Go Germany! From Biergarten to Feierabend, the German culture has so much to offer!

Audencia's Career Center and Alumni teams are delighted to to bring you “Go Germany!”, the guide to working in Germany.

This guide holds special significance as we celebrate the remarkable career of one of our esteemed professors, Uwe Supper, German Professor at Audencia and the Careers Adviser for Germany. Throughout his tenure, Uwe has adeptly crafted valuable connections between Audencia and Germany.

Building on the positive outcomes of our previous guides, including Go France and Go Netherlands, it is now time for Germany to take center stage as a
welcoming destination for our diverse community of students and alumni. As the economic powerhouse of Europe, known for placing a strong emphasis on
efficiency, environmental awareness and a good work-life balance, Germany stands out as a compelling choice for all those in pursuit of an international
career, and we are excited to help you discover the opportunities it offers.
 

“Go Germany!” is a valuable resource for students and recent graduates wishing to head to Germany after their studies at Audencia.
 

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This week, discover what Amandine Greisner from France has to say.

About Amandine:

• GRADUATED FROM THE MASTER IN MANAGEMENT (GRANDE ECOLE) PROGRAMME IN 2011 
• FROM FRANCE
• CURRENT POSITION: SENIOR FIELD MARKETING MANAGER AT SPHERA IN MUNICH
• NATIVE LANGUAGE: FRENCH
• DAILY WORKING LANGUAGES: ENGLISH (MOSTLY), GERMAN AND FRENCH (SOMETIMES)
• OTHER LANGUAGES SPOKEN: SPANISH
• GERMAN LEVEL: EXPERT
• BEEN LIVING IN GERMANY FOR: 12 YEARS

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Amandine's key message: “From Biergarten to Feierabend, the German culture has so much to offer!"

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My biggest challenge
Finding accommodation!

Myths and realities
MYTH: Hierarchy is not so important, but it depends on the company size and the international background of the team. 
REALITY: Fewer coffee breaks than in France in my experience, expertise counts more than small talk/networking.

My advice & top tips

• Meetings: be on time and wrap things up on time! (Exceptions for international companies).
• Certificates of past jobs are still very important for next career steps and applications, to be included in (digital) CV amongst all things, showing your expertise (certificates of trainings, etc.).
• People start work rather early (7am to 7.30am sometimes), have an early lunch (11.15am or 11.30am or by noon at the latest) and finish early into "Feierabend” and have a very short lunch break (30 minutes being the standard).

Quirky & cultural 
People are quite open and welcoming and not as "rigid" as depicted in the clichés.

And finally...
Before starting a new job in Germany, plan to have a few weeks to get the administration work sorted once you arrive and before starting work (find a place to stay, open a bank account, register at the city in Germany etc). HR could also help with these things, of course. Give working in Germany a go. For me, this has proved very rewarding, and I’m planning on staying put!

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