Spouse Career Consulting

Meet Florian Sußner

Our Personal Coach

Florian enjoys working in new and challenging settings while being focused, attentive, and curious. He consequently thinks on an entrepreneurial level, always looking for ways to connect topics in novel ways. He works and has worked as manager in a cultural institution, trainer, coach, startup and intercultural consultant. After stays in France and Italy he is now Nuremberg based, where he lives with his wife and 2 kids.

In a world, where the globalization of companies requires a higher mobility, the spouses’ career can become the challenge for an assignment. Holding professional, managerial and executive positions, spouses are increasingly reluctant to accept international assignments. They face losing a job twice ! on moving to Germany and when moving to a new destination, upon expatriation and repatriation. IRC provides experience and competency, supporting the trailing spouses in their career development.

Spouse Career Coaching

confronted with finding new employment, completing your education or going back to school for post graduate studies. Maybe you decide to become self-employed or change your field of interest and seek trainings, or you decide on voluntary work!

Coaching helps getting the most out of your time abroad

We will get in touch with your personal goals, options and resources.
You will be able to decide on how to use your time abroad – figuring out “what’s in it for you”: Make this stay the most worthwhile!
We will figure out what internal and external obstacles might come your way. Let’s find the best way to tackle them.
Together, we will make sure that you stay on track and follow your goals.

Finding a job in Germany

So, you want to find a job in Germany! Great, then let’s figure out what you need. CV or resume! Command of German language! Specific job database! No matter what, we’re in this together. When entering a foreign job market, it’s all about finding your personal fit.

What strengths and resources can you bring to a potential employer?
How do you present these in Germany?
And where do you look for jobs?
What will be expected from you in your cover letter, CV and when going to a job interview? Side by side, we’ll figure it out.

Being an entrepreneur

Starting your own business is a challenge. In a foreign country even more so. We’ll be by your side to tackle everything that comes your way, be it formalities, a business plan or the search for your new supplier.
Find out how to be an entrepreneur in Germany:

Learn all about the basic formalities, contacts, business models and the entrepreneurial mindset.
If needed, we can draft a business model canvas, a business plan or a pitch deck.
On top, marketing, finances, strategy – you’ll get what you need to build your business.

Dr. Maria Douneva

Coach for Mindset and decision-making training

Dr. Maria Douneva is a psychologist who has lived and worked in several countries (Switzerland, USA, France, Bulgaria) before coming to Berlin. Her deep interest to understand how people think and behave led her to pursue a PhD on decision-making under uncertainty, which has been awarded several grants and prizes.

Being an entrepreneur

One important aspect of successfully transitioning to a new country concerns the thoughts and feelings surrounding this challenge. What you think and how you talk to yourself directly influences how you feel and in turn how you act. This means that your mindset and the decisions that you make are crucial to your experience as an expat and accompanying spouse.

It can feel overwhelming to start a new chapter. Having someone you can share your concerns and worries with without being judged and who understands what you’re going through can already reduce the burden. Learning from a professional how the mind works and what you can do to positively influence it by reflecting and working on your thought patterns will pave the way for a happy and fulfilled life in your new home. The goal is to come out of the sessions with motivation, inspiration, and clarity.

The content of the sessions will be tailored to your individual background and can be completed alone, with a partner, or in a small group.

Mindset

People consistently underestimate how well and quickly they adapt to new and demanding circumstances. We have so many tools at our disposal, but we often don’t know how to best use them when we’re confronted with a challenge. We will identify your personal strengths that you can use to cope with new challenges and develop strategies that will prepare you for whatever problems might arise.

Possible topics:

Feeling overwhelmed or hopeless
Feeling isolated or lonely
Developing and strengthening resilience and acceptance
Increasing self-awareness and mindfulness

Decision-making

Decisions have to be made every day, even more so when relocating. The vast number of options can feel daunting, and how do we know which one is the best? We will work on identifying your decision-making style, discuss past and upcoming decisions, and develop strategies on making decisions – both personal and professional ones – more quickly and with more confidence.

Possible topics:

Finding out what you really want
Dealing with uncertainty
Dealing with regret
Reasons for difficulties with making decisions

Spouses meet Intercultural Trainings

In the process of supporting spouse career development, we have identified specific intercultural trainings to be very beneficial. See our intercultural workshops