Empower to Grow - The Career Podcast: Recent Episodes
Sarah Grötzinger
The Empower to Grow Podcast is your go-to Career Advice podcast, if you are an international engineer or technical expert looking to grow to the next level of your career in Germany. My name is Sarah and it is my passion to support you, to create a career where your life and work are not two separate things, but one entity.
As a former tech recruiter and certified coach, I will give you easy to follow steps for your jobsearch and application process, tons of inspiration for your personal development and hands on advice from inspirational interview guests.
Recently a former client of mine reached out to tell me that he started his internship a month ago, but all he has been doing so far is watching tutorials and waiting for a tool licenses to be issued. He wanted some advice on how to still make this a valuable experience and find some tasks of his own.
Since this is not the first time I heard this happening, I thought it makes sense to share my ideas on what to do in this scenario. SO today you will find out how to add value to a company, create your own projects and turn yourself into a an employee that they will never want to leave again.
Enjoy!
Should I talk about wanting to become pregnant during the application process?
How can I best include my years of parental leave in my CV?
If you have been wondering how to handle those questions, this Episode is the answer!
While you should always keep in mind that integrating family & career is a highly personal and individual matter with no definite "right" or "wrong", in this Episode I'm sharing my personal take on:
- How to handle your desire to found a family during the interview process
- What to put in your CV when you have spent a few months or years with childcare
- How to communicate to your employer when you are pregnant
I hope you enjoy these topics! Please share this Episode with everyone it could be relevant for in their situation.
Thank you,
Yours Sarah
Since I announced being pregnant some time ago on LinkedIn, I have naturally also received more questions about founding a family or moving your family to Germany from my international clients. With this Episode, I am aiming to give you a quick overview about the most important topocs if you are thinking about founding a family in Germany or moving here.
We will cover:
- Pregnancy: Healthcare, insurance & maternity leave
- As an employee: parental allowance
- Childcare & education
Please note that I am not an expert in these fields, but as I mention in the Podcast, we have several places in Germany where you can specific advice for your situation. Here are some helpful links for you:
Official government website "Make it in Germany": https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/living-in-germany/family-life/
Pro Familia counceling: https://www.profamilia.de/en/topics/becoming-a-parent/financial-and-social-assistance
You will also find more information about health insurance in my previous interview Epsiode 8 with financial planner Alicia Aswani.
A client of mine was asked to become a team lead after working for only 2 years in total. After thinking it through carefully, she decided to decline the offer, because she did not feel ready for this new challenge yet. So another team member got the role and she did not get on with his leadership style at all and frequently kept thinking how much better she would have filled the position. She ended up leaving the company - regretting that she did not have the courage to simply accept this new challenge.
With this episode, I would like to give you some impulses and strategies to firstly decide, if a new challenge is right for you or not.
If you are keen on accepting a new role, project, client, job offer, etc., but do not feel quite ready for it - tune in to learn about easy steps to take to make sure not to miss any exciting chances in your career.
Enjoy and don't forget to leave me a rating and/or a review on your Podcast platform of choice!
Yours,
Sarah
A career vision is a powerful and inspiring tool on your way to figure out who you want to be in your life & career and which impact you want to make on the world.
A career vision serves as your guiding star with making career decisions and choosing your next steps.
Convinced that you need it?
Tune in to find out more!
And before you go:
Please do not forget to leave me a rating or review on the Podcasting platform of your choice.
Thank you so so much for this!
Meetings are a crucial scenario if you want to be seen and heard in the workplace and eventually have a great impact on your career progress. Therefore, we really want to make sure that you feel comfortable in meetings, frequently contribute and this way manage to stand out in the workplace.
In this new Episode, I have 4 specific strategies for you that will help you with the following meeting scenarios:
- You sit in a meeting and really want to contribute something, but by the time you feel ready to speak up, the agenda has already moved forward.
- You generally don't know what to say or what is expected of you
- You sit through many meetings without saying anything
- You took the courage to contribute a valuable idea, but nobody seems to have heard it
Enjoy the Episode!
By the way: If you would like to book me as a trainer for your company, university or other organizations, just reach out via E-Mail: connect@sarah-groetzinger.de
Lucky you…and welcome to the world of luxury problems :)
Several of my clients have recently found themselves in the state of receiving more than one job, thesis or internship offer.
In this Epsiode, I'll talk about 3 specific criteria that will help you make the decision, but I'm also going to let you know what to do when you have accepted an offer, but then receive an even better one.
Tune in if you need guidance with your decision making process!
Can you believe it? The Empower to Grow Career Podcast is already 1 year old!!!
So Happy Birthday to me in that case :) and thank you so so much to everyone who has been and is listening!
For this birthday episode, I have decided not to talk about one very specific topic, but to share some of my learnings and decision making processes along the way along with a few very personal insights into my life.
Topics included are:
- How to start challenging new projects when you don't feel ready
- Making life changing decisions
- How to finally put yourself in the very first place in your life
- Personal & business news for 2022
Tune in for the most personal episode I have ever recorded so far!
Here's also the link to my Podcast accountability partner's Podcast Sabine Menzyk I mention in the beginning of this episode: Leading Why
If you would like to grab one of the last available coaching sessions with me for the next months, send me an E-Mail or book a Discovery Call with me.
This is an Episode dedicated to all my listeners, who are planning to come to Germany from their home countries.
I'm exploring 10 of the most common mistakes that internationals make, but of course also give you different ideas for each of them about how to fix them.
The topics I cover include:
- Do I need a CV in Europass format?
- There are so many experts, friends and family members giving me advice on what to do - but I feel completely overwhelmed
- Which plattforms should I use when applying?
- Should I come to Germany on a jobseeker visa?
- I know I need to network - but how?
- And so much more
Tune in if you want to save yourself a lot of time and effort by avoiding these common mistakes from the beginning and please share this Episode with any friend or family member in the same situation to help them, too!
Help me to grow the Empower to Grow Career Podcast
You also have the amazing chance to win a FREE 30 minute 1:1 session online with me until February 15th 2022 by simply writing a review for this Podcast on the plattform of your choice and sending me a screenshot of your review to my E-Mail address: connect@sarah-groetzinger.de
On February 15th I will draw the winner. So be quick and help me to grow the Empower to Grow Career Podcast!
What is this Hidden Jobmarket that everyone is talking about and how do I access it?
If you are also among those people, who has had enough of the mystery that is being created around this and just want to know the facts, this Episode ist for you!
Today you will find out:
- What the Hidden Jobmarket is
- Why you should even care about it
- And what the key to access it is
But let me assure you: If you would like to successfully create your next job opportunity, you definitely need to tap into this Hidden Market full of possibilities!
In Episode 9 I already introduced a part of the LinkedIn strategy, that will help you to do just that. Feel free to go back to it.
If you are keen to join my upcoming course that explores the strategy to access the Hidden Jobmarket in detail, please sign up for my newsletter to be amongst the first people to be informed. The 4 weeks course will be entirely for free the first time I rund it - so you probably do not want to miss out. Sign up here.
Has it ever happened to you that as an employee, you plan your pojects for the year, business events, budgets - but you completely forget to plan your own development or your pay rise?
And when months of the year have passed and you finally get round to planning and asking for them you hear lame excuses like:
- "Sorry, this is not the right time to discuss this."
- "We don't have any budget for this."
- "Your team member is already attending a similar training. Get the input from them."
Etc., etc.
Let me tell you: It has happened to me frequently!
Therefore, I dedicated this first Episode of the New Year to giving you the best strategies of how to plan for your successful development as an employee. We will cover:
- How to plan you personal growth inside the company
- How to plan the development of your technical skills
- How to plan your monetary development aka. asking for a pay rise
If you are looking for support at anything related to your development inside your current job - let me assure you: This is also part of what I do as a career coach. Just book your free 15 minute Discovery Call to discuss how we can best work on your personal growth: Link to my calendar.
Enjoy the Episode!
Yours,
Sarah
I've been thinking for a while what to talk about in my Episode just before Christmas - and which other topic seems more obvious than gratefulness?
In some ways, it's become a hype in the past years, because everybody seems to be talking about it. But there are definitely worse hypes out there, than to focus on the good things in your life - or what do you think?
Therefore, in today's Epsiode you will find out why I personally consider being grateful for who you are and for what you have so important. I'll also share the world's simplest gratefulness excercise with you that you can very easily implement on a daily basis.
And of course: you will also find out what I am extremly grateful for if you listen until the end.
If you feel like sharing with me what you are grateful for or any other type of feedback, you can always reach me through LinkedIn or e-mail.
I can't wait to hear from you!
Are you sick and tired of scrolling jobboards until you find something that matches?
If your answer is a clear YES: This episode is for you!
If you know what kind of job you would like to have, I consider it your personaly responsibility for your future you to just go out there and grab the chance.
In this Episode, you'll learn my 3 easy steps of how to make your initiative application or unsolicited application work.
I'll guide you through:
- What "Initiative" application actually means
- What the greatest benefits are
- Who it is for
- How to improve your chances
- Which differences you need to keep in mind when drafting your cover letter for this type of application
Enjoy the episode and please don't forget to leave me a review & rating on your favourite Podcasting station.
Yours,
Sarah
If you want to learn more about how to successfully create your own job opportunities independent of jobboards, my Careergineers Community is definitely right for you! Check it out here.
So many rumours out there about jobsearching within the last weeks of the year. In several calls I heard that:
"Companies are not hiring anyway now, why should I even make an effort?"
In this quick and insightful Episode I'm providing you with lots of arguments, why now might actually even be the BEST time to continue jobsearching. Want to find out more?
Tune in!
If you want to polish up your jobsearch strategy, I would strongly recommend you to join my online Community Careergineers! We are waiting for you inside the group: https://www.careercoach-deutschland.de/careergineers
Last weeks success story of my 15 year old cousin scoring a job offer in her first interview ever after we rehearsed for it together, hast prompted me to share my interview prep secrets with you today.
I strongly believe everyone can do amazingly well in interviews - if only you prepare and actually practise your introduction and answers to tricky questions ALOUD, preferably with somebody elso to listen and give you feedback.
In this Epsiode I am describing my exact steps of how I prepare interviews with clients and give you 5 reasons why it is worthwhile for you to follow this process.
If you want to look at a great structure for your self-introduction, go back to Episode 6.
If you would like to make use of your special offer to book a discounted interview preparation session with me, simply book a Kickstart Session here and use the promo code: Interview Prep
Can't wait to help you succeed in your next interview!
Yours,
Sarah
By popular demand, Yadu is back! And we've flipped the script on the traditional interview process, as listeners who heard Episode #28 might have seen coming - he's doing the interview this time!
For the first time in the history of The Empower to Grow Career Podcast, I am on the guest chair and answering a fun list of questions about me and the truths behind all my content creation.
You'll find the answers to weird and maybe controversial questions about recruitment in Germany, FAQ from clients and a discussion about biases on international names in the hiring process.
We go through what should be changed in the hiring process in Germany, habits and systems and leveraging them in terms of job search strategies. Also on the menu are book recommendations, podcasts and other resources that I love consuming!
We end things off on a quick fire round - and some answers, I am sure, will surprise you.
If there is any other questions that YOU would like to add to an episode - here's a direct link to add your questions - and we will come back and do a follow up episode!
If you like this podcast, shoot me a Message on LinkedIn
- to book a call, here's the link.
Enjoy your Week :)
In this really quick and crisp Epsiode, I will let you know exactly why I am convinced that every CV should contain a profile summary.
You will learn 4 reasons in what way this section that is also often called "About me" or "Personal information" will be of great benefit to you.
Of course I will also explain, which information this section should contain.
If you want to see some great examples of profile summaries and learn how to create an excellent CV, make sure to join my next free webinar in November. I'm going to repeat my most popular one so far:
Easy CV hacks - Upgrade your CV in 10 minutes.
You can now sign up already on my website via this link: https://www.careercoach-deutschland.de/event-details/easy-cv-hacks-upgrade-your-cv-in-10-minutes
Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, UK, Canada & Germany
My interview guest today has lived and worked in 8 countries and founded multiple companies. The most recent company that he co-founded, Noah Mobility GmbH, specialises in assisting internationals with their relocation to Germany.
This makes Daniel Zinner just the perfect interview guest to discuss relocating to Germany as well as founding your own company. Daniel is an International HR Consultant, Founder and Podcaster with a wealth of experience in global assignments and relocation.
From todays Episode you will learn:
- How to create a smooth and easy relcoation process for yourself as well as your family
- How the app Ark One by Noah Mobility can assist you with that
- What to pay attention to when founding your own company in Germany as an international
As well as tons of other tips from Daniel's personal international career story.
This Epsiode containes advertisments for Noah Mobility GmbH who I have become an Ambassador for, because I am truly convinced by the outstanding, transparent service they provide for everyone relocating to Germany.
If you decide to use any of their services, I would be grateful to you if you do so via this affiliate link. This will be of no extra cost to you, but will give me a small comission:
https://noah-mobility.de/signup?source=sarah-groetzinger.de
If you would like to connect to Daniel you can do so here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-zinner-mba/
Website: https://zinner.io/
Podcast: https://berliner-zinner.de/
You can have the best jobsearch strategy, perfect application documents, a supportive network, prepare meticulously for interviews and still not succeed in creating your dream career. But why is that?
Have you already heard about limiting beliefs aka the stories you tell yourself and believe to be absolutely true? If you haven't, but keep asking yourself "Why am I not successful with what I am doing?" this is a worthwhile field to tap into.
If you are already aware of some of your beliefs - let's check if you hold any of the examples I mention during this Episode.
With my experience as a Career Coach for internationals in Germany, I have been able to identify a whole set of shared limiting beliefs that might stop you from achieving your career goals. The shocking fact is: Not a lot of people actually dare to work on them and change them!
With this Epsiode, you can make the first step, as I am sharing one of my favourite strategies about how to identify these stories in your head and how to change them to serve you instead of limit you.
I would be keen to hear what you think about this Episode! Feel free to share your feedback in a direct message to me on LinkedIn.
Would you like some help in identifying and changing the beliefs that limit you? Then reach out and book your free 15 minute Discovery Call with me: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
After the amazingly successful episode I did with Yadu last week, I felt the need to talk about something BIG today.
And what could be bigger than showing you a step by step process of how to achieve the goals that currently seem faaaar out of reach for you.
No matter if this is founding your own company, financial freedom, learning to skydive - the bigger, the better.
Based on my own story and experiences, I will show you:
- How to identify the biggest fear that stops you
- How to summon the courage to get past that fear
- How to attract what you want into your life
If you enjoy content like this, let me know in a direct message on LinkedIn.
And please: Also check out my new Community Careergineers. The doors are opening TODAY!
Last week I told you why you need to do more than just sending out applications to successfully create the best job opportunity for yourself. This week I am back with another interview, where we will introduce 6 unconventional ways of finding a job for you - without sending out a single application.
I am joined by the amazing fuel cell engineer & content creator Yadu Krishna and we will start off this Episode by an exciting announcement!
Yadu will tell you the exact steps how he created a job for himself that never existed and will let you know how you can copy his strategy.
He has prepared his 6 favourite and unconventional methods of finding a job that range from
- Hackathons
- Automation
- Cold calling
To his personal LinkedIn strategy
Of course, you will get my take from a former recruiter's perspective on all of these points.
Tune in for an episode full of applicable strategies as well as Yadu's secret sauce!
And please do connect to Yadu on LinkedIn and check out his website.
If you are interested in regular input by the two of us, join our Community "Careergineers". More info here:
https://www.careercoach-deutschland.de/careergineers
You might or might not be aware that currently only about 25% of all existing job opportunities on the German market are posted on job boards. Naturally, these are heavily targeted by all active jobsearchers.
This already makes it obvious that just sending out applications to those jobs is NOT the strategy that will bring you the best success or access to the best opportunities for yourself.
In this new Episode I will reveal my 3 pillars of a good jobsearch strategy and explain what you need for each of them.
- Learn how recruitment agencies can help you
- Why you need a networking list AND a company target list
- And why you really should dedicate your time to solving challenging engineering problems instead of job searching
Tune in, if you want to find out how to access the best jobs with a time investment of 10-15 minutes daily instead of hours.
You will find further input about why to use LinkedIn as part of your strategy in Episode #9.
For applicable hacks, sign up for my free webinar on September 22nd, 2021 here.
And obviously, get waitlisted for my upcoming "Careergineers" Community!
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Yours
Sarah
It's September, hiring has picked up again in Germany - and an increasing amount of people are starting into their new jobs.
In this new Epsiode, I have come up with 9 things to do, to ensure that your first weeks in the new company are successful and will set you up for great progress.
We will look at:
- General onboarding procedures
- Some German habits of starting in a new role
- Building relationships & a network
- Possibilities to receive even more benefits than initially offered
Tune in if you have recently started a new job or are going to do that soon - especially if this is your first real job in Germany!
For additional tips, also check out Episode #22 - The tips I give there to turn your AUG assignment into a permanent contract can mostly also be applied to your jobstart.
If you want to understand a bit more about the "Vermögenswirksame Leistungen" I mention in the Episode, see this article here:
https://germantaxes.de/tax-tips/capital-accumulation-benefits/
Did anything go seriously wrong in your first days at work? Book a discovery call with me to discuss what to do next: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
Have you been considering a career in Data Science?
Are you wondering what it takes to succeed in this field?
In this amazingly valuable new interview Episode, Airbus Data Scientist Yassine and I talk about his passion field.
He will let you know the technical basis you need as well as the most relevant skills to have and develop to succeed as a Data Scientist.
BUT: He will also honestly talk about why falling for the coolest job of the century is not for everybody. So be honest with yourself!
As an extra bonus, Yassine has successfully managed his career start in Germany as an international (without any initial German skills) and shares his journey. Be prepared to note down an amazing number of great tips about:
- His personal LinkedIn strategy
- Portfolio building
- Successfully following up after interviews
- And so much more!
For a lot of insight into Data Science & AI concepts and input about developing your career as a Data Scientist, connect to him on LinkedIn and check out his content:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/walid-yassine-medjati/
Did you enjoy the Episode? Please leave your rating & review!
Thank you,
yours Sarah
- Is your upcoming interview something that gives you anxiety?
- Do you also never know how honest and authentic you should really be in interviews?
- Have you ever wondered what to do when you have several interviews and receive an offer - but not from your favourite company?
If these are questions on your mind at the moment, then this Episode comes exactly at the right time for you!
I am sharing some especially valuable interview tips with you that you will only rarely find in other career guides or blogs.
Tune in if you want to know more about:
- The best mindset with which to approach the interview
- What I think about honesty and authenticity in interviews
- How to solve the offer dilemma
And make sure to also check out my new website that will give you a much better overview about all my offers for internationals looking to build their career in Germany:
https://www.careercoach-deutschland.de/
A holiday no matter if you are travelling or not, is always a great time to do a quick career check-up and assess how you feel about your current job. Being away from the office, but also especially thinking about going back there, reveals a lot.
This is why I want to share with you some self-assessment questions today that will help you assess where you stand and if there are any needs for change.
Just dedicate an hour of your valuable holiday time to think about them. It's gonna be worth it!
Have you identified anything that you can not solve on your own? Just book a call with me:
https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
Here you can find my free webinar about Interview Hacks - Just sign up!
https://www.careercoach-deutschland.de/event-details/online-training-interview-hacks
The good new is: You have suceeded in securing a job for yourself in Germany at your dream company! But currently, you are under a leasing contract under the AUG regulation or ANÜ-Vertrag in German. Naturally, you want to give your best to be offered a permanent contract once your assignment ends or at least get an extension.
For this new Episode, I have come up with 9 ways that will help you convert your AUG contract into a permanent one and make yourself a valuable asset to the company that they simply cannot let go.
Tune in to find out how to do that!
By the way: All but one of these tips can also be implemented when you are new in a company - so it might still be worth listening even if you are not under an AUG contract!
Need some help with any work related issues? Book a Discovery Call to see how I can help you solve them!
https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
Being employed in Germany for the first time can be confusing if you are exploring this from your home country, have just moved here or have studied in Germany, but never worked full time.
In this Episode, my aim is to give you an overview of the 3 1/2 most common ways of employment for engineers and technical experts.
- Full-time permanent contract - limited and unlimited
- Permanent contract with AUG labour leasing to another company
- Freelance work
- Minijobs
Tune in to understand the differences as well as some advantages and disadvantages for you with each contract type.
If you have any questions about this, feel free to contact me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
Or book a free Discovery Call with me:
https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
To get more advise about your finances in Germany as well as insurance and taxes, see the interview Episode 8 I made with financial planner Alicia Aswani.
If only I was already done with my application documents…I had wanted to do it last month already!
Do you also know the problem of procrastination - especially if there is no fixed deadline attached?
And if there is a deadline, you do make it - but in what state?
Emotional stress, sleepless nights and the never ending feeling of "I could have done much better, if I had had more time."
You beat yourself up for procrastinating - but have you ever managed to see the good side about it?
Good? Why would there be anything good about it, you may ask.
There always is. Just tune in to find out what.
In this Episode I am sharing 4 specific steps, that have helped me personally to transform from an Expert-Procrastinator during my studies to someone who is completely free of this problem now.
You want to book me as your accountability partner? Just schedule yourself a free call with me in my calendar:
https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
And don't forget to leave a review and rating!
Some interview questions are more easy to answer than others. In this Episode, I have picked 3 very common interview questions, that most of my clients find difficult to answer.
You will find my strategies to answer:
The weakness question:
What are your weaknesses?
The future question:
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
The location question:
Why do you want to work in this location?
Of course, I am also sharing some specific sample answers.
If you want to learn how to nail your interview introduction, I would also recommend you to listen to Episode 6 within this Podcast.
All the best for your upcoming interviews!
Would you like to prepare your interviews together with me and play mock interview?
Book yourself a free discovery call to discuss: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
Temporary failure is part of every game!
A few months ago I was feeling really low. I was drained of energy. I had less bookings and therefore of course also less money.
Wherever I looked, it seemed like everyone else was so much more successful and like it was going really well for everyone but me.
In this new Episode, I am taking you on a very personal inside journey through a time that I experienced as failure. Allthough you might be in an entirely different situation in your life and career right now, the experience of lows and times where we feel that things are not going well or times when we feel completely overwhelmed, is something that we all have in common.
Let me take you through the internal as well as external changes I have made to pull myself out of this situation and get some advise on how to transfer them to your own situation.
I will share some powerful questions to ask yourself to get you out of negative situations and remind you that there is only one person capable of initiating this transformation: YOU!
But taking help is always ok.
If you need help to get out of a personal low you are experiencing or would like to take my advice to discuss your options, just book yourself a free Discovery Call with me:
https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
I am there for you!
Becoming a fluent communicator in an intercultural environment does not start with country specific training along the lines of "How to work successfully in Germany". Just as your career development, it also starts with a thorough self-analysis. To move away from stereotypes it is important to move away from very generalised cultural traits towards preferences of individuals inside cultural norms.
Initially, Intercultural Coach & Trainer Vanessa Paisley and I wanted to discuss the influences of intercultural awareness and skills on career development - but this interview Episode has turned out to be so much more and certainly has a takeaway for everyone striving towards a good life & career in this digitalised and globalised world.
Digitalisation
We explore whether the frequent opportunities of intercultural communication in virtual settings have actually really brought the world closer together and what is needed to build rapport in these settings across cultures.
Language
We discuss the challenges of English as a global working language when for a vast majority of people it is actually the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th language.
Personality & Authenticity in the German culture
We examine specific traits of the German work culture internationals need to be aware of and in what way they are changing in our modern world. Is showcasing your personality and authenticity really in conflict with adapting to another culture?
Creating Multicultural High Performance Teams
You will also learn from Vanessa why multicultural teams are never average - either they perform poorly or turn out to be high performance teams. How to turn your team into a multicultural high performance team and why intercultural team training can be the secret sauce for your team's well being and success is the real goodie of this Episode!
Tune in for lots of insights on successful intercultural communication and specific advice!
Here are the links to Vanessa's recommendations on intercultural content:
Reading:
Erin Meyer The Culture Map
Richard Nesbitt The Geography of Thought - How Asians and Westerners Think Differently - and Why
Tayo Rockson Use Your Difference to Make a Difference
Podcasts:
The Deep Culture Podcast
https://japanintercultural.org/podcast/welcome-to-the-deep-culture-podcast/
As Told by Nomads
https://tayorockson.com/media
To connect with Vanessa and work with her go to:
Website: https://paisley-communication.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessapaisleycommunication/
Instagram: @paisleycommunication
We're looking forward to receiving your feedback and impressions on this Episode!
If you want to find out how my personal intercultural skills can benefit your career development, book a free 15 minute Discovery Call in my calendar:
https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
Get out a job description you want to apply for and tune into this Episode.
I am guiding you step by step through the process of writing a good cover letter. Together with me you will explore:
- Which paragraphs to include
- Which information to put in every paragraph
- How to write a catchy entry that makes the recruiter want to call you
- How long the cover letter needs to be
- The quickest way to be done with a cover letter
…and many other things.
So if you have been sitting in front of a blank page wondering what to write and how, this Episode will solve your problem.
If you want me to help you with upgrading your documents to the next level and include your personality in there, book a free 15 minute Discovery Call in my calendar:
https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
I would be more than happy to help you!
Quiz question: If you have been promised a certain role or project by your manager and the promise is not getting fulfilled for several months or even years, whose responsibility is this?
In this new Episode, I will give you my answer (Spoiler: It's you!) and give you some guidance what to do if you find yourself in the situation of having been promised something during the interview process, but it keeps getting postponed further and further.
So tune in if you want to know how to reclaim the driver's seat of your career.
If you find yourself in a tough descision making phase in your career and want some guidance, just book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calendar: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
I'm also looking forward to see some reviews & ratings from you on Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.!
Many of you come to Germany to pursue a Master's degree and then start your career here. Within the application process, any practical experience you have in the field that you are aiming to get into is valued most highly, even higher than a good education and grades.
The most common way is to do internships, write your thesis in cooperation with a company or take on a working student job. But what if eypecially during the pandemic times you have not been able to secure one of these opportunities?
In this Episode I will give you many more ideas of what you can to to enhance your career and your skills further while you are studying. Some of these suggestions you can even continue to do once you have a full time job.
If you are doing several projects out of your own interest, I will also reveal 3 ways how to include them in your application documents.
Want to find out which opportunity would suit your personality and career goals best? Book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calender: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
I'm als looking forward to see some reviews & ratings from you on Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.!
Are you looking for that one job that has it all?
A job where you can use all your skills?
A job that is in line with your values & your goals?
A job that leaves great opportunity for learning & growth?
Then you have set yourself up for a tough jobsearch and tough decision to make.
In the new Episode of the Empower to Grow Career Podcast, I am showing you 3 things to do when you feel overwhelmed by that decision for the perfect job.
Let me give you one keyword that is part of the solution now: Patchwork Career
In this Episode you will learn more about what it is, how you can incorporate it into your own life and why it will make your career decisions easy.
If you want to let go of the pressure of decision making - tune in!
Don't forget to leave me a rating & review for this Podcast.
If you want me to suport you with your personal development & career decisions, book a free Discovery Call with me:
https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
Inspired by Diversity Day this week, I recorded this Epsiode, but it has taken me some days to decide wether or not I want to release it.
But: It is part of my experience as a former recruiter and I felt that it needed to get out of my head.
So today I am telling you stories.
Stories about the saddest and most painful experiences of my recruiting years.
Stories about outright discrimination and reasons for rejection that you will never know about.
Stories of times when I felt lost and helpless.
Discrimination and bias are still part of recruiting processes in some German companies - and it does not help to ignore it and keep quiet about it. Only awareness will help to eventually move to a world with equal chances for everybody.
Nowadays I feel that I'm doing my share to create those chances, but it has not always been like that.
So listen in and hear some reasons for rejection that no current recruiter will ever tell you.
I'm happy to receive your thoughts and comments on this via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
"To allow myself to dream was pretty hard, but worth it!"
In this Epsiode you will get two powerful insights within one: My wonderful client Iara from Brazil will share her insights & golden advise from her personal career journey so far as an international engineer in Germany.
You will learn about:
- Iara's steps to finding a great job in Germany
- What she thinks about German language skills and how they help you in your jobsearch
- Her most powerful source for receiving job offers
But she will also take you on her personal transformation journey that she has been on together with me in these past months.
She will tell you how she transformed from feeling lost to reclaiming the driver's seat of her own life & career within only 6 coaching sessions - and how the CV that she needed at some point on this journey, just came out as a great side effect without having to put any effort in it.
Tune in for some amazing insights!
You want to find what your personal transformation journey with me could look like? Book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calender: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
I'm als looking forward to receive some feedback via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
Dear Madam, how do I address people in Germany?
- Sehr geehrte/r vs. Liebe/r
- Sir/Madam or Damen und Herren?
- Hallo or Hi?
- Du or Sie?
- Firstname? Lastname?
Do you also find the issue of addressing people correctly in Germany really confusing?
Believe me - you are not alone in this!
With businesses operating globally and increased global networking through social media, even Germans are not sure anymore how to address people in Germany. On LinkedIn, you will often find posts and discussions initiated by German business people, where they ask their network about their opinion wether to address strangers on LinkedIn with "Du" or "Sie" or in which style it is appropriate to create their posts.
Even the hashtag #gerneperdu was created to indicate that people welcome being addressed in the less formal manner. It can be used in posts and message or e-mail signatures.
So if native German speakers are not entirely sure anymore how to address people in their own language, how on earth are international people supposed to know?
I have been asked to create a Podcast Episode about this for weeks, but have been putting it off so far. Even for me it was difficult to come up with some helpful suggestions or even rules for this.
Nevertheless, I feel I have succeeded in this new Episode of the Empower to Grow Career Podcast, to guide you with personal advise and some general tips.
You will learn:
- A very simple applicable rule to instantly know how to address someone
- Some differences about formal and informal writing
- How to transfer this to your cover letters and LinkedIn networking strategy
And of course, I will also share how I prefer to be addressed.
Please let me know if you found this advise helpful or if there is anything more that you wish to learn on this matter.
I'm looking forward to receive some feedback via LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
You want to find out how to work with me? Book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calender: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
Why are you using LinkedIn?
Networking?
Applying?
Researching?
There are multiple reasons for being on LinkedIn - active or passive. In this new Episode of the Empower to Grow Career Podcast, I am sharing 4 reasons with you, why you should be implementing a LinkedIn strategy to develop your career further - irrespective of which career stage you are in right now.
There is so much power, potential and opportunity on this platform and I would like all of you to use this to the fullest.
- I will tell you why it is still useful even if you decide to be passive
- Let you know how you can increase your value as an employer
- Share some networking tipps how to approach people in messages
And on a side note: You will learn about my Instagram fail. :)
Seize this chance to create new possibilities for yourself and your career - without having to get up from your couch!
Enjoy this episode and please take some time to give me some high star ratings :)
Connect with me via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
You want to find out how to work with me? Book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calender: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
Your goal is financial freedom but since you came to Germany, you are not even sure if you have the right insurances?
Time to talk about money, insurances, budgeting & saving for your pension!
In this new Episode of the Empower to Grow Career Podcast im am talking to Financial Advisor Alicia Aswani.
After experiencing herself what it is like to move to Germany as an expat, accidentally not being covered by mandatory health insurance & feeling lost in German bureaucracy, she now specialises in assisting other expats in Germany to help them make their finances easy.
In this Epsiode Alicia is sharing valuable information about:
- Which insurances are mandatory and which ones "nice to have"
- Which exact steps to take when you are new in Germany
- How to start saving for your pension
- What to do when you are only planning to stay in Germany for a certain amount of years
- When it is a good time to invest into new clothes
- Ideas to get you closer to financial freedom
If you want to be absolutely sure that you are on the right track financially, you should listen carefully.
Would you like Alicia to help you with your finances?
Contact Alicia via her Website:
https://aliciaaswani.de/en/
On LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciaaswani/
Or follow her on Instagram: @alicia_aswani
This is the link to the Professional Translator Alicia recommends:
Deepl https://www.deepl.com/translator
If you want to work out which career steps you need to take towards financial freedom, I'm more than happy to help!
Here's the link to my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
You want to find out how to work with me?
Book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calender: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
"Believe me, I can simulate everything."
"With my experience, I can work in any industry."
These are just 2 statements I heard from some of my 4 current PhD, Postdoc and Research Expert clients. And while I strongly believe that they can do those things, it is not good enough to state that in a CV or interview.
You need to be able to showcase specifically, which benefits you can bring to the company and industry you are aiming to move into.
Within this Epsiode, I am equipping you with 5 tips to consider when you have worked in an academic research background for a longer period of time and are now looking to move to the free market.
Enjoy this episode and please take some time to give me your feedback via LinkedIn
Here's the link to my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
You want to find out how to work with me? Book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calender: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
Tell us about yourself…
Does this part of every interview give you headaches, because your are never quite sure
- What to say?
- How long to talk?
- How much detail to include?
In this epsiode I am going to introduce one of my favourite strategies to you to help you nail the introduction or self-presentation part of your interview - no matter if you are a student or on a management level.
I will guide you with some easy steps that help you tell your own personal story.
Enjoy this episode and please take some time to give me your feedback via LinkedIn
Here is the link to the old but gold Simon Sinek TedX talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA
Here's the link to my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
You want to find out how to work with me? Book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calender: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
I'm so excited to share my very first interview today about a topic that each and every single one of my international clients has mentioned as one of their biggest challenges: The language barrier.
Living and working in Germany make it necessary, to have at least a conversational level of German. But from my experience, no matter if my clients are on an A2 or C1 level - they always feel that their current language level is stopping them from making the next step in their career.
In this Epsiode I will tackle this topic with the help of an expert: German Language Coach Lesley Hossner.
Lesley has been helping adults with their language for many years and has a truly unique approach to language coaching. By incorporating methods from the fields of psychology, NLP & action learning, she guarantees quick results.
In the first interview episode of the Empower to Grow Career Podcast you will get:
- Lesley's top advice on how to improve your German significantly in a short time
- An abundance of free language learning ressources
- An understanding of how language is related to your confidence
- An overview of different language learning strategies
- Lesley's personal experience with mastering the German language
And so much more.
Enjoy the episode and please share your feedback with me on LinkedIn. Here's the link to my profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
If after listening you are keen to work with Lesley, please also contact her on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-hossner1/
Here are the links to the Apps Lesley recommends to use:
Anki*
https://apps.ankiweb.net/
Beelinguapp:*
https://www.beelinguapp.com/
*Unsolicited advertising - Recommendation based on experience
Who cares what you put in your CV?
Especially if it's longer than one page!
And anyways: What are your hobbies doing in there?
There are so many opinions and myths that circle around the topic "CV", what it should look like and what to include that it is no surpise that so many people are confused.
In today's new episode of the Empower to Grow Career Podcast I will uncover 10 of the most common CV and application myths and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the topic.
You will learn:
- What I think about CV length
- What the most important document of your application really is
- How to decide which information to include in your CV
- How much lying is OK in your CV
And many other things.
Enjoy this episode and please take some time to give me your feedback via LinkedIn!
Here's the link to my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
You want to find out how to work with me? Book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calender: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
"I am really unhappy with my current job"
This is a sentence I frequently hear in my discovery calls or from my clients.
But what does it mean to be unhappy with your job?
In this episode, we will explore how to identify which areas of your job you are unhappy with and you will get several suggestions of how to change that.
I will also give you 4 hacks to help you explore the potential of your current job and company further that you have probably not thought of yet.
Enjoy this episode and please take some time to give me your feedback via LinkedIn!
Here's the link to my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
You want to find out how to work with me? Book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calender: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
- Have you ever sat in front your CV or cover letter and wondered what on earth to write?
- Are you still unsure how to make your application documents reflect your unique strengths and skills?
- Would you like to prepare specific examples for a wide range of interview questions but you don't know how?
If you can answer all of the above with yes - this episode is going to give you what you are looking for:
A step by step guide to creating a great CV and cover letter as well as preparing specific examples for interview questions reflecting your true strenghts, skills and experiences.
To make it even easier for you, I have created a canvas for you to fill in while your are listening. You can download it here.
Enjoy this episode and please take some time to give me your feedback via LinkedIn!
Here's the link to my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
You want to find out how to work with me? Book a free 15-minute discovery call in my calender: https://calendly.com/sarah-groetzinger/15-minute-discovery-call
Career development never starts with scrolling jobboards or typing random jobtitles into Google.
It always starts with yourself! To truly grow personally and in your career, you have to know yourself, your strengths, your values and goals. But to get to know yourself is not as easy as it seems.
In this first Episode of the Empower to Grow Career Podcast we will start by exploring your strengths. I will show you 3 easy ways that will help you discover:
- What you are really good at
- What you truly enjoy doing
- Which strengths other people see in you
- How to create a great overview of your findings
I would be happy to receive your feedback!
Just connect with me on LinkedIn and send me a message: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
Or visit my website: https://www.careercoach-deutschland.de/
In this first episode, I want to let you know who this podcast is for and what you can expect from it, but also give you some information about myself and why I am doing this podcast.
If you want to find out more about me, just connect with me on LinkedIn and send me a message: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-groetzinger/
or visit my website: https://www.careercoach-deutschland.de/