Bizarre - or how to find a job in Germany?

English as a Second Language What do you want to talk about?
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Sorry, if anybody read this post before I could finish it. There was an electric accident and my town also as the towns around hadn?t electricity!

Jamie, for me, these two examples sounds more like two stories from “Tales from 1001 nights”. Of course I won?t pretend that it is impossible to earn your life from an idea you had in the age of 10. It is possible here in Germany or anywhere else in the world too, if you know how that can work in your country. I sometimes heard heard such examples at German “Hurray events” the work agency offered. But fact is, that such stories of success are the exception, for the concerned people something like a prize in the lottery although it needs a lot of diligence as I am used to admit.

Your sister must be a really communicative person and this way it seems to be satisfying for her to do things that you discribed. I?m sure there is a possibility in everyone to find a way to earn his/her life. The problem for many people is to find the way. That?s mine too, as I?ve worked as an employee for my whole life.

That suits to an imagination that exists in Germany about the ?land of unlimited possibilties?. [color=green]From a dishwasher to a millionaire. :wink: But I stopp kidding. I myself have another idea how to earn a life: While employers in Germany dread of job contracts which are unlimited in time and often offer jobs which are binded to special projects only, I think, I accept that and try to find such jobs. As much as I undertstood your posts is that similar to what you do, isn?t it? And anyhow attracts that possibility me. Topically, yesterday I received a joboffering from a job sharing agency what I?ve been employed at last, I had an unlimited work-contract but when the hadn?t any work for me the canceled that contract. Yesterday they called me on the phone and told me that one of their customers I worked for required me from them. So they offered me a work-contract unlimited in time again. Tomorrow I shall underline that. But I think I?ll refuse the unlimited contract and request them to give me a contract that is concerned to that special customer. What do you think about that idea?

Michael

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Michael, I found it interesting when you said it’s a problem for you to work independently because you’ve been an employee all your life. Having been an employee all their lives is one of the reasons many people WANT to be independent.

I have been a freelance employee most of my adult life. Sometimes I have worked at only one company, but only two of those companies hired me on permanent contracts, because most places find it cheaper to keep you freelance, pay you more cash, but not have to pay for things like insurance. Sometimes they even hire freelance managers!

Right now my situation is that I work for at least two colleges, two language training companies, occasional independent individuals, some translation agencies, and I am now getting reasonably good at making some money in the stock market (I can even make money if stocks go down). Somehow my name has been passed around the Peruvian community, and they bypass the schools and agencies and call me directly for lessons.

I like this situation better than I liked working for only one company. The reason is that if company politics or budget cuts get to be a problem, and you’re one of the people they fire or lay off, you’ve lost ALL of your income. If you work for several employers in more than one profession, it’s very difficult to succeed in losing your entire income. When you work for only one employer, getting fired is life-and-death scary. When you freelance for different employers, getting fired or losing a contract is just rollercoaster scary. My sister-in-law is very successful at her accounting business, and she says, [color=red]“When you have your own business, you can have the pleasure of being fired every day!”

I don’t know about your individual situation, Michael, but if you can keep the ball rolling with temporary contracts, then you might make something good out of it. From what you’ve said, the permanent contracts in Germany don’t have to be permanent anyway. I can’t say, because I’m not there.

What is your profession, anyway?

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Hi Jamie!

First of all let me congratulate you having such a wisely sister-in -law. Earnestly, I think if her buisiness don?t work because one or more of her customers won?t make more buisiness with her, from what reason ever, she has a big problem. On the other hand she were able to find new customers. Hmmmm… Thinking this through I find out that the situation of being self employed is similar to that of being employed. The big difference seems to be only that you might have any influence on with whom or for whom you work? Or haven?t you? Hmmmmm…

My profession is to be a mechanician and mechanical technician. I have proficience in erection and construction. Anyhow I chose this combination myself as it was required by companies. As in the last few years the situation of econmy and export in Germany was not fine I lost my last permanent work-contract in 2002. Since that time I have been employed at job-sharing-agencies for some times. Mostly the companies promised permanent work-contracts in the beginning of employment -in my opinion to force me doing my very best- and after a few month the capacities of work became less they sent me back to my agency. As the agency didn?t have any more work they fired me and it always took me a long time to find a new job. At last I haven?t get money from the work-agency at all and my good luck is that my wife has a really permanent work-contract with the government.

Although I didn?t wan?t that, yesterday I agreed on a permanent work-contract with a work-sharing-agency because I had two choice only : whether I get that contract or I don?t get that. As I didn?t earn a life during the last six month I decided to agree. But what is that contract worthy. In my opinion it isn?t wothy anything. For so long as the agency has a job for me they won?t chancel the contract, when they don?t have any work for me they chancel it. What is different from a self-employment? Should I start an own buisiness, employ myself, and provide my work-power to the customer of the agency myself after a short time? At least the rate of pay would raise for me. I think I know the rate the agency has achieved and beside of what they give me, there is a rate they use for their own work and profit. What do you think about that?

Now it is the point of time to stop telling you my thoughts because as the top dog of the agency told me that she also like the English language I gave her the internet adress of this site and perhaps she is watching this topic as I gave her my member-name here. I think she is tough enough not to use this informations against me but I don?t wan?t to show her my thoughts in detail at this moment. Nevertheless, we can go on talking about this theme if you want.

Michael

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Michael, if Jamie’s sister likes what she is doing, she will always find new customers through word of mouth. You are right, being self-employed is quite similar to having a job at a company. The only difference is that when you have an employer you trust him/her/them to find new customers (and work) for you. When you are self-employed you have to trust yourself to attract new customers and keep existing customers.

Michael, what exactly does permanent mean? Of course I know what you are referring to but with so much change happening around us, how many companies can guarantee permanent work?

Michael, you know how those agencies operate – you are familar with the system. Let’s assume you start investing time and energy (rather than money) into building your own network of business contacts. How would you benefit from this? Why not create some type of contingency plan? You probably have heard the saying Don’t put all your eggs into one basket. I think branching out and diversifying makes perfect business sense nowadays.

Michael, if the head of the local labour agency invests the energy and time to find and read your postings here on our forum, she really has an interest in providing the best service to her customers. In that case, everything you have written will contribute towards your career. Think about it: If more professionals like you started using the Internet to practise and improve their English on a daily basis, our nation soon would come up with enough business ideas to create new jobs…[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC short conversations: Employee in R&D gives update on new browser development project.[YSaerTTEW443543]

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Hi Torsten!

I?m a bit confused. :? What do you refer to mentioning a contingency plan? And what is branching out and diversifying in this case?

Michael :?