TANJA ELGENDY, MSC,
Consultant, Trainer and Coachin | TU Career Center

Where to focus your energy in your job search

Do you feel overwhelmed by all the job search tips you currently find online? With so much advice available and focus on optimisation, it can become more stressful than helpful. Here are some areas where your energy pays off most and where you can save time:

A clear overview

Treat the job search as an ongoing project. Keep everything in one place: your notes, application documents and a list of where and when you’ve applied. Writing things down helps you keep a clear mind and stay organised. Start collecting interesting companies, job titles, search keywords and insights from career events while you’re still studying.

Quantifying experiences

This is a good example of why career advice is not always universal. A lot of career tips relate to the North American job market, which places a strong emphasis on measurable achievements. This is less common in the German-speaking job market. You can include numbers where possible, but not every experience can be quantified. Qualitative aspects are equally relevant, e.g. “worked closely with quality management to improve processes” highlights teamwork skills.

Always adapt your CV – or perhaps not?

You have probably heard this advice: Adapt your CV to each individual application. Let’s rephrase it to be more time-conscious: Create one tailored CV for each type of role. Review several job postings for your target role, identify recurring keywords and build one solid CV template around them. If you target different roles, make one template for each field.

Changing the perspective

Preparing applications (especially cover letters) can take a lot of time. Try to see this as a learning process. It is an opportunity to self-reflect, understand your strengths, motivations and interests. This is what sets you apart from other candidates and ultimately also helps you prepare for job interviews. Before using AI, brainstorm your own ideas first. Then use AI to improve structure and wording, not to replace your thinking.