How to gain practical experience during your studies

In my opinion, your studies are just the first stepping stone. A degree does not automatically guarantee success in life or your career. To make your career truly successful, you have to take many more steps that no one at university teaches you. I’ve often mentioned in my previous blogs how important networking and soft skills are. Unfortunately, university programs are rarely based on these two crucial criteria. You have to learn them yourself.

The hard truth is: When you apply to companies after graduation, almost no one is looking for a "Junior" who is only just starting to figure out the working world. We have to be honest about that. Many students ask themselves later: "Why didn't anyone tell me how important real industry experience is during my studies?"

I’m not talking about a side job as a waiter in a café or as a generic student helper just to earn money. Those are fine, but they won't advance your career. I’m talking about real experience within a company.

As an international student in Germany, I also started out working as a waiter. The salary and tips were good, but I never forgot that it was temporary. That wasn't my goal. The next logical step is a job as a student assistant (HiWi). These jobs are often advertised on institute websites or by the student union (Studierendenwerk). However, they are popular because the hours are flexible and they often don't count towards the 120 full working days allowed for international students.

But here’s what’s important to know: Sometimes lecturers and professors have HiWi positions available that haven't been published on the institute's website yet. So here is my tip for you: Don't wait for a job posting. Go directly to your professors or lecturers in your very first semester. Approach them after the lecture and ask proactively about HiWi positions. This shows initiative—and that is exactly what sets you apart from the others.

HiWi jobs are good, but you can even take one step further Apply as a working student (Werkstudent) directly in your industry.

Based on my own experience, I can give you a rough idea. Applying is a numbers game: You send out 50 applications. You get maybe 5 positive responses. This results in 1 or 2 offers (if any). Unfortunately, that is the reality.

However, don't let rejections demotivate you. In the beginning, it is painful and frustrating—I know that from my own experience. But you have to keep going. If you don't get any positive responses, my suggestion is to write a feedback email. This means: Reply to those who rejected you without an interview. Thank them for the response, and then ask for their honest feedback and areas for improvement regarding your portfolio and application. They won't always give you honest feedback, but sometimes it yields valuable insights into what you did wrong in your application process and what you can do better.

Now, let’s imagine you were lucky and found a good working student position. Often, the tasks are clearly defined and not very extensive. However, in my opinion, the most important thing at this stage is to use this opportunity correctly. Many companies offer home office and flexible hours. That is convenient, of course, but try to be on-site as much as possible. This is the only way you get to know the environment, the culture, and the "real" working world.

It may happen that difficult and exhausting tasks are passed back and forth between employees and departments. In these moments, the team might need extra help and someone willing to take on these additional tasks. This is the moment where you learn the most and show the company and the team that you are capable of working independently.

Therefore, my suggestion: Take on as much responsibility as possible. Don't just try to complete your tasks; identify the problems and gaps in the company. When you recognize these weaknesses, you learn exactly what is actually needed in your industry. Based on this, you can adapt your qualifications and become indispensable.

In my degree program, there was a mandatory internship where we had to work full-time at a company for at least 3 months. For many programs, however, this isn't mandatory. What I want to say is: You should take advantage of this opportunity. Apply for internships, ideally in another city or even another country. That takes your CV to a whole new level. The only thing that is bad—and in my opinion, unfair—about this is that internships usually pay less than minimum wage. But just like as a working student, you must try to understand the company, the culture, as well as the problems and pain points. Either come up with solutions or acquire the skills that enable you to fill those gaps.

Very, very important: At the end of your contract—whether it was a HiWi job, working student position, or internship—ask your employer, boss, or team lead to write you a reference letter (Arbeitszeugnis). Ideally, tell them exactly which points are most important to you and should be highlighted in your reference. You can use this later for further applications to elevate your profile.

In summary: Your studies give you the theory, but you have to go out and get the practice yourself. Don't wait for your bachelor's degree to start. The challenges don't begin after you graduate; they begin right now.

Arya