A whole month

 Looking for a job in Germany is harder - normally - than in England especially when:

• you're British and everyone assumes you'll be thrown out of the country (because of Brexit)
• you're not fluent in German - this is more of the case now that the world's leading English speaking country has removed itself from being taken seriously (that's a Brexit dig by the way)
• you seem to be too senior for some roles
• there's a freakin pandemic which means you ain't up for traveling anywhere - which is a pity as you've angled yourself to be a multi-national, nah, global manager

Anyway today I applied for five jobs which is my target when I'm in Germany for the whole month. In fact I also applied for three on Sunday.

It helps that I can now state that I'm Irish and British (note the order). This is thanks to a grandfather I only met as an infant. I've never been to the Republic of Ireland. Doesn't matter though, just get hold of various birth, death and marriage certificates and Sheamus is your uncle.

Hypothetically

 Just had a second interview with a large company. Although they called it the first interview. Guess I'm not the worst engineer at maths after all.

Anyway, beforehand - quite a few days beforehand - I spent time researching the company and reading advice on how to interview with them. The company itself, in their guidelines,  stressed not to answer hypothetically - they want to know your real experience - not how you would deal with things.

I'm ready.

Come the interview the very pleasant interviewer starts nearly every question with "Hypothetically how would you deal with the following situation ...".

And I answered "Well actually that situation did occur and this is how I dealt with it".

I'm beginning to suspect I'm too experienced (not old - experienced) for this position.

English c.v.

Just been asked by a recruiter for my c.v. in German.

I replied that it's only in English and that my advantage in Germany is that I am a native English speaker. (I didn't mention that it would be too tedious to write it in German.)

Ironically the above correspondence was carried out in German.

What a surprise

I've just received an email from an organisation in the startup scene asking for a writer.

And I've just applied.

Ja

This afternoon I had a telephone interview in German for a job where the only required language was English.

Two and a bit

This week was a slight improvement as I managed two and a bit applications.

I say "a bit" because one of the job adverts (jobverts? - yeah, jobverts) I saw was really just trawling for their database.

One

After the week before's mega six applications I expected something good last week.

Obviously I was wrong and only managed to squeeze out one application. And that was on the Sunday when the week started.

Also, rather discouragingly, I received a lot of rejections from the previous weeks.

On the good side, however, I did get the final certificate (my grandfather's death certificate) needed to submit that I have Irish ancestry. The plan is that after the UK has committed economic suicide Brexited I can remain unemployed/amazingly successful as an entrepreneur in Munich.

Six

Although I haven't been posting much recently I have slightly increased my job searching efforts.

But my focus is on freelance or fixed assignments.

And I am in Germany and this is the holiday season.

Nevertheless this week I managed to apply for six jobs.

Six!

Maybe you want a German copywriter.

For the last few days a very good jobs site has been advertising for a German national to be a interim project manager for a German military procurement project. In Germany.

But they advertise in English.

I didn't apply.

Actually quick

I haven't been updating this blog much - s o r rey - so an update is appropriate.

Yesterday I had an interview for a freelance PM position. The recruitment agent, who accompanied me into the meeting because that's how it rolls in Germany, told me she hoped to have news by the evening or early this morning.

Yeah right. Companies, especially big ones, just aren't that quick. Especially in Germany.

Ummm. Actually in this case they were. I received an email from the agent yesterday evening and start on Tuesday.

Ugh

Yesterday I had a face to face interview. It went ok, probably quite well except that:

1. As I was about to leave my flat, wearing my fancy tailor made City suit, brogues and silk tie, a migraine started. I rarely get migraines and when I do the symptoms are a problem reading things and a slight wooziness. So I wasn't too affected by it.
2. When I reached the company's reception I was going to meet the recruitment consultant who would accompany me into the interview (they do this here in Germany). There was a young lady sitting in reception. I said her name and we shook hands. And as per our earlier phone calls we spoke English. But I didn't feel certain and double checked her name. Turns out she wasn't my recruitment consultant. She did rather nicely say that after that whoever she was going to meet would be a disappointment.
3. Then the real recruitment consultant turned up. It was definitely her. She had received a message that my interviewer would be a few minutes late. And after a few minutes a man turned up. We shook hands and I gave my name. He then started to take us to the cafeteria as he felt it would be a more convenient place for the discussion. Halfway there he took out his business cards and gave them to us. I looked at the name on it and realised he wasn't the person we were due to meet. I did jokingly ask him if he was recruiting. We went back to reception and eventually the correct interviewer turned up.

It's 2017

And yet the company wanted only a telephone interview. They called me a few minutes before I boarded a plane and arranged an interview next week. As I will be away they said it would be by telephone. I've been using video calls professionally and personally for about ten years so I naturally suggested a Skype video call. But they just wanted a POTS* call.

I guess it's that sort of company even though it is in the IT business.

Other companies - not many to be honest - take as granted that the first, non-site interview will be by video.

 (*Plain Old Telephone System)

maybe it did give an edge

I wrote on Friday about a call from an agency which exercised my mobile skills, sending messages from my cell phone after downloading files from OneDrive and attaching them. Whilst sitting in a cafe.

They phoned back today and arranged a face to face interview at the end of this week.

It's 2017

Back around the early 90s I was looking for a change of employer.

To give myself an edge I wanted a mobile phone so that I would be more contactable. In those days most mobiles were analogue and therefore crap. I waited until the first GSM phones came out choosing Orange as the provider. They were innovative in marketing and provided great service.

I can't remember if it helped or not.

Anyway at lunchtime today I was contacted by an agency on my smartphone. I was at a restaurant with a friend so didn't answer. They sent me an email and after the meal I was able to reply, using the smartphone and attaching my c.v. They later called me back and asked me to send some references (in Germany these are given to those leaving employers). From my phone I was able to go to my OneDrive and attach them to an email whilst sitting in a cafe.

And, of course, this was all synchronised with my PC and MacBook at home.

Let's see if this makes a difference.

Oh, and once I got home another agency called about another job.

Still looking ...

... but my unemployment benefit has ended and I have too much savings to qualify for the next phase of benefit.

Ideally I would like my business to kick off but it is moving very slowly.

Also I think a job, especially freelance, will help shake things up in my life and actually help me develop the business.

Today I applied for one job.

... but ultimately disappointing

Although last week I went to an interview in Frankfurt where I wasn't interviewed in a god-damn ice cream parlour today I was called by the agency who told me that they had decided to go internal.

Hmmm, that was not a cheap journey to Frankfurt and is a bit annoying as basically they had already decided.

A different challenge

Yesterday I had an interview for a freelance job in Munich.

Normally I find myself answering questions by explaining that I have the experience in the areas required but not necessarily to the same size.

This time it turns out that their requirements were smaller and less complex than I am used to.

Call from Frankfurt

From the agency who arranged the interview on Thursday.

After quick pleasantries the caller came to the point - he had called me by accident.

Improvement

Several years ago I went to Frankfurt for an interview which - despite being told otherwise - ended up being in an ice cream parlour.

Today I went there for an interview for a freelance IT management job and it was in a god-damn actual office.

Bodes well.

Nice recommendation

Last weekend I was going, on public transport, to meet up with a drinking club with a running problem.

On the platform I bumped into an old friend who was going there.

Sometime during the journey or afterwards I must have mentioned that maybe I could do something in her company. I kinda forgot because, you know, that drinking thing.

Anyway she didn't forget and reminded me on Monday. She then sent a very nice recommendation to her recruiters which I have transposed here:

"Hi,

I have referred my long-time friend The Job Hunter with No Name for (among others possible positions) the Job I could do with my eyes closed if I really liked a challenge job located here: [link to her company's career site] and expect that he will apply for this position directly. 

I have known TJHWNN for over 10 years as a social friend and can attest to his honesty, integrity and reliability. He’s an exceptionally bright guy, very witty and a natural leader. I am certain he would be a good fit for her employer and hope you agree. J

Best regards,

A clearly very deluded friend"

Wow. 

I applied. One of five applications this week.