Starting a business in Spain can be an exciting journey, but choosing the right legal structure is crucial. Two common options are becoming self-employed (Autónomo) or establishing a small or medium-sized enterprise (PYME – Pequeña o Mediana Empresa). Each has its own set of advantages, disadvantages, legal and fiscal considerations. This guide will help you understand the key differences and decide which path might be the best for your business goals. 

About the author 

Entre Trámites is a Spanish company offering online consulting services for managing bureaucratic processes. They specialize in helping individuals and businesses with accounting, labor, tax, and immigration matters. Their services include registration and management for self-employed individuals (autónomos), the formation and support of small and medium-sized enterprises (PYMEs), and assistance with residency and work permits.

Navigating the Transition from Seed to Series A

When we secure funding, is a moment of validation for any startup, signaling that the market believes in your vision and your potential for significant growth. However, transitioning from seed to Series A isn’t just about having more money in the bank; it’s about strategically deploying that capital to scale operations, especially your team. The decisions you make today will set the trajectory for your company’s future and can help you avoid series headaches once you raise for series A. 

 

The Crucial Role of Strategic Hiring

At the heart of your growth strategy should be a clear focus on hiring. Not just hiring more people, but hiring the right people. Strategic hiring during this critical phase can dramatically influence your startup’s trajectory. As you prepare to expand, the temptation might be to fill positions quickly to keep pace with growth demands. However, the key is not just to fill roles quickly because you need people but to fill them with individuals who will drive and sustain your growth.

 

Implementing a Job Analysis Strategy: A Precision Tool in Talent Acquisition

Job analysis is your secret weapon. It’s not just about understanding the roles you need to fill but dissecting these roles to their core components. This precision allows you to identify exactly what skills, knowledge, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAO) like work values and leadership styles these candidates need to have. Trust me, you can avoid the complexity of rearranging a quickly assembled but completely mismatched team. 

Scaling Internationally: Adapting Hiring Practices Across Borders

As you look towards international expansion, job analysis can help you adapt hiring practices to fit different cultural and regulatory landscapes. Understanding local qualifications, experience equivalencies, and essential language skills are critical to building a competent global team.

 

Smart Hiring Fuels Smart Scaling

Effective hiring is more than a process—it’s a strategic investment in your company’s future. By employing a meticulous job analysis strategy and hiring for cultural fit, you can attract and retain top talent who not only fills the current gaps but also possesses the potential to lead and innovate as your business scales. 

 

Remember, building a strong team is not just part of the journey; it’s the foundation of a thriving organization that can withstand the challenges of growth.

About the author 

Silvia Christmann is an executive coach with a Master’s from Harvard, specializing in leadership development for top-level executives. She guides clients like Google and BMW through organizational challenges, focusing on communication and team cohesion

Who’s Hiring? English Speaking Jobs in Berlin after Corona

After the Corona crisis, many companies are beginning to hire again. And if you were worrying about unemployment instead of practicing your German, you are in luck! There are still many companies hiring for English speaking jobs in Berlin.

Times have certainly been tough. The past four months have seen record unemployment, layoffs, reduced hours and few government subsidies to the industries hit hardest by the global coronavirus pandemic. The Berlin job market during Corona shrunk and in April 2020 the unemployment rate in Germany jumped up to 13.2 per cent.  In the wake of a global pandemic, many are wondering where their next paycheck will come from. Especially expats and internationals who require contracts to continue their visas.

Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay 

Fix up your CV

The good news is that there are still lots of companies hiring for various positions. So the first step you need to do is fix up your CV!

This goes without saying but a new job, a new CV. Don’t be afraid to get creative either – did you learn how to play the guitar during lockdown? Did you start a blog or cook a new recipe every week? This shows initiative, ambition and an eagerness to learn new skills – qualities which are important to have for a new job and can help fill in the gaps of your unemployment for a potential employer. 

Pro Tip:  Use this CV review service to help tailor your CV for free to improve your CV.

English Speaking Jobs

While the job market is saturated with competition there is still hope – even if you haven’t quite mastered the German language yet. There are many industries in Berlin still hiring which offer English speaking positions.

Pro Tip: It is better to search directly through company websites. Smaller companies and startups many find it expensive to post on general job boards.  

Start with These

To start, check out these Berlin-based companies who often look for international employees. They even consider expertise in languages other than German or English an advantage.

The world’s largest chemical company BASF regularly posts job offers, especially the IT jobs do not always require profound German skills.

The online food-ordering service Delivery Hero Holding GmbH operates in 12 countries and is based in Berlin. They pride themselves in having an international startup atmosphere with English as a working language and offer jobs in IT, Operations, Marketing, Finance, and Content. 

The multinational ebay offers positions around Germany and in Berlin for careers in IT and Management as well as many working student positions.  

The Google office in Berlin has postings for Sales & Account Management, Marketing & Communication and more.

Finnish multinational Nokia offers positions for students and graduates as well as opportunities in IT and Project Management.

If you are missing the clubs in Berlin during the Corona closure, why not put your music knowledge and skills to the test by working with Soundcloud, or Deezer, the Berlin based streaming platform which is always looking for content creators, software developers, marketing and operations assistants. 

The fashion e-commerce company Zalando was founded in Germany in 2008 and has since spread across Europe but still has its headquarters in Berlin. They offer positions in fields such as IT, Marketing, Controlling, Design, etc.

Some other top expat employers in Berlin include:

Ada Health Healthcare app             Arvato Call center

Auto1.comTransport                        AWS Amazon E-commerce

Babbel Language app                     Bertelsmann Various

Blacklane Transport                        Booking.com Hotel platform

CareerFoundry Education               Contentful Content  

Finleap Fintech                                Getyourguide Tourism platform 

HelloFresh Meal delivery                 Honeypot Recruitment service

Houzz Online retail platform            Infarm Urban farming

Movinga Moving platform                N26 Online banking

Omio Travel platform                       Onefootball Football app

Orderbird POS system                    Raisin Finance

Sitel Call center                               Sixt Car rental

SmartFrog Tech                               Spark Networks Online dating  

Stoyo Advertising                             SumUp Payment solution

Sykes Call center                             Urban Sports Club Sport membership app

Vehiculum Car leasing platform       Wayfair Interior Decorating

Pro Tip: Whatever your level of German, even if it’s A1.1, put that on your CV.  If you are still learning German, try to learn one new sentence a day that is relevant to your job search!

Image by Igor Link from Pixabay 

Where to Search for Jobs 

An easy way to avoid getting lost in company websites and the constantly opened tabs on your computer, is to consult large job posting platforms. They are updated almost every day with new opportunities and great filters which allow you to choose the date of the job postings, keywords, and even the level of expertise required. 

The newly updated GLOBALS Jobs also has a number of job postings in tech, IT, and start-up positions.  

Linkedin jobs offers you an excellent filter system to find exactly what you are looking for. Try their premium account upgrade free for one month to access even more benefits like applicant insights, profile views, and direct personal connections. 

For Indeed.de alone, there are currently over 11 589 jobs in project management, HR, finance, business, customer service, product development and more available to apply to!

Glassdoor  offers jobs in English and other languages for Berlin-based companies and is less trafficked than the more popular sites such as Indeed which has been a staple for internationals looking for jobs since 2004.

Additionally, if your German isn’t terrible, it is worth searching through Monster and Xing which tend to be used more by German companies. 

Remember to Keep Applying!

It is frustrating not to hear back from potential employers, but don’t give up! These resources and tips will help you succeed when searching for a job post corona. Remember to keep your eyes and ears open to network as much as you can. Once events for international connections and job-seeking such as Club GLOBALS Welcome Day start up again be sure to attend and participate. It is not an easy job market out there but with the right tools and the proper preparation, there is a company out there looking just for you. 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay