Move the network signal off 'invisible' within 12 months — public portfolio of designs (where IP allows), regular contributions to engineering forums, or a published technical paper at an industry conference — the German MechE market is dense enough that visibility alone separates fast-trackers from the pack.

Target the next role at a top-tier German engineering brand (automotive primes, aerospace, machine tools, medical devices) or an EV/robotics scale-up — the employer-quality jump from 'well_known' to 'top_tier' lifts both comp and exit options materially at this career stage.

Add English C1+ and start consuming/contributing in English-language engineering communities — opens up Swiss, UK, US, and remote-from-DE seats, which expands the bidding pool from a regional market to a global one.