In my last blog, I talked about all the job opportunities in Germany and how it could be a great place to build a career. But guess what? Someone had a question that really got me thinking.
This person had finished an internship at a 3-star hotel in India. She was offered to continue in this hotel as a banquet supervisor. However, she aimed higher and wanted to work at a fancier hotel, especially a business hotel in a larger city, instead of a smaller town resort area.
She applied to many places but didn’t get any acceptable offers, which caused her to think about evaluating her chances and opportunities abroad. Her big question to me was:
Should she go to the USA or Germany. She had read my blog post “Why I love America” and was impressed but confused after becoming aware of my blog on the many new opportunities in Germany.
It’s always a difficult and very important decision when choosing the right place to work, especially when it involves moving to another country. With a view on those two options, both countries offer promising opportunities. But as always, it is important to make an informed choice and this generation of hoteliers is less motivated to leave their comfort zones in their home countries except those from South Asia and Africa.
In this post I provide an inside look and research the USA and Germany’s job market opportunities and requirements to determine, if and how it aligns with your career goals and personal preferences. It’s also important to consider the cost of living, visa requirements, and language barriers. Ultimately, the decision should be based on what will make you the happiest and most fulfilled in your career. Both places are exciting and provide more opportunities than at any time in the last 40 years. But need to figure out which is the right fit.
I like to dive into this story and offer a decision-making checklist, which will help any person in a similar or identical situation to make informed and proper decisions. Let us start from the beginning:
Our hotelier was offered to continue to work in her company after finishing the internship successfully.
Here is my recommendation:
a. Don’t just quit but continue in this company for now.
b. As you continue working, prepare and upgrade all your career tools. Your resume or CV, your LinkedIn profile, and update all your certificates.
c. Get a preliminary letter of recommendation from the present employer. The fact that the company offered our hotelier continued employment is already a valuable qualifier.
Now begin and evaluate your options inside your country; select the company you feel suits you. My readers know which companies I continuously recommend and support. Study the career pages of these companies and start the application process.
a. Identify the contact person who will evaluate and read your application.
b. Do not upload your resume on the career page or LinkedIn. You can do a skill profile; I would not upload my document for several reasons, which I always share with my clients.
c. Prepare and learn the most essential interview skills and techniques. I recommend you buy the book: “Interview Intervention” by Andrew Lacavita. It is a small investment but will help you for your entire career. Also, read my blog post on “Cracking the interview code. ” I happened to be an eyewitness to a historical interview between lions of the hotel industry Barron Hilton and Steven Bollenbach.
You have completed the groundwork and are ready to apply:
You repeat this exercise until you are successful and land an interview invitation. But do not apply relentless. Be selective and choose wisely. If you full-fill all criteria for a certain position, it is only a matter of time unless you get selected, or better that you are in a position to choose.
a. Make sure to have studied your book and interview etiquette.
b. Improve your interview skills and techniques. Again I recommend Andrew Lacavita. His Youtube channel is full of practical advice.
c. Every interview you attend will improve your skills, even if you are not shortlisted. So do not get desperate or feel bad about it.
d. With this strategy, you will land a job sooner than most who apply thru portals or career page uploads.
- You have now reached the stage to evaluate and scrutinise your career options abroad.
a. Evaluate where your heart wants to go, where you want to live, and be willing to accept the downsides. It is essential to understand this fact.
b. Evaluate the best opportunities and where you gain entry in the best possible way. (Visa Requirements).
c. At this moment, Germany offers more accessible entry and more opportunities.
d. However, you need to conquer the language gap.
e. The company Leo Sagittarius in India specializes in helping interested candidates in the hotel industry prepare and guide them for jobs in Germany. Look at their webpage and contact them.
A small piece of old fashioned insight: Know what your heart desires. If you want to live and work abroad, you must follow your heart, not just the opportunities alone. I recommend taking this step if you sincerely desire to work overseas. If you are driven by opportunities alone, you can still take this step but may not be happy and ultimately return to your origins. So choose wisely as you will embark on the journey of your lifetime.
With this said, let us move to the next step, and let’s choose Germany as your destination. You will need to learn German. There is no way around it. Even in the I.T. business, which is English driven, a German language requirement is mandatory. And let’s remember, integrating yourself into the German ecosystem, culture, and work requires interaction in that language.
On the other side, You take the USA. There are also many opportunities; the language barrier does not exist, but you must manage the substantial and rigorous visa application process. Right here, You need to decide if you just looking for a temporary stint on the other side of the world or for a long-term fair well from your home country. This in itself will determine what kind of visa you apply for. I know many examples of people crossing the ocean on a student visa only to find themselves stuck in the situation of wanting to stay but, due to visa restrictions and no sponsor available, having to return.
Of course you can always come back; however I have noticed, that people having a plan B, do indeed return sooner or later. Those without a backup plan usually remain tuned in and will make it eventually. But this are just my own thoughts.
With all this said, let’s evaluate and outline those 2 options.
Germany: Language skills, Proof of financials that you can support yourself, have at least 2 or 3 job interviews lined up through Leo Sagittarius or directly with a company, and, of course, the local visa application at your embassy for the Opportunity Visa. This will provide ample time to get a job in Germany as long you fullfill the other requirements. See my earlier blog on the visa requirements and check with your respective embassy or consulate in India. Consider the Opportunity visa unless you have family in Germany who can help. Also, remember, even if you find a potential employer in Germany, they cannot by law send you a labor contract, but rather a LOI of sponsorship to work and for employment. Once you arrive with this in Germany, the employer will issue a labor contract which has to be approved and seen by the:” Auslaeder Amt” to change your visa status to a Blue Card Holder
USA: To apply for an immigrant visa, you need a sponsor (U.S. citizen relative, employer) and an approved petition from USCIS. Check visa categories on usvisas.state.gov, and follow the steps for the Immigrant or Diversity Visa Process to apply. After USCIS approval and NVC pre-processing, follow NVC/KCC instructions. Specific details for Indian applicants on visa types are available below:
• Immigrant Visas
• Family-Based Immigration
• Fiancé(e) Visa
• Employment-Based Immigration
• Returning Resident Visa
• Diversity Visas
I have laid out the basic planning principles and thoughts that should go into every hotelier’s career planning. The regrettable fact is that almost 80% never prepare a proper plan and then get caught up in circumstances of their own making.
At this place, I like to return to our hotelier who wants to go abroad in search of better opportunities and sum with a final recommendation.
To move abroad successfully, she must develop a clear plan that details her desired destination and objectives. Additionally, she must prepare all essential tools, such as her resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, financial information, and all necessary visa documents. If Germany is her target location, she should also prioritize learning the language. She must secure a stable job, save, and plan for the move while meeting all visa requirements and ensuring financial stability. To increase her chances of success, she should focus on networking within her personal circle, reaching out to reputable recruiters, and targeting companies in her desired country. By following these steps, she will be well on her way to relocating to Germany, the USA, or any other country of her choosing
If you have read my book “The Perfect Hotel Career,” you’d know that leaving Germany was a bold career move. Looking back, I’m still determining if I’d make the same choice today. Nevertheless, as Napoleon Hill would say, I was highly motivated and driven at the time, which influenced my decision to take a chance.
If you’re considering a similar move, I strongly recommend having sufficient energy, a stable job, and some savings. Though every journey is unique, it all begins with an idea.
As always, have an incredible journey, and contact me with any questions. I am here to help, assist and guide.
Be Blessed
Helmut
