From São Paulo to the Rhineland – Working in Germany
- 2024-08-12
- Lisa Priller-Gebhardt
- Comment
The new live talk series 'Working in Germany - Perspectives from around the world' involves international skilled workers give an insight into their professional and private experiences in Germany. They recall what it's like to settle down in Germany. They also give valuable tips and practical advice on personal integration.
The series, which presents five international skilled workers, starts with Adrian Flaksbaum Moll. He originates from the Brazilian megacity São Paulo and has been living in Cologne since 2019. He previously studied industrial engineering in Brazil and France and is now working as a controller at a regional transport company.
Formative experiences in Germany
Adrian Flaksbaum Moll speaks perfect German. He has his grandparents to thank for that, since they emigrated from Germany to Brazil before the Second World War, as well as his attendance at a German school in São Paulo where he grew up. He first came to Germany for a long stay in 2012. It was during his industrial engineering studies in São Paulo as he completed a six-month work placement with the company Henkel in Düsseldorf. ‘This was a formative time for me. The people in this region, the Rhineland, are very open and communicative’, says Flaksbaum Moll. He was particularly impressed by the fact that the company organised leisure activities for those in its work placement programme to enable them to network. ‘That really helped me to establish myself and further ignited my enthusiasm for Germany’, says the 36-year-old.
A wish is born: To live and work in Germany
He returned to Brazil after his work placement, completed his studies and gained some initial career experience as an IT project manager. Yet the desire to return to the Rhineland was ever present. He therefore wrote job applications from São Paulo, although at first his job hunting was unsuccessful. He nevertheless decided to travel to Germany and initially complete a one-year professional development course in Cologne in the field of business administration. After that, he accepted a job offer in IT and temporarily put his efforts to gain a foothold in business administration on hold.
Professional development and coaching in Germany
Yet Flaksbaum Moll wasn’t happy in IT; working from home during the coronavirus pandemic also contributed to this. He resigned after eighteen months to finally pursue his dream career as a controller. Finding such a position wasn’t easy and he remained unemployed for eight months. ‘So-called coaching for academics that was offered by the state employment agency really helped me at that time’, says the industrial engineer. ‘It helped me to get my application portfolio into shape. I thought my documents were immaculate, but unfortunately they weren't up to the required standard.’ The coaching helped him to revise all his documents, including his CV. He also had his diploma recognised by the Central Office for Foreign Education (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen – ZAB).
Despite this, his applications for jobs in controlling continued to be less successful than expected. He ultimately decided to start working for a temporary employment agency. This involves concluding an employment contract with a temporary staffing company. They deploy their employees to work for one or more of their customers on a temporary basis. Through the company he found employment with a regional transport provider. This provider offered him a permanent position after just four months. ‘Lots of people advised me not to sign up with a temporary employment agency, but it was the right route for me’, says Flaksbaum Moll.
Germans & Their Efficiency At Work
Congenial work culture, good work-life balance
He very much enjoys the work culture in Germany. ‘Your work-life balance is respected. Nobody expects me to answer emails after the end of the working day’, explains the controller. What he also likes is the 30 days of vacation that can be chosen by arrangement. ‘It’s even possible to take bridging days or half a day’s leave. That much flexibility was new to me’, says the industrial engineer. What was also new to him was that compromises in salary and entry level have to be made, unlike in Brazil. He recommends business platforms including LinkedIn and Xing or job portals like Monster and Stepstone when searching for job vacancies.
To make new friends, Adrian sought out associations and clubs in Cologne that cover his interests. ‘Joining the swimming club made it very easy for me to talk to people who share my passion for swimming’, he says. As a homosexual man, he joined the LGBTIQ+ community in Cologne. He further visits the Cologne regulars of the Eurovision Club Germany, an association that organises events dealing with all aspects relating to the Eurovision Song Contest.