‘The International Days gave HAW Hamburg students the chance to obtain bundled information about all the possible ways to spend time studying or working in another country. They covered a wide range of topics, from students’ travel reports and funding possibilities to concrete tips for applying for jobs abroad,’ says Johanna Ludwig from the Career Service, who helped organise the event.
Studying abroad
On the first day, International Office staff members and the student exchange coordinators presented information on various exchange programmes such as Erasmus+ and the diverse programmes offered by HAW Hamburg’s partner universities. In four parallel information sessions, the student exchange coordinators answered more fundamental questions: Why should I go abroad? How do I organise a study semester abroad? How do I get credit points for a semester abroad? At the Faculty of Design, Media and Information (DMI), student exchange coordinator Jenny Kahler supports students with organising and preparing for stays abroad. ‘There’s a lot of interest in studying abroad at DMI. Forty students attended the info session,’ Kahler says. A highlight of the event was the live report from South Korea by Fabian Marquardt. The Media Technology student is currently completing a study-abroad semester at SeoulTech University and talked about his studies and everyday life in South Korea.
Applying for jobs internationally
‘Different countries; different customs’: This saying applies especially to applications for internships and jobs in the USA, which is why HAW Hamburg students got the chance to hear about the dos and don’ts of a successful job application there. According to Martina Schulze, head of the International Office, you will be breaking with application etiquette if you list your age or send a CV that includes your photo or your signature without specifically being asked to do so. ‘The focus of the CV, also called a resume in the US, is the applicant’s current skills, strengths and accomplishments, together with their professional and general work experience. And ‘German modesty’ is out of place here,’ says Schulze.
Working abroad
On the second day of the event, Johanna Ludwig, who is responsible for the area ‘accessing the international job market’ at the Career Service, presented information on looking for jobs and the application process in the UK. Job placement officer Shin Cho from the Federal Employment Agency’s International Placement Office (ZAV) provided an overview of possibilities for entering the international job market. ‘The ZAV event was super. Shin Cho is a walking encyclopedia and was able to answer even the most detailed questions,’ says Ludwig.
Another workshop covered the Europass portal. The portal provides information and tools for career planning and looking for a job in Germany and the EU. What was special about this event was that it was held in cooperation with the Universität Hamburg and the Hamburg University of Technology. Two presenters introduced the career-management portal and its functions to students from the three universities, showing them, for example, how they can use the platform to submit job applications.
Author: Emma Körting, International Office
More information:
HAW Hamburg: Studying abroad (haw-hamburg.de)
HAW Hamburg: Career Service (haw-hamburg.de)
