source: vdi and shutterstock_who_is_ danny_367910456
I have been volunteering for the VDI – Verein Deutscher Ingenieur*innen (association of German Engineers) – for about 18 months now, coaching and advising people on their next career steps, and am very pleased that an article of mine, detailing some of the work I do to support Engineers in their career development, as well as an interview with myself was published last month.
They will be online on the VDI website for this week, and you can access them below as well. Hope you find it an interesting read!
Job applications in English – everything you need to know.
The application process itself is no easy matter…. Carrying it out in a foreign language is another topic in itself, which we are addressing today in the form of applications in English to support your path into international companies.
source: vdi and shutterstock_romolo tavini_274566236
As is usual in Germany, an application to companies in the UK, the USA or English-speaking companies consists of a cover letter and your CV. In the UK this is known as a curriculum vitae, or CV for short, and in the USA as a resumé. Decide which English you will use before you start writing.
The cover letter, which, as in German, is sent with the aim of convincing the addressee that you are an interesting candidate and to take the time to read the CV.
5 important key points to consider in the cover letter:
- Length: maximum one A4 page.
- Letter text (without address data): maximum half a page.
- Address data:
- To (addressee) top left
- From (sender) below
- Date (in English format) below right.
- Ideally, write to a person whose name you know.
- Mr/Mrs/Miss or Ms (only if you do not know whether the lady is married or not)
- If you know the academic title, replace Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms with this.
- If you do not have a direct contact person, use
- either Dear Sir, Dear Madame
- or To Whom it may concern.
- First paragraph: Why you are writing.
- Second paragraph: Why your experience (Using examples! Don’t repeat your whole CV.) makes you an ideal candidate for this position. Write in an active form, without using long, convoluted sentences.
- Third paragraph: What you can offer the company in the position.
- Conclusion: Please find enclosed my CV/resumé. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours sincerely for addressee whose name you know. Yours faithfully for addressee whose name you do not know.
The following points should be noted in your CV:
-
Avoid using a photo. Unlike in Germany, this can lead to your CV being ignored by large companies due to guidelines to avoid discrimination.
- Research on the internet what common resume or CV structures are available on UK or USA sites. Use a clear but not too ‘airy’ structure to avoid wasting space or giving the impression that there is not enough information to fill the page(s).
-
Unless you have been working for more than 15 – 20 years, do not use more than 2 pages.
- Neither in the UK nor in the USA is stating your marriage status is considered common practice, or whether you have children. This could also lead to your CV being ignored due to guidelines to avoid discrimination.
-
After stating your name and contact details, formulate a sentence that summarizes you and the career goal you are pursuing
- The summary should be followed by the usual sections used in Germany: professional or work experience, education, skills, interests/charitable work, references.
- Use short, concise, actively formulated sentences that emphasize your responsibilities when stating your work experience (internships also count!).
Always use the Spellchecker before printing or sending anything and, if in doubt, have a native speaker look over it to avoid ‘denglish’ formulations.
Good Luck!
I help others with cover letters and CVs.
At the VDI careers advice service, around 80 consultants work with engineers to check their applications, certificates and give tips. Today we are introducing Cary Langer-Donohoe. She works as a business coach, trainer and facilitator. Among other things, she advises engineers who want to apply for jobs in Germany from abroad and helps them plan their next career move.
Ms. Langer-Donohoe, briefly describe your professional background!
I’m originally from Vienna, from an Austrian-American household, and decided at the age of 14 that I wanted to build airplanes. After completing my PhD in the UK, at the University of Bristol, I moved to Hamburg to work in project management at Airbus. I spent a total of 10 years there, in various management roles, working on the cabin of the first A380 aircraft and the program management of the A320 family, and was ultimately responsible for the test platform for the cabin of the A350 XWB and the A400M.
Where do you currently work and in what capacity?
I am a self-employed business coach, trainer and facilitator and work primarily with professional and technical experts who have moved into a leadership role and need support with human issues, as well as intercultural organizations that experience and want to reduce frictional losses due to their global constellations.
Why are you involved in the VDI as a career advisor?
Because I have always enjoyed supporting people. Even as a student, I showed prospective students at my university around our department and helped them make decisions. I continue to help candidates for the University of Bristol as a mentor, and I think it’s important, especially in the technical field, where sometimes there’s not so much time for topics like careers advice at schools or universities, to help people find their way. I was a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society in the UK and continue to do so in Germany through my involvement with the VDI.
What kind of consultancy and coaching do you provide?
For the VDI, I support and advise engineers in structuring, designing and formulating their application documents. Here in Germany in particular, it is unfortunately often the case that many people are given very outdated CV structures and little guidance on how best to use these documents to their advantage. I also advise engineers who want to apply to Germany from abroad, as well as people who want to plan and implement their next career move.
Are there certain questions that you are often asked when giving career advice?
I am actually asked frequently to help with cover letters and CVs, and I often quickly come across the point that many people have not really been made aware of what the purpose of these documents is; or the information passed on at school is so ‘out of date’ that it no longer corresponds to today’s application market at all. Many were unfortunately taught that the cover letter must stand out from the crowd, but not how. Unfortunately, bright colors and pages of text do not achieve this in a positive sense. The cover letter should make it clear to your addressee as quickly as possible that you are motivated and ideally suited to the vacancy/internship …. and your CV should back this up.
I am often asked whether every detail, whether positive or negative, should be included in the CV. I usually give the advice: write what is important and interesting for the person you are writing to. This person usually has tons of documents to comb through. Make it easy for them to discover you and invite you for a chat.
Can you give us a career tip that you regularly give your candidates/applicants?
Discover your skills and what you have achieved in what you have already done. When it comes to work experience, avoid a bland list of what you have done and focus on what you were responsible for, what you may have changed and improved, what challenges you overcame and what you did for the company.
If you are aware of this, it will be easier for you to make this clear to your future employer.
The interview was conducted by: Julia Rosek
Position at VDI: Contact person for career advice.
You and your team wish to fulfill your potential?
I am your business coach and trainer in Hamburg when it comes to leadership, global teamwork and diversity.
Be it business coaching, business training or facilitation, here in Hamburg, remotely or at your location, in native English or German. Contact me!
