Find the Key to Your Own Success
Susanne Nguyen
Publish on : 12 -06-2022
As a successful marketing expert, Keiko worked for well-known fashion brands in her home country of Mexico. In Germany, starting a new career after a family break and in times of Corona was challenging. Today she has a job as a marketing manager at a digital start-up and sums it up: it is not the national borders, but rather our own mental barriers that limit us when looking for a job. If we overcome these, we will succeed in starting a career.
Keiko: “We hold the key to our own success. It is good to have a clear idea of where the job search journey should be headed before applying. I clearly see my international background and experience as an exposure.”
How did you come to amiga?
My friend Paula asked me if I knew amiga. That was how I came to the amiga website and took part in the amiga Career Day 2021 in October 2021; I really liked the job fair. Shortly thereafter, I started the intensive programme “Career Coaching for Internationals”. That helped me a lot to get clarity about the question: “What do I want to do professionally? How can I move forward?”. Together with amiga, I made a list of the companies and products I wanted to target for application. In contrast to Berlin, there are not quite as many cosmetics and fashion brands here, so you have to get creative and broaden your horizons when looking for a job. At the same time, I took part in a three-month training programme for marketing professionals, the Digital Product School at TUM.
What happened then?
With my new plan in mind, I started the application phase again and was invited to several interviews in spring 2022. Then, together with Cetty from amiga, I prepared myself intensively for the interviews – also how to best deal with difficult or sensitive questions, for example about job and family. I also found the salary expectations seminars here very helpful. Finally, I received the job offer as a Marketing Manager at a digital start-up. I just started a few weeks ago!
What is your tip for other international talents?
We hold the key to our own success. It is good to have a clear idea of where the job search journey should be headed before applying. I clearly see my international background and experience as an exposure.
How was your situation before you came to Germany?
I had been working as a marketing manager for a couple of well-known cosmetics and fashion brands in my home country of Mexico for many years. I have also travelled a lot, which has also shaped my professional life: I graduated as Master of Science in Marketing & Strategy in London and met around 200 people from 30 countries. I really liked this international and multicultural environment, which is why my husband and I finally came to Germany.
How was your start in Germany?
I realized that I had made a triple transition here: I was living in a new country, I had a family with two children, and my husband had a new job. So very different from my previous life as a businessperson who loves to travel!
What have you done to advance professionally?
After childcare was secured, I concentrated on my career and quickly realized what challenges I had to tackle here: I started learning German and very importantly: building networks. I got to know Paula at a networking event via LinkedIn and supported her in marketing for her start-up – that was in spring 2020. And then Corona came… and I was back at the beginning of my career in Munich….
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