Go Germany! People work 40 hours a week and start work very early, around 8am

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 Nicolas Lebreton from France has to say.

About Nicolas:

• GRADUATED FROM THE EXECUTIVE MBA PROGRAMME IN 2011 
• FROM FRANCE
• CURRENT POSITION: GENERAL MANAGER AT ATLAS COPCO IN STUTTGART
• NATIVE LANGUAGE: FRENCH
• DAILY WORKING LANGUAGES: ENGLISH
• OTHER LANGUAGES SPOKEN: ITALIAN
• GERMAN LEVEL: BEGINNER
• BEEN LIVING IN GERMANY FOR: 5+ YEARS

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Nicolas' key message: “People work 40 hours a week and start work very early, around 8am"

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My biggest challenge
Arriving from China, Germans are slow at making changes, and need several discussions so they understand and buy into the reason for change.

Myths and realities
MYTH: Quality is in every German’s DNA and is a key focus of the day-to-day activities.
People are very direct which can be perceived as rude or employing a preachy tone. Can be difficult at the beginning with our Latin culture.
REALITY: At work, very respectful of people and diversity. People are judged on their level of expertise and not where they sit in the hierarchy. Usually most German companies work with a very centralised approach to management decision taking.

My advice & top tips
I would recommend looking to work for an international company, so you can learn about the German culture and maintain a good level of international exposure. Command of English in Germany is very good in terms of work and everyday life. The unemployment rate in Germany is close to zero for engineers, so it is easy to find a job and the salaries are 20-30% higher than France.

Quirky & cultural
Very open to highly diverse backgrounds and showing no bias. Technical expertise is of a very high standard. Studying in Germany fast tracks your professional studies.

And finally...
I like the working environment that is akin to French working law. People have a more pragmatic approach showing less emotion and there is recognition for high performance and professionalism.

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