# Updating: What are my chances?



## BiotechAbroad (Jan 11, 2012)

So my previous posts have been about finding a job in bio(tech) with a bachelor's degree. No luck finding a job even on the Eures website. So I just wanted to update and ask for some more advice. I decided that the best thing for me to do is continue my education, so I applied to schools in the US as well as two schools in Germany. 

I applied to two English speaking programs in biology at the University of Köln and University of Bonn. I was wondering if anyone could tell me how competitive these schools are and how competitive I would be, as an American applicant, applying to these schools in that field. If you have any info feel free to reply here or if you think you could assess my competitiveness based on my specific numbers like GPA/GRE/MCAT scores, message me and I'll send them to you.

I was also wondering if there is a forum, such as this one, where I could find people that are actively looking to hire people...in Germany? I guess as a closing statement, I'll say that if anyone knows anyone in the Nordrhein-Westfalen area that is open to hiring an educated foreigner, message me.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

I wouldn't hold my breath on finding websites or anything else for Germans looking to hire foreigners. The usual drill is that employers have to make a good faith effort to hire local nationals or someone with EU nationality before they can even consider hiring a foreigner (due to visa restrictions and authorizations needed to hire). 

You also have to allow for the fact that hiring in Europe takes much, much longer than it does in the US. (That's due in large part to labor laws that make it much more difficult to fire employees once they are working.) When I was looking for work in Germany from the US, the whole job hunt process took 18 months - and that included a self-financed "interview trip" mid way through the process (which I ultimately was able to write off on my US income taxes).

European universities aren't into the "competitiveness" thing the way they are in the US. You'll be admitted to a school if you meet their entry requirements AND you have the financial means to pay the foreign student fees and maintain yourself for the duration of the program (also required for the visa). Many European university programs include several internships where you are required to work (often without pay or with very nominal pay) as part of the training program, which will definitely impair your ability to work your way through school as is common in the US. Student visas normally limit how much you can work while you're in school (just check the US requirements for a student visa - the European countries are generous by comparison).

Getting over to Germany is going to take some time - and learning German in the meantime would definitely help.
Cheers,
Bev


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## wonder (Apr 3, 2012)

I am also applying some German schools' English master program. 
Do you know Chinese? if you do, there are bunch of websites in Mandarin told you differences schools' acceptance information and plus they even told you what specific people you could contact with in the school. All the above need one requirement： you need to know Chinese... 

I also agree with Bevedeforges said about the "Competitiveness " part.
I think you will be able to get into the school.  Wish you good luck on it. If you need help or you want to share some information in German schools, you could message me


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## Toon (Feb 28, 2012)

Bevdeforges said:


> When I was looking for work in Germany from the US, the whole job hunt process took 18 months - and that included a self-financed "interview trip" mid way through the process (which I ultimately was able to write off on my US income taxes).
> 
> Cheers,
> Bev


Is that right Bev, OK, I'm from England which does make it easier cos of EU, however my prospective company paid for my flights etc. to attend interview here (long day that was), I agree the whole process is long, it took me 4 months (UK = 1 month).

Anyway, I'm now here in BW and enjoying it. German classes start next week, 90 mins twice a week 1 on 1.... (Company paying for that too).


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Being from England really does make life easier on the job hunt. No employer is going to fly someone over from the US for an interview, unless we're talking a highly specialized background that is virtually unobtainable anywhere in the EU.

What I did was flew myself to Frankfurt and holed up in the big hotel that adjoins the terminal. (This is obviously before the new terminal opened there.) Contacted the various employers from there, and they mostly paid my expenses getting from Frankfurt to wherever they were. But getting myself to Frankfurt, and my costs to stay there were on me. (That's mostly what I wound up deducting on my taxes when I did find a job.)
Cheers,
Bev


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## Toon (Feb 28, 2012)

Bevdeforges said:


> Being from England really does make life easier on the job hunt. No employer is going to fly someone over from the US for an interview, unless we're talking a highly specialized background that is virtually unobtainable anywhere in the EU.
> 
> What I did was flew myself to Frankfurt and holed up in the big hotel that adjoins the terminal. (This is obviously before the new terminal opened there.) Contacted the various employers from there, and they mostly paid my expenses getting from Frankfurt to wherever they were. But getting myself to Frankfurt, and my costs to stay there were on me. (That's mostly what I wound up deducting on my taxes when I did find a job.)
> Cheers,
> Bev


Curious here, why did you want to move to Germany, and, if you don't mind answering, where are you in France. I love it that Strasbourg is under an hour away from me, The Rhine is about 15 mins, and Die Schwarzwald is around 30 minutes too.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Toon said:


> Curious here, why did you want to move to Germany, and, if you don't mind answering, where are you in France. I love it that Strasbourg is under an hour away from me, The Rhine is about 15 mins, and Die Schwarzwald is around 30 minutes too.


What I actually wanted was to move to Europe to live and work. Germany was my best shot, as I have a degree in German and speak it reasonably well (at least well enough to manage at work). 

I'm in France now, married to a French guy, and living in the Ile de France (i.e. Paris region). Sometimes you just get strange opportunities thrown at you.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Toon (Feb 28, 2012)

Curiouser and curiouser, what was it that drove you to Europe? Why did an American want to leave America? Real questions here, sorry if I'm being a pain.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

Toon said:


> Is that right Bev, OK, I'm from England which does make it easier cos of EU, however my prospective company paid for my flights etc. to attend interview here (long day that was), I agree the whole process is long, it took me 4 months (UK = 1 month).
> 
> Anyway, I'm now here in BW and enjoying it. German classes start next week, 90 mins twice a week 1 on 1.... (Company paying for that too).


The same goes for the UK, you know? When I tried to find a job a few months prior to moving, I either received no reply at all or a 'contact us when you have moved', even though there would not have been any visa hassles and I could have hopped on a flight for an interview any time.

It really scared me but once I had an address in the UK, it took me a week to secure a job.


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