sent an automatic reply: "Thank you for contacting jobs@thecompanywhoshouldknowbetter.com. Please use our online application form".

Then I found an email address to technical support so I emailed them.

I guess I will have to be patient in waiting for their reply.

*H.R.

Speaking foreign

I've found a global job which requires fluent German.

Crazy in a country which rarely requires you to speak their language (and seems to actively discourage by refusing to speak to you in German).

In fact, this job found me due to my entry in LinkedIn.

It was about a month ago and apparently I ticked all the boxes.

I hadn't heard anything after the phone interview, which had gone very well (the interviewer had said he wanted to speak with me again).

Yesterday I contacted the agency which had arranged the interview. They phoned me back and told me that the job had gone to someone else and the only issue with my details was my lack of German.

Leider.

Excuses, excuses

But they are good ones.

Three weeks ago I had a bad cold.

Two weeks ago my girlfriend visited me from the States. Whilst she was here the idea of job hunting never entered my head.

One week ago, after she left, I got another bad cold.

Still feel under the weather.

But, now that I am on my own again, I will get back to job hunting. And updating this blog.

Best country to live in

According to Newsweek it is Finland.

Well, Finland is a great place to live. Not sure it's the best. Also not sure about some of the other rankings.

But anyway, the site has a nice layout.

Billy Anchors

It has been a quiet week so far and I haven't found any suitable jobs advertised. I'm hoping it's the holiday season.

I have been networking though, getting additions to my LinkedIn contacts.

Anyway the executives at my company want my remaining project to come in almost a month early. They tell me now!

They are putting a lot of pressure on a manager in the US who has been tasked to put pressure on me.

My project is an internal project. It reduces costs, a bit.

Really, if they applied as much focus to developing new products, making them with adequate quality and marketing them properly then I wouldn't be looking for a job (and I wouldn't be updating this blog).

Goodish news

If you live in Germany, according to the BBC, Germany has record growth.

There was a similar article on the front page of the Süddeutsche Zeitung. That's a major newspaper for people in southern Germany who have nothing better to do on a weekend than read a tree's worth of printed paper. With some arty photos.

In fact the business manager of that paper can also report a growth in sales as I purchased a copy. This was so I could survey which companies are recruiting.

Turns out, not many.

First one

After hearing the bad news on Friday I wasn't surprised but I did feel dejected.

In the afternoon I had a cursory look at Monster and saw a job of interest. I emailed it to my home account.

Today I looked at it.

Then I looked at it again. It was written in Foreign but I got the gist of it and actually sent off an application.

I was very please to have done this.

It is all very well (and important) to set things up - update the networking sites etc - but it is applications which get you jobs.

And I did one.

Curry later.

Got cracking

So, what have I done since my last post?

I've ...

• updated my c.v.-like details on LinkedIn and Xing
• upgrade my LinkedIn membership from Basic (free) to Business. That is $25 per month which is a daunting amount.
• upgraded my Internations membership from free to Albatross. That is a kinder €5 per month.
• tried to update my c.v. on my own web site. It is rather out of date but I've forgotten the FTP address for it. I've contacted the host ISP about this.
• Put a visible note on Facebook, LinkedIn, Xing and Internations to the effect that "TJHWNN is available for team and project management roles from Q4".

Get cracking

Right.

Although it is important to be a little bit crazed when job hunting a little bit too crazed is a bad thing.

So, I didn't do any job hunting yesterday (not least because of the effects of the evening before).

But today, Sunday, is not a day-off when it comes to looking for new work.

Time to get blogging hunting.

Civilised

The Germans are a civilized people.

None of this "you are redundant, leave now" nonsense.

My job will end at the end of November. But they estimate that I will be free by the end of September (depending on my currently running projects) and after that I am on gardening leave.

Plus I get a payoff and a voucher, of significant value, to a course which increases my employability.

Apparently, even if I get another job before end of November I still keep the payoff.

Gloomy Friday

I didn't have any plans for Friday evening.

Wasn't in a great mood.

But then some friends were meeting up for curry (the food of choice for expats in Munich) and I went along.

The alcohol made me feel better as did the curry of course.

Whilst in the restaurant we noticed that one of the customers was being escorted by bodyguards. They had earpieces and microphones and wore suits (a rare sight when going out in Munich) which were all unbuttoned. That last observation is sinister: it means they were carrying.

It's a small restaurant which meant that if shooting started there could be a lot of collateral casualties.

When they left a waiter told us that the principal (the person being protected) was a Yugoslavian foreign minister. Not sure which former part of Yugoslavia he meant though.

Anyway that was the excitement for the day. And the evening was good.

Oh, and in the morning I had been told my job would end at the end of November.

Novel approach

as seen in the Telegraph.

(Actually I am always wary about newspaper stories like this. Don't trust journalists).

A rare contact

It's been quiet. OK, I've been quiet.

I have been thinking about a new job though, for a few reasons:

• I'm bored
• I'm worried about the viability of the company although it is doing better (well, less shockingly bad)
• I'm worried about the cutbacks they are doing in our IT department. They are closing offices and want to centralise functions in a very boring town.

Here's why I am bored:

I was crafting an email to various people around the world asking if they had done something, and gently advising them that if they hadn't done it things would get nasty for them from the business.

Which is true.

But I crafted it very carefully taking into account the differing cultures who would receive it.

In all, it was a well balanced non-threatening email getting the point across. And it seems to have worked.

Good.

But, that is all I do. Oh, and Powerpoint presentations.

Sure, it is very important to be able to communicate well but I need to start learning again.

On Thursday I received a couple of emails (one via LinkedIn) from a recruiter for a specific client.

My details seemed a good match, he said.

These days I'm working a lot from home so on Friday I called. Then sent him my latest c.v.

Then waited for him to call back.

Then waited a bit more.

Then went to the beer garden.

I will call him on Monday.

Forgot

It's been a very long time since I went to the American German Business Club.

This evening I went.

Interesting talk on Smart Grid which is about network intelligent power delivery.

I asked a question related to energy trading: I forgot the word "derivative" but remembered the word "disintermediation".

At last

No, not phone calls from recruiters who said they were going to call me.

For years I have been looking for a domain name which would only accept the three initials of my name.

My full name seems to be impossible for most people to spell.

A few days ago a colleague at work mentioned a new TLD called .tel.

This morning I looked at it and found that the domain I wanted to use with it (that is, the three initials of my name) was free.

This is rare, a lot of domain administrators won't accept just three letters.

I grabbed it.

And now I have a .tel domain name.

There's more to .tel than just domain names but basically for people wanting to contact me it's a one-shop stop which is easy to spell out.

Another quarter

Last week was the last chance my employer had to make me redundant until June.

This is because under my German contract the minimum notice they can give is six weeks before the end of the quarter.

It's not nice living like this but at least I have an income.

However the notice period works both ways so now I can't resign either until June.

Cynicism is the evil twin of realism

Today my new boss had a meeting with us all, although I had to dial in as he works in another country.

He made it clear that the de-layering of my previous boss was not a reorganization and he had no plans for further redundancies.

He actually stressed this.

I know this guy and he seems a pretty decent chap.

Nevertheless my c.v. is at the ready.

Following my own advice

If I am going to/perhaps will soon need to find another job then I should at least follow my own advice.

So, I've just renewed my membership of the American German Business Club in Munich.

Tuna and pasta in a spicy tomato sauce

Yesterday one of my favourite recruitment consultants phoned me (favourite because a few years ago he recruited me for a job in Munich).

I had phoned him on Tuesday and sent him my c.v.

He said there were a few potential opportunities he was developing, some in Europe and a couple in New York.

Wow, that would be very good for me.

Obviously I would have to look at things like visas and healthcare. He didn't think getting a visa would be a problem at my level - which was nice to hear.

Anyway, he will get back to me.

Following the recent theme for post titles, guess what I had for dinner last night?

Sandwich

I was tired today.

But I looked at my emails and found that I had been contacted by someone recruiting for a large, international telecommunications company.

They're looking for someone to set up a new, senior role dealing with projects and programmes, a bit like a project office.

We talked this evening when I got home.

It does sound interesting and I do seem to be a match (the recruiter found my details from LinkedIn).

Now, the job is in Frankfurt and I live, and have established myself, in Munich.

And it is not that international (currently I have a global role).

He's putting my name forward but I will have to think.

Still, this week I made no applications and received one bite.

I also had one curry and one sandwich (tonight) and it is only Tuesday.

Curry

The big thing for expats to do in Munich, and not just British expats, is to eat curry.

Mmm, curry.

Reminds them of home, or, if they are not British, someone else's home.

And when I say "them" I mean "me". And my fellow expats, quite a few of whom are American.

So yesterday I had a curry with a couple of friends.

Now Germany has a reputation for efficiency. Unless you live there. Take mobile phones.

Whilst I was waiting for my curry (lamb special) I noticed that I had a voice mail message on my mobile.

It was my boss asking me to call him.

It was 8pm and my boss would only leave a request like that at such a time if it was truly urgent.

I call him.

"What's up?" he asks.

"Um, I was going to ask you that, seeing as you left a message for me to call you".

"I called you in the morning".

Ah, German efficiency at its best.

I explain that I will shortly have my face in a plate of curry and he suggests we talk the next day. No, I will feel less anxious if we talk there and then.

So he tells me that he is leaving the company. For another job but he was basically forced out and got lucky. Also, he is not being replaced but "delayered".

Hmmm.

The boss is an all-round good guy and I am shocked and exasperated. Also, the company isn't doing great (English understatement).

There comes a time when you just know the game is over. For me it was between the poppadoms and the lamb curry.

Scammers

I wrote about this a few times some years ago but now the BBC have picked up on the trend to scam people looking for jobs.

That Sunday feeling

Hmmm,

There's an American German Business Club meeting coming up mid-week. I am a member. But not sure if I want to go to it.

There is a Xing.com dinner the week after. I am a premium member but not sure if I want to go.

I think I am having a severe case of Sunday.

Maybe it is the lack of curry. Will rectify that soon.

job hunting blog of the week

Despite my recent foray into international political analysis I actually want to remain doing what I am currently doing.

Which is as little as possible for as much as possible.

Which is, of course, project management.

For those of you, however, who need a bit more specialisation in your job hunting blog reading, and wonder what the world looks like outside of your town, I suggest you look at this blog. It's about searching for an international affairs position.

In fact book mark it if you like, even become a follower, I won't mind or pout. Just make sure you come back to this blog too.

How to get a job in Munich

A friend contacted me as he knows an English man looking for a job here.

Unfortunately this was during the time of my kidney stone so I was a bit distracted.

Nevertheless I wrote the contact some advice, which I've paraphrased here:

- http://toytowngermany.com/: the main forum for expats in Germany. As well as giving social opportunities there are resources on finding jobs here. OK, I got disenchanted with it but for getting into the expat-in-Munich scene it is very good. Ignore the stupidity and bitchiness though.

- Internations: a "smarter" set than the Toytown crowd, this forum organizes gatherings which are quite good. Except they do turn into cattle markets a bit. Nevertheless, it's part of your networking armoury.

- LinkedIn: enough said

- Xing.com: like LinkedIn but more of a German focus. Also does good real world networking events.

- www.gulp.de: a very good website for IT people in Germany. I found my current job through it.

- Michael Bailey Associate, http://www.mbade.com/: a very good contractor agency

- www.Monster.com: obviously but still good

- www.jobserve.co.uk: also obviously but still good, the first contract I took in Germany was advertised on these two sites

- German: unless you have a gun no-one will to speak to you in German. It is very frustrating. There are lots of courses teaching German but quite a few are considered a joke. Check out Toytown for recommendations.

- Not being able to speak German: don't worry about it. German companies will only recruit fluent German speakers and it will take you a while to get there. Unless they have an international reach in which case the most important language to have is English (at Siemens the operational language in English not German).

- German c.v.(Lebenslauf): I've found that using my usual English c.v. is good enough as I apply to internationally-minded companies.

- International companies: there are loads here but a lot, including my one, have hiring freezes. Which leads me to:

- Süddeutschezeitung: the weekend edition has a jobs and career supplement. Some jobs are in English. But the big thing is it shows you which companies are hiring, and therefore doing relatively well, and therefore might be candidates for speculative applications

- American German Business Club: www.jambit.com/agbc, I'm not American, I'm not German but that is no hindrance to joining (a former, recent president of the Munich club was also British). Not as good as it sounds for networking but still worth a go.

shocking story

So I wake up and talk to TUJHGF (the ultimate job hunter's girlfriend) in the US over ooVoo.

Yesterday she went to a career fair and heard a speaker tell of a friend who had a lifetime's ambition to work for ...

....

....

Accenture.

That's right, a lifetime's ambition to work for Accenture.

This story has ruined my day.

Silver

Last week was distressing in so many ways:

• I still had a kidney stone which was causing discomfort and pain.
• BA relegated me from Gold member status of their Executive Club frequent flyer scheme to Silver status.
• SAS relegated me from Gold member status of their frequent flyer scheme to Silver status.

Why?

Because I've only made one flight this year.

I'm a global project manager damn it. I should be flying every week.

Instead I have to be grateful that I have a job.

Hmmm.

The Spanish question

What do you do when:

• you're a mate of the job hunter with no name
  
• you've been living in Spain for, oh, maybe a decade
• you have a professional interest in linguistics
  
• you have a two year old bi- or trilingual kid?

Easy answer: you start a blog of your own, eventually, about your son's language development.

Recovery

This blog is by no means dedicated to the tedium of having a kidney stone.

I went back to work last week albeit with a couple of morning hospital appointments where:

1. they inflicted a lot of pain leaving me too exhausted to go back to work in the afternoon
2. they told me, the next day, that it is no longer a problem any more.

So, no kidney stone. But it's taking a few days to recuperate and I think companies are more likely to give a bit more lattitude to sick employees than sick freelancers. It's not just that I've been away but when at work I've sometimes lacked energy.

Anyway, there's a project starting in Delhi and I have other things to do at work so I should soon get back into it.

Political analyst

Never have I written about my desires to become a political analyst.

Why?

Because I never wanted to be a political analyst: it just never occurred to me to be one.

But maybe I should.

I seem to have spotted something which no-one else has ...

Why is Norway a cause for concern these days?

Here are the top reasons:

1. it has vast reserves of oil
2. it has been involved in a known and serious attempt to produce WMD and has large reserves of a required component
3. its environment makes counter-insurgency operations difficult
4. its ruler is a man who is in his position, not by election, but by the "Grace of [a Middle-Eastern] God"
   
5. quite a few of the men have beards.

So why has Norway, or Al-Norway as I think we can more appropriately call it, decided to give the new US President the Nobel Prize for Peace? He probably hasn't worked out how to adjust his office chair yet, let alone work out who is who in the Middle East War process.

Obviously Al-Norway is trying to head off an invasion by the Coalition of the Willing in The War Against Terror.

And they knew that being a member of NATO wasn't sufficient cover.

So, if I can work all this out over a cup of tea maybe I should change careers.

Bounce back

So, last week I was off work because of a kidney stone.

This week I went to the office, mainly to drink their water, but by Wednesday morning I was exhausted.

I suspect I had an imbalance in my electrolytes (of course I have no right to have such a suspicion, hardly an area where I've had any training).

I couldn't go into work. And by the evening I was seriously considering taking myself back to the hospital the next day for them to check me out.

Anyway, come the next day (today) and I felt ok. I went to work and was relatively productive.

Now the thing is I had put my name down for a Xing networking dinner event tonight. And paid 50 euros - non-refundable.

But I am not going.

Despite being a good place to meet other business contemporaries in Munich, and being one of the few opportunities I get to practice my German, to go from a state of almost seeking medical attention, to a state of attending a formal dinner, in less than 24 hours, doesn't seem right.

Oh well.

Decline

Well done Tony and Gordon.

In 1990 Britain was the 10th most desirable place to live. Now it's 21st*, according to a recent review.

And for a G7 (or G8 country) even 10th isn't that impressive.

Also, Chase Me Ladies I'm in the Cavalry makes an astute observation that Germany is more liberal and democratic (especially around the issue of policing) than the UK.

* OK, one has to question a methodology which puts Germany one place below the UK. Life is significantly better here in many way. Still, my point is that Britain was 10th and now it has badly slipped.

I hope Gordon reads this blogsite, it may help him in a few months.

That sickening feeling

I've just looked at a web site of a global consultancy. One with a slightly different offering.

It seems quite good.

But it's mainly looking for people at MBA or equivalent level.

Then I looked at people in the company who were on Xing and LinkedIn.

They all went to top internationally focussed universities and quite a few had academic awards.

So I feel disappointed because my profile doesn't seem to fit, by a long way. Yet, I have significant, global experience and achievement (and I do have a relatively mediocre degree).

I could send in an application but right now, despite not needing a job, I have a sick feeling in my tummy.

Mind you, that could be due to the kidney stone.

Freelance or permanent

My ambivalence to how I'm employed, that is as a contractor or a permie, took a hit on Monday.

Extreme pain in the left side of my torso stopped me going into work in the morning. Instead I called for an ambulance.

Turns out I have a kidney stone.

I had to take the rest of the week off work though I am fine (apart from bursts of pain).

A week off work is acceptable, even if I was a contractor and therefore not paid. You should, after all, factor in some sick leave per year into your rate.

But things happen, worse things could happen, and losing the assignment, or even a significant time without income isn't appealing.

I think I will remain only interested in contract assignments if I don't have a permanent job.

ooVoo

Over two years ago a friend and former colleague put me in touch with his boss who was recruiting for a project manager in London.

The first telephone chat went well and he wanted to see me over a video conference call.

Unfortunately they didn't use Skype and I couldn't work out an alternative method (for example using SIP or finding an affordable service in Munich). Then I got a job where I am still working.

Skype is, of course, very good. I use it all the time. But the video quality isn't great.

Recently I stumbled upon ooVoo.com which provides a very good level of video quality and, like Skype, provides a no-charge option for basic usage.

I'm now using it every day.

It can also be used by people who don't have the application but do have a web browser (and webcam and mike, of course). You simply send those people a personal URL generated by the application itself.

So, if I ever find myself in a similar situation (needing to do a vid con interview) I might well use this service.

Not so cheering

Article in the New York Times about the despondency people feel who cannot find work.

Right now my job seems to be surviving the global recession. And Germany is actually out of it, having grown a whopping 0.3% in the last quarter.

In fact due to my contract I don't think I could be made redundant (or resign) until the end of the year.

But the article reminds me of how grim it is when things are bad.

World survey

Investment banks haven't had a good reputation recently.

But when they publish a comprehensive review of prices and earnings around the world, for free, then it's not surprising they've been losing money.

Useful site ...

... http://mashable.com/2009/02/19/laid-off-sites/ containing useful sites, but not mine.

It's not all doom and gloom ...

despite the financial turmoil, according to The Telegraph: skills still in demand.

Though none of the skills mentioned are ones I could offer.

A refresh

I'm at the ancestral home in England and quite bored.

I invite a friend to connect to me on LinkedIn and Xing.

Whilst I'm there I update my details on both sites, something I haven't really done for 18 months. Only takes 10 minutes.

A few days ago I also updated my photograph across these sites as well as Facebook. Not sure what difference it'll make but I think it looks better.

Now, I don't expect the phone to ring as a result, but I just feel keeping everything up-to-date and fresh is no bad thing.

That whole Japanese-German business thing

Working in Germany, and having recently visited Tokyo for a fourth business visit, I am glad to read about Japanese companies relocating from UK to Germany.

A phone call

Despite suffering from near fatal influenza blokus I yesterday called a recruitment consultant who had found me a job in Munich a couple of years ago.

We actually spoke a few months ago when he called me to check my availability. Things were looking up in the recruitment world.

Of course things are now looking "50/50" in the recruitment world. Still, I sent him my c.v. and will call him on Friday.

Slow down

I didn't let the week before get me carried away in a job hunting frenzy.

My efforts last week was limited to attending a Xing dinner.

This is a networking dinner operated by www.xing.com in Munich.

You sit at a different table for each course and meet new people.

Really though, in terms of making useful contacts it's not very beneficial.

But for me it's a chance to practise my German.

And the food's good.

Slept

Yesterday I updated c.v. and then slept on it.

Just as well. I had tailored it quite specifically for my Telepresence experience (that's what's the job for) but didn't think to change the section header. It said "IT Project Management".

Today I changed it to match the contents ... it now says "Telepresence Project Management"

So, today I applied for one job, for which I was contacted on Friday and so that counts as a bite.

A nice start.

Timing

I'm not unemployed but the feeling at work isn't good. There will be redundancies.

Lots.

Must be ready, update my c.v., actively network and survey job sites.

Must, must, must.

Yesterday one of my mobile phones rings. It's an agency in London. They're looking for project and programme managers with experience in Telepresence.

In other words, they're looking for me (I have project and programme management experience in Telepresence).

The timing might be good. Their client isn't ready just yet but may be they will be when I know, by the end of October, if I'm in the first round of redundancies.

I'll leave you now as I must check and maybe up date my c.v.

Local difficulty

Do you realise how difficult it is to job hunt when it's the Munich Oktoberfest?

Very.

Deep joy

I've been listening to Pink Industry's "What I wouldn't give" and Force Majeure's "Out of My Mind" so life is undoubtedly good.

But not that good.

You see I was working as a freelancer for a major company. And it was going so well that they asked me to go permanent. Which I did.

And it is still going well ... for me. For the company generally, not so good. In fact not good at all.

Within six months they've gone from talking about increasing headcount to announcing the need for major redundancies.

Time to get job hunting.

Labour Day

Interesting how to celebrate Labour Day those in labour don't do any labour.

Today was my first day as a full-time employee.

That's right.

I've taken a permanent job.

Well, it's the same job that I was doing yesterday, as a freelancer, but now with less money.

But a few benefits.

Like being paid on a public holiday which today is in Germany.

Permanent jobs. Oh, these days that's as believable as a Zimbabwean election result.

So, now is the time to get my job hunting act together.

The time to look for a job is when you are in a job.

So, I'm going to start taking networking more seriously again.

And updating this blog.

OK, I'm happy where I am and things are going well (not least as they asked me to go permanent) but in the fickle world of work it makes sense to be paranoid.

Should, or when, this job comes to an end, for whatever reason, I want to be ready.

Passing fad

Try this one, videojobshop.

Could make comments but I don't think I could make any original ones.

(Hat-tip to the Downloadsquad)

Good weekend

On Saturday (and only Saturday because on Sunday it's illegal in this country) I bought a couple of things:

- an external monitor for my PC
- lots of RAM for my PC.


It took a while before I could get the monitor working. My PC is actually a tablet and the key combination expected to work didn't.

I now have four times as much RAM, although my PC isn't four times as fast.

But why? And why did I blog this?

Culture

Last week I attended a two-day seminar on understanding Chinese, Japanese and Indian cultures and how to work with them.

Apparently simply telling them to get on and do the job just isn't enough these days.

Still, I've been working on a project out in Beijing for the last five months so it's good to know where I've been going wrong.

Today, via The Register, I saw an article on just about the same topic in Blognation.

Nowadays everyone seems to be banging on about how important China is for world business. So, learning about handling the culture is no bad thing.