Preparing for the German job market

For many international students, learning German is a major challenge. It is usually not even necessary for the study programme because many subjects at the University of Konstanz are taught in English. With regard to the labour market, however, it must be emphasised: To find a job in Germany, there is no way around German language skills. In many sectors, you have no chance of finding a job without fluency in the language. In others, your opportunities will increase many times over if you are not dependent on the few English-speaking positions. And another effect has been proven by studies: International workers earn better wages if they have better German language skills. So our advice is very clear: learn German during your studies. The following courses are available in Konstanz:

• At the University of Konstanz, you can take free German courses at the Language Teaching Institute. For regular practice, we also recommend their tandem programme, which pairs students who want to practise the language of the partner.
• The International Office offers intensive German courses for new international students before the start of the semester (for a fee). There are often still places available, which are allocated to students who have been studying at the University of Konstanz for some time.
• Café Mondial e. V. regularly organises free language learning cafés. You can find the dates on the association's website.
• There are several commercial language schools in Konstanz and the surrounding area that offer group and individual German lessons. The Welcome Centre has compiled a list of language schools (at the end of the linked page).

In addition, there are many offers to learn German online. Here is a small selection of free resources:

• Deutsche Welle is a German international broadcaster. In addition to journalistic contributions and news from Germany and the world, the website also features a multimedia portal for learning German. You will also find daily news reports at various language learning levels.
• The Goethe-Institut has also put together some resources for learning German, including games that will help you learn German along the way.
• Deutsch.info is funded by the EU and offers extensive language courses and materials as well as cultural information about the two German-speaking EU countries Germany and Austria.
• On The German Project you will find a course for beginners that teaches the German language with humour. It also regularly reviews and recommends paid online courses for learning German. And you can also find German fairy tales in simple language.
• On Learning German Online you will find a comprehensive collection of mostly free online resources to help you learn German. The links are grouped into different categories, such as "Free Grammar Exercises", "Business German" or "Learning German with songs".

As you can see, offers to learn German are plentiful. If you're wondering when you should start, the answer is: Today! Because learning a language takes time, and it's hard to catch up when you're already looking for a job.

We know from numerous studies and surveys that employers particularly like to hire students with practical experience. For many companies, this is the most important criterion when hiring young professionals. So if you have already acquired relevant work experience during your studies, it will be easier to find a job after graduation. You have the following opportunities to gain practical experience:

Internship

An internship is an excellent way to gain work experience during your studies. In some degree programmes, an internship is even a requirement. This is called a "compulsory internship". Sometimes you can decide whether you want to complete it in a research institute at the university or in the private or public sector. It makes the most sense to choose the alternative that corresponds to your intended path after graduation. A voluntary internship is also possible in Germany. If you have a residence permit for the purpose of studying and would like to do a voluntary internship, we recommend that you contact the International Office beforehand to clarify which employment is possible with your residence status. You can find lots of tips and resources about internships on our website. To get the most out of your internship, you can use our e-learning programmes "Internship" and "Internship abroad", which will guide you from developing an initial idea for an internship to successfully applying and reflecting on your experiences.

Working student (Werkstudierende:r)

As a working student, you work up to 20 hours per week in a company and are of course paid for this. Ideally, the company should be related to your field of study or the area in which you want to work later. This allows you to put the knowledge you have acquired during your studies into practice and make valuable contacts outside the university. You can find jobs on the job platforms on ZEuS and Seezeit, for example.

Student or Research assistant ("HiWi")

These are positions at the university in science and administration. Such a job is often particularly rewarding if you want to stay in academia. You can find vacancies on the platforms mentioned above and on the University of Konstanz's job portal. However, job advertisements are also often simply posted on office doors and notice boards at the university or sent out via mailing lists.

Side jobs

Many students work because they need money. There's nothing wrong with that. You can find many jobs where you can earn some extra money, for example in the hotel and catering industry or in retail. Practical experience often takes second place here. Nevertheless, you also gain experience here, e.g. in a team, in taking on responsibility and in dealing with customers.

Volunteering

Of course, this is not about money, as you do not usually receive a salary for voluntary service. Rather, it is about the commitment to a good cause or the joy of making a difference together with other people. What many people don't realise is that employers see the work done as part of volunteering as valuable practical experience. All the more reason to get involved. You can do this in one of the many university groups, for example. The city also maintains a list of volunteer organisations that are happy to work with you.

Writing your Master's thesis in a company

In some subjects, it is possible to write the Master's thesis in a company. This combines academic theory and practical application: For example, you can analyse and improve certain internal processes or supervise a section of a project to innovate or further develop a product. By being involved in the company and dealing with real issues, you will also gain practical experience. You can find opportunities for a Master's thesis on the aforementioned job platforms.

Projects

Another way to put your skills and knowledge into practice is through projects. Universities often offer courses with a practical focus, such as those offered by the Centre for Transferable Skills. You can also carry out projects in your private life, such as developing a software programme, producing a podcast or coaching a sports team.

Transferable skills are competences and abilities which are not directly related to subject-specific knowledge, but are of great importance for success in professional life. They include personal and social skills, but also methodological skills. Examples include communication skills, the ability to deal with conflict, agile methods and creativity. You can acquire transferable skills in various ways, for example through internships, voluntary work or hobbies. Some programmes at the University of Konstanz also specifically help you to discover and develop these skills. Our tip: Try out different things to find out what you like doing.

Centre for Transferable skills (SQ-Zentrum)

The SQ-Zentrum specialises in providing students with further training through courses in transferable skills. The courses are available in German or English and are widely diversified - from project management to journalistic methods, negotiation skills, sign language and marketing, there is something to suit almost every interest. There are two other reasons why it is worthwhile for you to take part: Firstly, there are ECTS credits for the courses, so depending on the regulations in your study programme, you can have your participation recognised. And secondly, most of the courses are taught by practitioners. This means you will be taught skills that have been tried and tested in practice, gain realistic insights into the professional field and make valuable contacts in the labour market.
A special joint offer from the SQ-Zentrum and the Career Service is Profil+. Here you take several courses that match a specific professional profile and supplement selected Career Service offers. At the end of the programme, you will receive a certificate that proves your job-specific skills. Profil+ was originally designed for German-speaking students, but as the number of English-language courses on transferable skills has increased, you can often find enough seminars to also complete Profil+ in English.

Advanced Data and Information Literacy Track (ADILT)

You've probably worked with data at some point during your studies - after all, many research projects are based on collecting, analysing and interpreting data. But it's not just science that deals with data. Many companies and institutions use it, for example, to further develop products and services, to support strategic and operational decisions, for process optimisation, project evaluation or for targeted marketing. In short, skills in data and information processing are required in every professional field today. The ADILT enables you to develop precisely these skills, both in interdisciplinary courses and in line with your specialisation.

Courses at the Communication, Information, Media Centre (KIM)

The KIM team ensures that you can find the books you need in the library and that the university's digital infrastructure runs smoothly. But they also impart knowledge: You can also take courses at KIM and, for example, acquire in-depth knowledge of Excel or learn the basics of the programming language Python.

External offers

Of course, there are also opportunities outside the University of Konstanz to expand your own skills. The internet in particular offers many opportunities to expand your knowledge, often free of charge. With so much on offer, it can be easy to lose track. A tip: The search portal Edukatico collects the online courses of many providers (including universities) and is easy to filter. If you prefer to learn live and together with others, you can take a look at the programmes of Volkshochschulen (vhs), which are available almost everywhere in Germany and offer relatively inexpensive courses.

Further information on this area of competences will be added soon.

It is easier to follow a path if you know where you are going. This is why career orientation is a very important part of preparing for a career start. It consists of two parts: Firstly, you should get to know yourself well so that you can choose the career options that match your skills and values. Secondly, of course, you need to familiarise yourself with different professions and their general conditions. We provide you with a wide range of guidance services: from online self-tests to help you get to know yourself better, to career portals and alumni profiles in the #dreamjob series, to the opportunity to spend a day getting to know a job profile directly in the company or institution during job shadowing. You are also very welcome to book an appointment to discover your career opportunities together with our counsellors.

How can you successfully apply for a position? This question is of course very important when looking for a job. You need two things: A strategy that suits you and your career goal, and a convincing appearance in the application process. We can support you with this: On our website you will find resources for job searches and explanations of what application documents should look like in Germany. We also offer various events on application topics (in German and English) every semester. And you have the opportunity to get feedback from our application documents and LinkedIn checks or practise for job interviews in mock interviews.

It is estimated that only around 40% of all vacancies in Germany are advertised. But what about the rest? Many employers ask their own employees whether they know any potential applicants. Recruiters also often actively search for suitable candidates, who they then approach personally to fill a vacancy. As you can see, contacts and a certain visibility on the labour market are enormously helpful for a successful job search. You probably already know a few people from your studies, part-time job or internship, or even from your hobbies. Dare to talk to them about your job search! And take the opportunity to make new contacts. Our annual career day kontaktpunkt, for example, is a good place to do this, where you can get to know potential employers. Or you can network at our events with alumni who have already started their careers. Last but not least, platforms such as LinkedIn are of course an easy way to maintain your existing contacts and make new ones. We have put together some tips for your LinkedIn profile so that you can present yourself well there.