Talking to companies

For the application process:

• When is the right time?
• Should I apply now, even if I don’t know my grades?
• What should the application look like with regard to form and content?
• How much do my final grades count?
• How specific do I need to be regarding the areas I want to work in?
• What are companies looking for in an application?
• How long does it take to get a response?
• Where do I apply, and to whom?
• What makes an application stand out?

For the position:

• What is a typical working day for this position?
• What is the typical development in the first 3–5 years? Mid-term outcomes?
• What should I be able to do especially well for this position?
• What knowledge and personal skills are indispensable?
• Specialist or management function in 5 years?
• What weaknesses are absolutely not acceptable in this job?
• Headquarters or branch location?
• Medium-sized or very large company? Both have advantages: ask questions.
• Salary / salary growth? (this should not be top priority!)
• Technical and interdisciplinary training / further education?

For internships or final theses:

• How far in advance do I need to apply?
• How clear does an applicant’s view of the job have to be?
• Supervision: how and by whom?
• International internships available? (only 5% of companies offer this)
• Remuneration during internship / final thesis?
• How long, ideally, should an internship last?

For your own expectations:

• What is my goal for the next 5 years? How can I best reach this goal?
• What are my areas of interest?
• How do I seem to others? What kind of people do I deal with best, and which type not?
• What do I require from my employer and the company?
• What are my strengths? What do I definitely not want to do?
• How do I want to appear in the interview?
• Checklist of all important questions

How to ask questions:

• Ask open questions rather than questions answered with just yes or no (e.g., using question words like which, why, how, what; rather than: are you ...; do you have ...)
• Maintain eye contact. Let your conversation partner speak, but be persistent if your questions are not being answered.
• Ask a company representative why he or she is working for that company, or why you should apply to that company and what advantages that may bring you.

Source: Verein für Hochschulkontakte e.V. (university contact association)