Wanted: Test Driver, Tutor, IT-Expert

To have an income while studying, is best achieved with a job that fits perfectly with your own ideas - the job placement center of the University of Siegen can make this possible. How it works, is explained by Andrea Henzeschulz.

If a student wants to use the job placement center, he or she must first register online and have a personal consultation with you. Is not that very time-consuming?

Andrea Henzeschulz: No, not at all. Registration is very fast. Everyone can decide how much information he divulges about himself and his job ideas. For example, you can specify which professional knowledge you have or how much time you can spend on a job. The more accurate the information, the better we can connect you with a matching job. Also, the personal initial consultation does not take long, about 15 minutes. Whether in person, in our office, or by telephone does not matter. We are quite uncomplicated.

Why is personal advice so important? Why can I not just apply for a job?

Andrea Henzeschulz: Our job placement center is not intended as an open job exchange. This is so on purpose. The number of such platforms has already reached double-digit height. We have our own proven concept. On our homepage, students can get a rough overview of the current job listings. The details, company name and contact information, are available only after they have introduced themselves to us. When we get to know the students, we can more accurately estimate which jobs are suitable for them. We learn about their interests, wishes and knowledge and can then provide them with tailor-made job offers. So we act as a preliminary filter, so to speak. This has the advantage that applicants have a very good chance of getting the job. I estimate the probability between 30 and 50 percent. We also provide students with feedback on their application documents and tips for their application.

So, what kind of jobs can I find in job placement center?

Andrea Henzeschulz: We offer jobs at the university, for example as a student- or scientific assistant. There are temporary jobs, for example, in horticulture or the tax office. Music tutors and private coaches are often sought. The spectrum ranges from internships to holiday jobs to long-term minijobs. In addition, we also broker full-time jobs for graduates, recently, for example, as IT expert, social pedagogue or architect. We also offer jobs as student trainees. The focus is on study-related jobs, which require between 10 and 19 hours of work per week. In the ideal case, the students not only earn money but can also contribute the knowledge acquired during their studies.

And how do you make sure the offers are reputable?

Andrea Henzeschulz: We have been around for decades. We have made a name for ourselves. Employers know us as a serious and competent job placement center. Many come back to us, in which case we can be assured of the high job quality. Generally, we decide with each job offer individually, whether we publish it or not. The pay scale should be no less than minimum wage, preferably, however, a more adequate rate. Our students should not be exploited. In addition, it is important to us that the workplace can realistically be reached by the students. Usually you will be offered jobs within a radius of 100 kilometers. However, if a more distant employer pays, for example,  a great wage, or there is a great offer from abroad, we don't say no, of course. The job placement center also depends on student feedback. In this way, we can weed out black sheep from among the suppliers and save the good ones for the future.

Is there any job offer you remember in particular?

Andrea Henzeschulz: Especially popular was the offer of a large car manufacturer. We were looking for drivers who would simply drive for several hours over highways and freeways to test the vehicles - and get paid for it. Those jobs were gone within a couple of hours.

Background:
The job placement center is a service offered by the University of Siegen in cooperation with the Studierendenwerk Siegen and the AStA (General Student's Committee). All enrolled students of the University of Siegen can use the job placement center. The office is located diagonally opposite the Audimax in the rooms AR-D 4102/4103.

All jobs listed on the homepage are still available.

The interview was conducted by Nora Frei