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Outrageous is the fact that none of my two jobs until now required English. It is ironic, because I have learned the language on my own for 10 years. Of course, I feel that one can get a lower response from employers, if you apply at an early stage of studying as an international student – you need to prove you are a safe asset. However, it is more than possible.
Being and international student is not different from being a German student unless you make it to be so. You can be shy and think that you are at a disadvantage or you can take your special expertise as an additional asset. The latter was what I did and got the job in August as soon as I arrived from Moscow and before starting my first semester at Frankfurt School.
Here are my three career tips for every international student:
1) Start as early as possible. I applied for any job connected with finance as soon as I applied for the dorms. With the first job on your CV you get a kind of approval for the whole market.
2) Be aware of what is out there. Career Services (CaS) helped me by publishing job listings, which is the first place for you to go to. You are in this case the target audience for the employer. With the help of CaS you can as well easily navigate through events, register for everything you have interest in. But to get the most out of it, you need to prepare for several hours in advance in order to be able to ask deeper questions and understand more than expected.
3) Network. All events give you a chance to know more and better define your own goals and expectations, but they also give you an opportunity to recommend yourself to the company representatives and gain more confidence.
The Master of Finance (MoF) surrounds you with the best classmates with the same mind-set. You can discuss insights, prepare together for interviews, and participate in championships –to be a part of the MoF community is priceless.
Though I have a BSc in Economics, the MoF programme changed all of my perceptions of the real financial world due to applicability and saturation of courses. Do not forget about guest lectures on-campus which provide valuable insights! The part-time structure is a huge help for time-management.
The only problem, to be honest, is that a lot of students in general seem to lack real drive about the profession they chose. In case you are sure, the MoF is the best platform for you to connect and get the job of your dreams. They make it here 80% easier but your 20% input is still there.
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