The aspect of getting a job and finding a job is a gradual process of maturing and learning a lot of things along the way. University is there to offer you knowledge but it is up to you to take up more on yourself if you want to be successful.
I am a student of the Master’s programme Computer Science at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) and I myself am always trying to enhance my skills and develop my career. There are a few steps you can take in order to achieve more in your career life and we are going to discuss that in this article.
Student teams
By joining a subject specific student team you can grow your practical skills, develop your subject specific and social competence and make contacts in business, industry and research. At TU Graz for instance there are many student initiatives, teams and associations where you can build skills and enjoy all the other benefits besides. Anyone who wants to join is welcome to apply and depending on the process of admission, you could be a part of the student team. This is a good first step to communicate with other students, see their perspectives on similar interests you might have, and get more information.
Make sure to check out all the official student teams of TU Graz on the website “Student Teams”.
My team at TU Graz: Google Developer Student Club
The club that I created was started in cooperation with one of the biggest tech giants in the industries, Google. We are learning about developer technologies and having fun while coding together. You can find all the extra information about the club on the Google Developer Student Club website.
Networking Initiatives for students
Besides student teams, networking clubs can also be helpful for meeting people and boosting your career. The advantage is again to make contacts in the industry you are interested in and discuss ideas.
If you are interested in networking and making friends as International in Graz, I recommend the post of my colleague, TU Graz International Student Ambassador Fjolla Hasani. Here are all the networking initiatives in the area of TU Graz.
Becoming a teaching assistant
One of the best ways to get some hands-on experience is to apply for teaching assistant positions at different courses during your studies. If you achieve good success in the course the professor might even invite you to be a part of their team, but nevertheless, you should never wait for the opportunity to appear but create them yourselves.
Try to apply for teaching assistant positions during your studies to get some hands-on experience. © Lunghammer – TU Graz
Working as a teaching assistant
The teaching assistant position gives you a chance to learn how things work on the other side of just being a student. Creating assignments, communicating with students, and overseeing exams are a few of the tasks that belong to this position and all these activities can broaden your skillset.
Once you are a teaching assistant, there is a certain institute at your university that you are signed up for. But there is more to it than just a teaching assistant position. You could be doing further research or thesis work on any of the institutes at your university.
Up until now, we discussed only university-related jobs but what happens when you complete your studies?
My colleague and TU Graz Student Ambassador Ekrem Toroman writes about how to finance your studies in Austria with a job in his blog post "Working as a Student in Austria – 8 big tips".
Getting a job
After acquiring so much knowledge in your studies it is time to use it on the job, but there are a few things you should be aware of as well. You have to be persistent during the job search while also looking for things that match your preferences.
The interview is an important part of the process for getting the job since it is the first impression you make from your skills as well as your personality. These interviews could be focused on a general algorithm or even something specific that the company is looking for in the candidate. Make sure to prepare carefully for an interview and even practice communication skills so that you can express yourself in the best way possible.
Keep in mind that after getting the job you have to keep working hard and prove yourself to keep growing in the community as well as personally.
I really hope these short tips help you to achieve successful careers. If you want to discuss anything in detail, please feel free to contact me and we can discuss further!
Lazar Gugleta presents at the Study Abroad Fair in Belgrade. © Budimcic – Study Abroad Fair
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