Graduate interview: Viktoria - Employee in the job centre
04/17/2026The courage to change direction! That’s exactly what Viktoria demonstrated when she realised that teacher training wasn’t the right path for her in the long run. At the University of Würzburg, she had been studying to become a secondary school teacher specialising in English and French. However, the practical insights she gained into a wide range of fields during her time at university led her to decide against embarking on her teaching placement. Instead, she pursued her desire to work in a role combining consultancy and administration, which she found at the Federal Employment Agency’s job centre. In this role, she conducts consultations with jobseekers, identifying their personal potential and highlighting suitable support options.
What did you study at the University of Würzburg?
Teaching degree at grammar schools for the subject combination English and French.
What is your current job?
I am an employment agency with counselling tasks in the area of SGB II.
Which company/employer do you work for?
Federal Employment Agency.
What are your tasks?
In addition to case processing, my main task is to conduct counselling interviews with jobseekers, identify obstacles to placement and the need for action and point out appropriate support options. Up-to-date knowledge of the legal basis, bottlenecks and surpluses on the labour market as well as vocational knowledge are essential for my work in order to be able to offer suitable job offers and training measures.
How did you orientate yourself professionally during and after your studies?
During the course of my studies, it became clear to me that teaching was not the right career for me in the long term. I wanted to do something with and for people. I was able to gain insights into different areas through various assistant jobs at the university. In the end, I particularly liked the combination of counselling and administration.
Did you make use of certain university services for career guidance (e.g. Career Centre, alumni office, mentoring programme, guest lectures, etc.)?
I attended several events at the Career Centre, including the lecture "Meeting room instead of classroom - from (prospective) teacher to HR manager", where various career opportunities for students and graduates at Bosch were presented. I also found the seminars on analysing potential, LinkedIn and project management for humanities students very interesting.
How did you find out about the position you applied for? Is there a particular portal that you could recommend to students in the future?
I initially searched specifically for jobs in the public sector on "Interamt" and came across lots of interesting jobs, including some from the Federal Employment Agency. I then looked directly at the relevant careers page and applied there too.
What exactly was your application process like and what was the timeline from the first contact through to acceptance?
After I sent off my application, I first had to wait. After about two weeks, I received an invitation to a personal interview, which took place a week later. The day after my interview, I was already accepted for the position by telephone. It took another three weeks for the committees to formally approve my appointment and I was informed of this in writing.
Were there any questions during the interview that you didn't expect? If so, which ones?
I can't actually remember any questions that came as a surprise. It helped me a lot to familiarise myself intensively with the position and to research typical questions for the specific position as well as general questions from job interviews online.
Which skills from your studies are helpful or essential for your current job?
Intercultural sensitivity is a particularly important skill from my studies and my time abroad. As I deal with people from different cultures on a daily basis, sensitivity and empathy are essential. As with students, I also need to be able to recognise deficits in jobseekers, exploit potential and provide support in the right places. Not to be neglected either: Working with academic texts from your studies makes it easier to deal with the Social Code.
How did you acquire additional skills (e.g. workshops and seminars, internships, part-time jobs, associations, voluntary work, traineeships, further training, etc.)?
In school internships, I practised communicating complex topics in an understandable way and dealing with disruptions. During my time as an assistant at the Career Centre, I also dealt intensively with the topic of potential analysis - this made me realise once again that every person has a range of different resources that are not always immediately obvious.
What advice can you give students for successful preparation for future job interviews?
As with any application, it is important to familiarise yourself with the content of the job in advance. In addition, it is advisable to follow the employer's current topics, especially those with media impact, because the employer wants to know whether the applicant knows what they are getting into - role plays are therefore often used for a job placement position. You should have prepared a few questions to round off the interview - this shows interest and good preparation. In general, however, authenticity is the best way to score points.
Do you have any general tips for professional orientation and career planning?
Whether you have dealt with the topic of "after graduation" at an early stage is often reflected in your CV. Those who try out internships and part-time jobs and/or do voluntary work acquire various skills and have better chances on the labour market later on. Job fairs are a great opportunity to make contacts with companies. There are also numerous advisory services, e.g. from the Employment Agency or the Career Centre.
What do you recommend to students who want to work in your sector or profession?
Be open! Job placement is incredibly diverse! However, you have to be aware that working with some people can be challenging and you often have to be patient. Always remain objective and don't get involved in emotional or political discussions. A healthy degree of empathy is important, but you also have to be able to distance yourself emotionally.
