Guide
Guide: Job Applications, Career, and Salary From a Hiring Manager's Seat
Honest knowledge from over 1,000 interviews conducted: applications, job search, interviews, and salary, explained by a former Head of People.
More topics get added over time.
Job interviews
Illegal Interview Questions in Germany: What You Don't Have to Answer
Which interview questions are unlawful in Germany, when are you allowed to answer untruthfully, and where does a lie become expensive? The legal frame and three replies that work.
September 10, 2026 · 14 min read
Working in Germany
What a German Works Council Actually Means for Your Job Offer, Your Hiring Process and Your Exit
What does a Betriebsrat mean for you as an employee in Germany? How works councils shape hiring, contracts, dismissals and your leverage.
September 05, 2026 · 15 min read
Working in Germany
How Much Notice Do You Actually Need to Give in Germany? Understanding Your Kündigungsfrist Before You Job-Hunt
A former Head of People breaks down Germany's statutory notice periods, probation rules, and executive exceptions before you job-hunt.
August 30, 2026 · 10 min read
Working in Germany
Your German Arbeitszeugnis: How to Read the Code Before You Sign It
German reference letters carry a grade in coded language. The satisfaction scale in exact wording, the downgrade patterns, and what to do about them.
August 26, 2026 · 14 min read
Leadership Track
Passed Over for Promotion Again: What Actually Works Next
Why capable people get passed over more than once, what the research says about manager bias, and the concrete steps that change the outcome, not just the mood.
August 21, 2026 · 8 min read
Compensation
The Salary Question Nobody Prepares You For: Negotiating Comp When You Move Into Leadership
Negotiating pay as a first-time leader works differently than as an individual contributor. What changes, and the levers most people never ask about.
August 19, 2026 · 7 min read
Applications
AI reads your CV before a human does: what actually happens in German hiring
Screening software reads your CV before any recruiter sees it. A former Head of People explains what ATS systems really check and how to pass both filters.
August 13, 2026 · 9 min read
Expat Careers
Relocating to Frankfurt for Work? How to Job-Hunt in Germany Without Speaking Fluent German
Moving to Rhein-Main for a new role? How the German job market works, what recruiters expect from your CV, and where English speakers get stuck.
August 08, 2026 · 6 min read
Career Change
Changing Careers at 40+: Realistic or Too Late?
A former Head of People explains how hiring decision-makers really look at candidates over 40, and how to frame your change as a plan, not an escape.
August 04, 2026 · 7 min read
Career Coaching
What Does Career Coaching Actually Cost?
Career coaching costs between €150 and several thousand euros. A former Head of People explains the spread and what a package price should include.
July 28, 2026 · 7 min read
Expat Careers
Does Career Coaching Make Sense as an Expat?
A former Head of People on what actually trips up English-speaking professionals job hunting in the Rhein-Main region, and when coaching genuinely helps.
July 22, 2026 · 6 min read
Job Search
Why Qualified Candidates Still Can't Find a Job
A former Head of People explains what actually breaks applications when the qualifications are already there. Based on over 1,000 interviews conducted.
July 21, 2026 · 6 min read