If you follow the news, you’ll know what s going on in the job market in Germany. And it s the same all over the planet.

Corona crash

Decrease in vacancies by 500,000

Automotive crisis – red alert

German economy slumped by -10.1 percent in the second quarter of 2020, it has never been so bad. The bottom has not yet been reached.

Millions of Germans are working short time, company XY is cutting 3500 jobs, and so on and so forth.

Stillstand also in recruiting. Due to legal requirements, companies using short-time work are not permitted to hire new people during this phase.
The next lockdown is certain to come. And that s when the market will hit its worst.

Oh no, you’re looking for a job?

Job seekers have no easy life.

To finish your studies in times of such a tight job market and seek a job for the first time is no walk in the park.

And having a job isn’t always a piece of cake either. Because now it’s risky to quit your permanent contract. Because who can safely predict that the new employer will be financially more stable?

Better, pull the blanket over your head!!

Oh dear, I’m afraid your chances are desperate.

Times couldn’t be worse on the job market. It’s a catastrophe when you need to find a job now. I guess depression is inevitable.

Nothing can be done about it. Let’s hope it’ll get better eventually.

Even if you’re really down on your job, don’t even consider quitting. What about trying to mediate? It’s supposed to help with stress. These are no times to change careers. I mean, how do you know how stable the new company really is?

You know the saying: Whoever comes last must go first.

View #2: Brilliant job market prospects

But, the job market has brilliant prospects. Didn’t you also read the following headlines?

Zalando comes out of the crisis stronger

Software-intensive electronic systems are expected to grow by 15 % annually.

Pharmaceutical giant continues to grow

German industry makes an impressive return

Seems that there is growth in the job market. The past-corona job market is back to life again, with so many activities and positivity that we have to were shades because of this bright future.

Thinking in terms of solutions

You can be part of the economic dynamic.

Why not use the thermals for your own upswing?

You’re highly qualified.

You have talent, and you have a mindset full of courage. This is what brought you to Germany in the first place. You’re dedicated to working hard and learning.

You have the best chance of becoming part of the new economy.

You’ll make it.

There’s always a way. And I don’t just say that. I’ve been coaching candidates for over twenty years, and I’ve seen it happen over and over again.

Let me ask you: Do you feel a bit more confident now?

Do you start believing that there s something going on for you?

That you can do something with a bit of luck, some smarts, and insider knowledge about the German job market?

Great! That’s it.

We all need encouragement. To keep going, to persevere even when it’s difficult. We need someone to show us a different perspective. And helps us to see the chances which sometimes are right in front of our eyes.

Then let’s look together at how the job market works.

The job market is a market

The job market is a very competitive market. It’s about winning and losing. That s not a pleasant thought, but this is a market economy.

There is no guarantee of employment. No guarantees that we’re on the winning side. Regardless of how much we deserve it. No matter how much we need it. We’re not being fed by a fair instance. That security just doesn’t exist.

In the German job market, supply and demand rule. It’s quite tricky to find out what your individual job market looks like. Anand’s job market may be totally different compared to Ahmed’s.

In the competition for the best job, a good product is necessary. But we are only successful in the market if we market ourselves well.

You are the salesperson

As a job seeker, you have to sell yourself on the job market.

I cannot tell you how many discussions there are about this term alone in Germany. Many people say that it is a devaluation when we talk about people in terms of sales, seller, and product. This is all very well, but it doesn’t change the way the job market works at all.

One explanation could be that many of us consider selling to be dubious. Thoughts such as manipulating, exerting influence, or taking advantage of others immediately arise.

Also, a reason that relates that we Germans find it so difficult to ’sell‘ ourselves is this inner voice within so many of us. What I mean is this inner critic in ourselves, who tells us that we have to try harder, that we should have done a job better. That we’re ok, but still far from where we ought to be.

The stronger this inner voice inside of me, the harder it is for me to feel full of confidence as a… let’s say… to present as a candidate who always achieves the best results in her developmental tasks. Because inside I hear this voice that reminds me that I need an eternity, that I think back and forth for too long and that I have no routine at all in the implementation.

Probably this applicant will not express her strengths quite so clearly, so confidently, in the interview. She will pull back, and signal uncertainty.

Such unconscious uncertainty in a salesperson means financial ruin. After all, who would buy anything from a salesperson who is not convinced of the product himself?

The product in the job market, it’s you  

On the job market, you are not only a salesman but also your own product.

How will you manage your product (yourself)? This includes the presentation, the packaging (a professional picture is part of your packing), and the message, and story. Followed by sound argumentation, as well as winning over the customer emotionally for you.

If you want to sell your product for more money, how do you explain this? Or, better said, how do you sell it?

To do this you need a sales argumentation (your story), and sales documents (your CV) that convincingly present all arguments. How do you do your email marketing (cover letter and emails), how do you do your direct marketing (at the job fair, when calling) and how do you use social media marketing (LinkedIn).

A good example of such product management is the notebook with the apple on it. This shows how much the magic of good marketing works. If you manage to create a similar magic spell, your chances of getting a job and a salary increase enormously.

Get to know your job market

Every seller must know his market. It’s a bit like a game.

Did you play blind man’s buff as a kid?

When my siblings and I were little, it was a wonderfully cheerful pastime. It’s not about winning, it’s about having fun, wandering around, and hitting randomly.

When we kids got older, we wanted to win. That’s why we started playing Monopoly. It was a very different set of rules. My sister somehow always had clever strategies along with luck that made me cry. She knew my brother and me very well, of course, and anticipated how we would behave. And she won, not always but so often that we refused to play with her anymore.

It’s the same with the job market. It’s all about knowing the game, the actors, the principles, and the driving forces.

One way to get to know your own job market like a pro is to read job ads for a few weeks and analyze them thoroughly. You have to take the role of an investigator in order to find out about requirements, tasks, and companies.

Focus on the essentials

When I work with clients, we examine together what is most important.
A look at the connections in the job market helps to define the next step. This can be useful for you too, to push aside any feelings of being overwhelmed. Concentrate on what you can influence. Reflect on what will probably have the greatest effect on your success.

Below you find some resources to dive deeper into learning about how to act in the job market.

Get to know your market: Investigate your job market, See what I’ve learned by a job search

Get to know the players in the market: Find out what Recruiters said about whether apply in English or German

Think about what your product is: Reflect upon your strengths, skills, and how you can benefit an employer.

Package your product: Create a CV in the German style, Use a professional picture

Think about key figures by which you want to measure your success. For example, how much time do you plan to search and apply? How much time can you afford to search? How many applications will you write to get a call from a recruiter? What’s the ratio?

Then get started with your application process.

If you don’t meet your key figures, think new. Or ask for help to get feedback to get back on track. Send me an email and get in touch

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