Accepting a foreign work assignment is potentially exciting and daunting. As a foreign assignee not only do you have to figure out the logistics of moving yourself (and your loved ones), you also need to get used to a different work environment. Regardless whether the cultural gap between your home country and the culture you are entering is narrow or wide, one thing is certain: you will experience a new way of doing business, a different way of leading and managing, of being led and managed.
Should your career change be one between Germany, which has been Europe’s strongest economy in the 20-teens, and the United States, which has seen a robust rebound following the great recession, you may want to find out if you are sufficiently prepared for such a transition. One way to improve your cultural savvy is to participate in a professional training (and/or coaching) program, which we design specifically for expats and their needs when working abroad. You typically invest between one and three days of your time for these training programs and up to several months for coaching.
Long before you enter a training you will find it helpful to self-assess your current understanding of life and work in your host country. For years the Germany-USA Career Center has been connecting business, recruiters, and job hunters on both sides of the Atlantic. On their website you’ll find a series of quizzes that can be a good start for you to identify your strengths and weaknesses. While there is no formal association between our companies, The Culture Mastery has provided content for the GUCC multiple choice tests.
Don’t worry, the quizzes don’t take themselves (and you) too seriously. Answering them is actually fun. Go ahead and check them out below.
Working in Germany
It’s your first time working in Germany as a U.S. American? Hone your office survival skills with the Working in Germany test. Do you know how to navigate the German office culture? Do you have the right stuff?
Office Life USA
Reporting for work in the U.S. subsidiary or with an American company for the first time, from Germany, Austria or Switzerland? Prepare for your first day with the Office Life USA for Germans test.
German Job Interview Basics
A fun quiz about German Job Interview Basics for job seekers, to get your bearings straight before going into your first job interview with a company in Germany.
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