As an immigrant living in Germany, I 100% agree with you. Germans really need to be more relaxed and innovative. It's sad to see the downfall of Germany right in front of my eyes because of some strict policies and how Germans think in general. I truly want to see this country succeed. Mate, you are awesome! Connecting with people is everything, whether it's physical or over the internet. Humans are the best. Keep rocking!
Thanks, mate! Totally agree-Germany’s potential is big, but the mindset can be rigid. Love your positivity. And I already love this comment section, it's so friendly👍 Let’s keep connecting and pushing for better-cheers!
@@thebeautifulones5436 Yes, I will, sir. I came here for a project and to contribute as much as I can. I am very glad about how this country treats me and its people, and I am going home at the end of 2025. 🙏
Danke für dein authentisches Auftreten. Es macht echt einen großen Unterschiede, wenn wann zwar gut vorbereitet aber dennoch frei von der Seele redet. Es hat mich direkt gehooked. Je mehr man sich auf diesem Wege austauscht, desto besser ist es für alle. Nochmals vielen Dank dafür und frohes neues Jahr :)
Hi Alex, Thanks for sharing. I am 36 years old male, and got my first SWD job in 2020, when was 32. It was my dream job, I was happy. After having 2-3 years of experience, I got a remote contract with a Berlin based company for about 8 months. And on Linkedin, I had 1-2 job offers every week, that was pushing me think "Ok Yalcin, you can wait for better alternatives" I was too picky, and waited too long and missed all that opportunities. I have been doing freelance job in recent years, and applying jobs time to time, but I am tired of being rejected. Things switched very quickly. And I don't know what to do next. Hope things go well soon for each of us.
Hi Yalcin, thanks for sharing your journey! It’s tough when opportunities feel missed, but your experience still speaks volumes. The market can be brutal, but persistence pays off. Keep pushing-you’ve already proven you’ve got what it takes. Wishing you all the best!
I have 30 years experience in software engineering, but I’ve been unemployed for 18 months. The market is BRUTAL right now and affecting people of all skill levels. It’s never been this bad. Hopefully it gets better soon.
I got my first real dev job with 2020 when my daughter was born and I got married and covid or corona broke out. Now it feels to me like I am stranded at the middle of nowhere.
20 years of experience here, 36 yo. I retired last year. I worked like a dog for almost a decade and saved and invested almost everything I made. Thankfully I can live now and work on my own IT adventures, I don't care for the paycheck anymore nor the money, I have just enough to live as a normal person, no luxury, but no need for a job anymore. I feel bad for the people who are now struggling to get a job in this market. PLEASE, for people who still have jobs, save, invest, don't go for the material luxury (cars, big hotels, etc), there's no more luxury than freeing yourself from the wage slavery, your life time is limited, enjoy it with you and yours, not with your bosses.
Thanks for your insights, Insert Name :) I agree with you, I started investing early on and can look now on this crisis a bit more relaxed than others (although I am still concerned). But it's easy to get distracted in a world full of social media. Wish you a good retirement and fun with your IT adventures (Y)
@@5kopiyok Real estate (not houses, but commercial real estate like street stores, because I don't want to be in a position where I get to decide directly over people's roofs, renting houses is too sensitive for me). Then I also own a lot of SP500, thru the Degiro platform, and then Bitcoin since 2014 (although not as much as I wanted to).
Dear Alex, as a software engineering manager (past software engineer) at Bosch working on the eBike division I can clearly say german industry has shown to transform itself. I‘m confident that is the spirit we need. We need smart people like you starting new things with business in mind or helping transforming Porsche, Bosch, Mercedes and all these names. The future is now and we have it in our hand. As someone who was born in Germany but having parents from Africa it‘s a true honor what companies we have. Furthermore, I received multiple times a scholarship by Apple in San Francisco. I decided to stay in Germany. Even though the news are not nice these days… the turnover will come. We are responsible make this companies successful or creating new Organisations. As you said we have many engineers. The future is bright. Keep the spirit up Alex.
Thank you for your inspiring words and for sharing your story! It’s incredible to hear from someone driving innovation and choosing to contribute to Germany’s transformation. I fully agree-the future is bright, and it’s on us to shape it. Your encouragement means a lot. Let’s keep pushing forward! :)
In most of these companies you can't even get a job anymore nowadays, unless you know somebody that know's somebody. That's my personal opinion on why alot of these companies are struggling hard. They do not hire skillbased and are then wondering why they are struggling. They should just get their recruiting strategy fixed and take compliance more serious.
As an example for this: At Audi you can finish your Ausbildung and then come back later with the job guarantee. Alot of people study after they finished their Ausbildung and then come back to Audi via the job guarantee when they finished their studies. Worst case is they have to do band work for like 6 months, but since they can internally apply to jobs that are not listed public, they get a job fairly easy. Thats how you can get into Audi pretty easy even with a super bad degree (job guarantee safes you, internal application process is also way easier). No wonder why they are having issues now with hiring strategies like that.
I'm 45 and absolutely despise corporate culture. To be treated like children being shuffled around from meeting to meeting is simply toxic. People are so terrible towards one another in these environments. Lots of fake relationships and fake positivism. Management has incentives to enable these practices. You play along thinking that's somehow going to save your job and then they lay you off/fire you because it really was about the budget and money all along.
Chomsky said it well corporates are managed by tyranny. It is funny because they always as for liberating the job market and the economy but once they have a problem they as for government intervention. They claim to support democracy but rule like tyrants.
40 is no problem for me so far, same for 50 with relatives I have in tech. With the right mindset nothing is a problem, you just have to keep learning!
@@Maxშემიწყალე i'm also in tech and i don't see need in people in 10 years on all high salary levels, considering savings, the example of burned soviet savings by 20 years in one day is the sober historical slap, that was just money exchange.
Wow, I found your video, and as a German IT Freelancer who has worked for multiple German enterprises since 2010, I can relate to everything you said. Solutions are designed by the business because they control the budget. But instead of revolutionizing the business using tech, we usually discuss another Excel-like application. This is so disappointing. 🤬 It is a massive problem for German corporations to stay competitive in the future. Our mindset nowadays: "Please, just no disruptive change at all." Thank you for being so honest.🙏
Thanks for sharing your experience! It’s true-many businesses focus on short-term fixes instead of embracing disruptive innovation. This mindset definitely risks falling behind. Glad the video resonated with you, Andreas!
A side note: management is not about telling people what to do. In my opinion it is all about setting the team or project for success. Good teams usually know better what to do in the project. Great teams even know how to do it best. People in management positions usually solve socio-technical problems. They work on the team and on the project - and if there is time also in the project as well. They are like good admins. If admin is good, youll never know his work. But with a bad admin, there are always troubleshooting.
Agree! Thx for the side note 👌 Management is all about perspective - it's about setting teams up for success, not just giving orders. Managers should remove obstacles, but sometimes they are the ones creating obstacles haha
I agree, in my opinion, the primary tasks of management are making sure that the company is on the right path, and making sure that the people who do the actual work are never disturbed. In practice, a lot of management functions as a mutual justification network (of managers, for each other), not in the role of directing and enabling the actual workers.
Hey man, I'm about the same age and I have faced the same problems working in tech. This vid has resonated with me a lot. Keep up the good job and good luck growing beyond monetization on YT.
I was Software Engineer for 15 Years in very different Areas. Now I am only self employed by programming AI small applications for the local people around. I appreciate your video. continue !
Could you maybe elaborate on how and what exactly you do and how you find your customers? Because I'm also self-employed and I'm tired of making websites for ungrateful people who don't see the value in my work... I can't work a normal job either because I have to help look after my dad as he's bedridden and I just need the free time to not work myself to death when I have to go to an appointment with him and it takes longer, if you know what I mean.
@ hey. I am still in a bad situation with divorce. I just take small simple jobs. I just run into customers. I do not work much for others. Living a reduced life.
@@alextech. Actually no - income taxes are not that high. Taxes PLUS health care insurance PLUS pension "fonds" PLUS unemployed insurance ... yes ... this is rather high in combination. One reason why "Rente" is so high, because we have a crazy system where all the rich don't need to pay more and there is no highest amount. We should guarantee a good minimum pension and a maximum pension of about the double and ALL people with income or wealth have to pay in the system. Also our health care system can improve a lot. One huge reasons is that the doctors have huge issues with distributing the money well (Ärztebund). Also the "Pflege" is a huge business where we still don't get it how to deal with it more efficiently. Almost everybody seems to be very unhappy with this system. But pure income taxes are not that high. Within the tax system it's weird that the "Spitzensteuersatz" is starting already with roughly 65k for a single person. This is WAY too early. And then there is a jump from 42% to 45% at 250K - and almost NO good earner unter 150K is rebelling because the guy with higher income pay the same tax rate. Why? Don't know. Never understood.
But the german government needs those taxes to invest in infrastructure, education etc.. once you understand that taxes are reinvested to „den Laden am Laufen lassen“ your aren‘t as frustrated
@@gronkhfp His point was not "i dont want to pay ANY taxes", it was "i am paying too much" - a very healthy position to be held by any sensible person. You can absolutely keep the Laden going with less money
@ Not in Germany as you can See in the current State. Mainly because there were only Short Term descisions made for the Baby Boomers to get re-elected. Because the Laden wurde von den Baby Boomern an die Wand gefahren economywise and climatewise
I went freelance right after university, left Germany shortly after and never look back. I use some of my German “Tugenden” to either push things the correct way but mostly just let things flow even if it’s not as efficient, doesn’t really matter in the end. And I’m happy while being worried about my old Heimat, seeing how this once shining beacon is turning into a grumpy old fart. Still love it, it’s my old turf with the sweetest memories and most amazing people who shaped me into who I am today.
Hi @caspa7, probably a good decision you made early in life! Yes, I agree. It's very sad to experience this while still living here. A lot of colleagues are switching to defense companies right now. Weird to see this development as well. Where do you live now? Best regards, Alex
You are wise for your age 🙂 I am a 35 yr old data analyst/engineer who recently stepped into an architecture role. I hate corporate life and I want more freedom and also live in the countryside. My country (NL) has a similar work culture as Germany. It's hard to think out of the box here and do something different.
Hi @rsg7221, ah, you are lucky! Great countryside in NL, I sometimes visit in the summer :) But yes, I agree doing something out of the box isn't so appreciated here, but possible. There are a lot of famous examples out there. Nevertheless, wish you all the best in your new architecture role. Best regards, Alex
I agree 100% with you having been in software industry for 17 years. A large percentage of software people just showing they are doing something. I keep wondering where the society is going on. A tiny percentage of wealthy, powerful people are controlling enormous resources and affecting live's of millions.
We base so much of our happiness by comparing our lives to others. In the past having a stable office job that gets you out of your home every day was considered way better form of living to just sitting in your village home and being bored. People in smaller towns had almost zero ways of earning a living outside of repetitive and depressive manual labor. But the office way of life has degraded, as companies are now putting efficiency, cost cutting and global market competition in front of everything else. Seeing people on social networks not being tied to employers is now a much better perspective of life, like a village laborer seeing an office employee going in his car every morning to do something that seems interesting.
I grew up very poor but was always good at business. But 2014 I was worth €6 million. I was not really happy but I had lots of money and thats what matters right? In July that year I suffered brain damage in a mugging and 18 months later I was bankrupt and homeless. I get my life together is a very basic minimalist sense and at first my poverty was an embarrassment, after a while I started to enjoy the simplicity of my life. I never tried to regain the wealth, I have no interest in it. I tailor bespoke historical suits when my health allows and I have written a few books. Im far happier than I ever was when I was rich. The things you own really DO own you in the end, they really do...!!!
Hi @thomass6927, thanks! All the best to you as well! I wish I could just move to the US. You are so lucky that you have that option :) See you around, Alex
TH-cam Chanel from Thorsten Schulte Silberjunge:" 120 Jahre fremdbestimmt " und " Die grosse Täuschung " TH-cam Kanal dieZuversicht:" Der geheime Krieg gegen das deutsche Volk und seine historischen Wurzeln "!
@@alextech. I'm not in software so I wouldn't make more in the USA per se. And every place has a giant set of advantages and disadvantages. But for sure, the more citizenship/residencies you have, the luckier you are.
I do work at German company, I'm also electrical engineer turned software dev . I can related what you saying . I feel GERMANY is slowly moving it's software to India and Asia with cheap labour
Hi @koustavmandal2669, thanks for your comment! Yes, I agree. In 2016 when I started, there were already close collaborations with India. And now the companies need to reduce cost and moving software engineering to India/Asia. Maybe we will need our electrical engineering certificate again one day. See you around, Alex
Very similar story as an American, minus the lacking business culture. Massive layoffs in the tech industry recently. Been independent since 2019, but things are changing even for those like us in America.
Hi @somjrgebn, sad to hear that story. Yeah, I heard about the massive tech layoff in the tech industry. But hopefully better days are ahead. Wish you all the best! :) See you around, Alex
Sorry to hear that bro. But you are not alone. I can recommend dancing class for meeting new people, etc. Wish you all the best! Of course, you can reach out through mail if you want to :)
thanks for sharing your experience. i agree with a lot of what youre saying, but not everything. but that deoends on the personal experiences we all make. best of luck to you going forqard 👍🏻
Over 40 years of engineering experience (mechanical engineering and design) in the German automotive industry. Most of that as an independent consultant. I've met a whole lot of software engineers during this time, all of them ambitious and full of energy at the start of their career. The one thing I noticed about these guys, only very few of them were still in software engineering by the time they had turned 40 and then usually as self-employed developers hoping to earn a living working on their own software solutions. Already at 30 many of them had started to wander away from the field. Some took on jobs as university lecturers, usually teaching maths or coding. Others had entered entirely different fields. One of them started up as a graphics designer and another ended up reading philosophy. That said, it's a sign that something is very wrong with an organisation when a lot of work-time is spent in meetings and is usually the boss's fault. One meeting a week is already a lot. On average I was in a meeting maybe once a month and often left early if I felt I wasn't needed. My deadlines were far more important to me. I wish you all the best and hope things work out for you.
Hi @mikethespike7579, thanks for sharing your over 40 years of engineering experience! Very valuable :) Yes, interesting observation. I also noticed that software engineers are usually between 20-40, don't know where they disappear after that lol One meeting a week would be so awesome! I had days where I had 3 dailys (only for reporting), I don't even know when I should work. I am also thinking of a work type more safe (lecturer) or more independent (self-employed) but this situation is difficult. Let's see! Thanks, I wish the same to you. Maybe enjoying your retirement already? See you, Alex
Schönes Video, ich bin kurz davor mein Informatik Studium zu beenden und habe angefangen als Werkstudent zu arbeiten. Finde solche Videos immer interessant, wo man etwas von erfahreneren Personen mitnehmen kann. Mach einfach weiter, vielleicht gönnt der TH-cam Algo bald viele Views. Dann sind die Leute, die deinen Content peinlich finden auch wieder ganz still :)
Mir gefällt es dass der Algorithmus dein Video für mich gefunden hat. Dein Englisch ist perfekt. Vielen Dank mit uns deine Geschichte mitzuteilen. Es würde mich freuen mehr über deine Erfahrungen und Gedanken des AI (KI) hören. Ich habe abonniert. Vielen Dank nochmals, Alex!
@@alextech.that would be interesting. Even more interesting would be the legal side behind the illegally crawled repositories big AI Models like CoPilot are build on.
Das mit den Meetings ist wirklich ein seltsames Phänomen. Ich habe das auch beobachtet. Ich glaube hier muss die Firma eine Vorgabe machen, damit die Leute nicht dauernd Meetings einstellen und wahllos Leute einladen. Stimme leider auch zu, dass es in Deutschland extrem wenige Leute gibt die wirtschaftliches Wissen oder Denken haben.
Hi Christina, ja und manche Leute pushen das ja gerade zu. Aus jedem Meeting kommt man mit 2 Follow-Up Meetings raus. Danke für den Kommentar und das Abo ☺️ Bis bald, Alex
Dear Alex, dear all. Alex is right!. I was in the same situation in that age. That's life and life is a ride. Enjoy it. The reward will be beyond your imagination.
I have applied multiple times to roles on the German market. Lots of rules that are not natural and do not make any sense. "We do this stuff because we have been always doing them like that". I invite you to be a freelancer in my homecountry - poland. Freelacing here is pure freedom.
Hi @wdcapl, Ah, that's sounds interesting! I love Poland, I have been to Warsaw back in the days. What precisely do you mean with "Lots of rules that are not natural"? Best regards, Alex
i can relate! was working in the freelance business so far and 2022 was an absolute boom. However now 2025 there seem to be no contracts around anymore or only Arbeitnehmerüberlassung. especially in the car industry. It will be probably tough in the next few years.
Hi @taekwondo4u, Yeah, it’s sad how things turned out, but hopefully, better days are ahead. Let’s see. What kind of freelance business were you working on? By the way, I also did Taekwondo when I was younger-lol! Best regards, Alex
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you for your video! I'm 40 already and have been working as an SWE for half of my life. I know your feelings; I feel the same. Greetings from Berlin!
you are not alone with your observations, but we have always the chance to change a little bit "this mess", maybe others could also follow that path? don't give up! greetings from Hamburg!
Hi Esteban, thanks for you comment :) I hope so, I will share my future path and more on this channel, hopefully as an inspiration for others. Greetings back! :)
Dear Alex: I am 69 and a mining geologist. I have seen the exact same thing in mining companies and my career since the 1980s. Almost no companies have an equally paid technical track carrier path as the manager career path. This destroys companies, as your best technical people end up u happy and not contributing. I have also seen the gaps in hiring which we call the donut hole, with declining education and learned skill sets from mentoring. My impression of German, Korean and Japanese culture is that it is inflexible versus USA. I would say find your path. It may not be in a large corporation. You are obviously intelligent and will do well. Tough times build strong men. Strong men build good times. Good times makes weak men. Weak men make bad times.
Dear @goldgeologist5320, thank you for sharing your experiences and taking the time to comment here :) I really appreciate it because in my family, nobody has a technical background. It’s eye-opening to see how these challenges span industries and decades. I agree that undervaluing technical career paths and neglecting mentorship harms both individuals and companies. Your advice to find my own path really resonates, and I appreciate the encouragement! That quote at the end is one of my favorites-so true and timeless! Wish you all the best, hopefully enjoyed your retirement :) Best regards, Alex
@ Alex: I jumped to consulting after having sufficient and significant experienced to the best man in my field. This allowed rapid expansion of the skills, knowledge and diversification of by experience. I was then recruited back to the corporate world at a much higher level with the ability to direct the environment. As I like to say “If I am going to ride the railroad, I want to be the conductor in charge.” Best of luck.
I moved to Germany 4+ years ago as a SWE. We, expats, sometimes come from countries where things are like in the Wild West, we're used to it, we'll move on. But right now seeing my colleagues - hard-working highly educated German engineers who counted on stability and equality (because it has been so for 70 yrs) working for non-competitive salary for companies that start cutting staff, trying to get by - is really heartbreaking. PS. Remember, hard times are temporarily, keep doing what you love.
Well spoken. I am in my fourties. As a player once in the tech science and industry I can relate. The word embarassing related a lot. It would be great to have a more 'integrated' life like also exploring/developing other skills while having a tech job. For me living out multiple skills/crafts/talents felt very good. There are also more important or at least same important things. Stay blessed. Greetings
Hey Alex, thank you for this informative video! As engineers, we love to solve problems, but we often face limitations when implementing ideas within corporate environments. If we decide to pursue a startup with a product idea, how can we go about doing that in Germany? Could you please make a video on this topic? Given your extensive experience in the industry, we believe you are the right person to guide us.
Hey Sivarama, thanks a lot for your comment :) Sure, that's actually on my agenda to take you on a journey to build a small SAAS. I have built some things in the past, some work out, some don't. Let's see (Y)
I'm also on the verge of this transformation (though I haven't written my resignation letter yet). I have an IT job that doesn't pay well, and honestly, I feel sorry for the time I'm spending there. I want to start my own business. But how? i dony know. I hope you find your way. I've subscribed to your channel, full support!
Thanks a lot for your support, Taner! I hope to bring some real advice on how to make some side money/start a little business on this channel because a lot of people asked :)
I am twice your age. Here it comes: if you really are good. Go on yourself and create something fun. Join interest group / meetup where you find likewise inspiring spirits …
Would love to hear more about how you have helped smaller/ local companies with their software development tasks. I’ve always hated the corporate structure in the UK and would love to see a move back to smaller/ local companies. Would love to see a video on this topic, thanks
5:40 I’m so glad that my company noticed this trend and did pretty strong course correction, now I only have 1 hour worth of meetings a day on average which is quite nice, but I think one of the reasons we were able to do that is because we don’t have many managers, so most people are actually people who want to work.
Hi @kobibr9362, there are worse places to work remotely than Canada. I hope you enjoyed your time and the beautiful nature over there :) Do you also have problems finding a job? Just a few days ago, a friend send me this over: www.github.careers/careers-home/jobs/3885?lang=en-us Maybe interesting for you? See you around + thanks for subscribing :) Alex
@ It was awesome Canada is awesome innovation was actually part of the company culture. Every 2 splints they gave us 3 days to work on anything we wanted solo or in teams. We got new products out of these innovation days using any tech we wanted and made new teams for them. Sadly I was a consultant(not hired by the company it self) and got laid off when bank interests raised and the company did layoffs. Here in Europe not only every project uses old tech, little to no innovation and no remote work. Not only people go to the office everyday but hey do less with shittier tech stacks. The companies them selfs are less competitive towards each other and even less competitive towards the worlds. Those companies won’t exist in 15 years to my eyes they can not hold up on an open market, they are to slow.
Hey Alex, very honest and inspiring video that will most probably stay in my mind for some days. And a fantastic idea to do this video at the Cloef. Very famous place! Congratulations to your anniversary and all the best for your version of 2025! Greets from Saarlänner to Saarlänner :)
Hi Alex, I think it would be interesting to see acting scenes of German way of software development… from endless meetings, review sessions, fights over PRs, retro and etc. I think it would be fun :)
Hi Alex, I really like your thoughts. And, what I really like the most is that, you said you are not happy when you are only reacting not acting. I have the same feelings like you. I am feeling so low when I don't have enough impact on any kind of work, whether I am good enough or not. But, as I am also 30 (I have just finished my master from Paderborn University), I just want to share this to you, what you did in last 7-8 years, it is kind of goal for me in this age right now. But what I get from your videos, you want to move your career from corporate world. My point is sometimes we have do something which we don't like, and most of the time we donot even know what actually we like. For example, I love to take exotic animals photos and videos, but somehow at this time I cant shift or move my dream work, (because of my current situation, I must have to find a job, maybe someday). People often say do whatever your heart wants. But, it is not always the reality. For you, what you are thinking of course it is coming from your heart, but the journey is long and difficult. But, there will be some people like me who will always appreciate your thoughts whether you will successful or not. I have just one question to you, goal and fulfil the dream are same or different?
Hi @mirazpastore6495, Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your thoughts-it means a lot! You’re right, life often requires us to do things we don’t love, and figuring out our true passions can take time. As for your question, I think goals and dreams are connected but different. A goal is actionable and short-term, while a dream is the bigger picture that gives life purpose. Congrats on finishing your master’s-it’s a big achievement! Keep working toward your dreams, even if progress feels slow. But I would encourage you to continue taking exotic animal photos! What's stopping you? I am also doing these videos after work. And maybe your tiktok/youtube channel with exotic animal photos/videos will take off, you never know until you have tried. I’ll keep sharing my journey - whatever comes next - appreciating people like you resonate with it. Thanks for that! :) All the best, Alex
30 yrs ago I moved away from Germany. Right now I'm first time back after 8 yrs for a visit. My impression is that Germany has gone down the drain. My life outside of Germany is/was like a job fairytale. I have worked nearly all positions one could imagine for IT/Biz nerd like me: developer, architecture, tester, security, operations, manager, specialist, consultant, contractor, freelancer, founder ... but newer as an employee. Follow your dreams but be also a business man, and don't let yourself fool by fools who are just cogs in machines. They only cover their a.. for next paycheck.
I completely agree what you are saying. I'm on the same page as you but with a mortgage and 4 kids so I don't have much of a choice. I have hoped between the jobs a LOT in the last 5-6 years and my biggest issues are meetings and corporate setup. "..not asking any questions .." 100pct agree. Greetings from DK
Appreciate the honesty, Tanka! Mortgage, 4 kids, and corporate chaos-you're juggling like a pro. Meetings suck, though, right? Big respect and Greetings back to DK!
Grüße an die Saarschleife ;) I've given up on this career type myself as well. I'm now moving to Sweden and will try myself as an Indie dev, and if that doesn't work out I'll try something different. Software Engineering in companies just is hell on earth.
Thanks :) Oh beautiful Sweden! Good luck on your indie hacking journey! I have tried some indie projects in the recent past but all didn't make any substantial money. I think I will do a video about these experiences one day.
Hi @RihelSig, that's so interesting. I have a friend who is a doctor and I always admire him. Sometimes I think: Maybe I should have chosen a different path. It's so easy to become self-employed in this career. But of course, there is a high workload, pressure and stress. Wish you all the best! See you around, Alex
Amazing, don't know how this popped up on my feed but great video and feel related as an expat SW in Berlin, great to see our bunch coming up. You gained a new subscriber my friend😁
Hi Alex. Very natural and honest of you to come out and speak your heart. Almost everyone who is around 30 (late 20s early 30s) resonates with you. Btw is that saarbrücken?
Nice. Good you are exposing thoughts and are not afraid to be vulnerable and ready to explore. I am a freelance programmer and love my jobs. Be in a company for a few months or 2 years or so for a project to deliver. Enjoy your explorations.
I tried being a goddamn dentist in Germany for 3 months, coming from Poland, it's supposed to be a very simple manual job, but everything was so freaking stale, pointless demands, lack of trust from patients and totally inefficient use of me being in the office, lots of overstaffing just because those positions *must* be filled, very stiff air, over treatment, and half my Polish salary - call me a risk taker than XD Couldn't have made a worse decision than staying there longer, everything felt stuck in time, perhaps in the 70s-80s... Came back in the 4th month:)
Sorry to hear that, Konrads! I wish you had a great time here but the circumstances are sometimes different. I do believe we are stuck in the 70-80, everything is printed and slow, etc. Poland is a beautiful country, wish you all the best :)
Great video. Working remote has been the best thing for me as well. I can sleep more and waste less time making the commute to and from work. I used to work for a German car company's software subsidiary; it was very slow to act/react and impossible to do anything.
I am 56, so when you turn 56, the world of work will have changed dramatically. The most important things in life are health and well-being. If our European countries continue to prosper, then we all must accommodate change. Britain, as the Germans say, is an elbow society (Ellenbogengesellschaft). We have lost many good people who could work in Britain. Both societies are similar but very different. It will be interesting to witness how the Germans manage the changes in their economy. Britain adopted a service economy after deindustrialisation. Britain seems to have had more success in adopting the digital economy. I am not an expert, but it is my views by my reading. Alles gute für die Zukunft.
There are a lot of engineers who just like engineering and don’t see any value in becoming a manager… unfortunately there’s no way to progress upwards without moving jobs, which has become really hard, or start your own enterprise which needs capital and a niche product idea.
You're right, career progression often feels tied to management or moving jobs. Starting your own enterprise is an option, but it needs capital and an unique idea. Finding a path that aligns with your skills is key.
Hi Alex, you seem like a really nice and cool dude. I really enjoyed your video (sometimes the TH-cam algorithm does manage to be useful!). I’m 45 and have been working in the German "tech industry" for 25 years. Not for big automotive companies, but rather for medium-sized web agencies - so I can totally relate to what you’re describing in this video. I think we "tech people" tend to be more open-minded, which makes it hard to fit into these often very outdated structures. Without COVID, there never would have been this push for remote work either. Unfortunately, Germany is very stuck and over-regulated in many ways. If I understand correctly, you’re still unattached? Maybe taking a step abroad could be something for you? Keep making videos - I think you’ve really got a talent for it.
Thank you so much for the kind words and for sharing your experience! It’s great to hear from someone who’s been in the industry for so long and can relate to these challenges. You’re absolutely right-tech people often thrive in more flexible and innovative environments, and remote work has been a game-changer (for me as well). You’re spot on about stepping abroad-it’s definitely on my mind, with Switzerland and the US as options. Both have exciting opportunities and different work cultures. Thanks again for your support and encouragement especially regarding the videos -it means a lot because YT Views/Subs don't always reflect my effort haha 🙌
what you said about the meeting is absolutely correct. I worked in 2 German companies. I just hated this german culture of showing more visibility to top management.
It seems you have a lot of opinions on a lot of things. And its pretty clear you just don‘t fit where you have been. Nothing to be ashamed for. Hope you find your way
Thank you for the video. I'm in a different industry but feel all your criticism very well. I'm working for a US company based here in Germany, but have to say, that it also applies to the mindset of our Mother organization. I actually have the feeling, that being present in meetings and virtue signaling is much bigger problem in the US environment than with my European/German colleagues.
Hi Klaus, yes, I did an internship in the US (Silicon Valley) and yes, it's far worse in the US and some other places. But it highly depends on the company probably.
I worked for some 15 years in IT in Finland and around the globe. Lately I moved to Germany and worked here for few years in IT. Now I am looking for something different. I also started few TH-cam channels. One for my tinkering projects and another for nature, technology and mindfulness at my cabin at the Arctic. I also want to help people and prepare humankind for the future with AI. I believe we are in trouble when jobs are lost to AI. Especially in countries like Germany where people identify with their jobs. People will need new meaning. I think I found few things that can maybe help. Connection with nature, ourselves and the people around us. I am building my cabin retreat to be a place to relax, enjoy nature and to practice mindfulness. I agree with you, creative and a bit crazy people like me do not fit into the Germans system. My ideas were not fitting the Germans system so I am also putting my energy to making videos. I also agree, you learn a lot making the videos 😄
The real issues will be related to loneliness. I think we got loneliness epidemic. We can't see this yet. Most elders in most countries have families, children and grandchildren. In a couple of decades we will enter the age where a lot of elders are completely lonely. No kids, no grandkids no spouse. And on the top of that most creativity and passion-related jobs will go away. So any individuals who aren't in perfect health will suffer tornendously.
@HCforLife1 it seems that AI can solve lot of health issues and i am quite sure also loneliness and mental problems. Everyone will have a worlds best therapist with them 24/7. That is if the AI does not kill us all 😉
@alextech. thanks! More relaxed nature stuff coming up soon! I just started it and even though I expected it to take lot of time and energy, I was surprised how much work it it. Let's both keep it up! I will be following your stuff and where life takes you. On my other channel I have more tech stuff and also video series about my failures in Germany 😬
Originally from India but worked in Malaysia (2y), Finland (8y) and now Germany since 5 years. The IT industry and overall the employee employer relationship is definitely evolving fast. We are perhaps evolving into a gig economy not just with food delivery but with every profession. Last year when I got the opportunity I took voluntary leave from my job, got a few months of garden leave and a small package. This became my runway to establish something different. I do a combination of 1. Freelancing - hasn't been easy with market slowdown but I'm starting to get traction. 2. Content creation: I made an online course which has made a few thousand €. 3. Indie hacking- just released an app but hasn't got the traction I imagined 😅 Few words of advice 1. Don't over think. There are challenges and there are solutions. 2. Act more and think less. Like the video you created rather than worrying about subscriber count. Do this for every idea in your head. 3. Live a portion of your life for others. We (incl me) have become very individualistic. Taking help and giving help should be part of our life.
As a software developer since late 90ies in Germany I would not like to work for the company you described. I used to work as a freelancer for 20 years but switched to employment when I was already working in a big project for some years and liked it and also the people. Of course you make more monay as freelancer but I don't really need this extra money. To me it is more important to have fun everyday and work with people I like. About 90% of my working hours I spend on development topics and only 10% are meetings. Since 2021 (Covid 19) we work fully in home office and this works really well. Perhaps you will also find a company that suits you better althought I might be difficult at the moment. Good luck anyway!
Hi Axel, thanks a lot for your comment! Very interesting to read all these different stories :) I actually thought about trying out freelancing if my employment comes to an end. May I ask which companies you would recomment? SAP, etc.? Or in general better smaller companies?
@@alextech. I dont' think it depends on the size of the company but rather on the culture. The problem might be that you will find out only after you joined one of them. At the moment most (if not all) of them will not hire. And (as you know best) a lot of software developers will be on the market from car manufacturers (e.g. cariad) and their suppliers. Since I was a freelancer for many years I still monitor this topic but IMHO it is getting less and less attractive: Many companies only work with "Arbeitnehmerüberlassung" no to be accidentaly esposed to any social security fees and fines. In my team there are also people who wanted to do freelance but got employed by some temporary employment agency which supplies them to my employer. But they have to pay all the social insurances which don't have to be paid by freelancers. When I was a freelancer for enterprise software I was able to find projects lasting for some years. In the end the work was not different from people employed by the project provider but as a freelancer I had about 30-40% more money before tax and didn't have to pay social insurances. And of course you can buy all the equipment or the car you like and use it to reduce your tax. But this is all second - first you need to find a project and stay in this project long enough to reach the figures I mentioned. BTW: I work for Deutsche Bahn, in particular I'm one of the developers of the web frontend you use if you purchase tickets.
@@camueller28 Ok, thanks for sharing your experience. Very valuable! Didn't know the difference in Social Security between ANÜ and freelancing. BTW: Thx, the frontend to purchase tickets got a lot better in the recent years/months! :)
Merry Christmas, guys! 🎄
Thank you for your support! 🫶
I didn't expect that many views. Over the last year, my videos got ~50 views/video.
@@alextech. Gleichfalls und schöne Feiertage 🌲🎅
yeah you expected. 😂😂😂😂 that's why you made the video you fool. stop lying. you copy pasted the asian engineer.
vote for the AfD
SW heißt was?
social worker
sex worker
short wave
Stadtwerke
Sicherheitswache
Just move abroad!!
Im a dev with 30 years experience. You are on the right path, be blessed.
Merry Christmas! We are all going to make it, that's it
Me too buddy, I stopped working for corporate umbrella contractors
As an immigrant living in Germany, I 100% agree with you. Germans really need to be more relaxed and innovative. It's sad to see the downfall of Germany right in front of my eyes because of some strict policies and how Germans think in general. I truly want to see this country succeed. Mate, you are awesome! Connecting with people is everything, whether it's physical or over the internet. Humans are the best. Keep rocking!
Thanks, mate!
Totally agree-Germany’s potential is big, but the mindset can be rigid. Love your positivity.
And I already love this comment section, it's so friendly👍
Let’s keep connecting and pushing for better-cheers!
If you love Germany, please go home.
@@thebeautifulones5436 you are a good example of someone being not relaxed and not innovative, congrats, I hope you are not german
@@thebeautifulones5436 You are part of the problems - not the solution. Sad. Very sad.
@@thebeautifulones5436 Yes, I will, sir. I came here for a project and to contribute as much as I can. I am very glad about how this country treats me and its people, and I am going home at the end of 2025. 🙏
Danke für dein authentisches Auftreten. Es macht echt einen großen Unterschiede, wenn wann zwar gut vorbereitet aber dennoch frei von der Seele redet. Es hat mich direkt gehooked. Je mehr man sich auf diesem Wege austauscht, desto besser ist es für alle. Nochmals vielen Dank dafür und frohes neues Jahr :)
Danke WolloW! Das bedeutet mir viel.
Immer wieder gerne :)
Dir auch ein Frohes neues Jahr 🙌
This type of introspection is what our industry needs. As developers we understand logic but not ourselves.
💯 Andy!
Sometimes it's awfully good to go into the forest and reflect😅
Hi Alex,
Thanks for sharing. I am 36 years old male, and got my first SWD job in 2020, when was 32. It was my dream job, I was happy. After having 2-3 years of experience, I got a remote contract with a Berlin based company for about 8 months. And on Linkedin, I had 1-2 job offers every week, that was pushing me think "Ok Yalcin, you can wait for better alternatives" I was too picky, and waited too long and missed all that opportunities. I have been doing freelance job in recent years, and applying jobs time to time, but I am tired of being rejected.
Things switched very quickly. And I don't know what to do next. Hope things go well soon for each of us.
Hi Yalcin,
thanks for sharing your journey!
It’s tough when opportunities feel missed, but your experience still speaks volumes.
The market can be brutal, but persistence pays off. Keep pushing-you’ve already proven you’ve got what it takes.
Wishing you all the best!
I have 30 years experience in software engineering, but I’ve been unemployed for 18 months. The market is BRUTAL right now and affecting people of all skill levels. It’s never been this bad. Hopefully it gets better soon.
I got my first real dev job with 2020 when my daughter was born and I got married and covid or corona broke out. Now it feels to me like I am stranded at the middle of nowhere.
20 years of experience here, 36 yo. I retired last year. I worked like a dog for almost a decade and saved and invested almost everything I made. Thankfully I can live now and work on my own IT adventures, I don't care for the paycheck anymore nor the money, I have just enough to live as a normal person, no luxury, but no need for a job anymore. I feel bad for the people who are now struggling to get a job in this market. PLEASE, for people who still have jobs, save, invest, don't go for the material luxury (cars, big hotels, etc), there's no more luxury than freeing yourself from the wage slavery, your life time is limited, enjoy it with you and yours, not with your bosses.
What did you invest into?
Thanks for your insights, Insert Name :)
I agree with you, I started investing early on and can look now on this crisis a bit more relaxed than others (although I am still concerned).
But it's easy to get distracted in a world full of social media.
Wish you a good retirement and fun with your IT adventures (Y)
@@5kopiyok Real estate (not houses, but commercial real estate like street stores, because I don't want to be in a position where I get to decide directly over people's roofs, renting houses is too sensitive for me). Then I also own a lot of SP500, thru the Degiro platform, and then Bitcoin since 2014 (although not as much as I wanted to).
@@alextech. Thank you mate! I wish you all good, and keep up these amazing videos 💪
@@insertname5421 Thanks @insertname5421. Means a lot to me :)
Dear Alex, as a software engineering manager (past software engineer) at Bosch working on the eBike division I can clearly say german industry has shown to transform itself. I‘m confident that is the spirit we need. We need smart people like you starting new things with business in mind or helping transforming Porsche, Bosch, Mercedes and all these names. The future is now and we have it in our hand. As someone who was born in Germany but having parents from Africa it‘s a true honor what companies we have. Furthermore, I received multiple times a scholarship by Apple in San Francisco. I decided to stay in Germany. Even though the news are not nice these days… the turnover will come. We are responsible make this companies successful or creating new Organisations. As you said we have many engineers. The future is bright. Keep the spirit up Alex.
Interesting, I met your lead architect. She is truly inspiring.
Thank you for your inspiring words and for sharing your story! It’s incredible to hear from someone driving innovation and choosing to contribute to Germany’s transformation.
I fully agree-the future is bright, and it’s on us to shape it.
Your encouragement means a lot. Let’s keep pushing forward! :)
In most of these companies you can't even get a job anymore nowadays, unless you know somebody that know's somebody. That's my personal opinion on why alot of these companies are struggling hard. They do not hire skillbased and are then wondering why they are struggling. They should just get their recruiting strategy fixed and take compliance more serious.
As an example for this: At Audi you can finish your Ausbildung and then come back later with the job guarantee. Alot of people study after they finished their Ausbildung and then come back to Audi via the job guarantee when they finished their studies. Worst case is they have to do band work for like 6 months, but since they can internally apply to jobs that are not listed public, they get a job fairly easy. Thats how you can get into Audi pretty easy even with a super bad degree (job guarantee safes you, internal application process is also way easier). No wonder why they are having issues now with hiring strategies like that.
"software engineering manager " May I ask what are you managing? Would like your surgeons to have managers?
I'm 45 and absolutely despise corporate culture. To be treated like children being shuffled around from meeting to meeting is simply toxic. People are so terrible towards one another in these environments. Lots of fake relationships and fake positivism. Management has incentives to enable these practices. You play along thinking that's somehow going to save your job and then they lay you off/fire you because it really was about the budget and money all along.
Yes, very true. I also would describe these company culture as toxic and fake often.
Chomsky said it well corporates are managed by tyranny. It is funny because they always as for liberating the job market and the economy but once they have a problem they as for government intervention. They claim to support democracy but rule like tyrants.
At 30 you have plenty time and possibilities. At 40 it's much different. At 50 it's just survival.
Yeah true. Thanks Fonten :)
40 is no problem for me so far, same for 50 with relatives I have in tech. With the right mindset nothing is a problem, you just have to keep learning!
@@Maxშემიწყალე i'm also in tech and i don't see need in people in 10 years on all high salary levels, considering savings, the example of burned soviet savings by 20 years in one day is the sober historical slap, that was just money exchange.
What about after death?
Do you think about that too
Or you think you just gonna turn to dust
So you are telling me I am a zombie or kind of a zombie who even speaks kind of a zombie language.
Wonderful. I like how you say “tough times never last” at the end
Hi Bill,
sure, it's always a mindset question!
See you around :)
Keep creating content. Don't get demotivated by what people say. Keep shining!
Hello @fazeelrazzaq4936,
thanks for your kind words and your encouragement. I really appreciate it :)
See you around,
Alex
Your obvious sincerity makes the content really interesting.
Thanks :)
Wow, I found your video, and as a German IT Freelancer who has worked for multiple German enterprises since 2010, I can relate to everything you said. Solutions are designed by the business because they control the budget. But instead of revolutionizing the business using tech, we usually discuss another Excel-like application. This is so disappointing. 🤬 It is a massive problem for German corporations to stay competitive in the future. Our mindset nowadays: "Please, just no disruptive change at all." Thank you for being so honest.🙏
Thanks for sharing your experience!
It’s true-many businesses focus on short-term fixes instead of embracing disruptive innovation. This mindset definitely risks falling behind.
Glad the video resonated with you, Andreas!
A side note: management is not about telling people what to do. In my opinion it is all about setting the team or project for success. Good teams usually know better what to do in the project. Great teams even know how to do it best. People in management positions usually solve socio-technical problems. They work on the team and on the project - and if there is time also in the project as well. They are like good admins. If admin is good, youll never know his work. But with a bad admin, there are always troubleshooting.
Agree! Thx for the side note 👌
Management is all about perspective - it's about setting teams up for success, not just giving orders.
Managers should remove obstacles, but sometimes they are the ones creating obstacles haha
I agree, in my opinion, the primary tasks of management are making sure that the company is on the right path, and making sure that the people who do the actual work are never disturbed. In practice, a lot of management functions as a mutual justification network (of managers, for each other), not in the role of directing and enabling the actual workers.
That is, project management, not people management.
Hey man, I'm about the same age and I have faced the same problems working in tech. This vid has resonated with me a lot. Keep up the good job and good luck growing beyond monetization on YT.
Thanks SoloByte! Already got so much positive feedback and responses about this video.
That's worth more the any monetization 🙏
Refreshingly authentic video! I love how raw it is.
Glad you enjoyed it, Marschmellow! :)
But bro, you have 15 years old videos on your account - very nice!
I was Software Engineer for 15 Years in very different Areas. Now I am only self employed by programming AI small applications for the local people around.
I appreciate your video. continue !
Could you maybe elaborate on how and what exactly you do and how you find your customers? Because I'm also self-employed and I'm tired of making websites for ungrateful people who don't see the value in my work...
I can't work a normal job either because I have to help look after my dad as he's bedridden and I just need the free time to not work myself to death when I have to go to an appointment with him and it takes longer, if you know what I mean.
@ hey. I am still in a bad situation with divorce. I just take small simple jobs. I just run into customers. I do not work much for others. Living a reduced life.
Thanks for this insights. Very motivational :)
Happy New Year 🎉
Wish you the best going through a divorce!
Happy New Year 2025 🥳🎉
When I was your age, I worked in Germany on a contract. It was a great experience.
But after 3 years of Steuerklasse 1, I got steuermuede and fled.
Taxes are crazy here 💯
Where do you live/work now?
@@alextech. Actually no - income taxes are not that high. Taxes PLUS health care insurance PLUS pension "fonds" PLUS unemployed insurance ... yes ... this is rather high in combination.
One reason why "Rente" is so high, because we have a crazy system where all the rich don't need to pay more and there is no highest amount. We should guarantee a good minimum pension and a maximum pension of about the double and ALL people with income or wealth have to pay in the system.
Also our health care system can improve a lot. One huge reasons is that the doctors have huge issues with distributing the money well (Ärztebund).
Also the "Pflege" is a huge business where we still don't get it how to deal with it more efficiently. Almost everybody seems to be very unhappy with this system.
But pure income taxes are not that high. Within the tax system it's weird that the "Spitzensteuersatz" is starting already with roughly 65k for a single person. This is WAY too early. And then there is a jump from 42% to 45% at 250K - and almost NO good earner unter 150K is rebelling because the guy with higher income pay the same tax rate. Why? Don't know. Never understood.
But the german government needs those taxes to invest in infrastructure, education etc.. once you understand that taxes are reinvested to „den Laden am Laufen lassen“ your aren‘t as frustrated
@@gronkhfp His point was not "i dont want to pay ANY taxes", it was "i am paying too much" - a very healthy position to be held by any sensible person. You can absolutely keep the Laden going with less money
@ Not in Germany as you can See in the current State. Mainly because there were only Short Term descisions made for the Baby Boomers to get re-elected. Because the Laden wurde von den Baby Boomern an die Wand gefahren economywise and climatewise
I'm SWE/architect 4 years older also with a fresh YT channel. I hope you gonna enjoy new hobby and grow it fast!
Thanks, same to you. Wish you all the best for your YT channel :)
Interesting videos, keep it up 👍
I went freelance right after university, left Germany shortly after and never look back. I use some of my German “Tugenden” to either push things the correct way but mostly just let things flow even if it’s not as efficient, doesn’t really matter in the end. And I’m happy while being worried about my old Heimat, seeing how this once shining beacon is turning into a grumpy old fart.
Still love it, it’s my old turf with the sweetest memories and most amazing people who shaped me into who I am today.
Hi @caspa7,
probably a good decision you made early in life!
Yes, I agree. It's very sad to experience this while still living here. A lot of colleagues are switching to defense companies right now. Weird to see this development as well.
Where do you live now?
Best regards,
Alex
@@alextech. as a former Java developer I had only one choice…. 😉
You are wise for your age 🙂 I am a 35 yr old data analyst/engineer who recently stepped into an architecture role. I hate corporate life and I want more freedom and also live in the countryside. My country (NL) has a similar work culture as Germany. It's hard to think out of the box here and do something different.
Hi @rsg7221,
ah, you are lucky! Great countryside in NL, I sometimes visit in the summer :)
But yes, I agree doing something out of the box isn't so appreciated here, but possible.
There are a lot of famous examples out there.
Nevertheless, wish you all the best in your new architecture role.
Best regards,
Alex
Very nicely done. It gets my subscription and like!
Thank you, Victor!
And thanks for subscribing :)
See you around!
Good luck for whatever you chose to do going ahead!
Thanks Manu!
I agree 100% with you having been in software industry for 17 years. A large percentage of software people just showing they are doing something. I keep wondering where the society is going on. A tiny percentage of wealthy, powerful people are controlling enormous resources and affecting live's of millions.
Yeah sad and true!
Wish you a Happy New Year, Vijay!
Thanks for the conversation. A lot to learn.
Happy to hear that, Joseph 👍
Thanks Alex for sharing! truly inspiring!
Thanks Ahmed :)
I believe that right after the COVID people experienced a womb feeling and recognized how valuable life is.
Hi @sabitkondakc9147,
haha yes, very true!
And remote work change a lot at least in my perspective.
See you around,
Alex
Speaking gets better and easier over time just by doing it. Which you already are.
Nice video!
Thanks Flo! Means a lot to me :)
Thank you for your insight, very helpful as a newcomer in Germany.
Wish you a good start in Germany, Thannatar :)
Recently I've seen so many developers/surgeons living in the woods now, that soon it will become crowded there xD
In 3 years: I was living in the woods, now I am a SW Engineer haha
We base so much of our happiness by comparing our lives to others. In the past having a stable office job that gets you out of your home every day was considered way better form of living to just sitting in your village home and being bored. People in smaller towns had almost zero ways of earning a living outside of repetitive and depressive manual labor. But the office way of life has degraded, as companies are now putting efficiency, cost cutting and global market competition in front of everything else. Seeing people on social networks not being tied to employers is now a much better perspective of life, like a village laborer seeing an office employee going in his car every morning to do something that seems interesting.
That's an interesting perspecitve, Milos. Never thought about it that way 👍
I grew up very poor but was always good at business. But 2014 I was worth €6 million. I was not really happy but I had lots of money and thats what matters right? In July that year I suffered brain damage in a mugging and 18 months later I was bankrupt and homeless. I get my life together is a very basic minimalist sense and at first my poverty was an embarrassment, after a while I started to enjoy the simplicity of my life.
I never tried to regain the wealth, I have no interest in it. I tailor bespoke historical suits when my health allows and I have written a few books. Im far happier than I ever was when I was rich. The things you own really DO own you in the end, they really do...!!!
Viel Erfolg zu Ihnen! I'm 40, American in Germany, and I get a lot of what you're saying.
Hi @thomass6927,
thanks!
All the best to you as well!
I wish I could just move to the US. You are so lucky that you have that option :)
See you around,
Alex
TH-cam Chanel from Thorsten Schulte Silberjunge:" 120 Jahre fremdbestimmt " und " Die grosse Täuschung "
TH-cam Kanal dieZuversicht:" Der geheime Krieg gegen das deutsche Volk und seine historischen Wurzeln "!
@@alextech. I'm not in software so I wouldn't make more in the USA per se. And every place has a giant set of advantages and disadvantages. But for sure, the more citizenship/residencies you have, the luckier you are.
Very genuine. Keep it up! 100% agree with you, as I used to work in Germany.
Thanks for the appreciation, Zocky!
I do work at German company, I'm also electrical engineer turned software dev .
I can related what you saying . I feel GERMANY is slowly moving it's software to India and Asia with cheap labour
Hi @koustavmandal2669,
thanks for your comment! Yes, I agree.
In 2016 when I started, there were already close collaborations with India. And now the companies need to reduce cost and moving software engineering to India/Asia.
Maybe we will need our electrical engineering certificate again one day.
See you around,
Alex
Very similar story as an American, minus the lacking business culture. Massive layoffs in the tech industry recently. Been independent since 2019, but things are changing even for those like us in America.
Hi @somjrgebn,
sad to hear that story. Yeah, I heard about the massive tech layoff in the tech industry.
But hopefully better days are ahead. Wish you all the best! :)
See you around,
Alex
'Though times never last'.... me: 😢I spent my last 25 years alone of 43.
Sorry to hear that bro. But you are not alone.
I can recommend dancing class for meeting new people, etc.
Wish you all the best! Of course, you can reach out through mail if you want to :)
Hallo, ich habe auch in der deutschen Automobilindustrie als Softwareentwickler gearbeitet und ähnliche Erfahrungen gemacht. Viel Erfolg weiterhin!
Hallo Adam,
schade, dass du keine besseren Erfahrungen gemacht hast.
Danke, dir auch viel Erfolg weiterhin :)
thanks for sharing your experience. i agree with a lot of what youre saying, but not everything. but that deoends on the personal experiences we all make. best of luck to you going forqard 👍🏻
Hi @michibichi2212,
thanks for your comment.
That's how it should be :)
I wish you also all the best!
Best regards,
Alex
Am just starting my life in Germany. All what you said is 100% true. However from where i am coming from. This is a big step up.
Hi @psycdice,
interesting perspective. Where do you come from if I may ask? :)
Wish you a good start in Germany (Y)
Best,
Alex
@alextech. Egypt
@alextech. Thanks for all the kind wishes
Over 40 years of engineering experience (mechanical engineering and design) in the German automotive industry. Most of that as an independent consultant. I've met a whole lot of software engineers during this time, all of them ambitious and full of energy at the start of their career. The one thing I noticed about these guys, only very few of them were still in software engineering by the time they had turned 40 and then usually as self-employed developers hoping to earn a living working on their own software solutions.
Already at 30 many of them had started to wander away from the field. Some took on jobs as university lecturers, usually teaching maths or coding. Others had entered entirely different fields. One of them started up as a graphics designer and another ended up reading philosophy.
That said, it's a sign that something is very wrong with an organisation when a lot of work-time is spent in meetings and is usually the boss's fault. One meeting a week is already a lot. On average I was in a meeting maybe once a month and often left early if I felt I wasn't needed. My deadlines were far more important to me.
I wish you all the best and hope things work out for you.
Hi @mikethespike7579,
thanks for sharing your over 40 years of engineering experience! Very valuable :)
Yes, interesting observation. I also noticed that software engineers are usually between 20-40, don't know where they disappear after that lol
One meeting a week would be so awesome! I had days where I had 3 dailys (only for reporting), I don't even know when I should work.
I am also thinking of a work type more safe (lecturer) or more independent (self-employed) but this situation is difficult. Let's see!
Thanks, I wish the same to you. Maybe enjoying your retirement already?
See you,
Alex
Schönes Video, ich bin kurz davor mein Informatik Studium zu beenden und habe angefangen als Werkstudent zu arbeiten. Finde solche Videos immer interessant, wo man etwas von erfahreneren Personen mitnehmen kann. Mach einfach weiter, vielleicht gönnt der TH-cam Algo bald viele Views. Dann sind die Leute, die deinen Content peinlich finden auch wieder ganz still :)
Vielen Dank, Ek! Wünsche dir viel Erfolg im Studium/Jobstart.
Und natürlich Frohes Neues Jahr 🙏
Kleiner Tipp zur Arbeitgeberwahl: Auch nach kleineren/mittleren Unternehmen schauen, da man dort öfter ein größeres/vielfältigeres Aufgabengebiet hat.
Mir gefällt es dass der Algorithmus dein Video für mich gefunden hat. Dein Englisch ist perfekt. Vielen Dank mit uns deine Geschichte mitzuteilen. Es würde mich freuen mehr über deine Erfahrungen und Gedanken des AI (KI) hören. Ich habe abonniert. Vielen Dank nochmals, Alex!
Danke für den Support, Karl!
Mein nächstes Video wird vermutlich den Titel haben: "Who’s really behind ChatGPT?" 😉
@@alextech.that would be interesting. Even more interesting would be the legal side behind the illegally crawled repositories big AI Models like CoPilot are build on.
I e enjoyed listening to your video, it feels authentic and honest.
Thanks for the compliment, I appreciate it 👌
I left you guys when I was exact 30 :D and jumped the Automotive industry. BTW love to see you again after many years.. :)
Oh no...that's embarrassing!
I hoped nobody would find it 😬
Nice to see you here as well haha
I hope you are doing fine! 😉
haha no worries, don’t know how it ended up in my feed. enjoy it and you are right in the video! cheers.
I love the fact you are out enjoying nature. That’s the world we to be a part of, not the man made one.
Yes Shane!
Just good to experience something different than the wfh setup sometimes.
Das mit den Meetings ist wirklich ein seltsames Phänomen. Ich habe das auch beobachtet. Ich glaube hier muss die Firma eine Vorgabe machen, damit die Leute nicht dauernd Meetings einstellen und wahllos Leute einladen.
Stimme leider auch zu, dass es in Deutschland extrem wenige Leute gibt die wirtschaftliches Wissen oder Denken haben.
Hi Christina,
ja und manche Leute pushen das ja gerade zu. Aus jedem Meeting kommt man mit 2 Follow-Up Meetings raus.
Danke für den Kommentar und das Abo ☺️
Bis bald,
Alex
Guten Rutsch wenn es so weit ist und viel Erfolg für 2025
Danke Heady, wünsche ich dir ebenso 🎉
Dear Alex, dear all. Alex is right!. I was in the same situation in that age. That's life and life is a ride. Enjoy it. The reward will be beyond your imagination.
Thank you for the encouragement, Frank!
You're absolutely right - appreciate the wisdom! 🚀
I like your honesty, keep it up!
Thanks Mircea! :)
I have applied multiple times to roles on the German market. Lots of rules that are not natural and do not make any sense. "We do this stuff because we have been always doing them like that". I invite you to be a freelancer in my homecountry - poland. Freelacing here is pure freedom.
Hi @wdcapl,
Ah, that's sounds interesting! I love Poland, I have been to Warsaw back in the days.
What precisely do you mean with "Lots of rules that are not natural"?
Best regards,
Alex
i can relate! was working in the freelance business so far and 2022 was an absolute boom. However now 2025 there seem to be no contracts around anymore or only Arbeitnehmerüberlassung. especially in the car industry. It will be probably tough in the next few years.
Hi @taekwondo4u,
Yeah, it’s sad how things turned out, but hopefully, better days are ahead. Let’s see.
What kind of freelance business were you working on?
By the way, I also did Taekwondo when I was younger-lol!
Best regards,
Alex
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thank you for your video! I'm 40 already and have been working as an SWE for half of my life. I know your feelings; I feel the same.
Greetings from Berlin!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well, Alexey!
Thanks 🙏
Weiter so! Authentisch und realitätsbezogen!
Vielen Dank Antonio! Das bedeutet mir viel :)
you are not alone with your observations, but we have always the chance to change a little bit "this mess", maybe others could also follow that path? don't give up! greetings from Hamburg!
Hi Esteban,
thanks for you comment :)
I hope so, I will share my future path and more on this channel, hopefully as an inspiration for others.
Greetings back! :)
Dear Alex: I am 69 and a mining geologist. I have seen the exact same thing in mining companies and my career since the 1980s. Almost no companies have an equally paid technical track carrier path as the manager career path. This destroys companies, as your best technical people end up u happy and not contributing. I have also seen the gaps in hiring which we call the donut hole, with declining education and learned skill sets from mentoring.
My impression of German, Korean and Japanese culture is that it is inflexible versus USA.
I would say find your path. It may not be in a large corporation. You are obviously intelligent and will do well.
Tough times build strong men. Strong men build good times. Good times makes weak men. Weak men make bad times.
Dear @goldgeologist5320,
thank you for sharing your experiences and taking the time to comment here :)
I really appreciate it because in my family, nobody has a technical background.
It’s eye-opening to see how these challenges span industries and decades. I agree that undervaluing technical career paths and neglecting mentorship harms both individuals and companies.
Your advice to find my own path really resonates, and I appreciate the encouragement!
That quote at the end is one of my favorites-so true and timeless!
Wish you all the best, hopefully enjoyed your retirement :)
Best regards,
Alex
@ Alex: I jumped to consulting after having sufficient and significant experienced to the best man in my field. This allowed rapid expansion of the skills, knowledge and diversification of by experience. I was then recruited back to the corporate world at a much higher level with the ability to direct the environment.
As I like to say “If I am going to ride the railroad, I want to be the conductor in charge.”
Best of luck.
you’re the real deal, Alex
Thanks storiestellr!
I watched some of your Camino videos - awesome stuff :)
@@alextech. hey Alex, cool, I appreciate it! glad you liked them 😃
I moved to Germany 4+ years ago as a SWE. We, expats, sometimes come from countries where things are like in the Wild West, we're used to it, we'll move on. But right now seeing my colleagues - hard-working highly educated German engineers who counted on stability and equality (because it has been so for 70 yrs) working for non-competitive salary for companies that start cutting staff, trying to get by - is really heartbreaking.
PS. Remember, hard times are temporarily, keep doing what you love.
keyword: equality. If you accept that injustice up front don't complain on the exit.
@@petarpetrov3591 who accepts, who complains, who exits, from where ? How does it relates to the context of the video ?
Thanks John!
Yes, I see the same thing, very heartbreaking.
Wish you all the best in these turbulent times :)
Vielen Glückwunsch von Schweden.
Well spoken. I am in my fourties. As a player once in the tech science and industry I can relate. The word embarassing related a lot. It would be great to have a more 'integrated' life like also exploring/developing other skills while having a tech job. For me living out multiple skills/crafts/talents felt very good. There are also more important or at least same important things. Stay blessed. Greetings
Thanks for your comment Tobias!
Yes that would be nice :)
Stay blessed too 👍
LG Alex
I agree with you on so many levels! You’ve got yourself a subscriber!
Thanks for the support, Ivan!
Means a lot to me 🙏
Hey Alex, thank you for this informative video! As engineers, we love to solve problems, but we often face limitations when implementing ideas within corporate environments. If we decide to pursue a startup with a product idea, how can we go about doing that in Germany? Could you please make a video on this topic? Given your extensive experience in the industry, we believe you are the right person to guide us.
Hey Sivarama,
thanks a lot for your comment :)
Sure, that's actually on my agenda to take you on a journey to build a small SAAS. I have built some things in the past, some work out, some don't. Let's see (Y)
I'm also on the verge of this transformation (though I haven't written my resignation letter yet). I have an IT job that doesn't pay well, and honestly, I feel sorry for the time I'm spending there. I want to start my own business. But how? i dony know. I hope you find your way. I've subscribed to your channel, full support!
Careful quitting your job. Companies are not hiring.
Thanks a lot for your support, Taner!
I hope to bring some real advice on how to make some side money/start a little business on this channel because a lot of people asked :)
@asxes, yes. @rnish2958 is right.
Be realistic and try to do sth on the side first ;)
I am twice your age. Here it comes: if you really are good. Go on yourself and create something fun. Join interest group / meetup where you find likewise inspiring spirits …
Thanks Siegfried!
Since recently, I am also joining meetups :)
Would love to hear more about how you have helped smaller/ local companies with their software development tasks. I’ve always hated the corporate structure in the UK and would love to see a move back to smaller/ local companies. Would love to see a video on this topic, thanks
Thanks for the comment, Millio!
Yes, I can do that. I wrote it down into my idea list ✏️
5:40 I’m so glad that my company noticed this trend and did pretty strong course correction, now I only have 1 hour worth of meetings a day on average which is quite nice, but I think one of the reasons we were able to do that is because we don’t have many managers, so most people are actually people who want to work.
"1 hour worth of meetings a day on average" - you are a lucky guy, Faber ;)
Back from Canada to Belgium. I am super stuck after working remote in Canada.
Hi @kobibr9362,
there are worse places to work remotely than Canada. I hope you enjoyed your time and the beautiful nature over there :)
Do you also have problems finding a job? Just a few days ago, a friend send me this over: www.github.careers/careers-home/jobs/3885?lang=en-us
Maybe interesting for you?
See you around + thanks for subscribing :)
Alex
@ It was awesome Canada is awesome innovation was actually part of the company culture. Every 2 splints they gave us 3 days to work on anything we wanted solo or in teams. We got new products out of these innovation days using any tech we wanted and made new teams for them. Sadly I was a consultant(not hired by the company it self) and got laid off when bank interests raised and the company did layoffs. Here in Europe not only every project uses old tech, little to no innovation and no remote work. Not only people go to the office everyday but hey do less with shittier tech stacks. The companies them selfs are less competitive towards each other and even less competitive towards the worlds. Those companies won’t exist in 15 years to my eyes they can not hold up on an open market, they are to slow.
Short daily company meetings are ok, long meetings are waste of time, especially when is monologue 😪
Absolutely! 💯
Hey Alex,
very honest and inspiring video that will most probably stay in my mind for some days. And a fantastic idea to do this video at the Cloef. Very famous place!
Congratulations to your anniversary and all the best for your version of 2025!
Greets from Saarlänner to Saarlänner :)
Hey Andi,
thanks so much! :)
You should continue with your YT videos too (Y)
So klän is die Welt haha
Hi Alex, I think it would be interesting to see acting scenes of German way of software development… from endless meetings, review sessions, fights over PRs, retro and etc. I think it would be fun :)
Thanks man!
I think will do something like this :)
+1 subscriber for you Alex
Thanks man, means the world to me :)
Hi Alex,
I really like your thoughts. And, what I really like the most is that, you said you are not happy when you are only reacting not acting. I have the same feelings like you. I am feeling so low when I don't have enough impact on any kind of work, whether I am good enough or not. But, as I am also 30 (I have just finished my master from Paderborn University), I just want to share this to you, what you did in last 7-8 years, it is kind of goal for me in this age right now. But what I get from your videos, you want to move your career from corporate world. My point is sometimes we have do something which we don't like, and most of the time we donot even know what actually we like. For example, I love to take exotic animals photos and videos, but somehow at this time I cant shift or move my dream work, (because of my current situation, I must have to find a job, maybe someday). People often say do whatever your heart wants. But, it is not always the reality. For you, what you are thinking of course it is coming from your heart, but the journey is long and difficult. But, there will be some people like me who will always appreciate your thoughts whether you will successful or not. I have just one question to you, goal and fulfil the dream are same or different?
Hi @mirazpastore6495,
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your thoughts-it means a lot! You’re right, life often requires us to do things we don’t love, and figuring out our true passions can take time.
As for your question, I think goals and dreams are connected but different. A goal is actionable and short-term, while a dream is the bigger picture that gives life purpose.
Congrats on finishing your master’s-it’s a big achievement! Keep working toward your dreams, even if progress feels slow.
But I would encourage you to continue taking exotic animal photos! What's stopping you?
I am also doing these videos after work. And maybe your tiktok/youtube channel with exotic animal photos/videos will take off, you never know until you have tried.
I’ll keep sharing my journey - whatever comes next - appreciating people like you resonate with it. Thanks for that! :)
All the best,
Alex
30 yrs ago I moved away from Germany. Right now I'm first time back after 8 yrs for a visit. My impression is that Germany has gone down the drain. My life outside of Germany is/was like a job fairytale. I have worked nearly all positions one could imagine for IT/Biz nerd like me: developer, architecture, tester, security, operations, manager, specialist, consultant, contractor, freelancer, founder ... but newer as an employee. Follow your dreams but be also a business man, and don't let yourself fool by fools who are just cogs in machines. They only cover their a.. for next paycheck.
💯 Sascha!
Sad what is happening to Germany right now.
And yes, business it is 👍
I completely agree what you are saying. I'm on the same page as you but with a mortgage and 4 kids so I don't have much of a choice. I have hoped between the jobs a LOT in the last 5-6 years and my biggest issues are meetings and corporate setup. "..not asking any questions .." 100pct agree. Greetings from DK
Appreciate the honesty, Tanka!
Mortgage, 4 kids, and corporate chaos-you're juggling like a pro. Meetings suck, though, right?
Big respect and Greetings back to DK!
Grüße an die Saarschleife ;) I've given up on this career type myself as well. I'm now moving to Sweden and will try myself as an Indie dev, and if that doesn't work out I'll try something different. Software Engineering in companies just is hell on earth.
Thanks :)
Oh beautiful Sweden! Good luck on your indie hacking journey!
I have tried some indie projects in the recent past but all didn't make any substantial money. I think I will do a video about these experiences one day.
I'm a doctor and want to quit stress to live my life as I wish far from pressure and stress
Hi @RihelSig,
that's so interesting. I have a friend who is a doctor and I always admire him. Sometimes I think: Maybe I should have chosen a different path. It's so easy to become self-employed in this career.
But of course, there is a high workload, pressure and stress.
Wish you all the best!
See you around,
Alex
@@alextech. Thank you , all the best for you too
Amazing, don't know how this popped up on my feed but great video and feel related as an expat SW in Berlin, great to see our bunch coming up. You gained a new subscriber my friend😁
Thanks Max, means a lot. I appreciate the support ✌
Hi Alex. Very natural and honest of you to come out and speak your heart. Almost everyone who is around 30 (late 20s early 30s) resonates with you. Btw is that saarbrücken?
Thank you, Anurag! Means a lot to me.
It's Saarschleife in Perl :)
Nice. Good you are exposing thoughts and are not afraid to be vulnerable and ready to explore. I am a freelance programmer and love my jobs. Be in a company for a few months or 2 years or so for a project to deliver. Enjoy your explorations.
Thanks Marcel!
Freelancing sounds awesome-love the flexibility. 🚀 I'm excited to keep exploring new opportunities.
Best of luck with your projects!
I tried being a goddamn dentist in Germany for 3 months, coming from Poland, it's supposed to be a very simple manual job, but everything was so freaking stale, pointless demands, lack of trust from patients and totally inefficient use of me being in the office, lots of overstaffing just because those positions *must* be filled, very stiff air, over treatment, and half my Polish salary - call me a risk taker than XD Couldn't have made a worse decision than staying there longer, everything felt stuck in time, perhaps in the 70s-80s... Came back in the 4th month:)
Sorry to hear that, Konrads!
I wish you had a great time here but the circumstances are sometimes different. I do believe we are stuck in the 70-80, everything is printed and slow, etc.
Poland is a beautiful country, wish you all the best :)
Algorithm picked up your vid. Congrats!🎉
Hi @ilyassakhanov6438,
thanks for the compliment! Thank you for watching :)
See you,
Alex
Great video. Working remote has been the best thing for me as well. I can sleep more and waste less time making the commute to and from work. I used to work for a German car company's software subsidiary; it was very slow to act/react and impossible to do anything.
Thanks Max!
Yeah, no more commute 🙌
Sehr konstruktives Video, danke
Gerne und Dankeschön 🙏
Love to hear your opinion, thank you!
Glad you listened, Ivan!
High level video 🔥🔥🔥
Thanks future!
thank you! I wish you all the best for the future :-)
You're welcome 👍
Thanks, same to you 🙌
I am 56, so when you turn 56, the world of work will have changed dramatically. The most important things in life are health and well-being. If our European countries continue to prosper, then we all must accommodate change. Britain, as the Germans say, is an elbow society (Ellenbogengesellschaft). We have lost many good people who could work in Britain. Both societies are similar but very different. It will be interesting to witness how the Germans manage the changes in their economy. Britain adopted a service economy after deindustrialisation. Britain seems to have had more success in adopting the digital economy. I am not an expert, but it is my views by my reading. Alles gute für die Zukunft.
Very true, John yes.
I hope we can adapt, nobody knows beforehand, right?
Thanks for your comment, wish you all the best as well :)
I feel you man. I agree 100% with you. I see myself in the same place in the coming years
Thx. I hope the best for you 😬
Very nice Video no doubt. Thanks for sharing those wise words.
Of course, John! 🙏
looks like the saarschleife, very nice place for making the video, thanks for sharing your insights! =)
Thanks for watching Andreas! It is Saarschleife yes 🙏
Light/Weather was pretty bad on that day, but whatever.
Und Frohes Neues! :)
There are a lot of engineers who just like engineering and don’t see any value in becoming a manager… unfortunately there’s no way to progress upwards without moving jobs, which has become really hard, or start your own enterprise which needs capital and a niche product idea.
You're right, career progression often feels tied to management or moving jobs. Starting your own enterprise is an option, but it needs capital and an unique idea.
Finding a path that aligns with your skills is key.
Hi Alex, you seem like a really nice and cool dude. I really enjoyed your video (sometimes the TH-cam algorithm does manage to be useful!). I’m 45 and have been working in the German "tech industry" for 25 years. Not for big automotive companies, but rather for medium-sized web agencies - so I can totally relate to what you’re describing in this video.
I think we "tech people" tend to be more open-minded, which makes it hard to fit into these often very outdated structures. Without COVID, there never would have been this push for remote work either. Unfortunately, Germany is very stuck and over-regulated in many ways.
If I understand correctly, you’re still unattached? Maybe taking a step abroad could be something for you?
Keep making videos - I think you’ve really got a talent for it.
Thank you so much for the kind words and for sharing your experience! It’s great to hear from someone who’s been in the industry for so long and can relate to these challenges. You’re absolutely right-tech people often thrive in more flexible and innovative environments, and remote work has been a game-changer (for me as well).
You’re spot on about stepping abroad-it’s definitely on my mind, with Switzerland and the US as options. Both have exciting opportunities and different work cultures.
Thanks again for your support and encouragement especially regarding the videos -it means a lot because YT Views/Subs don't always reflect my effort haha
🙌
I'm turning 30 this year and I wish I became an SW engineer even for a few years 😅
Hi Sk0lzyk,
what's the problem currently? Are you also having problems on the job market?
what you said about the meeting is absolutely correct. I worked in 2 German companies. I just hated this german culture of showing more visibility to top management.
Yeah, so annoying, right?
@alextech. yes i wish things were not like that .. there are so many GREAT German engineers and so much to learn from them
Good job. I like the content.
Thanks Hugo. Appreciate it :)
It seems you have a lot of opinions on a lot of things. And its pretty clear you just don‘t fit where you have been. Nothing to be ashamed for. Hope you find your way
Hi @Drakmo79,
yes, it seems so...
Thanks for your kind words! :)
See you,
Alex
Thank you for the video. I'm in a different industry but feel all your criticism very well. I'm working for a US company based here in Germany, but have to say, that it also applies to the mindset of our Mother organization. I actually have the feeling, that being present in meetings and virtue signaling is much bigger problem in the US environment than with my European/German colleagues.
Hi Klaus,
yes, I did an internship in the US (Silicon Valley) and yes, it's far worse in the US and some other places. But it highly depends on the company probably.
I worked for some 15 years in IT in Finland and around the globe. Lately I moved to Germany and worked here for few years in IT. Now I am looking for something different. I also started few TH-cam channels. One for my tinkering projects and another for nature, technology and mindfulness at my cabin at the Arctic. I also want to help people and prepare humankind for the future with AI. I believe we are in trouble when jobs are lost to AI. Especially in countries like Germany where people identify with their jobs. People will need new meaning. I think I found few things that can maybe help. Connection with nature, ourselves and the people around us. I am building my cabin retreat to be a place to relax, enjoy nature and to practice mindfulness. I agree with you, creative and a bit crazy people like me do not fit into the Germans system. My ideas were not fitting the Germans system so I am also putting my energy to making videos. I also agree, you learn a lot making the videos 😄
Just checked out your channel!
Although I am not into Sauna, very interesting stuff! Keep creating, wish you all the best🙏
The real issues will be related to loneliness. I think we got loneliness epidemic. We can't see this yet. Most elders in most countries have families, children and grandchildren. In a couple of decades we will enter the age where a lot of elders are completely lonely. No kids, no grandkids no spouse. And on the top of that most creativity and passion-related jobs will go away. So any individuals who aren't in perfect health will suffer tornendously.
@HCforLife1 it seems that AI can solve lot of health issues and i am quite sure also loneliness and mental problems. Everyone will have a worlds best therapist with them 24/7. That is if the AI does not kill us all 😉
@alextech. thanks! More relaxed nature stuff coming up soon! I just started it and even though I expected it to take lot of time and energy, I was surprised how much work it it. Let's both keep it up! I will be following your stuff and where life takes you. On my other channel I have more tech stuff and also video series about my failures in Germany 😬
Originally from India but worked in Malaysia (2y), Finland (8y) and now Germany since 5 years.
The IT industry and overall the employee employer relationship is definitely evolving fast. We are perhaps evolving into a gig economy not just with food delivery but with every profession.
Last year when I got the opportunity I took voluntary leave from my job, got a few months of garden leave and a small package. This became my runway to establish something different.
I do a combination of
1. Freelancing - hasn't been easy with market slowdown but I'm starting to get traction.
2. Content creation: I made an online course which has made a few thousand €.
3. Indie hacking- just released an app but hasn't got the traction I imagined 😅
Few words of advice
1. Don't over think. There are challenges and there are solutions.
2. Act more and think less. Like the video you created rather than worrying about subscriber count. Do this for every idea in your head.
3. Live a portion of your life for others. We (incl me) have become very individualistic. Taking help and giving help should be part of our life.
Hello from Toronto Canada. Interesting story. Thanks.
Thx!
Awesome that the video reached people all over the world 🙏
As a software developer since late 90ies in Germany I would not like to work for the company you described. I used to work as a freelancer for 20 years but switched to employment when I was already working in a big project for some years and liked it and also the people. Of course you make more monay as freelancer but I don't really need this extra money. To me it is more important to have fun everyday and work with people I like. About 90% of my working hours I spend on development topics and only 10% are meetings. Since 2021 (Covid 19) we work fully in home office and this works really well.
Perhaps you will also find a company that suits you better althought I might be difficult at the moment. Good luck anyway!
Hi Axel,
thanks a lot for your comment! Very interesting to read all these different stories :)
I actually thought about trying out freelancing if my employment comes to an end.
May I ask which companies you would recomment? SAP, etc.? Or in general better smaller companies?
@@alextech. I dont' think it depends on the size of the company but rather on the culture. The problem might be that you will find out only after you joined one of them. At the moment most (if not all) of them will not hire. And (as you know best) a lot of software developers will be on the market from car manufacturers (e.g. cariad) and their suppliers. Since I was a freelancer for many years I still monitor this topic but IMHO it is getting less and less attractive: Many companies only work with "Arbeitnehmerüberlassung" no to be accidentaly esposed to any social security fees and fines. In my team there are also people who wanted to do freelance but got employed by some temporary employment agency which supplies them to my employer. But they have to pay all the social insurances which don't have to be paid by freelancers. When I was a freelancer for enterprise software I was able to find projects lasting for some years. In the end the work was not different from people employed by the project provider but as a freelancer I had about 30-40% more money before tax and didn't have to pay social insurances. And of course you can buy all the equipment or the car you like and use it to reduce your tax. But this is all second - first you need to find a project and stay in this project long enough to reach the figures I mentioned.
BTW: I work for Deutsche Bahn, in particular I'm one of the developers of the web frontend you use if you purchase tickets.
@@camueller28 Ok, thanks for sharing your experience. Very valuable!
Didn't know the difference in Social Security between ANÜ and freelancing.
BTW: Thx, the frontend to purchase tickets got a lot better in the recent years/months! :)