Different country, same passion @ Scout24: Meet Ashley Davies
In our new series different country, same passion @ Scout24 we will introduce you to our international Scouts who moved to Germany for their jobs. We are curious to know what motivates people in the tech industry to move and change jobs and how they experience living and working in a different country.
ashdavies ™ from Manchester will kick off our series. He has now been working at Scout24 in Berlin for two and a half years.
Hi Ashley, let’s start right away with our questions to you. You relocated from Manchester to Berlin, how has that been?
I’m originally from a rural town in North Wales but hadn’t really started working professionally until I moved to Manchester, where I had been for a few years before moving to Berlin. The move was pretty much trial and error at the start, I jumped from one short term let to another until I managed to find an apartment with an open contract… with ImmobilienScout24! The adjustment was a pretty big culture shock at first, but after getting used to it, I don’t regret my decision at all.
Do you speak German? How is it working in a German speaking country?
Ja natürlich! Haha, actually, my German is distinctly average, I’ve taken a few classes in the years whilst I’ve been here, to the point where I no longer have issues communicating with people in day to day life, you really get an appreciation for how much communication is non-verbal. Thankfully given that the tech industry is very international, most communications happens in English, and I’ve often been able to help out my colleagues with finding the correct English words or phrases for a given translation.
What’s your job at Scout24? How would you describe it in three adjectives?
I’m a Senior Engineer at Scout24, working on the Android app with the Finance segment in Consumer Services, using three adjectives I could probably describe it as:
- Challenging
- Creative
- Curious
How did the entire recruiting process work for you? Did you apply from abroad?
I had already been working in Berlin for a couple of years before I joined Scout24. A friend working at Scout24 had mentioned an available position at the same time when I was considering moving on from my previous company. I had a few interviews and my friend had recommended me also to the senior staff who were really welcoming and happy to have me on board.
What tips would you give a candidate that wants to join your team?
Be authentic, know where your limits are, and where your strengths are. One of the strongest capabilities of a good developer is modesty and having the confidence to say “I don’t know”, knowing that it means that you’re more trustworthy, and that your colleagues can have more faith in your ability to find the right solution. I also really love hearing from people who are genuinely curious about learning and put a lot of effort into discovering more. Knowledge sharing is incredibly valuable.
What do you like the most about living and working in Berlin/Germany?
Difficult question, it’s hard to compare Berlin to the rest of Germany as the culture is quite a bit different. Berlin is really chilled and carefree, there’s very little shame or worry about being embarrassed, which leads to a lot of open, creative culture, and freedom of expression. Being such a diverse multicultural city means that there are so many different kinds of food available too, so it’s really nice to get an appreciation for different tastes.
In addition, it’s always a pleasure for me to drink Club Mate here.
