You are a wanderer between worlds: still a student and almost an employee. You'll soon have your bachelor's or master's degree under your belt - but what happens after that? When is the right time to start your career and, above all, which route to your first 'real' job is right for you? The trainee position, the assistant position or direct entry? Comparatively looking at aspects such as promotion opportunities or salary can help you make a decision.
First of all, you obviously have to ask yourself the question: Master first, then start your career? According to Gregor Fabian from the German Center for University and Science Research, there is currently still a certain skepticism in companies towards BA degrees. The study 'Career Paths for Bachelor Graduates' (2014) by the Stifterverband für die Deutschen Wissenschaft and the Institute of German Economy, however, comes to the conclusion: The bachelor's degree is a model for success. According to the results of the survey of 1,500 companies, bachelor's graduates succeeded in making the transition into the job market at a standard level for university graduates, measured in terms of salary, areas of application and entry-level positions. The companies were also open when it came to career opportunities; for example, 60 percent stated that they employed department heads with a bachelor's degree.
Which entry is the right one?
The starting salary point is particularly exciting: according to the study, only just under half of the companies surveyed make any difference between a bachelor's and a master's degree. In addition, almost every second company supports the plan to continue studying, for example by contributing to the fees or releasing the employee to do so.
Which type of career entry you choose after graduating generally depends on what type of person you are: Direct entry is more for specialists who know what direction they want to go in and feel optimally prepared. It's a bit like jumping into cold water: the training period is short and you have to work productively right away, but you can also get involved right away.
Trainees, on the other hand, have 'puppy protection', they go through different departments and thus have the opportunity to get to know a company in all its complexity - albeit with a lower salary. Trainee programs are therefore aimed more at all-rounders whose studies were somewhat broader.
Candidates for an assistant position should ideally have leadership qualities and be able to work well under stress and time pressure. In return, there are valuable contacts and a well-founded hope for a management position in the near future.
If you still can't decide, you don't have to feel bad; you should just listen to Baz Luhrmann's 'Everybody's Free', which says: "The most interesting people I know at 22 don't yet know what they're doing want to start their life. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds still don't know it." And the decision for a trainee position, direct entry or an assistant position is just a turning point in life's path that will be followed by many more.
Straight into the job after university
Graduation in your pocket and into the job: That's how Timm Eckhoff did it. He found his dream job as a software engineer at the Berlin game software company Wooga, which develops, among other things, Facebook games like Jelly Splash.
»I successfully applied for the Germany scholarship during my game design studies at the Media Design University in Berlin and that's how I met Wooga. I later became a working student and, after completing my studies, I joined the games team straight away as an engineer. There I am responsible for programming the client. This means: I get the game design, the colorful images and models from the artists and the configuration files from the server and put everything together so that in the end you can download a great game from the app stores.
From the very beginning, I was particularly impressed by the corporate culture: We work here in independent, agile teams and decide independently which projects we will work on and which game has the potential to become the next Wooga hit. I'm currently still employed as a junior, but I've already learned so much from my experienced colleagues that I'm looking forward to being able to take on more responsibility soon.«
First an internship, then a job
Nora Müller has decided on a position as executive assistant at Allianz AG. Here she works in the property insurance companies department and is close to the 'executive floor'.
»I studied business administration at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich. I was always interested in insurance as a product, so it made sense to apply to the market leader. First I did an internship in the Allianz board office, which I really enjoyed, so I decided to become a board assistant. In general, you should be able to deal well with people and be prepared to take on leadership roles, as the Allianz assistant program is designed for this. As assistant to the board, I gain a deep insight into the company and management decisions. For example, I take part in meetings and committee meetings and prepare them before and after. The topics vary greatly, depending on what is currently going on.«
trainee
After completing her management master's degree, Juliane Baenfer decided on a 'gentle' career start as a trainee. She is currently completing the 'Outperformer' trainee program at Hilti AG, a large tool manufacturer. »Even before I got my master's degree, I looked into various trainee programs and finally came across the Hilti Outperformer program on the Internet. At the Career Fair at the University of Mannheim I had the opportunity to find out more about the program and the company. I'm currently working on a project in the area of product management. I work very conceptually, present my results, moderate workshops or meet with colleagues from other departments to exchange ideas. At the end of October I will complete my current project and then work on a project in our Brazilian office in Sao Paulo for four months. The best experiences so far: the direct and good connection to many of my customers, the regular exchange within our global trainee community and the moments in which you can see how you have developed further over time. I learned far more than I expected. Especially because of the strong feedback culture and the situational coaching sessions.«
You are a wanderer between worlds: still a student and almost an employee. You'll soon have your bachelor's or master's degree under your belt - but what happens after that?
