Advice for applicants

Leave a strong lasting impression with professional application documents and a good appearance during your personal interview! This document contains a number of handy tips and tricks for you to rely on when applying for your desired apprenticeship: from your application documents (photo, cover letter, resume) to your interview and aptitude test.

Application photo 

Let's start with the most important piece of advice: do not use photos from parties or other leisure activities! The company does not know you, and a professional photo will help you leave a first positive impression. 

Your application photo should be geared to the relevant line of work, i.e., if you apply for an apprenticeship in a bank, your photo should by all means appear more formal than for an apprenticeship at a hairdressing salon.

• Our tip: the more formal a line of business is, the more formal the photo and the garments worn in the photo should be (The same applies to your personal interview). And: wearing a blouse or shirt is never a bad idea!

Where do I get my application photo?

• Our tip: Always go to professional photographers to have your application photos taken. They will know exactly how to place you in the best possible light.
  
  

Cover letter 

The cover letter is the most important document of your application for an apprenticeship and thus your calling card. 

The purpose of a cover letter is to convey why you are interested in this particular apprenticeship position and why you would like to learn this particular trade/profession. Therefore, in your cover letter, you need to point out your motives and reasons that speak in your favor as a possible apprentice and show your interest in your desired trade/profession.

As regards the structure and form of the cover letter, make sure that

• it is not longer than one DIN-A4 page;
• it contains a letterhead including
• your full address (name, address, phone number, and email address),
• the full address of the company (name of company, and address) 
• place, and date;
• it contains a subject line.
  This line specifies the reason for the letter, e.g., "application for apprenticeship as process technician",
• you address the right person.
  At TEUFELBERGER, this would be Ms. Barbara Riess. Thus, in this case, the address would be "Dear Ms. Riess,";
• the text of the application leaves a good impression and is free of errors.
  The text of the application is the actual letter and includes the reasons why you want to work, for example at TEUFELBERGER, and why you believe that you are particularly well suited for an apprenticeship, for example that as a process technician;
• it contains a closing (e.g. "Yours sincerely") and your signature.

First of all, your cover letter should be free of errors.

• Our tip: Ask your parents or teachers to proofread it. This will help you eliminate possible mistakes and fine-tune your letter's wording.

Your cover letter should be unique and geared specifically to the company and apprenticeship position.

• Our tip: Avoid using boilerplate applications and stay away from templates taken from the internet where all you do is change the company name, etc. Make an extra effort to find out more about the company on its website and about the trade/profession you intend to learn, and try to use these important pieces of information in the text of your cover letter. This way, you will show that you are really interested and be able to give reasons why you would like to work for this company.

Your application should be concise and highlight your motivation and strengths.

• Our tip: Think about why you would like to learn this trade/profession and which abilities for this trade/profession you already possess. Maybe you have already had the chance to gain hands-on experience in this field (e.g., traineeship, tryout week, profession of parents, etc.)? Working this into your application will definitely set you apart from other applicants.
  
  

Resume 

Your resume gives HR managers a comprehensive overview of your current educational background, past schools, and completed traineeships. The most common format is that of a tabular resume that clearly lists all the above-mentioned information in the form of a table. 

Your resume must include the following pieces of information:

• surname and first name
• date and place of birth
• educational background
• traineeships
• special skills such as foreign language or computer skills
• hobbies (especially those of relevance to the trade/profession you would like to learn)

Providing information regarding your marital status, nationality, previous volunteer work, and club memberships is voluntary.

At the end of your resume, do not forget to state the place and date and add your hand-written signature.

Personal interview 

First impressions matter! A firm handshake, good eye contact, saying hello, "selling" yourself well, and coming dressed appropriately for the coveted apprenticeship position – all these are things that HR managers pay attention to.

Thus, the most important elements of your interview are:

• how you turn up for the interview,
• how informed about the company you are
• how you present and "sell" yourself in the interview
• why you would like to learn this particular trade
• why you would like to work at this particular company, and
• what in particular speaks in your favor to be chosen as an apprentice (your strengths)

The interview is a personal getting-acquainted between the company and you. This is why a good preparation is crucial! 

• Our tip: Prepare well for the interview, and practice the interview situation, for example with your parents. 
  
  

Aptitude test 

If you apply for an apprenticeship with TEUFELBERGER, you will be asked to take an aptitude test after the interview.

The purpose of this aptitude test is to assess your general knowledge, math skills, and ability to think logically. Of course, you can and actually should prepare for this test. 

• Our tip: We recommend that you use the Playmit online platform which offers you the perfect tools to prepare for the aptitude test.
  At www.playmit.com, you can obtain a certificate which you can bring to the interview as a sign of your dedication. You can also add it to your application documents.

For any further questions concerning applications, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Barbara Riess by phoning 07242/413 412.