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Frequently asked question general

Internships have become an essential part of a CV. They can provide guidance in a number of ways:

  • They can help you to recognise and explore the potential of your own academic qualifications in the world of work.
  • They allow you to experience working life for a limited period of time and to gain experience of the labour market, companies and fields of activity. Practical experience can promote personal independence and help to overcome any fears you may have, for example when dealing with colleagues.
  • Through practical work experience, internships help students to become more aware of their own professional skills and inclinations.
  • They provide an opportunity to try out practical work in areas that may be considered as future careers.
  • Practical experience can extend and complement the skills you have already acquired during your studies.
  • Practical experience can help you to study with more motivation and perhaps new specialisations.
  • An internship gives you the opportunity to present yourself well and to recommend yourself to supervisors and colleagues for future job opportunities.

In order to find the right internship, you should be clear about your goals. This knowledge will not only help you find the right placement. It will also help you to work towards these goals during the internship and to evaluate the internship against this background. The following questions can help you to do this:

  • Which of the skills I brought with me from my studies do I want to develop during the internship?
  • What skills would I like to acquire in addition to or as a complement to my studies?
  • Do I want to carry out specific tasks during the internship?
  • Do I want to get to know a specific industry or one that is new to me?
  • How can the internship help me achieve my career goals?
  • Do I necessarily want to do my internship in a large company with a well-known name and many competitors, or could it be a smaller company that might offer me a broader range of activities?

You should also bear in mind that an internship can never be tailored exactly to your own goals. For example, there is a certain amount of daily routine in every area of work - but it is also important to familiarise yourself with this during an internship.

A good internship is one in which I can achieve several of the goals I have set myself, or in which I can clarify open questions.

It is also important to choose the right company. You can usually find information about companies on their websites, but also on networks such as XING or LinkedIn.

In general, it is desirable that the internship opens up a broader spectrum of activities - preferably with a small project of your own - and does not just consist of an easy-to-learn task that is then carried out continuously. During the internship itself, you should find out as early as possible what you will be doing, which team you will be working in and who your contacts and supervisors will be.

Most companies in Germany offer internships. It is therefore a good idea to send an unsolicited application as well as applying for advertised positions. Larger companies usually need more time to consider your application than smaller ones.

There are often short-term internship offers just before the semester break that are worth applying for. You can find more information on how to write a cover letter and CV here.
 

 

Whether and how much an internship pays depends on a number of factors, including the Minimum Wage Act (MiLoG). Section 22 of the Act contains specific rules on when an internship must or must not be paid the minimum wage.

The following must be paid the minimum wage

  •     Voluntary internships during studies lasting more than three months;

The minimum wage does not apply to

  •     Voluntary study-related internships of less than three months;
  •     Compulsory internships within the framework of the study regulations;

Whether and to what extent an internship salary is paid for shorter voluntary and compulsory internships depends on the employer and possibly also on your own negotiating skills.
The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs offers a minimum wage hotline and further information on minimum wage issues for internships: https://www.bmas.de/DE/Themen/Arbeitsrecht/Mindestlohn/mindestlohn-praktikum.html

 

 

A written internship contract is not required by law, but it is desirable as it provides security for both parties. The following points should be included in the contract:

  •     Name and address of the parties
  •     Nature of the internship (voluntary or compulsory)
  •     Start and duration of the placement
  •     Location of the placement
  •     Description of the traineeship with as much specific information as possible about the tasks and activities of the trainee.
  •     Definition of working hours (daily and weekly; according to the Working Hours Act, a maximum of 5 days per week and a maximum of 10 hours per day - with a 30-minute break per day)
  •     Amount of remuneration, if applicable (minimum wage or separate agreement, if applicable)
  •     Holiday entitlement (usually 2 days holiday per month for voluntary internships; no legal entitlement for mandatory internships)
  •     Information about notice periods
  •     Information on the company's obligations (tasks, liability issues, confidentiality, preparation of an internship reference)
  •     Information on the trainee's obligations (compliance with regulations, confidentiality, behaviour in case of illness/inability to work)

Short-term changes in the company can lead to deviations from the internship contract and the tasks and activities specified therein. It is usually wise to be flexible and learn as much as possible in this situation. This is not the case, however, if it becomes clear that the intern is being deliberately used as cheap labour for unqualified activities that have not been agreed.

Different rules apply depending on whether the internship is compulsory or voluntary:

  • In the case of a compulsory internship, which is required by the study regulations, no social security contributions have to be paid - even if an internship salary is paid.
  • In the case of a voluntary internship, contributions to pension, health, nursing care and unemployment insurance must be paid, as for any other student employment. This does not apply to internships that take place only during the semester break and are limited to a maximum of three months per year, and to internships that do not exceed 20 hours per week during the semester. It should be noted, however, that anyone working more than this will lose their preferential status as a student for the purposes of statutory health insurance. In the case of a so-called mini-job with a salary of up to 450 euros per month, the employer pays the contributions in full - in the form of lump sums.

 

Interns are generally covered by statutory accident insurance - for accidents at work and on the way to and from work. It makes no difference whether the internship is compulsory or voluntary, paid or unpaid. 

Both underchallenge due to unqualified activities and overchallenge due to tasks for which you are not prepared can prove to be a problem during the placement - as can inadequate induction, bullying, excessive working hours or similar.

If such problems arise, you should - after a certain period of observation - seek dialogue with your contact person or supervisor and ideally be able to suggest possible improvements.

Internship certificates provide evidence of practical work experience and are therefore an important part of any subsequent job application. In general, a distinction must be made between a simple internship certificate and a qualified internship certificate.

The simple certificate must be issued for compulsory internships and usually confirms in a concise form - e.g. as proof for the university - that the internship was completed as agreed. A qualified internship certificate also describes the tasks the intern has carried out and evaluates the work done.

In general, however, all employees - including trainees - are entitled to a written reference at the end of the employment relationship, stating at least the nature and duration of the work, in accordance with Section 109(1) of the Labour Code. In addition, the employee can "demand that the information also cover performance and conduct in the employment relationship (qualified reference)". In view of the importance of the reference for further professional development, a qualified written reference should be agreed with the employer, at least in the case of longer internships, and if possible included in the contract.

The following information is usually included in a qualified internship certificate:

  •     Name of the intern
  •     Period of the traineeship
  •     Description of work done
  •     Description of performance
  •     Evaluation of performance
  •     Description and assessment of behaviour
  •     Concluding wording - if applicable with thanks to the employee and recommendation for future employers
  •     Signature of the referee

Overall, the reference should give a good insight into the internship, with a job description and an overview of responsibilities. Special skills or soft skills should also be mentioned. If the placement has been completed as agreed, the reference should be positive and should not be detrimental to professional development. Attention should be paid to hidden negative wording. See for example: https://www.jobware.de/Ratgeber/Der-Geheimcode-im-Arbeitszeugnis.html

In general, it can be helpful to offer the employer your own suggested wording for the reference. On the one hand, this gives you the opportunity to elaborate on aspects that are important for your own professional development. On the other hand, your own suggestion takes the pressure off the employer.

You can also gain practical experience abroad during your studies. If you gain experience abroad during your studies in the form of an internship, you can score points with potential employers.

After all, recruiters appreciate the fact that you have been exposed to a foreign environment, different perspectives and different cultures.

The Service Centre for International Affairs at the University of Würzburg provides the most important information on funding opportunities and an internship exchange for international internships. You can also find information on Erasmus+ funding opportunities here.