The move from studying to working often feels like a leap into the deep end, especially when you don't know what you want yet. It doesn't have to. Break the move into pieces and start early, ideally during your studies rather than in the last month. Five steps, in the order that pays off most.
1. Figure out what drives you before what title you want
“Becoming a marketer” isn't a goal, it's a label. Look instead at what kind of work gives you energy: convincing people, digging into numbers, building things, bringing structure to chaos. That drive fits more roles than you'd think, and stops you from locking yourself into one title that might not suit you. Two students with the same degree often end up in completely different roles, precisely because they draw energy from different kinds of work.
2. Get relevant experience before you graduate
Waiting until after your degree to find out what work feels like is an expensive way to discover a sector isn't for you. A working-student role during your studies gives you that information sooner. Research by SEO Economic Research shows graduates with a side job, and especially a relevant one, found a first substantial job faster on average [1]. And it can lead somewhere: clients in the cases on our website describe a working student growing into a permanent role, for example at HotelPlanner and The Longevity Store [2].
3. Build a network before you need one
Building a network the moment you need a job is late. While you're still studying, talk to people who do the work you're curious about, join a community of other students and starters, and ask what their work actually looks like. It doesn't have to be a formal networking event. VOIDS has a WhatsApp community of 4,000+ students and starters in which vacancies are shared weekly [3].
4. Write applications that are specific, not complete
One generic cover letter sent to twenty vacancies doesn't stand out. A short, specific response that shows you understand the role and the company convinces more than a long, general letter. Say concretely why this role at this company, instead of a text that could have gone to any other vacancy with a few words swapped.
5. Get matched on who you are, not just your CV
The best first job isn't necessarily the one with the biggest title or the best-known company, but the one where your character and drive fit the team and the work. A good match therefore looks beyond a CV: at what drives you, how you work and where you want to grow.
How long does it take to find your first relevant job?
According to SEO Economic Research, the time to a substantial job for graduates of universities of applied sciences and research universities in the 2020-2021 cohort had fallen to about three months; the researchers say that cohort benefited mainly from the tight labour market [1]. That's an average across all degrees, not a prediction for you. A working-student role can lead to an offer at the same company, but not automatically: agree early on what happens afterwards. So don't start after the diploma. Start now.
Sources
- SEO Economisch Onderzoek (2023): Studie & Werk HO: de arbeidsmarktpositie van hbo- en wo-alumni (Bussink, Van der Ven & Klinker, in opdracht van EW Magazine), accessed 11 October 2026.
- VOIDS: Voor bedrijven: werkstudenten, cases en werkwijze, accessed 11 October 2026.
- VOIDS: Talent: community, jobboard en talentpool, accessed 11 October 2026.
Transparency: VOIDS connects working students with organisations and therefore has an interest in this topic. We back up facts with sources and connect research and trends to our own experience from practice.
