Master Program Career Service –

Last year, nearly 60 companies in consulting, banking and financial services, large industry and services, German SMEs, and start-ups participated in our events on Campus Vallendar. Most top-tier consultancies and investment banks recruit here every year, and a number of large industrials regularly participate in our fairs. Companies also support student events such as Campus for Finance and other “Campus for” conferences, forumWHU, IdeaLab!, and SensAbility.

Internships range across industries, companies, and locations depending on individual interests and needs. Internships generally reflect the industry breakdowns above for jobs after graduation. Management consulting, banking and finance, areas related to strategy and business development, marketing, and supply chain management are all common, but we also usually have students in other business areas. The majority of Master students do their internships in Germany.

Your mandatory internship is six weeks (four weeks for the 90-credit track), however most students do 10-12 weeks in the summer from early May to mid-August. You can do a second internship in January/February of your second year (120-credit track) and can also gain extra practical experience by writing your thesis in cooperation with a company.

Positions vary greatly by individual and industry. In consulting as well as banking and finance, students usually assume typical entry-level positions for Master graduates. In industry and service companies, students often start in strategy-related roles, staff units, or top management trainee programs. Advisory, senior-level, and entrepreneur-in-residence functions are more common at start-ups and accelerators.

WHU’s alumni organization In Praxi has more than 4,500 members corresponding to over 90% of graduates from all programs. Our alumni are active across all industries including consulting, banking and financial services, industry and services, SMEs, and family business, as well as some in non profit organizations, public service, and academia. WHU has a strong history of entrepreneurship and we count a large number of founders among our alumni. While the majority of alumni lives in Germany, the network covers more than 65 countries across six continents. With nearly 30 regional chapters and increasing, In Praxi organizes events for local members around the world.

Our recruiting activities generally focus on positions in the German-speaking (DACH) region, except for investment banks that also currently hire for London. Some of our partner companies with international operations may be able to provide opportunities for employment in other countries, with the exception of consultancies, which recruit almost exclusively for the DACH region.

We can counsel you individually on applications for the European, UK, and North American markets. Nearly 15% of recent German graduates started their careers outside Germany, roughly split evenly among the UK, USA, Austria/Switzerland, and other countries. Moreover, many of our alumni complete international trainee rotations or move abroad with their company after several years in Germany.

We strongly encourage students from outside the EU to focus their search on the German market or their home country. Non-EU citizens face a number of challenges finding work in other EU countries, including language constraints, lower employment rates, and differing visa requirements since the German student visa only allows you to work in Germany (and not other EU countries). In the past, some students—mainly EU citizens with freedom of movement—started jobs in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia.

We offer several training sessions specifically for international students, and constantly update our guidance based on your needs. With individual counseling, we guide you towards appropriate companies and sectors depending on your interests, skills, and background. Moreover, we encourage recruiters to highlight suitable positions for candidates not fluent in German. We advise you to improve your language skills as much as possible if you plan to stay in Germany after graduation.

The number of international alumni in Germany is increasing and they are valuable resources for learning about opportunities, challenges, and best practices. Approximately half of recent international Master graduates started work in Germany and about 75% started in Europe. Our experience shows that most international students start work outside their home country.

The student visa allows non-EU citizens to complete their mandatory internship in Germany, as well as work for an additional 120 days per calendar year while enrolled at WHU. Due to the program’s intensity, it is unrealistic to pursue part-time employment during the semester. EU citizens (plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) have unrestricted access to the German labor market.

In general, non-EU citizens can remain in Germany to look for employment for 18 months after graduation and are entitled to work in a business-related field. WHU graduates often meet the requirements to obtain an EU Blue Card for Germany. EU citizens (plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) have unrestricted access to the German labor market. Check the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs for up-to-date information on work eligibility.

Without question, the more German you speak, the more opportunities you will have. Prospects differ by industry, company, and position, but language requirements are becoming less strict as the labor market tightens. Regardless of German skills, companies here look for candidates with strong intercultural competence who will succeed in the local workplace.

All top-tier consultancies and most banks require business fluency; some specialized consultancies will consider candidates with solid but not fluent German. Only a handful of international alumni started work in consulting, and most did so abroad. Select business areas, such as transaction advisory, or more specialized financial services firms may hire students with limited German skills. Large industrial companies and medium-sized “hidden champions” that compete globally may also be flexible, depending on the company, sector, and functional area. Start-ups, especially in Berlin, are often open to those with limited German.

You will have a demanding schedule that limits the time available for extra studies. In our experience, students who already speak German can enhance their skills while living here, but it is nearly impossible for beginners to become business fluent. Improving your German as much as possible is imperative if you plan to stay here after graduation, as each higher level of fluency will open more employment opportunities.

We strongly encourage you to attend the low-cost, two-week German courses—offered at beginner and intermediate levels—on campus before you start the Master Program. International students should participate in WHU’s free German courses, which are offered at various levels. Some international students choose to take intensive German courses after graduation, before starting work.