That is what I plan on doing is finding a winter job for the Christmas season.

That is a great idea!!!! I will have to ask around the stores here in my area and see if they have any openings for the winter season.

Thank you

Dear Little Star and other ladies ,
I would like to give you a big hug, as I definitely know how you feel! It happened to me in the past that many downs with rare ups hit me and it was taking me lower and lower. I used to be single at that time and was out of job for 2 years, in a big city, but was very stone-headed and decided to provide for myself. With a university diploma, I was doing all (im)possible jobs you can imagine - typing, lecturing at low hourly rate, very often I had very little (mostly no) money in my pocket. I would say it is very, very important to firmly believe, to KNOW for sure that the period of insecurity will finish at certain point and go on in spite of all rejections. Don't think, don't let negative emotions to intrude your life, just repeat - I must go on...and do go on. Write those cover letters with no negative feelings, just write and send them.
I know how simple it is to say it, but difficult to do it in spite of all bad things happening to you. From my shoes, I would say that we obviously must go through such struggles at certain point of our lives - so many people around me faced the same situation.
It are not hypocritical words or empty self-help drool - have been there and experienced it! The smartest do not win always - however, I believe the most persistent ones are real winners!
My fingers are crossed for you and your persistence!

Originally Posted by zaduzl

Dear Little Star and other ladies , I would like to give you a big hug, as I definitely know how you feel! It happened to me in the past that many downs with rare ups hit me and it was taking me lower and lower. I used to be single at that time and was out of job for 2 years, in a big city, but was very stone-headed and decided to provide for myself. With a university diploma, I was doing all (im)possible jobs you can imagine - typing, lecturing at low hourly rate, very often I had very little (mostly no) money in my pocket. I would say it is very, very important to firmly believe, to KNOW for sure that the period of insecurity will finish at certain point and go on in spite of all rejections. Don't think, don't let negative emotions to intrude your life, just repeat - I must go on...and do go on. Write those cover letters with no negative feelings, just write and send them. I know how simple it is to say it, but difficult to do it in spite of all bad things happening to you. From my shoes, I would say that we obviously must go through such struggles at certain point of our lives - so many people around me faced the same situation. It are not hypocritical words or empty self-help drool - have been there and experienced it! The smartest do not win always - however, I believe the most persistent ones are real winners! My fingers are crossed for you and your persistence!

Thank you Zaduzl How did you know my name meant little star? Do you speak German

My family got the bad news this week, that my husband will be losing approx 60% of his sales coming next month. One of the US-Giants in the medical industry bought up one of his main companies and they will be using their own distributors. So this basically means 60% of our income will be gone and we will really have to work hard to make ends meet.

I have an interview on Tuesday with a company who is interested in hiring me through a temp agency. Not ideal, but better than nothing. And on Friday I have a phone interview for a REALLY GREAT position. I will have to work my "§% off to make sure I do a good job on that one!

Originally Posted by Sternchen

Thank you Zaduzl How did you know my name meant little star? Do you speak German My family got the bad news this week, that my husband will be losing approx 60% of his sales coming next month. One of the US-Giants in the medical industry bought up one of his main companies and they will be using their own distributors. So this basically means 60% of our income will be gone and we will really have to work hard to make ends meet. I have an interview on Tuesday with a company who is interested in hiring me through a temp agency. Not ideal, but better than nothing. And on Friday I have a phone interview for a REALLY GREAT position. I will have to work my "§% off to make sure I do a good job on that one!

Yes, I do speak German and know Germany very well, I travel there very often and have enjoyed Bavaria and Munich a lot in the past. Hope it will continue in the future.
I have read your thread carefully (for the reason I used to be in the very same situation in the past) and have been thinking about you and all the people being in the same situation.
I remember, when I was jobless, everything was going down, new problems coming in on daily basis, I believed there was no end to them.
Today, everyone is actually faced with a risk to lose job anytime.
In that situation, it is very important to stay calm (oh, I know how tough it is and I almost hated people who had jobs and was very concerned about myself - as I there was something wrong with me) and concentrate to do your best applying, attending interviews, etc...that way, you will encourage people to employ you, the sunshine will enter your working life finally. (I got the job after multiple calls to a company where I knew nobody, I was so ashamed as if I had been begging for mercy, but closed my eyes and went through that barrier with courage, and manager employed me for my stability, dedication and optimism (oh, if he only had known how unstable I was, on the border, but obviously controlled the situation pretty well)).
I keep fingers crossed for your family and other ladies/gents participating in this thread. Will think of you and your efforts in the coming days.

Sternchen, sorry to hear about difficulties with your job hunt.

not sure if this helps but our institution sends yearly hundreds of students from abroad to Germany and they have to go on internship hunt. not at all the same but you know, it is not easy to get an internship if your German is not great. anyways, students with no amazing grades and not amazing Germans have gotten AMAZING positions due to perseverance. I honestly think that 60+ applications is not that much, given that some people send hundreds within a reasonable timeframe. I know you want to go into the banking/treasury field but I would look into thinking about other fields so that you have a more solid base to rely on. there is a job out there (plus the banking sector has difficulties as it is)

Thank you Lara

I had an interview today at a bank and it went very well. The job would go through a temp company for the rest of the year and then the option is open for the company to take me on board as a regular employee. They seemed very interested and they were really nice. It would be as an assistant to the CEOs assistant.. if that makes sense The job duties sound interesting and challenging. Coordinating telephone conferences, talking with the other banks that belong to them, etc. Sounds interesting - I hope it works out.

The only negative point is the commute. About 1.5 hours each way. I guess that's better than nothing though, right? I don't want to rip my kids out of school for a job that may only last 3 months. So I'd have to commute..

Originally Posted by Sternchen

Thank you Lara I had an interview today at a bank and it went very well. The job would go through a temp company for the rest of the year and then the option is open for the company to take me on board as a regular employee. They seemed very interested and they were really nice. It would be as an assistant to the CEOs assistant.. if that makes sense The job duties sound interesting and challenging. Coordinating telephone conferences, talking with the other banks that belong to them, etc. Sounds interesting - I hope it works out. The only negative point is the commute. About 1.5 hours each way. I guess that's better than nothing though, right? I don't want to rip my kids out of school for a job that may only last 3 months. So I'd have to commute..

You can always commute until you know if you have the job permanently and then you could look into relocating. I'm currently looking for jobs and apartments 2.5 hours away from where I currently am because I think I might have more success in a large city finding work, plus the College I go to is there. I am just having issues with figuring out what I can afford for an apartment since I have no income to go off of and things in the city are so much more expensive than where I am now!

Originally Posted by ladyash

You can always commute until you know if you have the job permanently and then you could look into relocating. I'm currently looking for jobs and apartments 2.5 hours away from where I currently am because I think I might have more success in a large city finding work, plus the College I go to is there. I am just having issues with figuring out what I can afford for an apartment since I have no income to go off of and things in the city are so much more expensive than where I am now!

Exactly. I know what you mean! Frankfurt is extremely expensive and it would be very complicated to get an appartment for our family for only 3 months. That would mean giving up our place now, taking my kids out of school and putting them into a new school. 1.5 hours isn't really that bad. While I was doing a prep-course to get into University here in Germany, my commute was about 2 hours each way!

well, I keep my fingers crossed for you. Frankfurt would be ridiculous to live in either way, honestly, the commute might be your best option full stop, considering that your mum lives close by. plus it is not all that safe for permanent living downtown (unless you REALLY spend some money).

having relatives close by that can help you juggle work and kids is worth their weight and gold. I don't have anyone close by and rely on myself completely, which is really difficult. when one of the kids gets sick I have to get a huge operation going. German employers might not be that understanding (actually they aren't) if you take too many days off because of this kind of thing. wishing you all the best and that it works out :-)

Originally Posted by lara0112

well, I keep my fingers crossed for you. Frankfurt would be ridiculous to live in either way, honestly, the commute might be your best option full stop, considering that your mum lives close by. plus it is not all that safe for permanent living downtown (unless you REALLY spend some money). having relatives close by that can help you juggle work and kids is worth their weight and gold. I don't have anyone close by and rely on myself completely, which is really difficult. when one of the kids gets sick I have to get a huge operation going. German employers might not be that understanding (actually they aren't) if you take too many days off because of this kind of thing. wishing you all the best and that it works out :-)

Thank you! We'd need at least a 3 bedroom apartment and the ones that I found that were in a decent area and a good size were at about 1.500€ a month, not including utilities. We'd have like... 20€ left over for the month to buy groceries, pay for telephone, heating, water, LOL! And another downfall of actually living IN the city, is that I won't be able to drive my car there come next year. The new emissions law takes effect on the first of next year and by then only people with a green sticker (I have yellow) will be allowed to drive in the city. So either way, we couldn't live in Frankfurt.

The commutes will be tough, but I'm sure we'll figure out a way to make it all work out. Now I just have to get everything taken care of with the temp agency... I just hope it won't leave a bad mark on my resume..

Hi everyone,

just wanted to pop in and see how everyone was doing. The past few weeks have been pretty busy here.

At the end of September I had a telephone interview with a major company. The telephone interview went well and I am now invited to an Assessment Center (battery of tests to test my intelligence and social skills) in Berlin. I will be there from the 5th to the 6th. The company is paying for my train ticket and the hotel room. Nice, huh?

I was able to convince the temp agency to let me start 2 weeks later. They originally wanted me to start on the 4th, but I couldn't work 1 day and then ask for 2 off, know what I mean? I made up an excuse and the lady wasn't happy. She said that I wasn't being very reliable and blah blah. It was an awful situation, but I would kick myself in the butt for not taking the chance at trying to get a job at the major company. Know what I mean? Anyway, I got her to push my start date back to the 17th.

That way I will have a back-up plan just in case it doesn't work out with the other company. I'm still upset that I might be doing temp-work but it really is better than nothing.

I have been out of work 2 months...im starting to worry. I have a large unplanned expense that's going to kill my savings.

can I join just got laid off today.

Originally Posted by *SPOILEDROYALTY

can I join just got laid off today.

Oh, big {{{ hugs }}}. I have a feeling I am going to be joining you shortly. Again. Second time in two years. They haven't come out and said it yet, because there's a lot they want me to do before Christmas.... but the writing is there on the wall....Ugh. Here we go again.....