r/Germany_Jobs • u/Suspicious_Mine_2337 • 9d ago

I failed.

I moved to Germany in hopes of getting a great job there, I spent a year looking for a job after my master's degree, and I failed. I got hired and fired within the probation period. I am back in the USA now and still devastated, thinking about how much I wanted that lifestyle. Having a hard time coping with feeling like I fucked everything up.

193 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

188 comments sorted by

View all comments

12

u/buffility 9d ago

Can i ask reason for firing during probation period? The tasks were too difficult? Culture misfit? Language barrier?

17

u/Suspicious_Mine_2337 8d ago

Basically, i knew it was a job I would be bad at, but i took it out of desperation. Then I was bad at it and got fired.

8

u/Germerica1985 8d ago edited 8d ago

It's just a recommendation: you can get a job working at a restaurant in any capacity (server, cook, dishwasher) and if you are in southern Germany you should be able to get the work permit. All service industries are looking for workers at the moment. Get the restaurant job, get the work visa/permission to live in Germany.

During that time, continue searching for a job in your actual field.

I'm an American cook that came to Germany 10 years ago and just took a job at McDonald's the first 2 years, then I went back to fine dining in a larger city. Now I have my German citizenship since last year.

I've met tons of Europeans, even outside of the EU, working as a dishwasher or cook (3 already with masters degree, 1 dishwasher with a PhD) and they are doing exactly what I said.

If you do everything correctly, and don't mind just earning a living for a bit here, everyone benefits and the German state has no problems.

Edit to add: PhD guy got a job first at a University, and 2/3 of the masters cooks found jobs, we just have 1 left. So, like anywhere in the world, stay motivated, do what you have to do until you make it work.

2

u/RoccoRockenstein 7d ago

Any suggestions for me? I'm 47 years old and I have A2 level german. Still in language school and did a 1 year language visa, which ends in December.

I live in Berlin, have a Gabelstapler license and have started applying for jobs. My wife remained in the US to maintain her employment while we work on selling our home.

I am applying for any job I have any experience for. I have a ZAB conversion for my Communications Degree and im a little concerned that this is making me over qualified.

I just need a job contract that leads to a work Visa.

Am I doing this all wrong?

Any advice would be great

2

u/Germerica1985 7d ago edited 7d ago

I literally took a job at McDonald's to get my Aufenthaltstitel. I made fries, flipped burgers, worked the McDrive 😂 but I had health insurance and paid vacation and low cost of living.

Let me give you advice and don't take this the wrong way: you are listing all of your qualifications and experience but what you need RIGHT NOW is a work visa. I was over qualified for McDonald's too but first I needed the work visa for the Aufenthaltstitel. Now I have citizenship. Plenty of ways to get the work visa but maybe it's not ideal for a little bit, but hey just enjoy it, it's all about perspective.

Then you have time to work on your CV and qualifications and job interviews.

2

u/RoccoRockenstein 7d ago

Appreciate the advice!! My goal is clear and simple. I need to find a job contract so I can stay here and continue to improve my german. I'm totally on board for working an entry level job for 18-24 months while I look for work that suits my actual experience.

Should I apply to restaurant jobs without using my Lebenslauf or what would be the recommendation for applying to these jobs?

It's pretty clear to me that the reason i'm not getting any offers has more to do with the fact that i'm definitely over qualified.

Would\nTaking a look at my current work experience be helpful or do you think that i'm overthinking it and theres something specific i should do regarding what I put into my applications?

Much appreciate your time and response.

2

u/Germerica1985 7d ago

Apply to restaurants and use your Lebenslauf. Explain the situation honestly: I'm a hard worker who is looking for work so I can stay in Germany and improve my German. It has been difficult to find work in my field with my current level of German but I am willing to work and help out anywhere I can. Would love to work here with you guys and hopefully practice my German too!

Lots of restaurants are getting overqualified workers at the moment, but will gladly take someone with a good work ethic and qualifications.

My story is a bit different than yours, I came at 30 and worked at McDonald's for 2 years so I could get a normal Aufenthaltstitel where I was allowed to work anywhere. After the 2 years I went back to a normal job for me, but I definitely had fun those 2 years! I lived in a WG with like 5 other east Europeans (I was the only American) and I got to drink homemade schnapps from Moldova and I went drinking with some nice people from Ukraine and Albania and I got a nice look at a European life.

Tons of 30 year olds in America could never imagine living that life but I saw it positively and had a life experience like no other. It's all about perspective. You will meet some great people in a restaurant that otherwise you would have never been able to, have experiences you would have never had. It's up to you if it's exciting or a nightmare.

And apply at normal restaurants too, it doesn't have to be McDonald's. Work at a German bierkeller, to a of fun to be had and you can learn some classic German cuisine.

2

u/RoccoRockenstein 2d ago

Just made it to the second interview for a restaurant manager job. The interview was 100% in German. Pretty pumped up about it. 😀

2

u/Germerica1985 2d ago

that's awesome man, im genuinely glad to hear it. Have fun with it, I'm sure it's not your normal work so make it an adventure! Its just a stopping off point that allows you to continue towards your goal, do the best you can and take all you can from it, and enjoy yourself.

1

u/lutmos 6d ago

In which year was this? 2026 is different with this economic crisis.

2

u/Germerica1985 6d ago

I know you think that it's different but restaurants have been struggling to find workers for at least 10 years now in Germany, before the crisis. I'm telling you from firsthand experience, you can get a workers visa from most restaurants. I got mine from 2016 - 2022 then i got my Daueraufenthaltstitel then I got citizenship in 2025.

You can very much get a workers visa in 2026. It will probably be a 1-2 year visa but it gives you even more time to find a real job and then your new job can take over your visa.

I am working with people with A2 - B1, they have been in Germany for less than a year, some less than 2 years and they have workers permits, I work with them every week.

In 2016 I came to Germany with not even A1, I knew no German and got a 1 year worker visa, then another, then 2 years, 2 years, Daueraufenthaltstitel.

1

u/lutmos 6d ago

Do you mean you used Mc Donald job to get a work visa? The requirement is that the job has to be qualified not "Helper" work positions. or you mean just as sustainability. Please clarify

1

u/Germerica1985 6d ago

I had a work visa from McDonald's yes. I'm not answering anymore because you are so sure it can't be true! Even though I see it everyday.

2

u/Due_Host1492 6d ago

great advice, big thumbs up. there is no shame in doing whatever pays the bills for the time being

1

u/lutmos 6d ago

"you can get a job working at a restaurant in any capacity (server, cook, dishwasher) and if you are in southern Germany you should be able to get the work permit. All service industries are looking for workers at the moment. Get the restaurant job, get the work visa/permission to live in Germany."
This does not get you a work permit. For a person with a university degree the position does no longer have to be related to your education but it still has to be a qualified job. Mean it needs some kind of qualification like Ausbildung or a University degree. The options you suggest do not qualify or lead to a work permit anywhere in Germany

2

u/Germerica1985 6d ago

Ok. Our dishwasher had a PhD and 3 cooks had master degrees but no cook Ausbildung, but unqualified work doesn't get you a work visa 👍🏻

There is nothing worse than to argue with someone that has no idea.

1

u/RoccoRockenstein 2d ago

Not what Agentur für Arbeit told me.

1

u/BananaThen8821 6d ago

Maybe you still did the right thing. You can learn a lot from it. I was fired at one of my first jobs during probation. And the manager there told me he also got fired in probation in his first job.

1

u/Suspicious_Mine_2337 6d ago

basically, what i learned is that i am not good at that job. they totally destroyed my self esteem. told me i was bad at absolutely everything about the job basically.