Are you nearing the end of your studies and still no job in sight? Students in the final phase of their studies and graduates in particular need guidance when starting their careers. The Career Day offers this - with more than 40 companies and non-profit organisations.
Students from all disciplines will have the opportunity to make contact with companies and get to know different job profiles at the third Career Day on 22 May in the university's lecture hall centre.
Almost twice as many exhibitors as last year will be presenting themselves at the job fair: Over 40 regional and national companies, non-profit organisations, university service centres and student organisations. The reason for the increased interest from companies is the growing shortage of skilled labour. "Well-trained people are needed, especially in the fields of Physics and Computing Science. For many companies, Career Day has now become a factor in their personnel planning," explains Heike Tendler, Head of the Career Service department and organiser of Career Day. However, there is also currently great demand on the education and social science labour market. "The non-profit and service sectors are also becoming increasingly active in recruiting and presenting themselves at trade fairs," says Tendler.
Contact via trade fair scout
Communication is also required from students, however. In order to break down inhibitions and get conversations going, trade fair scouts will be on hand to assist visitors for the first time this year. "The scouts actively approach the students, ask about their interests and arrange initial contacts with the companies," explains Tendler. "This gets the conversation started and makes it easier for the students to ask their questions." Many companies deliberately bring their own young professionals with them to talk about their career start and their activities. Further information about jobs and internships is also available on the job wall - a notice board where internships and job offers can be found.
Application portfolios - check and photo shoot
Visitors to the fair also receive professional support with their application documents: anyone who would like to have their application portfolio checked can register in advance and submit their portfolio. Employees from the companies' HR departments will look at the documents and provide direct feedback at the fair. "This also gives the students a realistic assessment of their application. We then discuss ways to optimise their application together," says Tendler. A suitable photo is also essential for a successful application. A photographer will take professional photos at Career Day for a reasonable trade fair price.
Personality instead of top marks
But apart from the application letter and photos, not everything has to be perfect. "Many students believe that a quick degree and top grades are the prerequisites for a successful start to a career. That's not true," emphasises Tendler. In the vast majority of cases, it's the person that counts for companies. "The companies that present themselves at Career Day are primarily interested in good conversations," she explains. This is because many exhibitors are specifically looking for graduates and hope to retain students in the long term.
Inform and benefit
The companies not only present themselves at the stands, but also in lectures that take place parallel to the exhibition. There, visitors can find out what requirements the companies place on career starters and what they attach particular importance to. "This gives the students a good overview of what is important to the companies. They can later use this knowledge specifically for their applications," explains Tendler.
