Working abroad without knowing the Language

MarkTheBaby

Hi guys,

I'm planning on going abroad for the summer and have been really considering Berlin because of the Arts and Music culture there and of course the nightlife.

I'm just concerned because I don't speak German and was wondering is there much work out there for non-German speakers. I know most Germans can speak English but i'd assume you'd need German if working there.

Has anyone know anything about this?

Thanks

kerry4sam

Hi there MarkTheBaby,

Your thread will be moved from Travel to Living Abroad as requested.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

silja

Berlin itself may be difficult, unless you have a TEFL cert. Back when I was in college, some friends went over to Germany to work on farms in the summer, picking strawberries and such.

syklops

MarkTheBaby wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm planning on going abroad for the summer and have been really considering Berlin because of the Arts and Music culture there and of course the nightlife.

I'm just concerned because I don't speak German and was wondering is there much work out there for non-German speakers. I know most Germans can speak English but i'd assume you'd need German if working there.

Has anyone know anything about this?

Thanks

German is relatively easy to pick up, and many Germans speak better english than many irish people do. For getting a job, it kind of depends on your experience and what sort of job you do, but your standard International company(office jobs) will be English and you won't need German to get the job.

That is the reality. Cue someone to post now saying you won't be able to properly understand the culture and integrate properly with out speaking the language.

keithclancy

syklops wrote: »

German is relatively easy to pick up, and many Germans speak better english than many irish people do. For getting a job, it kind of depends on your experience and what sort of job you do, but your standard International company(office jobs) will be English and you won't need German to get the job.

That is the reality. Cue someone to post now saying you won't be able to properly understand the culture and integrate properly with out speaking the language.

I do it, International companies in Germany tend to use English in the office.

Culture aside, you do tend to pay a premium/have difficulty with things unless you speak or understand some German.

E.G.
Renting an apartment (Understanding the contract)
Getting your car repaired
Dealing with the City Hall (Landhauptstadt)
Dealing with your Health Insurance Company (Krankenkasse)
Dealing with the Tax Office (Finanzsamt)
Opening a bank account
Paying or understanding fine (pain in the ar%e)
Understanding the Congestion Zones

Stuff that you took for granted in Ireland can be a bunch of hoops to dance through in German

triggermortis

Same in Switzerland...

I work in an english based industry, so work is ok, but as keithclancy says, its the other stuff that can be a hassle (I have no German), but you can manage!

syklops

keithclancy wrote: »

I do it, International companies in Germany tend to use English in the office.

Culture aside, you do tend to pay a premium/have difficulty with things unless you speak or understand some German.

E.G.
Renting an apartment (Understanding the contract)
Getting your car repaired
Dealing with the City Hall (Landhauptstadt)
Dealing with your Health Insurance Company (Krankenkasse)
Dealing with the Tax Office (Finanzsamt)
Opening a bank account
Paying or understanding fine (pain in the ar%e)
Understanding the Congestion Zones

Stuff that you took for granted in Ireland can be a bunch of hoops to dance through in German

Sure, I just wanted to make it clear to the OP that he can get a job without needing German, which is what he asked. Obviously starting to learn it when he gets there, or before he goes is a good idea.

keithclancy

syklops wrote: »

Sure, I just wanted to make it clear to the OP that he can get a job without needing German, which is what he asked. Obviously starting to learn it when he gets there, or before he goes is a good idea.

Ah yeh, many expats just accept it and pay it, as long as you know that is the case your grand.

MarkTheBaby

Thanks guys, I'm starting to learn a bit, I don't know if I'll get barwork which I'm experienced in but I'm sure I'll get something.

munchkin_utd

for general info on how to get set up in Germany from the point of view of a normal irish person...
(not USA/ UK/ 3rd country high powered exec on a million euro contract and all stuff looked after by a relocation firm which is often what other internet fourms are full of)
...the irish community in Munich, aka "Munich Irish Network" took the time and effort a couple of years back to put together a website of the various aspects that might be of interest : Accomodation, jobs, legal etc.
http://www.munichirish.de/

hopefully it'd anwer a lot of the questions about moving to germany as the steps would be the same in every city, abeit some of the names of local government departments vary from town to town.

hfallada

Berlin has a high unemployment rate compared to other parts of Germany eg cologne, Frankfurt and munich. Berlin also has a high number of Americans living it so its not like they're stuck for English speakers.

I would try west Germany like Frankfurt. My mother knows a girl who went to Frankfurt and got a decent wage at a English summer camp no tefl needed. Germans are learning English since they're like 5 and most English tv shows are subtitled so they're English is good.

keithclancy

hfallada wrote: »

Berlin has a high unemployment rate compared to other parts of Germany eg cologne, Frankfurt and munich. Berlin also has a high number of Americans living it so its not like they're stuck for English speakers.

I would try west Germany like Frankfurt. My mother knows a girl who went to Frankfurt and got a decent wage at a English summer camp no tefl needed. Germans are learning English since they're like 5 and most English tv shows are subtitled so they're English is good.

As Cities go in Germany, Frankfurt is the least appealing to me.
Its pretty much like the German version of Dubai.

Duesseldorf would be a much better option, you could even live in Cologne without having such a long commute.

jester77

keithclancy wrote: »

As Cities go in Germany, Frankfurt is the least appealing to me.
Its pretty much like the German version of Dubai.

Duesseldorf would be a much better option, you could even live in Cologne without having such a long commute.

I wouldn't completely write off Frankfurt. I lived there for 3 years and while the city itself has no character, the surrounding areas have lots to offer. I wouldn't recommend living in the city, it has very little appeal but it does have a few things going for it. It has a good night life, Bornheim and Sachsenhausen are lively, it has some of the best clubs in the world, it has fantastic Christmas markets, especially the one at Römer and it has Frankfurt airport.

Public transport is good so you would be better off living outside the city, there are some fantastic towns around the Taunus and along the Rhein or if you want a more city feel then Wiesbaden and Mainz are on the s-bahn line.

munchkin_utd

re Frankfurt, Berlin and Germany in general: it might be a little obvious to say it but its not the same as Ireland in many ways

Berlin is the capital and biggest city but it is NOT the centre of german industry nor remotely the most prosperous city. Laughably theres an exodus of people from Greece and Spain to Berlin thinking its where the action is for jobs but they couldnt be more wrong.
Theres plenty of unemployed locals in Berlin already without adding to it with folks emmigrating there.
Berlin has an unemployment rate of 12.3%

Munich in comparison has a unemployment rate of 5.4% and suburbs of Munich especially out near the airport of 2.4 and 2.8% in Erding and Freising respectively.

Baden Wurtemburg (the state with Stuttgart and firms like Mercedes, Porsche and more north SAP) is similar and places like Schwabisch Hall have virtually full employment and are crying out for workers.

Anyhow, I think its clear that unlike Ireland/ UK/ France etc the country does not revolve around the capital.

The other difference that isnt stright away clear is how independent each town is and how different they can each be from each other even with neighbouring cities.
That also extends to certain cities and towns being very focused on certain industries. Frankfurt is very finance orientated. Düsseldorf is very commerce and trade orientated and has a massive Japanese colony through those links. Munich is all modern industries IT/ Media/ Technology etc. Round Nürnberg nearly all the country's toy manufacturers are located. North Baden Wurtembourg are where the worlds best knives come from with the top 3 firms coming from there. I could go on.
But the point would be that if you have a certain skill then you should be aware that certain places will have more jobs in that area than others, unlike in Ireland where everythings in Dublin to a large extent except a small hub of bio tech firms in cork and medical devices in Galway.