Job Discussion Forums

tlrstarr · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 5

I am a Caribbean American and I will be moving to Berlin this summer to start a master's program in Neuroscience. I am taking a course to begin to learn German this summer and I will take a course as soon as I move to Berlin to continue learning German.
I would like to find a part-time job where I can earn some money to help pay my bills. It does not have to be a lot because the program I am in is full-time (9-4:30). I will be living with my fiance so at least I don't have to worry about moving to another country and not knowing anyone, but it would be nice to be able to have a little money of my own.
I don't know where to begin as far as looking for a job and I am also confused about the type of visa I need to apply for since I will be a student and working.
I noticed I am not the only person who will be moving to Berlin this year and I was hoping that I could also get some good advice!!!
I look forward to hearing from you...

crashartist1 · Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Posts: 164

Okay, so here is the low down. You will at best get part time work, so that is not going to be a problem. In Berlin as well as in the rest of Germany there is a real big recession going on so full time contracts are few and far between. In Germany you need to apply for a work permit called a freelance VISA. As a student you are allowed to work a certain number of hours a semester, that number I am not sure about. You should apply at your local Embassy, call and ask or go to the website.
In Germany, they are going to want 2 things from you 1) some sort of teaching credentials is usually the norm and 2) the ability to speak German. German students like someone who can help them in their own language.
Since you are going to be a full time student you also might want to think about what type of school you want to work at. Schools like the Wall Street are a minimum prep time school, its kind of a plug in system so all teachers can teach all levels. They provide training for a couple weeks and introduce you slowly, the classes there run themselves.
Most language schools are busy at night, and on the weekend, so many of your classes will be on the weekend.
You also might want to just post a flyer on the nearest message board at your university with an advertisement to teach English and see what happens. I did this at FHTW-Berlin and at Humboldt and I had plenty of replies and lots of work with college students.
Is your fianc� German? If he is then you know all about German mentality, if not then you should know that Germans are very detailed and orientated with specific goals in mind and so they expect you to know what you are talking about. Actually many German parents prefer to have their kids tutored by Germans in English because of the knowledge of grammar and structure and how to teach since they were taking the same classes for about 12 years.
It just takes time in Germany to get everything rolling. When do you go to Germany? The time of the year is also a determining factor, the summers are dead and you can almost expect nothing during that time but during the fall when school just begins is your best bet and finding a school that might be willing to pick you up for a few hours here and there.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

crashartist1 · Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Posts: 164

JZer is right, you can get your work permit there in Germany, but you don't have to be in Germany (I am an American and I got mine in Istanbul). You will need certain documents from your University stating that you are a student, so getting the permit in Germany might be easier, if you wait until you are in Germany it will take about 1 month to process (they are quick and efficient over there).
Also, as JZer had pointed out the unemployment is pretty high, so if you look into other jobs it might be more difficult because the unemployment of Berlin is staggering. Albeit, you are trying to teach English so that is not going to take away from a Germans employment prospects, it will in-fact make their skills more desirable in the work place, so I guess then you would have a positive influence on the society. (Hmm, she sounds like a super hero now!!!)

tlrstarr · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 5

My fianc� is German and I will be taking two German courses starting next month. I know it will take a while for me to become fluent in the language, but it is a start and I plan to take more German courses once I move. Thanks for the advice about applying for the work visa. I was not sure if I should apply for that before I left America or when I got in Berlin. I will be moving to Berlin in August so I figure I will need two months or more to find a part-time job and that is ok. I was just worried that I may not be able to find work at all...
Thanks again, your advice is leading me in the right track I am sure Smile

!!

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

If you cannot find a job as a teacher you might be able to get hired at a call center in Berlin. There are several call centers that hire native English speakers because they do research about German products that are sold in Germany. I worked for one company that did surveys about Simens medical equipment and they called people in Korea, US, and Spain. I think that one of the centers is on Christianan Strasse but I am not sure. The call center is near Rosa Luxemburg U-Bahn station. Another place where you can work temporarly until you find a permenant job is that there is a service where you can go and pick up work for one day at a time. I think it is call Tusmai or something like that. You can find out about this orginization at Humbolt university. Tusmai is located near the Technical University(don't quote me on that).

Well enjoy your time in Berlin!!! Make sure you check out all the great clubs if you are into that kind of thing. I recommend Ost-gut which is located near Ost-Bahnhof (East train station). If you want to catch all the latest movies in English you can go to the Kino(cinema) in Postdamer Platz. There is a theather that only shows movies in their original version. I think all of the movies are English or French.

crashartist1 · Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Posts: 164

Ahh, the Sony center, what a great place! I remember back in 2002 during the world cup the huge screen up playing the games. I watched the final between Germany and Brazil there, needless to say it was a quiet day at the Sony center.
Berlin is a wonderful place to see independent films, new artists and hisory. Go check out Kultura Buro (SP? help me out on that JZer) got some great clubs.
Hint of advice, if you want to know if you are in the West or Est look at the street. If you see Streetcar rails, you are in the East or look at the crosswalk signs, if you see a man wiht a top hat you are in the east. Stay out of Kruezberg, trouble is there and enjoy Mitte, Friedschien, Luxemberg, ahh, so many places.... I am so jealous! Berlin is my home!!!

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

crashartist1, what were you doing in Berlin during the summer of 2002? I was in Berlin as well and watched a World Cup game on the Sony Screen. Regretfully I watched the final against Brazil in a Brazilian bar.

I disagree with staying out of Kruezburg. My ex-girlfriend lived there and I never had any problems in this part of town. Well you might want to avoid Kreuzburg on 1. Mai. My friend dragged me there and we got sprayed with pepper spray.

As for clubs, there are clubs everywhere. I would recommend Ostgut and Treseaur (but I think it closed down). There is one club I used to go to in Friedschein but I forgot the name of it.

crashartist1 · Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Posts: 164

JZer, I was going to school at the time in Berlin. Maybe i am wrong about Kruezberg, where I lived, way down off of U8 Zwickauer Damm (the spelling is probably worng along with the U-bahn line it has been too long) but there are a lot of Turks living in that area and it gets not so nice during the night, or day for that matter sometimes.Nothing against Turks, I am married to the most beautiful one!!! Very Happy

have you ever been to the Dot Kommer? It is a bar with a whole lot of couches and over stuffed chairs there is barely any room to walk. Yeah there are a lot of great bars Friedschein that I can't remember the name of either.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

crashartist1, where you studying at Humboldt or at IES? We may have met in 2002. I used to live in Prinzlauerberg. I spend last semester living in Bayreuth.

Crashartist, where do you currently live and why do you participate on this forum if you don't mind me asking? I am planning to teach ESL in Brazil starting in February. I check out the German discussion board because it is interesting to see what people are saying about Germany.

tlrstarr · Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 5

I was actually in Berlin for the first time this past December (2004) and I went to the Sony center. I saw Brad Pitt at the opening of Ocean's twelve. It was amazing!!! I also went to some cool clubs, I was only there for three weeks so I did not get to see too much, but I am looking forward to seeing more. I really think Berlin is beautiful and there are so many different things to do and see.
Thanks for the information JZer and I will keep the call center and Tusmai in mind in case I have a hard time finding a teaching position once I have moved. My fiance also told me about looking at the difference between the street lights in East and West Berlin. I thought the men with the top hats were cool!!! What is wrong with Kruezberg and how will I know if I am in that part of Berlin??? What happens on the 1st of May in Kruezberg JZer? Smile

Sounds like things got a little crazy...
crashartist1 I will be studying at Humboldt starting this September,did you study there at some point and is there anything you can tell me about the campus?

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

The first of May is Labor Day. Most countries celebrate Labor Day in May and not in September. On this day many young punks and disgruntled people throw rocks at the police and break things. There is usually a march through parts of town and I saw people flipping over cars. Of course when you flip over a car it is likely to catch on fire.

crashartist1 · Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Posts: 164

JZer, I was finishing up my International M.B.A. in Berlin by doing my language requirements, went to the Goethe Institute. Lived in Berlin for a year, was amazing, now I am in Turkey running a Language School and teaching at a University, doing another Masters but in English Language teaching, hoping to move to Japan at some point to do a Ph D. Sometimes, I really love this EFL world!

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

crashartist1, cool. I thought that we might have studied together but I guess not. I studied at IES and Humbolt. I am finishing up my M.A. in German Literature and Foreign Language Education. After I graduate I plan to teach English in Brazil. I would eventually like to do an M.B.A. and invest in real estate.

crashartist1 · Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Posts: 164

JZer, what about this Foreign Language Education? Is that a separate masters or is part of your German Lit degree?
Hey if you are in Humboldt, can you give me any details about the program and how to apply? Do they have a Ph D., program? I have been trying to find a way to get back to Germany, especially Berlin but to no avail. I read something about Potsdam Univ., they have a linguistics program there, but only a M.A. unfortunately.