Today we have the pleasure to welcome two very special guests for an interview. They are on the road for a year now, they lived in four countries and they are still enjoying life. Now they are here to tell us a bit about their now one year journey, the actual status and maybe give us an idea how things are going.
Let’s cut the crap, welcome Vil, and Indy with a big hand and let’s ask them directly: ‘How are things at the moment? WhatsApp?'”
Vil:
“Hello and thank you for having us today. We are well, very well actually. We moved from Spain to The Netherlands, to Amsterdam to be precise. We flew with a plane and all went quite well.”
Indy:
“I was ‘high as a kite’ and literally 12km above the earth. NOICE! :)”
Vil:
“Yeah, you looked pretty funny. Your eyes were glassy and you had no intention to have a walk. Indy was ‘naturally herbed’!”
Indy:
“Allrite, you got me, but don’t you have more important stuff to tell? Maybe a bit about your new job? Or the move to Amsterdam?”
Vil:
“Okay! More serious then. Business and bragging first. I understand. Hmmm, … to answer your question. Yessssssss, it looks really good work wise. I found a really nice job in Amsterdam and we already relocated to the country of tulips and cheese.
In this job: ‘I help people! I listen! I ask questions! I find answers and solutions!’ Nice! That’s exactly what I like to do all day. Solving problems, speaking with many people, reading technical papers and playing around with some really expensive, powerful up-to-date soft and hardware.
Here is the job description, just to brag a bit more:
- Support the sales representatives and sales specialists in identifying the best solution for their customer business
- Provide a consistent level of support throughout all stages of the sales cycle (demand generation – campaigns- sales – post sales)
- Proactively support sales representatives in creating and tailoring documentation and sales strategies in the selling process.
- Where required, assist the sales teams in the qualification of opportunities, analyzing the customer’s business and technical requirements and building a solution to solve their requirements
- Present and articulate features and benefits of the solution, both internally and externally
- Showcase the product to customers, by using demos and trials
- Become the technical solution expert for a designated product set, for both customers and internally
- Keep abreast of all new products, market trends, future directions and the competition for areas of focus.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of our product stack and be able to position our solution versus our competitors.
- Ongoing education and training of the sales force on technologies and solutions.
MegaNoice! :)”
Reporter:
“WoW, that sounds like a really good job! I am happy for you and good luck, but now you need to deliver. They don’t pay for all the services, perks and the good salary for nothing. What’s your plan?”
Vil:
“Listen and shut up, exactly defining what and whom they expect. What is my job and what are my responsibilities? What are my KPI? What I have to deliver? There in no time for a party in Amsterdam the next weeks, I need to get up to speed, learn, learn and learn. Products, technologies, sales tactics… It will be a tough time!”
Reporter:
“Good luck. Another topic. Spain, The Netherlands, but in your journey, there are more countries like Germany and France? All started in France around one year ago. Why did you leave France and what happened in Germany?”
Vil:
“Last year around this time, mid of March, we lived in France for around five years and our life just blew up from one day to the next, I had no real idea what to do, so we left France and went on the road.
At first back to my home country Germany, but soon I needed to recognize that this is not the place I want to live anymore. I met too many narrow-minded, abiding, stupid and stubborn people. “Box-Thinking”! Don’t get me wrong. I like it to be in time, precise and to be honest and respectful like Germans are, but you can overdo it.
Also, I didn’t have any chance to find a job, because my CV and my career is not really
German. I tried and wrote plenty of applications, but didn’t get even one interview. Additionally, I passed the 50, so I am too old to find a new job, I was told at the jobcentre.
My future was sitting all day on the sofa, drinking, smoking, PlayStation, movies and waiting for the welfare check to cash. Not a good life. Ok enough food and a warm place, but nothing more. Not perspective in any way.
Frick, but fact! So I thought we better try our luck somewhere else and Barcelona sounded like a good idea. For one year I tried to find a decent job and a nice place to stay for us, but unfortunately this didn’t work out very well. Most of the time we struggled with Greedy and dirty landlords, crazy managers and the overall situation was not really good. We survived, but that’s all.
Ok., the last two months in Spain two very good offers came up. One company offered me a job as a ‘Frontline Technician’ in Barcelona and another offer came from Amsterdam to be a ‘Internet Sales Consultant’. Finally I decided for Amsterdam, because the offer was way better. It was a Catch22 situation. Both offers where very nice, but I had to decide and now we are in Amsterdam.
Not a very successful story in Spain, somehow we failed, but most important, we had sometimes a really good time and we made some real friends.”
Indy:
” Yeah, from me a very big shout out to our friends! Just to name a few: Ana, Teresa, Jack, Mar, Thomas, Miquel …
A long BigHug to you all. Thank you for some wonderful moments.”
Vil:
“I totally agree!”
Reporter:
“Maybe a few words about your future.”
Vil:
“TL;DR – Part THREE – – – – A real job in AMSTERDAM!
Now we are living in Amsterdam.”
Reporter:
“So you settle in Amsterdam?”
Vil:
“Amsterdam seems to be nice and I hope that I will like my job.
Now I am struggling with the paperwork, registering in the Townhall, opening a bank account, health insurance, all these things need to be sorted.
The most complicated task again is finding a place to stay. I am able to pay good money for rent, but I need the money for deposit and rent NOW and not in some distant future.
The journey is still not over……”
Indy:
“As I barked. ‘Time will tell’ and she always helped us so far. We will make it, it’s only one step we need!”
Vil:
“Yes, it’s only one fucking step we need!”
Indy:
“Stop swearing!”
Vil:
“Let’s continue to search. Maybe post on Facebook? Maybe someone wo has a room for rent is out there. Craigslist as well?
——- POST —–
Hi there,
after one year on the road we finally ended up in Amsterdam and now we need a nice and affordable place to stay.
WHAT?
We are looking for a nice place to stay (preferred furnished), maybe my own place or a room in a shared flat, we don’t really care, but the place needs to be nice and suitable for us. Indy is my lovely, well educated, mid sized, companion. We are able to pay good money and we expect a good value for this, because we are not feeding greedy landlords or any other kind of parasite trying to take advantage of the situation on the market.
We don’t need a luxury apartment, but all appliances should work. We will take good care about your property and we will always pay my rent in time.
WE AM ALSO CONSIDERING TO SHARE A PLACE WITH ONE OR MORE ADULT PERSON!
WHAT NOT!
Let me say a few things before you reply:
– No collection of email address.
– Please NO Western Union or bank transfer stories.
– No stories with fake keys….. Get Lost!
– Cockroaches
WHO?
A few words about us. I am German, speak also French and English and just relocated from Barcelona to to Amsterdam, because I found a very nice job for a big software company in city centre. I do have a stable working contract and there is no issue with money.
And I do have a well educated and lovely dog. She is a labrador / border collie mix and her name is Indy.
WHEN?
As soon as possible.
BUDGET?
My budget is up to 1.500 Euro.
Please send us pictures and your conditions for your property via reply-email or PM. Please include your contact details. We will WhatsApp you if we consider your property.
Thank you
Vil
——- END POST —–“
Indy:
“That sounds like a plan!”
….. to be updated!
…