Arbeitstipps benötigt! Iranian engineer hopes to land a job in Germany

Welcome to the forum!

Your fieldis indeed in demand and I think you have good chances of finding a job after you reach a conversational level of German (B2 is recommendable).

Since finding job leads through connections is difficult for a foreigner outside of the country (the only options are Linkedin or Xing), you should scour the usual job ads sites and also send unsolicited applications to potential employers in your industry.

Don't be disheartened by not receiving answers or interview calls at all: Most people send hundreds of applications before they are successful!

And: "Put all your eggs in one basket" = "Alles auf ein Pferd setzen" (literally: Bet everything on one horse)

If there are jobs you would qualify for then you would probably be finding them on the main job websites. To find an employer willing to take the extra cost, risk and effort to recruit people from outside of the EU is difficult and they would be advertising jobs online if they did.

The vast majority of professional jobs will require a high level of German, usually B2 but some might even demand C1. One hears of the niche fields where English is sometimes adequate, usually in IT and certain types of engineering. This does NOT mean that most jobs even in these niches don't require good German. It means one might have a chance, compared to other fields where one has virtually none.

Many foreigners don't get or hold a job even where English is the main language required because their English is honestly not up to an international business standard. Also, even if German is not absolutely required, it will always be a plus. A competitor with similar qualifications but who speaks good German will have an advantage to get the job.

The bottom line is what you have to offer, not what you are hoping to find. An employer is almost surely going to hire the person they think will best benefit their business rather than the one who has the most difficult situation and really wants to escape a bad situation. Not that empathy will never play a part but an approach that sounds like begging rather than convincing that they have the best qualifications is usually a losing strategy.

@TominStuttgart Firstly, danke for taking the time to provide such a thoughtful and candid response. I greatly appreciate seasoned perspectives from those with experience navigating Germany's immigration landscape.

You make a fair point that for most IT and telecom roles, English skills suffice. And while that may be true, I am indeed eager to refine my Deutsch abilities! As a professional clown and juggler, I'm sure you understand the importance of continuously expanding one's skillset and talents - be it learning new jokes, juggling techniques, or in my case, languages.

I assure you, my interest in Germany is not merely to escape difficulties in my home country. After years of diligent work attaining expertise in cutting-edge telecom technologies, I sincerely believe I have much to offer German employers. However, should I need to expand my career options after arriving, I would be open to entertaining audiences as you have done with such skillful mastery!

Lieber Tom, as someone who has lived and breathed the German Luft for many years, what strategies would you recommend to boost my chances of securing skilled employment? Any insights you can provide this eager, aspiring immigrant would be tremendously valuable. Ich freue mich auf deine Antwort!

Thank you for the kind words  and practical advice @beppi ! Your encouragement about my chances in my field is very welcome. I will take your suggestion to bring my German up to a conversational B2 level.

And thanks for translating "Put all your eggs in one basket" - a great alternative idiom! As an experienced expat who has spent years across Asia and Europe, you have surely picked up many fascinating expressions. Perhaps you can teach me some others!

You're absolutely right that I should focus on the usual job sites and send unsolicited applications to potential employers. Persistence is key! In addition to LinkedIn - could you point me to finding some reputable German recruiting agencies specialized in overseas talent acquisition? Where should I look for such firms?

I greatly appreciate your guidance and time. Hopefully we can one day chat over a cool beer in Germany about funny idioms and our adventures as expats!

@hforouzandeh Sorry, I am not aware of any job placement agency specialized in sourcing telekoms or tech professionals abroad. You have to do your own search.

You have a good attitude towards the issue and I wish you all the luck you need!

And if you make it to Germany and happen to visit Stuttgart, we sure can have a chat over a "Viertele" (wine is the drink of choice in this part of Germany!).

    @hforouzandeh Sorry, I am not aware of any job placement agency specialized in sourcing telekoms or tech professionals abroad. You have to do your own search.
You have a good attitude towards the issue and I wish you all the luck you need!
And if you make it to Germany and happen to visit Stuttgart, we sure can have a chat over a "Viertele" (wine is the drink of choice in this part of Germany!).
   

    -@beppi

Nice message but are you sure Hforouzandeh drinks wine ?????

    Hallo zusammen!
I'm very excited to join this community and connect with others who have experience living and working in Germany. My name is Hamed and I'm a senior telecommunications engineer currently residing in Iran. I plan to relocate to Germany as a skilled professional by getting a job offer.

While my German language skills are still at an entry level (Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch!), I'm quite fluent in English. I know learning German will be crucial though, so no need to hold back on the long compound words! I'm sure I'll be asking for translations of common German idioms that you sprinkle into conversations. Is there an equivalent to "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" in German ?

In any case, I have over 7 years of experience in the telecom industry working on complex infrastructure projects. As many of you probably know, telecommunications is a highly in-demand field worldwide right now, especially with the rollout of 5G networks. I'm hopeful that my specialized skill set will help me secure an engineering position with a German company willing to sponsor my work visa.

However, finding these jobs from outside Germany has proven challenging. That's why I'm turning to this community for any insights you can offer on successful job search strategies and tips for connecting with German employers open to non-EU candidates. I know there are many intricacies to navigating the visa system in Deutschland. Your tips and insights would be invaluable!

In closing, I sincerely appreciate any perspective or advice you're willing to share on making the transition and maximizing my chances of finding a job offer with a German employer. I hope to become an active part of this community and even meet some of you in person when I make the move! Vielen Dank my soon-to-be German friends!
   

    -@hforouzandeh

Good luck!

You sound like a good person and a highly qualified/experienced worker so hopefully you'll make it.

In the meantime, work on your German!

Nice message but are you sure Hforouzandeh drinks wine ?????
    -@Myrtille319

Of course I'm not sure, but he suggested beer - which I don't drink.

    Nice message but are you sure Hforouzandeh drinks wine ?????    -@Myrtille319

Of course I'm not sure, but he suggested beer - which I don't drink.
   

    -@beppi

Sorry, I did not see "beer".  I focused on Iran.

Good luck!

You sound like a good person and a highly qualified/experienced worker so hopefully you'll make it.

In the meantime, work on your German! -@Myrtille319

@Myrtille319 Thanks for your kind words and the Deutsch tip - just wanted to let you know I'm still plugging away at it like I have been. I may still sound like a lost kindergartner at times, but I swear my skills are slowly but surely improving thanks to all the practice!

It would be interesting to know about your career path as an expat. How did you make your way to France? Any tips you can give me to make my way to Germany would be appreciated.

    @hforouzandeh Sorry, I am not aware of any job placement agency specialized in sourcing telekoms or tech professionals abroad. You have to do your own search.You have a good attitude towards the issue and I wish you all the luck you need!And if you make it to Germany and happen to visit Stuttgart, we sure can have a chat over a "Viertele" (wine is the drink of choice in this part of Germany!).        -

@beppi Wine over beer, you say? My other expat friends in Germany also told me beer gives them nausea and they prefer wine. You foreigners must have different taste buds than the locals! Which part of Deutschland did you transplant to that favors vin over brews? I'm truly fascinated by the regional differences in such a renowned beer land. Please do tell me more about these peculiar local tastes!