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Tips for Career Preparation during University

Internships
Most employers prefer graduates with work experience. This can be a deciding factor for the first job after university. Internships offer you not only the chance to enhance your specialized skills but also to gain important social skills by working together with new colleagues. An additional advantage is that you have an opportunity to find out if the realities of your field meet your expectations. You find out what you’re especially good at and afterwards can orient the rest of your education in that direction. Keep in mind that you should see about finding a suitable spot about 6 months before the start of your internship and give careful thought to which industry, department and company size makes sense for you.

Thesis at a Company
Writing your thesis at a company has advantages for both sides: you profit from the experience of your advisor, receive professional support and can use the company’s contacts. The company profits from you because you can provide innovative impulses during the development of solution approaches and can make your know-how available.  The opportunity for you to join the company after graduation may even present itself.

In any case it will improve your chances in the job market: you have proven that you are practice-oriented and can show project experience.

University Career Services
Universities usually have various career-related offers for students and graduates. These are established especially for students to facilitate entrance into the job market and offer support to:

  • plan your studies to be work-oriented
  • establish your own profile
  • accumulate necessary practical experience
  • prepare for and evaluate internships
  • learn job application strategies and techniques and
  • gain employer contacts

In addition job application training and application document reviews are almost always offered.


Counseling and Guidance Offers

  • The STUBE study accompaniment program
  • The Protestant student community (ESG) and Catholic university community (KHG): These institutions can be found through the homepage of your university, in the course catalog or in the telephone book.
  • Financial support for emergency situations or short term aid can be applied for with the university communities and sometimes at the student unions and international students’ office.


Recommendations for the Job Search after Graduation

  • Visit recruiting or tradeshows: At recruiting trade shows you can speak directly to employers. Do your research in advance of your trade show visit and make targeted preparations. In this way you can create interest with the HR personnel at the show and make important contacts for later job applications. With a friendly email and a follow-up call to the person you met in the booth, you can remind them about yourself and send in a short resume. Visit for example SinoJobs Career Days, the leading career and recruiting show with a focus on China!
    www.sinojobs-careerdays.com/en
  • Visiting a tradeshow can be an excellent opportunity to get to know your future industry first-hand and to deepen your know-how. Here too of course it’s about making contacts to gain knowledge about future development within the industry, which could give you a competitive advantage over other applicants. Another benefit is that you can gather information about companies that you would like to apply with later.
  • Publishing your applicant profile on internet portals: Why not go about it another way and present yourself and your qualifications to potential employers? Just use the SinoJobs resume databank and set up your applicant profile!
    www.sinojobs.com/en/job-advertisements/login
  •  Use student networks: In this area there are different regional and industry-specific networks that make it possible for you to communicate with other students and graduates.
  • The alumni portal Deutschland offers the opportunity to make contact with existing networks or to establish your own networks.
  • Through different blogs student communities exchange views on student life, experience with the foreigners’ registration office and similar subjects. You can find examples under the heading Partner.