How do you actually become ...

2012

Working in the dream job

Do you sometimes wish to venture something new professionally? Then let these women inspire you: they have taken their second chance - and work today in their dream job!

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... fashion designer

Simone van Trojen, 41, Amsterdam

I've been looking for the perfect dress for years. "As a lawyer and senior executive, Simone always had a busy schedule:" Meetings, food, travel and after the birth of my two children in 2003 and 2004 even parents evenings. "Every occasion required a different outfit, they had to change several times a day.

Without further ado, Simone had a "universal dress" tailored during her maternity leave in 2004. "I had little idea of fashion design, but knew what I wanted: a simple, washable dress, wrinkle-free, suitable for opera and sandpit. The result was exactly what I wanted, everyone asked me where I got it. "

Company Formation

Reason enough for Simone to go into production. She was looking for a cutting director who implemented her ideas, manufacturing facilities and in 2006 founded her company LaDress (www.ladress.com) as a fashion label with online stores. "To this day, I carry all the models myself, so I'm sure they're perfect!"

Extra tip: Even if I think that you should follow his intuition: A thoroughly researched business plan and meticulous bookkeeping are the basis of every success!

... diet coach

Sabine Heijman, 36, Munich

I used to be a communication manager, worked for big companies and jetted around the world. "In 2007 Sabine came to Munich for a Siemens project from The Hague and fell in love with the city so much that she wanted to stay in 2009 after the project ended. "But after 12 years I did not want to do another stressful job, but my passion for sports, nutrition and motivation training became my job."

As a former synchronized swimmer in the Dutch national team, Sabine could draw on personal experience. "We young competitive athletes got individual motivational coaching and personality training. I also wanted to make this possible for normal customers, especially female managers who have little time! "

The effort was worthwhile

The "Bailine" concept, which is very popular in the Netherlands and combines nutrition, sports and coaching with electromagnetic muscle stimulation, Sabine found the best on the market. She applied for the first franchise license in Munich, attended founders' seminars, completed various coaching courses. The effort was worthwhile. "In autumn 2010, I opened and after half a year I could live on it!"

(Www.yourhealthcoach.de)

Extra tip: If you're in debt, you should have a second leg and a few hours to spare. For me it's business coaching, but taxi driving or waiters are just as good.

... shepherdess

Verena Jahnke, 21, Eimke near Uelzen

It is 6:30 in the morning, dark and cold. Verena puts on an extra pair of socks before she slips into her rubber boots and makes her way to her flock of sheep. When she and the shepherd dog Anja finally drove the 800 animals to pasture in the light snow, it is light.

Other people are now sitting in the warm office, but Verena does not want to trade with them. No more - because even though she grew up in her parents' sheep farm (www.glockenbergsschaeferei.com), she had never planned to take this job herself: "I did not want to spend seven days outside in any weather!" Therefore, she attended the business school of secondary school and spent a year interning with a lawyer.

The job is exhausting

But whenever she came home, she realized what she missed in the office: "The work with the animals is something wonderful! You can see first-hand how the lambs and the puppies of the shepherd dogs are born, see them grow up, that creates a strong connection. "Gradually she realized that she wants to become a shepherdess. In 2008, she began training - for three years she studied animal husbandry with a focus on sheep farming.

Despite all the love for the animals, the job is exhausting: "I do not just stand around, a herd is like a sack of fleas. I have to look after the animals, feed them, scissors, claws and train dogs. "Verena earns 1, 000 euros a month, she can not make big jumps, but she is frugal.

Women in this job

"When I go out, people are always amazed that women work in this job. Some even wonder that shepherds still exist! I think: luckily! "

Extra tip: I am glad that I have found my passion yet - and recommend everyone to be honest with themselves and to listen to what is really fun.

... food blogger

Astrid Paul, 41, Ingelheim

With her cooking blog "Arthurs Tochter kocht" (arthurstochter kocht.blogspot.com), Astrid has become one of the most successful food bloggers in Germany in only two years. "I'm an autodidact, I've learned to cook for years in courses and with a lot of practice, " she says.

Astrid worked as a manager in a grocery company, cafe owner and hotel lessee about 70 hours a week - until she could not stand the stress and reorganize her life. In 2009, she founded the Foodblog, posting recipes several times a week, cooking and commenting on her, food news and thoughts.

Blog, cookbook, party cook

Hardly anyone can live on blogging alone, but their blog has made Astrid so popular that she is writing her third cookbook and can claim up to 700 euros daily as a party cook. "That I can live from my passion was my goal!"

Extra tip: I have a pronounced sense of taste and smell. Every human being has such a special ability. Find out yours and train them!

... Copywriter

Steffi Magin, 35, Munich

Daughter Lola is in kindergarten, the phone rings. "Hey Steffi! Would you have time? It's about a pitch. Really exciting briefing - a big campaign. "" From when? "" Tomorrow. "" Hmm ... ok "Then let's start: discussing the task with the client, looking at the product and target group, making scribbles, looking for pictures, making headlines, trying things out, Steffi is in her element.

Writing is a career changer

"In 1999, I got a text internship at the advertising agency TBWA - and stayed!" The writing was exactly her thing: "Always new tasks, contacts, brands. Despite the 80 weekly hours! "They were Steffi 2005 too much:" That's why I'm self-employed, as well as my husband, who was previously the budget director and I had met in the job. "

With success: Steffi textes for companies such as Apple, Lego and Kraft - and thus earns 60 to 80 euros per hour!

Extra tip: Writing is a career changer for whom you do not need a diploma. This requires talent - and the will to engage with the product and the target audience!

... event manager

Verena Fassbender, 22, Hanover

Red must be the sugar edge, not yellow! "Verena examines the welcome cocktail of a private school, which will celebrate its business party in half an hour with 80 guests. "The school's logo is red-blue. That's why I came up with a bright blue margerita with a red rim of sugar, "says Verena.

She is Event Manager at "Finca und Bar Celona" (www.cafe-bar-celona.de), an event restaurant in Hanover. There, she has been creating party concepts for half a year, planning the set-up, music and technology and negotiating with insurance companies and clients. The job demands a lot from the 22-year-old with 50 hours per week, but it goes completely into it: "After graduation I learned foreign languages correspondent. But I wanted more action, so from 2008 to 2010 I did a part-time additional training as a business economist for event management. "

Good prospects

She was lucky and quickly found a job - and the prospects are good: successful event managers earn up to 4, 500 euros. Most of all, she is thrilled with how varied her job is: "I do something different every day than I did the previous one, and I attend the parties in the evenings on weekends!" Verena's friend Merlin is not always enthusiastic about that. "He would like to see me more often, but it's even more important to him that I'm happy in my job."

Extra tip: Eventmanager can be even without training, but knowledge of building codes, accounting and insurance law are beneficial!

... social media manager

Beate, 37, Frankfurt

For most companies, it is prohibited, Bea even gets money for it: While working, she surfs for hours on Facebook and Co. around. The 37-year-old works in the Frankfurt communication agency Envy (www.envy.de): "We do advertising, promotion, design and programming and ensure that customers such as the Audi Center Frankfurt or the Leica Gallery with their market launches, Everyone is talking about events or exhibitions. "

And for this to work, the company naturally uses all the popular network sites, such as Facebook or Google+. "In the meantime, as many as 85 percent of my job is social media marketing." Bea has already made many cross-steps, for example as Douglas branch manager and editor-in-chief of a Frankfurt city magazine.

A jump into the cold water

"My current boss, Andrej, was a loyal advertiser to Envy with my magazine Pur, so we became good friends. In 2007, he spontaneously offered me a job. "Bea jumped into the cold water - and landed softly:" On Fridays, I may even work from home. And 5, 500 euros salary per month are not to be despised! "

Extra tip: You usually get the job through training as a specialist in advertising and communication, as a marketing clerk or through marketing studies.

... yoga teacher

Silvia Schaub, 35, Munich

Quietly Silvia Schaub packs her work bag: a yoga mat, training clothes and a music CD - that's all she needs for her job as a Jivamukti Yoga teacher. In the past, the magazine editor was constantly under pressure, feeling dissatisfied: "After many stressful years, I noticed how my strength eased. More and more often I asked myself, 'Why is that all?' "

To relax, Silvia attended her first yoga class in 2003 - and was thrilled. Several times a week she went to classes, in 2010 she started her education and since 2011 she also teaches. "Financially I have deteriorated, but you do not take this job because of the money. Yoga teachers are often hopeless idealists! "

His vocation is alive

Currently, Silvia still writes texts for magazines here and there, but soon she wants to be able to live completely from the lessons. "My friend Lars is a musician, he supported me unconditionally. For example, I learned from him that a well-regulated life is not the measure of all things. Much more important is to live his vocation! "

Extra tip: There are intensive training sessions with approximately 500 yoga classes or extra-occupational training courses that last for several years. It is important to know all types of yoga and to find his favorite style.

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