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+1 As someone that moved to Germany 8 months ago the biggest shock is the sort of culture being cultivated in the work place. German culture in the work place

+1 As someone that moved to Germany 8 months ago the biggest shock is the sort of culture being cultivated in the work place. German culture in the work place is hierarchical and extremely "old school" in my experience. Yes I know you hear about all the "cool" startups in Berlin but they are the exception and need to conform at some point if they want to do business with larger organizations that actually have money. There is a wealth of talent here but this talent simply does not fit the "desired" culture. I would go as far as saying that hacker culture is the complete opposite of what the average German company wants to deal with. You are in for a shock when you start dealing with the government departments here. They make the private companies look like bastions of liberalism. I could write a book about my experiences dealing with different government departments and agencies. If Germany wants to attract talent (or start making use of home grown talent) they need to start accepting that these people do not want to fit the mould.

ahartmetz 8y ago
Well, there are corporations that can and do hire people with the hacker's mindset and corporations that don't. If you take the highest paying jobs, you usually get the latter. That is a problem.
flohofwoe 8y ago
The last thing Germany needs is more Berlin-style startups though. There's has to be a good middle ground between the encrusted industry giants that have all been founded in the late 19th century, and the all-bullshitting-no-substance world of "startups".
- LeanderK 8y ago
  there are a lot of real, no-bullshit startups in berlin. Startups, they are a real thing. I would also say that a lot of industry giants have all-bullshitting-no-substance offers with a great sales department behind it. Just look at watson. I think germany could improve to be a much better place to start a company. And it should.
- Swinx43 8y ago
  I completely agree. It is high time people realise that a business that does not bring in profit is not a real business. You cannot hedge your city’s job security on startups of whom the vast majority can’t survive without venture capital. It is as if people in tech have forgotten about the 2000 crash. For a city like Berlin there will be a whole load of hurt when funding dries up. It simply is not in the city’s best interest, in my opinion, to put all its hope in having startups create all their jobs.

ahartmetz 8y ago

Well, there are corporations that can and do hire people with the hacker's mindset and corporations that don't. If you take the highest paying jobs, you usually get the latter. That is a problem.

flohofwoe 8y ago

The last thing Germany needs is more Berlin-style startups though. There's has to be a good middle ground between the encrusted industry giants that have all been founded in the late 19th century, and the all-bullshitting-no-substance world of "startups".

LeanderK 8y ago
there are a lot of real, no-bullshit startups in berlin. Startups, they are a real thing. I would also say that a lot of industry giants have all-bullshitting-no-substance offers with a great sales department behind it. Just look at watson. I think germany could improve to be a much better place to start a company. And it should.
Swinx43 8y ago
I completely agree. It is high time people realise that a business that does not bring in profit is not a real business. You cannot hedge your city’s job security on startups of whom the vast majority can’t survive without venture capital. It is as if people in tech have forgotten about the 2000 crash. For a city like Berlin there will be a whole load of hurt when funding dries up. It simply is not in the city’s best interest, in my opinion, to put all its hope in having startups create all their jobs.