Ahmad, 35, is a number-cruncher. Dates and facts are in good hands with him, all stored away in his mind; dates like May 11, 2015, for example. That was when Ahmad began the next chapter of his life in Thuringia, at the refugee processing center in Eisenberg. While telling the story of everything that has happened since then, he sorts everything precisely by month and year, sprinkling figures into the conversation.
2015: the first German course. 2016: the first jobs for friends as a translator and achieving B1 intermediate level in German. One qualification as an office management specialist focusing on accounting. Two chamber of commerce certificates. And yet, 125 unanswered job applications. “In Damascus, I worked as an accountant for three and a half years after completing my studies,” says Ahmad. “But it wasn’t easy to find a similar position in Germany.”
So, in March 2021, Ahmad took a warehouse logistics job with us in the Pack department. He helped out as a linguist and also worked in the Testing Team. Then, he decided that he wanted to develop his skills further. “I applied for a payroll accounting role on the Payroll Team,” he says. His application was successful. Since March 2022, Payroll Specialist Ahmad has been responsible for employees receiving their wages on time. He also records attendance and absences, is responsible for the Zalando share program, where employees can purchase Zalando stock, and has many other tasks as well. “I feel right at home here, and my skills are needed,” says Ahmad.
What advice does Ahmad have for anyone at Zalando who speaks another language but wishes to further their professional development? “Learn German! The language is vital, it’s the key to living in this country. Give it a try – and don’t give up!”
If you want to learn more about the work and development opportunities at Zalando Logistics, you can find more information here.
