Kristin -
Education: M.Sc. in Industrial engineering and
management. Master programme within Management and Economics of Innovation.
Independent courses in German.
Nationality: Swedish
Age: 25
Previous international experience: Six months internship in Germany
Hobbies: Training (anything really, depending on
season), Friends & "Social Media Junkie"
Challenge: Finding a job abroad and moving there together with boyfriend (who is also in need for income :) ) in order to change up my life
Result: It all worked out. Read on...
Challenge: Finding a job abroad and moving there together with boyfriend (who is also in need for income :) ) in order to change up my life
Result: It all worked out. Read on...
The Job Hunt - Job Seeking
Period
I graduated
in the beginning of June and the time
before this was filled with anxiety, job applications, interviews and tonnes of
questions marks about what my life will offer me in the future. After thinking
about where I want to work or who I want to be :) I think I became a bit wiser,
but I am certain that I was able to make choices that feel 110% right for me now.
When Taty asked me to tell my story on how to apply for jobs in another country
I realised that I had some very diverse
experiences, some of which I will share.
What is most important to
me?
I come from
an educational background with a classrooms
full of high-achievers. A lot of my classmates end up getting those
"amazing" jobs demanding a lot of their personal time (overtimes en masse etc.). This is
something I know I am not willing to do as it lowers the quality of my life. I
knew very early that a need a job where working overtime is not taking for
granted. Of course it is something that you do when necessary and that you get
rewarded for, but it shouldn't be the norm. Since my internship in Germany last
year, I’ve been thinking that a change in my life after living in Göteborg,
Sweden for seven years was necessary.
It’s not the easiest thing to just change when you are living with someone but
after some discussions, my significant other and I were on the same page and I
started applying for jobs – both in
Sweden and elsewhere – with the premises that I wanted a change and a sound work-life balance.
Finding a challenging job...
abroad!
When
applying for jobs in your own country it is easy to know which companies you
are interested in and what jobs that fit your profile. Looking abroad it is harder and I often found
myself applying for jobs I was overqualified for just to get the experience of
being abroad. This haunted me a bit as I am also one of those high-achievers
looking for the next challenge, and I knew that settling for a job without much of a challenge would make me feel
miserable real fast. For example, I was on an onsite interview with a well
known IT-company in Ireland. I only wanted that "less exciting" job
for the opportunities it opened up a few years in the future. I believe that it
is a good argument to take on a job that might lead to something in the future,
but turning your whole life upsite down for it should be well thought through
beforehand. And let’s be realistic, two years of your life are still two years.
So it should be priority no.1 to make something meaningful out of and to
be sure to enjoy them!
Apply for positions that
match your background and meet your goals well…
…otherwise
be prepared with a difficult situation during the interview trying to explain why
you want the position so badly! This is a lesson I certainly learned along the
way! Do not apply for any sort of job! Try
to find what you love!
When
applying for jobs, and especially for positions
requiring you to move, it is of importance to be able to motivate why you want
not only the job but also why you want to live in that specific place. I
had an interview for a job in Singapore where my background slightly matched
the required. It was not only hard to illuminate getting a job in that field,
since I had never been to Singapore or even Asia, it was also hard to explain
why I wanted to move there! Do I have to say I did not get a second interview?!
The result
After all
this soul/job searching I was finally
able to get a job that will challenge me, guarantee good work-life balance and which
enables me to live in a beautiful place abroad. Next week my boyfriend and I will move down to Germany again. This
time Munich will have to get ready for me! In the beginning of September I will start my career as a consultant
within IT and management! I know I am expected to work in German in a few
months time, something that is both scary but also motivating. I also know that I will enjoy Munich life
with cold winters and long warm summers and mix of hiking, beer gardens and
skiing!
For
everyone in a similar situation, I wish you the best of luck!!
- Kristin
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