The time has come soon – you are no longer a student, but a graduate and you want to apply as such. Then, when writing your application, you ask yourself one crucial question: How do I best sell my existence as a graduate? First of all, some useful information on the topic “What HR managers dream about” .
Application migraines seem to be brewing
This is absolutely not necessary! Graduates are career starters – regardless of the graduate’s age. The companies you want to apply to also know this. However, this doesn't mean a free pass for you, as you will definitely have to expect competition from other graduates.
It is therefore important not to ruin the first impression of the HR manager with messed up application documents. Because this impression is already your chance to assert yourself against competitors. This includes:
- A neat layout of your documents
- A professional application photo
- Naming the right contact person at the right company (!!!)
- All documents (cover letter, cover sheet (optional), CV, letter of motivation (optional) and references including certificates, etc.)
You have already taken the first steps in the right direction. We continue with tips for writing your application letter, with which you can really spice up the content of your documents as a graduate:
The resume
The CV is underestimated by many applicants, but it is the central element of your application! Since you've written a few papers during your university career, formatting a resume will be a piece of cake for you! Please note the following points:
- The trend is and remains the backward-looking CV - basically the most current position forward.
- A tabular form is beneficial for you and the HR manager as it allows both parties to keep an overview.
- Make sure you have a clear structure. For example: professional experience, studies, vocational and school training, internships, further training, additional knowledge
- Be careful with school training: no HR manager will be interested in your kindergarten and primary school career. A reference to the last school for your highest school qualification is sufficient.
- Always sign your CV!
- Add additional page numbers so that the documents can be kept together.
You don't have to work with the dates exactly to the deadline. It is sufficient if you enter the month and the year.
That's where things can get a bit tricky - after all, this number shows the HR manager exactly whether you have stayed within your standard period of study. But what if you have more than extended this time? Can your cover letter save your chance of getting the job or will the job search take longer for you?
Tips for your cover letter
Applying to a company as a graduate is undoubtedly influenced by the quality of your cover letter. This is because the HR manager looks at your documents and tries to get an initial insight into you as a person. So that your cover letter doesn't get in the way of starting your career, we have the following tips for you:
- Don't use empty phrases! This is one of the top deadly sins when applying!
- Stay within limits and don't exceed the size of a DIN A4 page. Because that’s easily enough for a cover letter.
- Graduates and applications or cover letters usually mean: unnecessary chatter. Always stay specific and don't make endless sentences!
- Don't bulk yourself up unnecessarily. Technical know-how is great, but don’t forget your soft skills.
- There has to be motivation (“I need a job to secure my pension!” doesn’t count). Research – after all, students are good at that – and bring in what excites you about the company.
- Don't just write down your CV! Focus on the company and the job advertisement, align everything with your career and show that you really want this company.
- Stay down to earth! Reaching for the stars is ok, but a starting salary of €100,000 gross as a graduate is more than unrealistic! Find out in advance about the appropriate salaries in your situation as a graduate and only include your ideas if explicitly requested.
- Answer important questions directly in the cover letter. For example, the question about your availability.
- The topic of your thesis can be included in the cover letter if it fits the company and the advertised position.
With these tips nothing else should go wrong with your cover letter. It goes without saying that you don't make any spelling or grammatical errors. In addition to using friends as proofreaders, you can also use the free Duden text checker to make sure.
Last but not least:
There are a few little things you should definitely know:
- Never send a ZIP file when applying by email!
- But also make sure that the PDF file is not too large! Normally it shouldn't be more than 6 MB.
- Just don’t forget your signature (resume and cover letter)!
- Use a reputable email address!
- Have your documents ready in printed form for possible callbacks. This way you can react more spontaneously.
With these tips nothing else should go wrong with your application. If you are still unsure, you can seek the help of a professional application service provider . This will check and optimize your documents! Another is Thomas Bähren, who tells you in this article what you need to consider when writing applications .
If your application is successful and you are invited to an assessment center, for example, you should first take part in a free AC training for students .
If you want to put out a few applications straight away, the Blind Applying program could be of great interest to you.
Our golden rules for a successful application.
