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MY GERMAN CAREER

JOBS

‘Rules are the best and worst part of life here’

In this week's My German Career, Yvonne Gruendler, 32, describes her job as a marketing officer after finding her way to Berlin via Asia and the UK.

Published: 27 January 2014 08:38 CET
'Rules are the best and worst part of life here'
Yvonne Gruendler. Photo: Submitted
1) Where are you located and what do you do?
 
I live and work in Berlin. I do marketing for a company called Talixo, an online booking engine for taxi, minicabs and limousine rides, which offers customers advantages like lower cost rides while saving time. My role involves everything from setting up a Beatles competition to speaking to companies to helping make the booking process easier by providing customer feedback – it's very varied. 
 
2) What brought you to Germany and how long have you been here?
 

Work brought me to Germany about two years ago – I used to work for a medical technology start-up, but then switched to Talixo. 
 
3) How did you land your job and do you have tips for anyone seeking similar work?
 

Talixo is actually my second position since coming to Germany. I love the start-up environment in Berlin and the fact that you can experience different areas of the company.
 
I also love that you can see what a difference you can make to someone by simplifying something which seems so everyday like booking a cab to get to a meeting.
 
I got the job through my network – networking is still the best way to find positions where you have a good company/employee fit and I would always recommend speaking to people who work in the field, or in jobs that you are interested in to get a foot in the door.
 
 
4) Is it important for you to be able to speak German in your position?
 

Yes, in my position I definitely need to speak German. But depending on which area of marketing you work in, German skills are less important.
 
5) What are the best and worst parts about working in Germany?
 

The best part I guess is knowing that if you follow a process, and follow the rules associated for the process, the result is pretty predictable.
 
Unfortunately, the flip side (and worst part I would say) is a strict adherence to rules and processes which sometimes don't really immediately make sense to me.
 
The good news is Germans are pretty knowledgeable about existing rules, so you can always ask a German and they'll usually be able to explain whatever process to you, and advise you on what to do.
 
6) Do you plan on staying?
 

I definitely plan on staying – Berlin is a very interesting city and Talixo is a great company to work for. It's lots of fun too – you get to deal with all kinds of people including musicians, hotel managers and customers. Life in Germany is also fairly straightforward – it's definitely a good place to live and work.
 
Would you like to feature in My German Career? Email [email protected].
 

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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.'

Published: 7 February 2024 10:54 CET
Updated: 10 February 2024 08:20 CET
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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