Design market in Germany

Hello,

I’m looking for work experience in an industrial design-related areas in Germany. To make the long story short, after many unsuccessful interviews in Ireland, I have decided to re-locate to Germany. It’s a long story why Germany, but it’s not a random choice and I have reasons for it. I have all the technical and conceptual skills, but I don’t have the pushy salesman ability needed to succeed in the Irish design jobs market.

I am looking for training in companies which combine manufacturing and design. I’m specifically looking for training in bringing design to production, manufacturing technologies and aesthetic development. The markets that I want to work in are as following:
timber construction products, consumer electronics, utilities and environmental products.

My questions are: what is the competition for entry-level design or product design engineering positions in Germany, especially in the areas that I have mentioned above? Would it be difficult for me to get those jobs, as I have basic German?

Also, what industries in Germany are doing well and are actively looking for industrial designers?

Thanks for your help!

Below two links to relevant German design job listings:

http://www.design-report.de/DRMainJobsAngebote.asp?th=Angebote

http://www.form.de/w3.php?nodeId=142&lang=1

You might also look into exhibition design/brand architecture and UX/Service Design, when looking for fields with demand. Generally: The action happens more South than North, with some exceptions. More in the West than in the East.

Viel Glück!

Danke! :wink:

Looks like the design scene in Germany is not too bad. Would it be realistic for me to come over to Germany with a portfolio and get a job within two months?

No, that’s not realistic in any way. It’s better you fly over, if somebody wants to have an interview with you.

On the other hand, it might be better for you to do an internship first and see how you like it. That could be also a good strategy for finding employment in Ireland & U.K. as well. Employers are more likely to invest in you as a full-time employee, if they already know that you can get things done.

I’ve already had interviews for 10 full-time permanent design/design engineering positions in Ireland, and I’ve failed all of them. This is why I’m looking into Germany.

Perhaps you could invest your time better in finding out why/how those interviews led
to failure. Obviously you bring the hard skills required, which brings you to being interviewed
even in a tough economic surrounding, but something leads to you being not rejected, but also
not selected during the interview phase.

I’d advise you to do some professional mentoring first.

Doing those 10 interviews in Germany would blow the effort for each interview out of proportion
in relation to very insecure possible results:

Even during one of the most robust phases of economic developement over here we are still over-
crowded with local junior designers and trainees, as there was over invested into design education
during 1990-2005. It is only the top 20% percent of our alumni getting a job within 1 year of
graduation (estimated). This is better than 5 years ago and better than than Ireland at the moment,
I’d guess, but not nearly bright enough, to come over here on an unsolicited basis.

mo-i

I have already looked at why I failed those interviews. I guess those who interviewed me have noticed some weakness in my personality. I do indeed have a slight weakness, but I can’t do anything about it.

I have considered doing professional mentoring, but there are very few people who would be experts in something that I want to do.

I have noticed an alarming fact in German ID jobs market. If I’m applying to an internship, I need to get papers from my university that an internship is mandatory for my course. I’m already finished with education, that wouldn’t work for me.

Thanks for giving me this insight!

I guess that the ID market is flooded everywhere, so it’s a world-wide problem.