After relocating to Dusseldorf, expat partner Igor Kravchenko admits he hit rock bottom when he couldn’t find work. But a career coach turned it all around for him.
Alone and isolated
“When I didn’t have a job, it was incredibly challenging. I didn’t know anybody. I didn’t speak German. I had no one to talk to during the day. Honestly I felt like a kind of Robinson Crusoe figure,” says Igor. “I just hadn’t anticipated this at all. Dusseldorf is one of Germany’s biggest centres for logistics and I had more than seven years of experience in supply chain planning. I thought I’d find work quite quickly, not realising that everything takes time here.”
Financial woes
“I kept sending applications, receiving rejections, or just hearing nothing at all. That took its toll on my self esteem. During this period, I was worried about finances. Every month, my bank balance was going down, and nothing was coming in. Luckily, Ines Ahrens from Global Connection introduced me to a career coach and that’s what saved me.”
Stick to the plan
“My coach helped me not just with technical aspects of my job search on LinkedIn but also the emotional side of it. I’m Russian and I was worried that my nationality was impacting my job search. She reminded me of my professional capabilities and assured me that we’d get results, if we stuck to the plan. Her cultural insight was very valuable, too. When I was wondering if I should send another email as I hadn’t received a reply from a prospective employer, she would say, ‘Patience Igor, patience! Don’t rush them!’”
Lucky number: 77
“After sending my 77th job application to J&J, I was invited to join a video interview. However, my coach urged me to suggest that I go to the office in person, which I did, and perhaps that made the difference as I got the job! I guess 77 is my lucky number and I just didn’t know it!”
Home at last
“Now I’m meeting people through work and I’m more self-confident about my life here. After feeling so low for many months, wondering if I would have to go back to Russia, I’m just so happy,” says Igor, who has been learning German with Duolingo and will now start an in-person class. “The last time we took a weekend trip, when we drove back into Dusseldorf, it felt so good to think ‘I’m home.’”
Photo: Igor with his partner and their cat
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