FAU´s International Career Service
Approximately 4,000 international students are currently enrolled at FAU. After graduation, many of them plan a career in Germany, while others are looking for an internship or a student placement during their time at FAU. One of the university’s core goals is to help students on a successful career path. “About 70 percent of international graduates want to work at a German company after their studies. This was one of the reasons why FAU’s International Career Service was launched in April 2015,” explains Stefanie Rösch, Head of the Service Center.
A comprehensive service offer
The Career Service is especially tailored to meet the needs of foreign students and graduates, and can be taken advantage of for up to one year after graduation. “We help students to get started. In a personal consultation, we discuss the specifics of German application procedures, explain how companies in Germany recruit, and draw students’ attention to the formalities of a German job application. In addition, we also provide application pack checks, ” says Stefanie Rösch. As well as consultations, the International Career Service offers workshops and seminars on topics such as writing a covering letter, business etiquette, or how to present yourself at a job interview. The courses are run by external trainers, who are experts in their field, and by Stefanie Rösch herself. The “Career and Coffee” event provides a special kind of professional consulting. Here, international students come together in a relaxed atmosphere in a café to share their experience with job searches or job applications, and to give each other tips.
A personal interview with a potential employer is also possible via Skype dating to ‘meet your boss at home’. Using Skype, the participants are connected with an employer, giving them the opportunity to get quick feedback and to clarify questions about the company and career opportunities – all from the comfort of their own home and with a prospect of a job offer! This is offered by the International Career Service together with the Federal Employment Agency in Nuremberg and FAU’s Institute for Learning Innovation (ILI).
Alumni Career Meeting and International Career Day
Also on the International Career Service calendar are the Alumni Career Meeting in the winter semester, and the International Career Day in the summer semester. During the former, FAU alumni report on their professional career and are available to answer questions. While at the latter, company representatives present their organisations from around the region, followed by the opportunity to ask questions. Various service facilities, such as FAU’s Department for International Affairs (RIA), also present at the International Career Day.
With this comprehensive service, FAU’s International Career Service is preparing international students and graduates for the challenges of the German labour market in the best possible way, and supporting them in their career planning. “Our goal is to promote the professional development of international students and graduates. In this sense, the International Career Service ‘helps you to help yourself’ rather than providing job offers in the classical sense,” says Stefanie Rösch.
Further information about these services can be found on the homepage of the International Career Service.