For our last open role, we had to reject many good candidates. Strong profiles, great track records.
Many of them were rejected for one reason: German.
Diversity in team means a lot to me, so I really felt sorry for them.
But I also know the other side. My own first chance came thanks to my German skills.
An AI or data science bootcamp might take 3–6 months. Mastering German takes much longer and is a slow process. If you start learning it at the moment you start sending job applications, it's already too late.
If you are looking to work in a local market, treat language learning like learning AI, Python, SQL, or any essential technical skill. Dedicate 2–3 hours a day, take an intensive course if you can, and start early. It will open doors that technical skills alone cannot.
For those working in non-English markets: How much did learning the local language impact your career growth?
This is part of my "100 Days of Year One" series. Follow along as I share what I've learned in my first year as Head of Data and Cloud.