INSIDE CULTURE ACADEMY
INSIDE CULTURE ACADEMY
“Where do you see yourself in five years?”In Germany, this is more than a polite question.It’s part of a cultural expectation system. Much of what happens here follows a long-term logic:Careers, education paths, contracts – even recruitment processes. Planning in…
New here? Or already in the middle of the application process.You see plenty of diversity statements. In large companies, processes and forms are often structured along diversity dimensions. And yet, one thing remains unspoken. Maybe you were hired because of…
I never had to ask myself whether I was hired because of my difference.I was the norm. Maybe that’s why I only realized later: in German companies, diversity often works quietly.Not as a big campaign, but as a checkbox.Not as…
New job in Germany?And wondering why learning here often feels harder than it should?You’re not alone. These are the hidden barriers many internationals face:• Your onboarding feels like “learning by doing,” with little guidance.• Feedback is given directly, usually without…
I’m not an expert. I just grew up inside this system.And because of that, I never had to think about it:My first internships, jobs, even apartments came through people I already knew. For me, that was self-evident. For a long…
Selling yourself? Sounds wrong – but matters New here? Or just tired of hearing that you need to “be more confident” in interviews?You’re not alone. In many cultures, good work is supposed to speak for itself.Praising yourself can feel like…
I’m convincing – because I sound familiar I’m not an expat.I don’t have a migration background. I speak plainly.I sound familiar.And in most rooms, that’s enough to be convincing. Not because I learned it.But because I grew up with it.…
What help looks like – and why it doesn’t always feel that way Some insights stay with you. Last time, we looked at how information is shared in Germany.Formally, factually, often without much relation. Today is about what often feels…
Being German. Being critical.For many of us, the two are closely linked.Even if we don’t say it that way. At school, we are taught to challenge texts,in university, to question theories,at work, to spot weaknesses,in interviews, to name what we…
New here? Or just overwhelmed by German instructions?You’re not alone.Many of the people we work with tell us:“I read the info, but I still don’t get what I’m supposed to do.” That’s why I’ve started a new Thursday track:Learning Germany…
Recently, I wrote about how our systems are often less open than we like to believe, especially when it comes to recruitment. Today, I want to show what that means in practice. Especially for international applicants. I’ve seen it many…
In my last post I asked what to expect from me. Today I want to ask instead: what should we expect from the label “Made in Germany”? Is it a promise, or is it an omission? This question hit me…
Growing up in a small German village, I hardly ever met anyone who had moved to Germany. “Integration” simply meant assimilation: people should adapt to our customs, language and ways of life. It wasn’t until much later that I realised…
I’m not an expat.I don’t have a migration background.And I’ve never had to prove that I belong in Germany. But I do know what it means to be part of a system. One that often excludes without even realizing it.…
I see it time and again:International professionals bring everything you’d expect, education, experience, motivation, and still face rejection. Often even automatically.No conversation. No real chance. And I keep asking myself:How does this match the loud call for skilled workers we…