When you’re looking for your first job, you may have some questions in your mind, such as “Where should I even look for a job?” and “How do I know if I want to work in this company?”. Looking for your first job can seem daunting. Here’s how you can best go about it.
Make a list of companies that work in the field you’re interested in
You probably already know some companies that are active in the field you’re interested in. Make a list of these companies and think about which ones might be interesting for you to research further. Of course, you shouldn’t limit yourself, so give a chance to the companies that don’t seem too attractive at first because you might be surprised at the good conditions and working atmosphere they offer.
Research companies that might be interesting for you
Once you’ve compiled a list of companies that interest you and that might be a good fit for you, you can start researching. Look for basic information about the company on its official website. Some of this information can be found on the Job Search or Career Speed Dating websites. Other information can be found on social networks such as LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook. There you can often see what everyday life in the company is like and which projects are actively being worked on. Try to find a person, e.g., a colleague or professor, who’s worked with the company you’re interested in to give you a better insight into how they work, or dare to invite a person who works in the position you’re interested in for an informational interview. You can also get information at events organised by company representatives or at our events – Job Fair and Career Speed Dating.
Prepare a CV and a cover letter
Even if you’re looking for your first job, you probably already know that you need a CV and a cover letter to apply. We won’t go into detail about writing these documents in this blog as it would take up too much space. We recommend you read our previous blogs or take a look at our Instagram profile. There you can find out what you should and shouldn’t write in your CV by looking at CV tragedies. If you don’t know if your CV is well written or your cover letter is worded correctly, you can always ask us for feedback on your CV and cover letter.
Apply for open positions or send an open application
Browse through the job ads on our Job Offers website and you may already find a vacancy in a company that interests you. If a company doesn’t have a vacancy at the moment, you can always send an open application. Focus your application on one area of work and not on the whole company, so that the employer knows in which area you see yourself and want to develop further. Always show why you’re applying for a job and why you’re applying to that particular company. Keep the request positive, clear and concise and try to include all relevant information, e.g., contact details, the number of hours you can work per week, how you can contribute and the like.
Ask for feedback
If you don’t hear back from the company within a reasonable time, you can ask for feedback. By replying to the same email, you can ask for information about whether your application has been received and what stage the selection process is at. We tend to think that this might be an embarrassing action and ‘ ‘annoying’ for the employer, but proactively asking for feedback can clarify the status of your application most easily. You may not know exactly how they’ll respond to your request, but someone may like this proactivity.
Good to know 😊
When you start looking for your first job, you should take care of the administrative part and go to the bank in time to open the account you need for the Student Service. Contracts are always collected from Student Service or online on the website, not from the employers. You must register in person. The documents you need to bring with you to register can be found on the official website of the Student Service you want to register with.
