Stay or go to Berlin

janullrich

Hi. I do not know whether I am writing in the right area. Basically the situation is that I spent two and a half years in Berlin. I generally loved it. However I decided to come back to Ireland to the firm I was working with at the time. With that despite promises it meant I could not return to Berlin.

Last Friday I had a interview after 2 telephone interviews. However I found I was on Monday unsuccessful. I was pretty gutted. Don't get me wrong I have my good friends and family here and Dublin is ok, but I feel more at home in Berlin. I speak the language fluently and have good friends across there.

The problem is work. Getting work in Berlin is hard and the unemployment is higher then here. I am 33, have a good 1 year contract position here but look to buy a house in Berlin. Would people think that it is just quiet risky going over to Berlin for a month and seeing what is out there or what do people thing? Thanks.

craichoe

I want to do the same thing, i love berlin but the high unemployment is putting me off.

Was thinking about Belgium or Holland instead, with preference to holland

biko

Go, or you will regret it later.

Black Swan

Not sure what your trade or profession is. If a trade, perhaps contact the appropriate trade union in Berlin? If a professional, then they have placement agencies you could apply to? Also, there are corporations with offices in Dub that may also have operations in Berlin? You could go by the Dub branch and see if they have employment openings in Berlin? In other words, there are a lot of things you can do while in Dub to explore job opportunities in Berlin, so you might want to try those first?

Miss Fluff

Why don't you contact Enterprise Ireland in Berlin? It will be able to provide you with a list of Irish companies/Irish people in business in Berlin and perhaps open some doors for you.

Botschaft von Irland
Friedrichstrasse 200
10117 Berlin
Germany

Tel: + (49 30) 22072104
Fax: + (49 30) 22072295

I think if you're happiest in Berlin, have fluency in the language and have no ties here, just go for it. Follow your heart.

janullrich

Thanks for the advise. I have decided that I will take a few days off around January and look for a house and search for jobs. This gives me time to do some research rather then just rushing over. I would hate to go over, walk the street and end up hating Berlin. it ain't worth it!

CharLit

You can stay in Ireland for the moment whilst looking for a job in Berlin: you can always go over there for interviews, and once you find yourself a job there, your new employer will most likely help you find accommodation.

Absolutely follow your heart though!!!