Is it wise to leave Germany to move to Ireland?

Tweener

Hello,
I'm currently living in Germany since February, and I work in a small IT company that I like...but I don't like very much the country: Cold winters, high taxes, unfriendly people, difficult language to learn, etc...
Also, I would prefer to work for a company that would give me opportunities to travel in Europe (especially to Switzerland, Scotland and Norway), but the company I work for is too small, and doesn't have opportunities like this...but they pay quite good.
I would also prefer to live in a more sparsely populated country, rather than in overcrowded central Europe...

Do you think it's unwise to leave Germany to move to Ireland now, trying to find a job in a multinational IT company?
Thanks

reverenddave

i would wait until i have a guaranteed job in ireland first

before i'd leave germany

as things are only gonna get worse over here

josey_whale

Tweener wrote: »

Do you think it's unwise to leave Germany to move to Ireland now, trying to find a job in a multinational IT company?
Thanks

I would say it is unwise to move without having a job lined up. I don't work in the industry, but what I can gather, the IT industry is doing pretty well in Ireland at the moment.

Get a job in Ireland, then move!

doolox

If the irish job is temp then think very carefully.
Irish employment law allows the boss to let you go for no reason in the first 2 years.........

There is very little protection for workers in Ireland.
Very little proper unionisation or representation in the technology sector so you better be good to excellent at your job at all times. This gets harder as one gets older and the younger workers have you for breakfast.

Most over 50's in Ireland are dumped for younger cheaper labour and the govt do nothing about it.

What is employment protection law like in Germany?

How long are you in your job?

Can you take the risk of losing security to get a job in Ireland, 13.7% unemployed and very few new jobs coming online????

finisklin

Tweener wrote: »

Hello,
I'm currently living in Germany since February, and I work in a small IT company that I like...but I don't like very much the country: Cold winters, high taxes, unfriendly people, difficult language to learn, etc...
Also, I would prefer to work for a company that would give me opportunities to travel in Europe (especially to Switzerland, Scotland and Norway), but the company I work for is too small, and doesn't have opportunities like this...but they pay quite good.
I would also prefer to live in a more sparsely populated country, rather than in overcrowded central Europe...

Do you think it's unwise to leave Germany to move to Ireland now, trying to find a job in a multinational IT company?
Thanks

I think you would be mad to move without a job first.....and this may prove difficult to get given that you reside and work in Germany. Catch 22 situation.

You are well positioned to get a job that involves travel and in IT as you reside in central europe. The fact that you are Irish and as we are perceived as having a sunny disposition/socialabilty this should aid your job searching. I'm assuming that you speak German which is also a plus.

As a starting point maybe write down the features of your ideal job, this will then help you in the search process. In addition, get on linkedin and join some group's that share your career interests. Avail of any opportunities to network face to face and share your career goals with the people that you meet. You may be surprised who can help you in fulfilling it.

Head up and don't sell yourself short.

Best of luck!!!!

Tweener

finisklin wrote: »

I think you would be mad to move without a job first.....and this may prove difficult to get given that you reside and work in Germany. Catch 22 situation.

You are well positioned to get a job that involves travel and in IT as you reside in central europe. The fact that you are Irish and as we are perceived as having a sunny disposition/socialabilty this should aid your job searching. I'm assuming that you speak German which is also a plus.

As a starting point maybe write down the features of your ideal job, this will then help you in the search process. In addition, get on linkedin and join some group's that share your career interests. Avail of any opportunities to network face to face and share your career goals with the people that you meet. You may be surprised who can help you in fulfilling it.

Head up and don't sell yourself short.

Best of luck!!!!

Hi,
I never wrote that I'm Irish!!! I'm actually Italian!
My ideal job: One that would allow me to travel frequently to Scotland, Norway and Switzerland...
Regarding job security in Germany....here it's very difficult to fire someone after the probation period, and in any case normally there is a standard 3-month notice period if the employee gets fired, or if he/she decides to quit...another world compared to the Anglo-Saxon one...for some things better, for others no.

seachto7

Ciao Tweener,

I think being a native Italian speaker could be good for you in Ireland. Dublin would be a good place to start looking.

In boco al lupo...

gollem_1975

Tweener wrote: »

Hi,
I never wrote that I'm Irish!!! I'm actually Italian!
My ideal job: One that would allow me to travel frequently to Scotland, Norway and Switzerland...
Regarding job security in Germany....here it's very difficult to fire someone after the probation period, and in any case normally there is a standard 3-month notice period if the employee gets fired, or if he/she decides to quit...another world compared to the Anglo-Saxon one...for some things better, for others no.

question ? - why not look for a job in Norway, Scotland or Switzerland ?

Carlos_Ray

Tweener wrote: »

Hello,
I'm currently living in Germany since February, and I work in a small IT company that I like...but I don't like very much the country: Cold winters, high taxes, unfriendly people, difficult language to learn, etc...
Also, I would prefer to work for a company that would give me opportunities to travel in Europe (especially to Switzerland, Scotland and Norway), but the company I work for is too small, and doesn't have opportunities like this...but they pay quite good.
I would also prefer to live in a more sparsely populated country, rather than in overcrowded central Europe...

Do you think it's unwise to leave Germany to move to Ireland now, trying to find a job in a multinational IT company?
Thanks

If you're really not happy just move. Its easy to say "find a job first etc" but the most important thing is your mental health. You won't starve if you come back to Ireland without a job ( despite what some people on here would like you to believe.) In fact, you'll probably be in a better state of mind to job hunt when you're back in your comfort zone.

Its your right to live in Ireland, with, or without employment.


Edit::: Just read back and realised you're Italian...so fcuk off!

(Only messing, general message still applies)

Reactor

Stay away, this island is cursed I tell you.

But seriously, stay away, suicidal to quit a job and come here.

gandalf

Unless you have a job here or a very good prospect of a job I wouldn't quit your job in Germany. I'd suggest you look at the job sites and some of the bigger Multi-National Corporations who have European Headquarters here as they then to be looking for people with langauge skills most of the time.

Pkiernan

Tweener wrote: »

...but I don't like very much the country: Cold winters, high taxes, unfriendly people, difficult language to learn, etc...

Thanks

Sounds like Ireland to me

You would be insane to leave Germany for a job here, absolutely insane.

Take it from me, I left a fantastic paying job in Germany in 2008 to come here to look after my family. Economically it was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made.

Tweener

Hi Pkiernan,
I understand your PoV, but...I'm still young, I have no girlfriend, no wife, no children, no mortage, no car, no pets...so I can move relatively easily.
And I don't want to live the rest of my life in a middle-sized conservative Bavarian city, with few English-speaking expats like me...
I prefer small sparsely populated countries, like Ireland (at least The Republic of Ireland), Scotland, Norway or Switzerland...
But I don't want to live permanently in
- Norway: Because it's too dark and cold in winter, too far from the rest of Europe (you need a plane to go everywhere, including moving between cities), and too "nanny"...
- Switzerland: Too xenofobic, hypocrit country (they like foreigners only when they deposit their dirty money into their washing-machines-bank-accounts)

Cavehill Red

Tweener wrote: »

But I don't want to live permanently in
- Norway: Because it's too dark and cold in winter, too far from the rest of Europe (you need a plane to go everywhere, including moving between cities), and too "nanny"...

That's Ireland in a nutshell.

Tweener wrote: »

- Switzerland: Too xenofobic, hypocrit country (they like foreigners only when they deposit their dirty money into their washing-machines-bank-accounts)

So's that, largely, if you consider rich foreigners. We like poor foreigners for making coffee and serving in shops.

Sideshow Mark

The IT Industry is still growing in Ireland, they're still hiring people especially the multinationals. They are also particularly interested in people with the IT knowledge that can speak multiple languages. If I were you, I'd take a look at Microsoft, Google and Facebook websites, all three are based in Dublin and are currently hiring. Send them your CV, most first interviews are over the phone anyway so you wouldn't have to travel. What's the worst that can happen?

janullrich

That is very much generalization u are going on about there, saying that all Germans are unfriendly. I don't go to Milan and just because I don't try to get on with people say that all Italians are unfriendly. If you are not prepared to get on and try to get used to the country and language then my simple answer is to go back to Italy.

Dudess

Seems to be a lot of bilingual tech support work (Apple etc) if that is of any interest to you.

Tweener

janullrich wrote: »

That is very much generalization u are going on about there, saying that all Germans are unfriendly. I don't go to Milan and just because I don't try to get on with people say that all Italians are unfriendly. If you are not prepared to get on and try to get used to the country and language then my simple answer is to go back to Italy.

Hi,
you are right, I generalized too much...and it also depends a lot in which part of Germany do you live, you might find a bigger or rather small tendency of meeting unfriendly people...
I also met lots of friendly Germans...
But I'm still feeling attracted to Ireland, its sea, its cliffs, the sparsely populated areas...

gollem_1975

Tweener wrote: »

But I'm still feeling attracted to Ireland, its sea, its cliffs, the sparsely populated areas...

in that case maybe try Cork or Galway.

in fact HP have made a big jobs announcement in Galway only yesterday.

100 new jobs apparently.

peasant

Tweener wrote: »

But I'm still feeling attracted to Ireland, its sea, its cliffs, the sparsely populated areas...

You do realise that if you get a job in the IT sector, it will most likely be in Dublin, in some soulless industrial estate, a two hour traffic jam away from anywhere nice?

Or the other way round ...you realise that where there are cliffs, sea and few people that there are zero jobs?

Unless you plan on commuting 100+ kilometers a day it is very unlikely that you will ever manage to match beautiful location, sparse population and multilingual - multitravel IT job in one swoop.

Retail Hell

Move to Jersey, Guernsy or the Isle of Man, Tax free. Make the most of it, and work remotely.

x in the city

Retail Hell wrote: »

Move to Jersey, Guernsy or the Isle of Man, Tax free. Make the most of it, and work remotely.

and how would one do that, id say easier said than done

shur, if thats the case every tom, mike and joe would be down there now overlooking the english channel having some beers and tax free ciggies

daigo75

Tweener wrote: »

Hi,
I never wrote that I'm Irish!!! I'm actually Italian!

I knew it! Your description of Germany matches the standard description I get from all Italians, and I know well because I'm Italian too!

Tweener wrote: »

Hi,
you are right, I generalized too much...and it also depends a lot in which part of Germany do you live, you might find a bigger or rather small tendency of meeting unfriendly people...
I also met lots of friendly Germans...

Happy to hear that. Actually, I go to Germany at least once a year (and to Italy less than once a year), because, although I have difficulties accepting their "pork-driven" diet, I love (almost) everything else. Yes, winters are cold, but even with -20 a few weeks ago everything was working and I didn't risk to break my legs on the ice. Here I got stuck at home for 9 days because of 4 inches of snow. Where I come from (close to the Alps) that would be considered ridiculous! :rolleyes:

Regarding the people, my (German) wife helped me discovering some of the most beautiful places of her country and I noticed that, depending on where you go, people and habits can be incredibly different. My favourite part so far is the ex-DDR region. I found people to be friendlier, and they lead a somewhat simpler life than their west-Germany counterparts. However, it's a poorer region, which means lower costs but also lower employment opportunities.

All this to say that Germany is so varied, maybe you just have to find the right place. In Italy people at 100 km of distance don't even speak the same language, we should be the first ones knowing that generalizing doesn't make sense.

Tweener wrote: »

But I'm still feeling attracted to Ireland, its sea, its cliffs, the sparsely populated areas...

As peasant wrote, the sea, the cliffs and all the rest are nice and romantic, but you won't find a job without a long commute. I live in a rural area and I absolutely love the location, but 3 hours a day of commute are real killers.
Quoting Cavehill Red, add the very short winter days, the cold and the fact that you need a flight to go anywhere (like Norway).

Also, you'll find plenty of a$$holes here too, many of which occupy higher management positions.

On the plus, summers with long days and mild temperatures, plenty of beautiful scenery to see at a short distance (you'll need a car, though), tasty beef and lamb, good beer and several other things. Since you're young and "free", maybe you could give it a try, but keep in mind you're taking a considerable risk as the situation is not extremely pleasant at the moment, and the future doesn't look very bright.

Regarding Scotland, I've been there too and a colleague of mine comes from there. I could give you more details about it, but I've been to boring already. :P

Eoin

peasant wrote: »

You do realise that if you get a job in the IT sector, it will most likely be in Dublin, in some soulless industrial estate, a two hour traffic jam away from anywhere nice?

Or the other way round ...you realise that where there are cliffs, sea and few people that there are zero jobs?

Unless you plan on commuting 100+ kilometers a day it is very unlikely that you will ever manage to match beautiful location, sparse population and multilingual - multitravel IT job in one swoop.

True that Dublin has a lot of the IT jobs, but a lot of them are in the city centre. And speaking as someone who works in a soulless industrial estate, it's actually half the commuting time for twice the distance compared to when I worked in the suburbs or city centre.

I've heard that the tech industry in Galway is doing very well too.

doolox wrote: »

If the irish job is temp then think very carefully.
Irish employment law allows the boss to let you go for no reason in the first 2 years.........

No, probationary periods can only last a maximum of 12 months in Ireland, apart from specific industries. They don't have to pay redundancy until you've two years service, but they can't let you go for no reason after the probationary period.

doolox wrote: »

There is very little protection for workers in Ireland.
Very little proper unionisation or representation in the technology sector so you better be good to excellent at your job at all times. This gets harder as one gets older and the younger workers have you for breakfast.

Yep, you have to earn your wage; which isn't a bad thing. To say that it's a young person's game isn't completely true either. Experience counts for an awful lot.

With regards to the travel - it's an expense that a lot of companies are cutting back on; especially with the advances in communications these days.

If you do get to travel with work, I can tell you first hand that the novelty wears off very quickly. Unless you constantly take time off after a business trip and pay for an extra few days accommodation yourself, you probably won't get to see much of the place you're visiting. Most of what you get to see is another identical chain hotel, another office and another departure lounge.

daigo75

eoin wrote: »

If you do get to travel with work, I can tell you first hand that the novelty wears off very quickly. Unless you constantly take time off after a business trip and pay for an extra few days accommodation yourself, you probably won't get to see much of the place you're visiting. Most of what you get to see is another identical chain hotel, another office and another departure lounge.

+1, I've done that for several years in my career. I've been to many parts of Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy for work, and I never had the chance of seeing/visiting anything. Unless you're lucky, business trips are greatly overrated.