What's your name, where are you from, how old are you, what city do you live in?
Lydia, I'm from Chelyabinsk, I'm 25 years old. Now I live in Düsseldorf.
Where do you go to school?
I'm studying chemistry at the Heinrich Heine University.
Where do you work, what is your job title, what job tasks do you perform?
My first full-time job was as a salesperson in a bakery/cafe. If you've ever been to Germany, you probably know about the local bakeries, they are literally everywhere. My job duties are to put out the goods in the morning, restock the display cases during the day, clean up in the evening, serve the customers, and help them decide what they want to buy. Very often people want direct detailed information about the ingredients. Well, and in the evening all the paperwork of counting the cash register and filling out reporting forms.
How quickly did you find a job, did it take you a long time to find the right one, where exactly: job sites, agencies, friends, etc.?
I started working at the bakery in my second semester, and in my first semester I worked a little part-time as a babysitter. It took about a week to find a job. I was looking for a job in a bakery. I submitted my resume to two places: a bakery near my home and online at Studitemps.
Studitemps is a recruitment agency for students, which more often offers short-term or one-day part-time jobs. But sometimes there are also long-term contracts, as in my case. When you send your resume, you don't know for which firm. The vacancy only states the type of activity, requirements and approximate location.
What were the employer's requirements and did you meet them?
Basically, you don't need to be a genius for such a job. Instead of an interview with the employer, I had a telephone conversation with a representative of the agency. He asked me if I had experience and how I envisioned working in a bakery. After five minutes of conversation, I was assigned a trial day.
How many hours a week do you work, are there any overtime, how do you combine work and study? Is the money you earn enough for all your expenses or only partially?
According to the conditions of the residence permit, I could work no more than 20 hours a week. Since the bakery worked until 10 pm, students were more often given shifts from 2 pm to 10 pm. My studies were almost always finished by that time. If classes were later on some days, they just didn't put me on the schedule. Everything was quite flexible. I had to be careful not to overwork, because that would be a violation of the conditions of my stay in the country.
In the first year, while I was working through an agency, I was paid 10 euros an hour. Then I signed a contract directly with a bakery and the pay was raised to 10.5. That was enough to cover all my expenses, even clothes and travel. I also had a full paid vacation.
Does it interfere with your studies, does it fit into the Regelstudienzeiten?
I don't fit in 6 semesters, but I'm not sure if it's the work.
In general, I know a few guys from the faculty who made it through the term, but they put all their energies into their studies. I have a much easier attitude to these limits. In addition to work, I travel a lot, I do not neglect my hobbies and I get enough sleep:)
Was it difficult to find a common language with German/foreign colleagues? Were there any mishaps?
I was very lucky with the team. People were very helpful and tolerant of each other. There were other students besides me. I think that's why I worked there for 2.5 years. I am still in touch with some of my former colleagues.
Why do you talk about your job in the past tense? You're not working now?
There will be a follow up interview where I will talk about why I left the bakery and where I work now.
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