Target Groups of Career Services

Undergraduate Students and Recent Graduates

Some students choose to stay at the companies where they did their internships during their studies, while others look for new companies. Many others also decide to take on new challenges, like working in a field different from their specialization. But in any case, it would be great if you could start your career plan one year before graduating.

However, it's always possible to start looking for a job after graduation. As a foreign student, you can stay in Germany for a maximum of 18 months after receiving your diploma, and for that, you'll need a job seeker visa. If you find a job within those 18 months, you can switch to a work visa.

Career services provide graduates with information and perspectives on different career paths. Students will also have the opportunity to receive comprehensive information and advice to develop their own professional profile.

Faculties and Universities

By collaborating with Career Services, faculties can stay up to date on the latest changes in the job market. They can then provide very important information to their future students during orientation meetings. Additionally, faculties can direct their students to career services. Meetings organized for this purpose are considered supplementary learning material.

Employers

There's no doubt that cooperation between companies and university career services is beneficial for students and employers alike. Through this type of partnership, students can get an idea of professional activities by doing internships or participating in workshops, among other things. As for employers, the advantage is that they can learn about the scientific research conducted in their field and know the capabilities of potential employees for their company.

What Types of Services Do Career Services Offer?

This actually depends on each university, but in general, these services include:

• Some institutions offer career services for a specific field — they aim to support their institution's graduates and offer them the opportunity to build relationships with various companies or senior students.
• Workshops and professional training: students, especially those about to graduate, will be informed by email about the various free workshops organized by universities. During these workshops, some commonly used job search websites in Germany as well as some practical interview tips will be presented, particularly regarding the German job market. Current perspectives on the job market and general information about the country will also be provided. Additionally, professional training, which refers to building non-technical skills such as intercultural competence, communication skills, etc., will surely be part of these workshops.

How Can You Find Your University's Career Services Center?

The easiest way is to search on your university's official website or ask the International Office staff. The name of the Career Services Center may vary from university to university, or sometimes it's part of the International Office. EDUBAO recommends asking for the center's contact details when you register and subscribing to the newsletter. That way, you'll always be informed about the latest developments in the job market.

Job Seeker Visa and Work Visa

As mentioned in the previous section, students who don't receive any job offers before graduation can switch their student visa to an "Arbeitsplatzsuche Visum," which is a job seeker visa.

To apply for an "Arbeitsplatzsuche Visum," you need to present your diploma and other proof such as "deregistration," etc. However, it generally takes a minimum of 2 weeks for your supervisors or professors to review your final thesis. For some specializations, getting your final grades and diploma may take even more time.

As always, EDUBAO's suggestion is that you stay well informed about the deadlines, perhaps by discussing them in advance with your supervisors or professors. Plan your time well to get your diploma and extend your visa before the deadline.

If you've already found a job in Germany, first of all, congratulations from EDUBAO! You've really done a great job! Make sure that the job matches your field of study, as this is one of the essential conditions for applying for a work visa in Germany. Note: don't forget to ask for a detailed job description from the HR staff or during the interview.

Whatever situation you're in, we're all here to cheer you on! Good luck!