What happens after I earn my degree? Many people don’t know exactly what kind of job they want to pursue once they’re done studying.

A university degree doesn’t necessarily train you for a single job but instead qualifies you for a variety of different career fields both within and outside of academia and research. Aside from the typical professional fields for graduates of your degree program, there are many other jobs that require academic degrees. Your professional orientation is a life-long process that plays an important role even when you are still a student.

JGU’s Career Service would like to support you in this process! We are your first point of contact for any questions you may have about career orientation and the transition to a profession: Whether it’s “What kind of a job do I want to have after I finish my degree?,” “Where and how can I find my dream job, an internship, or a part-time job?,” or “How do I apply successfully?” – we will work together to address all the questions and challenges you may face on your career path.

Our services are available free of charge for all students and alumni of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and include

  • individual advising,
  • our own job portal,
  • lectures,
  • workshops,
  • seminars and projects,
  • career events,
  • and much more.

Individual advising is the core of our services and touches on all topics related to professional orientation and the transition to a profession. In individual advising sessions, we address questions like the following:

  • Insight into professions that require a degree | Which professional opportunities will I have once I finish my degree?
  • Personal profile | Which job matches my interests, abilities, values, and criteria?
  • Development of competence | Which skills do I still need for my dream job and where can I acquire them?
  • Professional practice & insights | How & where can I explore professional fields or get job experience while still a student?
  • Job searching | How & where can I find internships or part-time, working student, or entry level jobs? How & where can I get into contact with prospective employers?
  • Checking your application & application documents | How do I put together a convincing application and excel in job interviews?
  • Transition phases | How do I successfully transition from a bachelor’s to a master’s program or from student to employee?
  • Doubts about your studies | What do I do if I’m not sure about continuing my program of study?

In our individual advising sessions, we focus on your needs and provide independent, resource- and solution-oriented advice at eye level. Your questions, needs, and goals are the main focus and our aim is to support you in finding the best solution for you and your future path.

We look forward to meeting you!

If you are looking for a suitable job, it’s a good idea to start by reflecting on yourself: Which topics am I really interested in? What are my most important skills and abilities and which ones can I and do I want to apply in my future career? Which professional experiences have I made and what can I learn about myself from them?

Working on your own profile is worth it – not only because it helps you find a job opportunity that suits you, but because those who work in an environment that matches up with their own interests, skills, and values tend to be more satisfied with their professional life.

It’s never too early to think about your own individual profile and set the right course for your future. We are here to support you – with advising sessions, expertise, and helpful events.

Find out about upcoming events in our Career Center and register directly there. With the Career Center newsletter, you will never miss an event again!

Once you have taken a good look at your profile, interests, abilities, and values, you can start looking for professional fields that match up with what you have identified.

To do so, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the large variety of jobs that require an academic degree and get an overview of professions that are typical for graduates of your degree program as well as professions that go beyond that.

Once you have found a suitable professional field, you can take a look at the job profile and requirements to see how they match up with your own profile.

We can help you every step of the way.

Find out about upcoming events in our Career Center and register directly there. With the Career Center newsletter, you will never miss an event again!

You’ve found the professional field of your dreams? Then onwards to the last step: You need to find concrete job opportunities, job advertisements, and suitable employers.

For that, it’s helpful to make use of different ways of finding information: specialist job boards, social media, job fairs, career events and, last but not least, your personal and university network.

Am I qualified for the position I’ve found? Does it make sense to apply? How do I put together a convincing job application and what are the general rules for that? And how should I act in a job interview?

We offer support not only for your job search, but also for all other topics related to job applications – preparing you optimally for the application process.

Find out about upcoming events in our Career Center and register directly there. With the Career Center newsletter, you will never miss an event again!

Not every student’s path takes them to earning a university degree or to a position outside of the university. Some students develop a desire to work as an academic or a scientist at a university; others want to strike out on their own and found their own company or startup. Others ask themselves if they even want to finish their degree course or if they would rather change to a different program or higher education institution or start vocational training.

We offer support in all of these cases and are happy to help you think about your situation and make a decision. We can also direct you to other helpful resources for more information or advising.

Professional orientation and questions about your career are often intertwined with other topics from your program of study and personal life. Since we are part of the Student Advisory Center, we are embedded in JGU’s advising network, which supports you throughout your journey at JGU – from choosing where to study and applying to JGU, to studying, completing your degree, and transitioning to a profession. Therefore, we are able to refer you to someone who can answer your questions no matter the topic.

We are also well-connected beyond Mainz through our membership in the Career Service Network of Germany (csnd) and various other collaborations with other higher education institutions, career service centers in the Rhine-Main region, the Agentur für Arbeit, and other institutions outside of the university and are therefore able to refer you or collaborate with other service centers.

Whether before, during, or after your studies − whether subject-specific or interdisciplinary – JGU is committed to supporting you at every stage of your journey. We have the right contacts and experts for every question and concern, ensuring you receive full support throughout your time at JGU.