'Germany is a sea of opportunities'
In the latest instalment of My German Career, The Local spoke with
Pawan S Dwivedi who works as a project manager near Frankfurt.
Where are you located and what do you do?
I am currently working as Project Manager for a German company serving the largest automobile company in Europe. After working for nearly five years near Frankfurt (Neu-Isenburg) for one of the largest IT companies in the world and serving the second-largest electronics distribution company in the world as client, I moved to Wolfsburg just couple of months ago.
What brought you to Germany and how long have you been here?
I came here as Supply Chain Consultant for an Indian IT company (which has offices in four cities in Germany) for one of the largest ever greenfield implementation projects.
How did you land your job and do you have tips for anyone seeking similar work?
Well, the only tip that I can give to anyone to find a suitable job would be learn the language as soon as one lands here in Germany. Learning any language is always beneficial. Another tip would be to keep your eyes and ears open and stay connected to professional networking websites (not Facebook).
Is it important for you to be able to speak German in your position?
In my previous company, it was not important to speak German, since as a consultant in an international company, I had to attend meetings with clients across the globe (more than six countries) on any given day and there the official or business language was English.
In my current profile as well, I have to talk to clients from various countries so I cannot say that it’s mandatory to speak German. But to excel in career and to be able to contribute better to an organization, speaking German is really an important factor and I appreciate this fact.
What are the key differences between practicing your profession here and in your home country?
The biggest difference I find here in Germany is that exposure in any field, work or domain is really far better than my home country. Although the theoretical knowledge and education system in my home country is really very strong (among the best), the same cannot be held true for opportunities and exposure.
Here in Germany you find yourself in a sea of opportunities and knowledge where you get a fair chance to carve out your own path and prove your worth. You don’t tend to get bounded by absence of opportunities. In a nutshell, if you are good and work hard, you will surely excel.
What are the best and worst parts about working in Germany?
The best part is that everyone around you is completely professional with no partiality or discrimination. Your work reflects your rewards. You can go and talk to anyone about work and all your team members are ready to help you to the best of their capacity. People know how to keep professional and personal life separated and that’s actually very good. As such, I have never seen any negative point about work culture in Germany.
Do you plan on staying?
As for today, I am happy and satisfied with my career and am enjoying my stay in Germany. My wife also loves this country and it gives us immense satisfaction to contribute and be a part of this culture. I guess time will hold the key for future.
Want your German career featured on The Local? Contact us at: [email protected]
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Pawan S Dwivedi who works as a project manager near Frankfurt.
Where are you located and what do you do?
I am currently working as Project Manager for a German company serving the largest automobile company in Europe. After working for nearly five years near Frankfurt (Neu-Isenburg) for one of the largest IT companies in the world and serving the second-largest electronics distribution company in the world as client, I moved to Wolfsburg just couple of months ago.
What brought you to Germany and how long have you been here?
I came here as Supply Chain Consultant for an Indian IT company (which has offices in four cities in Germany) for one of the largest ever greenfield implementation projects.
How did you land your job and do you have tips for anyone seeking similar work?
Well, the only tip that I can give to anyone to find a suitable job would be learn the language as soon as one lands here in Germany. Learning any language is always beneficial. Another tip would be to keep your eyes and ears open and stay connected to professional networking websites (not Facebook).
Is it important for you to be able to speak German in your position?
In my previous company, it was not important to speak German, since as a consultant in an international company, I had to attend meetings with clients across the globe (more than six countries) on any given day and there the official or business language was English.
In my current profile as well, I have to talk to clients from various countries so I cannot say that it’s mandatory to speak German. But to excel in career and to be able to contribute better to an organization, speaking German is really an important factor and I appreciate this fact.
What are the key differences between practicing your profession here and in your home country?
The biggest difference I find here in Germany is that exposure in any field, work or domain is really far better than my home country. Although the theoretical knowledge and education system in my home country is really very strong (among the best), the same cannot be held true for opportunities and exposure.
Here in Germany you find yourself in a sea of opportunities and knowledge where you get a fair chance to carve out your own path and prove your worth. You don’t tend to get bounded by absence of opportunities. In a nutshell, if you are good and work hard, you will surely excel.
What are the best and worst parts about working in Germany?
The best part is that everyone around you is completely professional with no partiality or discrimination. Your work reflects your rewards. You can go and talk to anyone about work and all your team members are ready to help you to the best of their capacity. People know how to keep professional and personal life separated and that’s actually very good. As such, I have never seen any negative point about work culture in Germany.
Do you plan on staying?
As for today, I am happy and satisfied with my career and am enjoying my stay in Germany. My wife also loves this country and it gives us immense satisfaction to contribute and be a part of this culture. I guess time will hold the key for future.
Want your German career featured on The Local? Contact us at: [email protected]
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