My First German Job Hunt: Krefeld and Dräger

It’s Been a Whirlwind

Okay, so, Berlin is… intense. Amazing, vibrant, utterly chaotic. But I’m craving a little bit of order, a slightly slower pace, and honestly, a change of scenery. That’s how I stumbled across this conversation – a really interesting one that’s actually helped me understand a lot about the German job market. It all started with a quick scan of Indeed.com (Read More – I’m a bit of a newbie here, still figuring out where to look for opportunities. I saw a job posting for a Software Engineer at Dräger in Krefeld and, well, I thought, “Why not?”

The Initial Contact – A Bit of a Culture Shock

I reached out to someone named Steven, who was part of the team. The first thing he said, in perfect, slightly formal German, was, “Hallo, ich wollte mich nach Krefeld erkundigen. Ich habe gesehen, dass Dräger dort ein Software Engineer sucht.” (Hello, I wanted to inquire about Krefeld. I saw that Dräger is looking for a Software Engineer there.) It was a little direct – in my experience, people in London are usually a bit more chatty initially!

I replied, “Ja, das stimmt. Wir suchen einen neuen Kollegen für unser Team in Krefeld.” (Yes, that’s correct. We are looking for a new colleague for our team in Krefeld.) Then he jumped right in, asking, “Ah, interessant! Was genau ist denn die Aufgabe in Bezug auf die Cloud-Lösung zur Videoüberwachung?” (Oh, interesting! What exactly is the task regarding the cloud solution for video surveillance?)

Java Microservices and My Brain Hurts

Honestly, that’s when I realised how much I really don’t know about this. He explained that it involved Java Microservices for the processing of the video streams. “Klingt ziemlich technisch,” (Sounds pretty technical) he said, and he wasn’t wrong. I’d been focusing on front-end stuff in Berlin, so this was a massive shift. I quickly realised I needed to brush up on my backend knowledge.

Collaboration and the “You Build It, You Run It” Thing

But it wasn’t just about the technical stuff. Steven emphasized that they valued good teamwork. “Aber es geht nicht nur um die technischen Details, wir legen auch Wert auf eine gute Zusammenarbeit mit den anderen Teams.” (But it’s not just about the technical details, we also value good collaboration with the other teams.) He asked, “Haben Sie denn schon ein bestimmtes Profil für den idealen Kandidaten im Kopf?” (Do you already have a specific profile in mind for the ideal candidate?)

That’s when I started digging into the details. He mentioned a university degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering, Java and Spring experience, and crucially, knowledge of Linux, Angular, and Azure. Then he dropped this phrase – “Die ‘you build it, you run it’-Mentalität ist auch sehr wichtig.” (The ‘you build it, you run it’ mentality is also very important.) I’d heard that before, but it felt… intense. It’s a huge amount of responsibility.

Workday Questions – Flexible Hours?

I asked, “Haben Sie denn schon eine Vorstellung, wie der Arbeitsalltag in Krefeld aussehen könnte?” (Do you already have an idea of how the workday in Krefeld might look?) He explained that the job description mentioned flexible working hours and the possibility of mobile working. “Ja, und wir legen Wert auf eine offene und respektvolle Zusammenarbeit.” (Yes, and we value open and respectful cooperation.) It sounded a lot better than some of the rigid office cultures I’d been encountering in Berlin.

Further Information and Next Steps

He offered some practical information too. “Außerdem gibt es viele Möglichkeiten zur Weiterbildung.” (Furthermore, there are many opportunities for further training.) And, importantly, he suggested checking out Indeed.com for other openings.

My German Vocabulary Boost – Useful Phrases

Here are a few German phrases I picked up from the conversation that I found really helpful:

• Hallo, ich wollte mich nach… erkundigen: Hello, I wanted to inquire about…
• Was genau ist denn die Aufgabe…? What exactly is the task…?
• Klingt ziemlich technisch: Sounds pretty technical.
• Wir legen Wert auf…: We value…
• Haben Sie denn schon… im Kopf? Do you already have… in mind?

A Small Mistake (and a Correction)

I almost completely butchered the pronunciation of “Microservices” – I mumbled it so badly! Steven patiently corrected me, saying, “Bitte, sagen Sie ‘Microservices’ klarer. Es ist ein wichtiger Begriff.” (Please, say ‘Microservices’ clearly. It’s an important term.) He was so kind!

Looking Ahead

This conversation, while a little overwhelming at times, has given me a much better idea of what to expect when looking for a job in Germany. It’s definitely made me realize how much more I need to learn about Java, cloud computing, and, honestly, the German work culture. I’m heading to Indeed.com now to explore those other opportunities. Wish me luck!