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 time, I believed this was just normal, that hard work and a bit of success would always be enough.
But what looks like merit is often a network.
Invisible doors that open for some, and stay closed for others.
In Germany, many opportunities are never advertised publicly, they circulate within trusted circles. For me, this was an advantage I never even noticed. For newcomers, it is often the biggest barrier.
It took conversations with international colleagues for me to understand: Without family here, without school friendships, without local connections, the system feels like a maze with hidden keys.
And that also means: those without these networks often have to do more. More energy for everyday questions, more stress in seemingly simple situations, and of course more work to even make the bigger goals achievable.
Because it is not just about contacts, it is also about system knowledge. The kind of know-how everyone here picks up along the way, but no one really explains.
Maybe this is a mirror:
We like to believe everything is transparent, fair, and equally accessible.
But in reality, much only works through shared knowledge and access.
How often do we confuse access with achievement?
And how many talents do we overlook, simply because they do not yet know the right people?
Easy Access
