General application advice
We would also like to provide a few useful links for the job search and some advice on the job interview with you. Furthermore, we asked some international graduates from our university and they are happy to share important personal experiences and recommendations with you!
Advice from Frankfurt UAS alumni
Jonathan from Kenya, B.A. (double degree), International Business Administration, assistant vice president at a German bank
My recommendation is to try and be open to new ideas. I sent out CVs to more than 30 companies and always got rejected. Never give up and put yourself out there. Attend seminars that will help you improve your application documents and teach you how to connect. In the corporate world connection is everything. One more thing: set up your Xing and LinkedIn account as this will be open for recruiters to see your profile. This really propelled my ability to get job offers. For me, my internship at a bank in Poland was the door opener for my career. Internships are helpful as they give you the chance to experiment with different jobs and sectors until you find the work you really find pleasure in doing.
Andrea from Mexico, MSc. Urban Agglomerations, urban and architecture planner:
Try to get involved in the job market as soon as possible. This will expand your contact network inside the industry/branch you are specialized in. I started in my company with a student job and later had the opportunity to be officially hired when I finished my studies.
Also I would recommend everyone to really work on your German language skills. Speaking and practicing German facilitated my communication skills during the inicial interviews and later with my daily tasks at work. Translating all application documents, such as CV, portfolio or cover letter into German could help you to start with the right foot before meeting your potential employers.
Moreover, sending various applications helped me to increase the probability to be called for further interviews and meetings. I also foand job opportunities published in social networks such as LinkedIn and other online platforms such as Indeed. Ask for help if needed, it will facilitate your integration to the market and later the hiring process. It is important to be informed about visa/residential permits, German tax and insurance system, as well as your rights as employee.
Angus, from Taiwan, MBA in Aviation Management, account manager for a German airline
Have faith and keep trying until you got a job. To get a good job, it takes destiny I think. No matter how qualified you are, if the timing is not yours, it'll eventually pass. If the interviewer doesn't like you, you won't be picked eventually.
If you don't have a super unique expertise in areas with high demand such as engineering or IT, learning German could be very helpful to be more competitive and also have more choices. Actually, I was rather a lucky case, although I didn't really expect to find a good job due to my lack of German skills. But my other language skills saved me in the end.
My MBA degree in Aviation Management as well as my previous working experience with an Asian airlines was a big asset. But I also spent the most effort to optimize my CV, since I really wanted this job. The interview experience was quite intense and I passed 4 steps within 2 weeks to finally get the job. In the end, I mainly got the job because of my Mandarin/English skills as the airline needed someone to take care of the Asia/Pacific region. You can only keep trying and trying until you got the one job that belongs to you.