IT Jobs in Germany

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Portreve
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IT Jobs in Germany

Post by Portreve »

I'm beginning my initial inquiry into what sort of IT jobs exist in Germany, possibly in the Bremen and surrounding area, and what sort of hard qualifications will be expected in general.

By hard qualifications, I mean those which employers consider non-negotiable.

For purposes of this discussion, let us assume that I can communicate well enough in German to pass B1 or B2 level tests (I don't yet, in actuality, but I'm working my way towards that goal) and that my budget at present will let me acquire a few CompTIA-originating certifications (I might be able to afford a single Cisco certification, or a single Microsoft one, but that would be the limit).

Broadly, I'm thinking about help desk-type work, though I am happy to put my hands on actual hardware to do tech and physical service work.

I also have competencies (but not professional backgrounds) in training, writing, and copy editing, and a professional background in desktop publishing.

I am not, never have been, and am not interested in being a coder.


Any constructive input here would be welcome. Thanks, folks!


EDIT: If it were possible, I would prefer something GNU+Linux related. My above comment about not being a coder should not be interpreted to mean I refuse to learn about scripting, and areas related to that.
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Re: IT Jobs in Germany

Post by xenopeek »

Linux jobs search for Bremen: https://de.jobspotting.com/en/jobs/bremen/linux. Some Linux system administration jobs, some DevOps jobs where Linux/cloud is used, and some jobs where Linux is just one of the OSes used (like digital forensics). Perhaps a useful link to find out which companies and sectors there are around Bremen that work with Linux.
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Re: IT Jobs in Germany

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Tip: aim at southern Germany (Bavaria / Bayern) or the French border (Rheinland-Pfalz).

The weather in Northern Germany sucks (it's either raining or about to rain), and the landscape is dull beyond words. Too big a change for someone from Florida. Go south, young man! :lol:

Some more tips: Germany is good beer, but bad wine. Avoid the grey sour bread and select the small crusty Brötchen instead. I can recommend the excellent sausages and the fresh cakes: try the Käsekuchen.

The office manners can be quite a culture shock for an American (and for a Dutchman as well): very, very formal. No first names!

Finally: beware when overtaking on the Autobahn. Often no speed limits, and that in a country teeming with BMW's, Porsches and Mercedes'es.... That little dot in your rear view mirror might bump into you rear fender in two seconds flat. :shock:
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Re: IT Jobs in Germany

Post by Pippin »

And very strong hierarchy in Germany which can be problematic for Dutchies and maybe others ;)
I gloomily came to the ironic conclusion that if you take a highly intelligent person and give them the best possible, elite education, then you will most likely wind up with an academic who is completely impervious to reality.
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Re: IT Jobs in Germany

Post by majpooper »

Pjotr wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 7:48 am Tip: aim at southern Germany (Bavaria / Bayern) or the French border (Rheinland-Pfalz).

The weather in Northern Germany sucks (it's either raining or about to rain), and the landscape is dull beyond words. Too big a change for someone from Florida. Go south, young man! :lol:

Some more tips: Germany is good beer, but bad wine. Avoid the grey sour bread and select the small crusty Brötchen instead. I can recommend the excellent sausages and the fresh cakes: try the Käsekuchen.

The office manners can be quite a culture shock for an American (and for a Dutchman as well): very, very formal. No first names!

Finally: beware when overtaking on the Autobahn. Often no speed limits, and that in a country teeming with BMW's, Porsches and Mercedes'es.... That little dot in your rear view mirror might bump into you rear fender in two seconds flat. :shock:
This is good advice - very good. My favorite part of Germany is way down South on the Bodensee, or Lake Konstantz, a hugh beautiful lake between Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It is German wine country - I don't drink alcohol so will take Pjtor's word regarding German wine. I have no idea not what the opportunities for IT jobs are down there are though - kind of rural and no big cities so probably not great but that is where I would pick to live in Germany.

Also if you do get a job in Germany remember YOU are expected to bring the cake and champagne (yes alcohol in the work place - no problem) for YOUR birthday - not the other way around . . . I know doesn't seem to make sense but that is the way it works.

And absolutely DO NOT hang out in the left lane on the Autobahn
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Re: IT Jobs in Germany

Post by Portreve »

I want to start out by giving a big Thank You! to everyone who's replied so far.

xenopeek wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 7:41 am Linux jobs search for Bremen: https://de.jobspotting.com/en/jobs/bremen/linux. Some Linux system administration jobs, some DevOps jobs where Linux/cloud is used, and some jobs where Linux is just one of the OSes used (like digital forensics). Perhaps a useful link to find out which companies and sectors there are around Bremen that work with Linux.
Cool! Thanks!

Pjotr wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 7:48 am Tip: aim at southern Germany (Bavaria / Bayern) or the French border (Rheinland-Pfalz).
Yeah, well... I already have a potential arrangement in the Bremen area with a lady friend. ;-) So, it'll be Northern Germany for me.
The weather in Northern Germany sucks (it's either raining or about to rain), and the landscape is dull beyond words. Too big a change for someone from Florida. Go south, young man! :lol:
I think this deserves comment.

I've lived in Florida since 1982, when my parents moved down here to follow my mom's dream of living in perpetual summer, surrounded by water. It was a nice dream, and it was their dream, but it isn't mine and honestly never has been. Without going into all my private life's whys and wherefores, just suffice it to say I never had a dream until a few years ago, and now I have a much more specific one. I can tell you that I'm done with Florida, and with other things I won't go into here because they'd run afoul of this board's quite sensible prohibition on political discussion.
Some more tips: Germany is good beer, but bad wine. Avoid the grey sour bread and select the small crusty Brötchen instead. I can recommend the excellent sausages and the fresh cakes: try the Käsekuchen.
I dunno about that. Thanks to Total Wine, I've had a few German wines, and I've liked them a lot. And yes, their beer is second to nobody. I also like some British beers, too (and no, Guiness is not one of them).
The office manners can be quite a culture shock for an American (and for a Dutchman as well): very, very formal. No first names!
I'm wondering if that depends on the generational background of the company. However, I tend to be pretty formal at work unless I'm on very friendly terms with the other person in question. The thing which I'm still trying to puzzle out from what I understand is their lack of "sir" and "ma'am" usage (even though such terms do technically exist) because, well, that's how one is formal in English.
Finally: beware when overtaking on the Autobahn. Often no speed limits, and that in a country teeming with BMW's, Porsches and Mercedes'es.... That little dot in your rear view mirror might bump into you rear fender in two seconds flat. :shock:
It's going to be a while before I'd be competent to go anywhere near the Autobahn. First thing's first: I need to learn to drive a manual transmission. And yes, I'm well aware the Autobahn is legendary for its mega-car pile-ups. In actuality, I'm a pretty conservative and cautious driver, and I normally live in the right or middle lanes here in the U.S. in an area where, frankly, it doesn't really matter.

Pippin wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 10:31 am And very strong hierarchy in Germany which can be problematic for Dutchies and maybe others ;)
Care to elaborate further? This has me curious.

majpooper wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 5:18 pm This is good advice - very good. My favorite part of Germany is way down South on the Bodensee, or Lake Konstantz, a hugh beautiful lake between Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It is German wine country - I don't drink alcohol so will take Pjtor's word regarding German wine. I have no idea not what the opportunities for IT jobs are down there are though - kind of rural and no big cities so probably not great but that is where I would pick to live in Germany.
Honestly, the only reason I'm looking at IT is it seems to be the most likely industry I can qualify to get a decent, non-burger-flipper type of job in. But believe me, I'm not at all looking forward to the proposition of going back into that industry. I have absolutely no love for it whatsoever. If I could find an agreeable job doing something else, I'd jump at it in a heartbeat.

As for the landscape, I live in Florida. It's flat and there's very little of historical value here. I can't wait to have mountains, legitimate forests, change of seasons, castles, lots of places of great historical significance, and towns that aren't just 5-15 years older than I am. Bodensee and Lake Konstantz both sound wunderbar.
Also if you do get a job in Germany remember YOU are expected to bring the cake and champagne (yes alcohol in the work place - no problem) for YOUR birthday - not the other way around . . . I know doesn't seem to make sense but that is the way it works.
Ah yes! I have heard about this. Well, the "bring the cake" part, but alcohol? In the workplace? That's it, I'm quitting my existing job right now and moving there tomorrow! :lol:
And absolutely DO NOT hang out in the left lane on the Autobahn
As I said above, I can't even drive stick right now, so I'll happily stay to the right.
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Re: IT Jobs in Germany

Post by Pjotr »

Portreve wrote: Thu Nov 22, 2018 10:54 amThe thing which I'm still trying to puzzle out from what I understand is their lack of "sir" and "ma'am" usage (even though such terms do technically exist) because, well, that's how one is formal in English.
Let's say that your name is John Smith; in Germany your colleagues, even close colleagues, will address you as "Herr Smith". Indeed the Germans don't interject their speech with the likes of "sir" and "ma'am", but they have something else: they use the formal "Sie / Ihr" (comparable with "Thou / Thine" in English, where it has become extinct). The informal "Du / Dein" (comparable with the English "You / Your"), is reserved for family and very close friends.
Portreve wrote: Thu Nov 22, 2018 10:54 am
Pippin wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 10:31 am And very strong hierarchy in Germany which can be problematic for Dutchies and maybe others ;)
Care to elaborate further? This has me curious.
What he means is: in Germany, the boss is always right. Even when he isn't. Whereas in The Netherlands (and possibly in the USA as well), employees openly and directly criticize the ideas of their bosses.

So in The Netherlands (and possibly in the USA as well), bosses expect and even (pretend to) welcome criticism by underlings, whereas in Germany you might get into trouble with criticizing your boss's ideas. :lol:

Another thing: thoroughness (Gründlichkeit) in your work is greatly valued and expected from everyone. They have high quality standards.

Driving on the highway is different from the USA. In the USA, it's "hold your lane". Whereas in Germany you're supposed to "weave": only use the left lane for overtaking, go back to the right lane as soon as possible. In The Netherlands we also have to "weave", unfortunately: I think the American highway rule allows for much more comfortable driving....

The gas prices are truly shockingly high for an American. Gas is being taxed outrageously all over Western Europe. Probably because all the free spirits, who would have revolted to this oppressive taxation, have emigrated to the USA in the 19th century. :mrgreen:

For the rest: Germany is a nice country, well ordered, with friendly people. You'll like it. I once had a German girl friend as well; if things would have taken a different course, I'd be living in Kiel now (in the neighbourhood of Bremen)....
Last edited by Pjotr on Thu Nov 22, 2018 1:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: IT Jobs in Germany

Post by Pippin »

Pjotr wrote: Thu Nov 22, 2018 12:01 pm
Pippin wrote: Wed Nov 21, 2018 10:31 am And very strong hierarchy in Germany which can be problematic for Dutchies and maybe others ;)
Care to elaborate further? This has me curious.

What he means is: in Germany, the boss is always right. Even when he isn't. Whereas in The Netherlands (and possibly in the USA as well), employees openly and directly criticize the ideas of their bosses.

So in The Netherlands (and possibly in the USA as well), bosses expect and even (pretend to) welcome criticism by underlings, whereas in Germany you might get into trouble with criticizing your boss's ideas. :lol:
Couldn't have put it better...
I gloomily came to the ironic conclusion that if you take a highly intelligent person and give them the best possible, elite education, then you will most likely wind up with an academic who is completely impervious to reality.
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