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MY GERMAN CAREER

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‘Put in the effort to know what your firm wants’

In this week's My German Career, Tommi Raivisto, the vice president of a Nokia business, describes the advantages of being with one company for years and what he likes about working in Berlin.

'Put in the effort to know what your firm wants'
Finn Tommi Raivisto has been in Berlin since August.

1) Where are you located and what do you do?

I’m a Finn who just moved to Berlin with my family after five years in Massachusetts, US. I work for HERE which is a Nokia business creating maps and location services for consumers, automotive and enterprises. I’m heading a team responsible for Map Services.

2) What brought you to Germany and how long have you been here?

We moved to Berlin in August, the primary motivation being the job opportunity. I’m really excited about new location services for all kinds of mobile devices and our HERE team in Berlin is amazing. Moving from the US was an opportunity to get a bit closer to our friends and families in Finland. The move was made easier by the fact I've been travelling to Berlin a lot and had the chance to bring my wife here for a weekend beforehand.

3) How did you land your job and do you have tips for anyone seeking similar work?

I started as a software engineer trainee in Nokia in 1995. HERE is a Nokia-owned business, so I consider myself lucky to have had a long, rewarding career within a single company. I've had many types of jobs in several countries over the years.

My tip for anyone pursuing a particular company or job is to put in the effort to get to know it well. In the end, it’s about who can best help the company with what it is hiring for. Knowing the context helps you to position yourself well and also shows you’re motivated and proactive.

4) Is it important for you to be able to speak German in your position?

Not really. Our working language is English, we operate globally and actually have tens of different nationalities in the office in Berlin. I need German skills more outside my work. I’m determined to expand my German further from basic level, restaurant vocabulary. The learning curve looks steep but I've studied Swedish at school and hope that will help at least a bit.

5) What are the best and worst parts about working in Germany?

I appreciate certain directness people have, even though it sometimes may appear negative. Work ethics are strong and after some time in the US I recognize stronger cultural similarities between Germany and Finland than I thought earlier. I also like that there are more holidays and that people actually use them.

As a city, I really like Berlin, it has certain edge and it’s somehow both beautiful and ugly at the same time. I feel we’re still getting to know each other though. If I have to identify one thing that bugs me it’s all the construction work in particular in Mitte. Even taxis don’t seem to know what road is closed today.

6) Do you plan on staying?

We went to the US for a year and ended up staying five years. I’ve learned not to try to plan that particular aspect of life too hard. Our long-term plan is to return to Finland but I’m not looking forward to moving again anytime soon. The opportunity to work in different countries is a real privilege but the process of leaving, moving and getting life on track again is not something I can put my family through too often.

Would like to feature in My German Career? Email [email protected]

READ MORE: How should expats invest in Germany?

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Bavaria is no doubt a beautiful state with a strong economy, but can be a hard place for non-German speakers to integrate. The Local takes a look at job opportunities in Germany’s southeastern 'Free State.'

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions. 

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds. 

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local. 

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with. 

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