| Why do employers value "practical experience" as | | | | first day there, it turned out to be the largest human |
| their number one criterion when selecting the | | | | resource management consultancy in Germany (note: |
| candidates for the job? Do you wonder how people | | | | the lesson learned here is that I should have targeted |
| know exactly what they want to work even before | | | | my job hunt a lot more during my research of the |
| they graduate? Or how they get a top job they | | | | company I wanted to work for - this way I could |
| want without jumping through hoops? | | | | have avoided some 40 out of the 60 applications). |
| Don't wait for an employer to offer you just any job | | | | This internship, and another one at a global software |
| - position yourself so you can choose your job and | | | | house in Germany, gave me close to one-year's |
| employer! | | | | professional experience by the time I had finished my |
| If you still believe that it's just your degree that is | | | | bachelor degree; I knew of several industries I didn't |
| going to get you a great job, it's high time to wake | | | | want to work in; and I found one that was appealing |
| up. Today knowledge of foreign languages, computer | | | | and interesting to me - professional services, |
| applications, the internet, and good grades on your | | | | specifically management consulting. The opportunity |
| transcript are just filtering criteria for employers | | | | to write my bachelor thesis in a professional context |
| offering good jobs. If you want more than an | | | | and increasing my overall grade was an additional |
| average employer can offer, you have to give more | | | | bonus I received from the work experience. |
| than the average graduate. Experience of working/ | | | | I continued to study in Australia and completed a |
| or studying abroad, a third or fourth language and | | | | Masters from Melbourne-based Monash University, |
| extracurricular activities (AISEC, Student | | | | the country's largest University and Asia-wide |
| Government, Volunteering, Social Engagements, etc.) | | | | top-ranking in International Business. During my |
| are a nice pluses. However, in the end, the most | | | | studies I worked part-time for the very same |
| decisive argument for any employer will be how | | | | software house I completed my last internship in. I |
| much job experience you have gained throughout | | | | confirmed my interest to work in this country for this |
| your studies and what specific kind. Ideally by the | | | | company and in the role as Business Consultant. |
| time you finish a 3-year degree you would have | | | | So you see that trying out until you find something |
| worked professionally for nine to twelve months | | | | good is essential. The earlier you start the better for |
| across companies and their departments (i.e. 3 | | | | you in the long-term. Doing internships throughout |
| internships with three months time each). | | | | your studies minimises the stress you might |
| The more experience you gain in the real world, the | | | | experience after you complete your degree when |
| more you will get to know what you like and don't | | | | looking for a job. It's important to utilise the time you |
| like to do once you finish your studies. This will give | | | | have at university and particularly in between |
| you the focus which most people lack during their | | | | semesters to find out about yourself, find a |
| studies and enable you to weigh the pros and cons | | | | profession you would like doing and that you would |
| of an industry/ company and department. With each | | | | be good in. Experiencing the pros and cons of a |
| internship or work experience you will gain practical | | | | particular job/ industry/ place of work first hand is |
| exposure to how the world ticks and on top of this | | | | always better than being told and finding out |
| you will build up your ability to appreciate job roles | | | | retrospectively. The more diverse work experience |
| and tasks associated with the job. Most importantly, | | | | you collect throughout your studies, the more you'll |
| though, you will build up a repository of basic skills | | | | be able to appreciate different job roles and |
| required for any professional job and potentially | | | | descriptions, which in turn will help you to avoid the |
| develop a first expertise. This will give you the edge | | | | wrong employer or job in the first place when you |
| recruiters are after when hiring graduates into top | | | | apply for employment. |
| jobs. | | | | - Try various Industries - there is many industries - |
| For example, in my case, I did not do anything during | | | | try to get to know them |
| the first four months of vacation I had after my first | | | | - Different Departments - try to work in different |
| year of studies - what a big waste of time it was, | | | | divisions of a company with different people to get a |
| judging retrospectively. Finishing the second year at | | | | taste of what people do differently and what say |
| WSB-NLU, a lucky coincidence allowed me to do | | | | they have in the organization |
| some "mini"-internships starting at a German waste | | | | - Start early - the earlier throughout your studies you |
| management company with 100 employees, followed | | | | start the more experience you can gain before you |
| by a international retail bank and then a Polish utility | | | | finish your studies - this will benefit yourself in the |
| company. Each of the internships had a duration of | | | | long-run, i.e. you become more attractive to potential |
| about 2-3 weeks in total. I quickly learned one thing | | | | employers |
| about each of the internships - I don't want to have | | | | - Pay - most internships don't pay well, some don't |
| anything to do with banking, utilities or waste | | | | pay at all. Some will pay you if you do a good job. |
| management. That knowledge alone was enough | | | | Remember, it's not the money that counts here, but |
| reason for me to start applying for a longer term | | | | the experience you gain from doing the job and the |
| internship in another industry - trying out something | | | | ability to position yourself better in the future |
| new. After applying blindly for more than 60 | | | | In the next article we will look into the topic of how |
| internships across Europe, I finally managed to get | | | | to read and interpret diverse job roles/ descriptions |
| two interviews, one of which resulted in a six months | | | | and their requirements towards you. This will help you |
| contract assisting the CEO of a management | | | | to focus your job hunt and avoid the common pitfalls |
| consultancy in Germany. As I learnt on my arrival and | | | | that lead to disappointment and frustration. |