Recently I was conducting one of my first interviews, showcasing my new company and covering what it means to work in a startup. It struck me as a little surreal. This was a real "fake it til you make it" moment as I had just started in my first startup the month...
The GW Expat Blog
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expat job search
Looking for Work and Starting a New Job in Germany
After a 2020 that threatened to end civilization as we know it, I allowed myself to be hopeful for 2021. Sure, Silvester (New Years Eve) was downsized to a quiet night at home (fireworks still blasting outside by people gloriously ignoring regulations) and we were...
Babysitting in Germany
It was not that long ago that the concept of babysitting (das Babysitten/Babysitting; Kinderhüten is the old-fashioned term) was little-known in the German-speaking world. When it did happen, it was usually Oma, a neighbor, or one of the older children watching over...
Resist the Ramen: Financing your Student Life in Germany
So you've heard the good news: you can get your university degree for free in Germany. It almost seems too good to be true, an education from a highly-respected institution of higher learning, the opportunity to learn and grow without the stress of thousands of...
How I Became Fluent in German Fast
NOTE: Updated for 2022. I've been meeting many more expats now that I am living in the heavily populated Rhineland/Ruhr region of Germany. These expats range from old timers/lifers to newbie/temporary assignees. As any expat can relate to, the newbies are grappling...
Expat Tip: Want to Find Work in Germany? Have a Job.
There are some major cultural differences between German work culture and U.S. work culture, and many of them have been covered here on The German Way already (follow the link for the complete list!) From attitudes toward working mothers, or attitudes toward working...
Free College Degrees in Germany
No Tuition Fees at German Universities Updated for 2020 Get 'em while they're hot. If you're a German-related news junkie like we all are at the German Way, you might have seen your Facebook or Twitter feeds filled with headlines like these a few years ago: "Free...
Fluent in Denglish
Denglish: If you are an expat in a German-speaking country, you're probably pretty fluent at it. It's the combination of the two languages of Deutsch and English, and your fluency doesn't really depend on how good your German or English is. Or even how committed you...
Say cheese
It is not allowed, you know, to require photos from job applicants in the UK. CVs arrive as faceless email attachments. There was even talk, a while back and possibly still ongoing, of making applications completely anonymous, removing the name in bold across the top...
German Job Applications
CV vs Lebenslauf The first and primary document that most employers will request with your job application is your "Lebenslauf". A German’s Lebenslauf is very different from an American resume or a European CV. If you want to put together a Lebenslauf, it would be...
You Haven’t Found a Job Yet? You Probably Aren’t Networking Enough
Last time I blogged it was about my job search in Germany. As I mentioned several times, I believe that speaking German is the biggest hurdle that one faces when looking for a job. The second hurdle is being at the right place at the right time. What do I mean by...
Finding a Job in Germany
There are many days I think to myself, "Oh my God, why did I leave my good job and move to a country where I can't find a job to save my life?!" How many of you have thought the same? In 2009, I moved to Frankfurt from London for personal reasons (personal...
Turning Weakness Into Strength
Weakness is often, to mangle a perfectly good cliche, in the eye of a beholder. People move to Germany for lots of reasons. Following a loved one who has had a transfer, caring for family, learning experience, new adventures and so on. It can be a dream come true. ...
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