In No Man’s Land Between University and Professional Life

The path is made by walking

After finishing university, two options lie ahead: either you have a clear idea of the path you want to take, or you don’t have the slightest idea. In my case, it was the latter.

I am originally from Spain and studied Modern Languages, Culture and Communication at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. After graduating, all I knew was that I didn’t want to stand still; I wanted to keep growing, learning and gaining new experiences. So I decided to take a gap year to discover new perspectives and find my place in the working world. But how do you start a career when you don’t know which path you want to take?

During my studies, I studied German and had the luck to do an Erasmus semester in Hamburg. It was an incredible experience, so my main idea was to return to Germany and improve my language skills. I started working as a foreign language assistant at a school and also got a job at a café to financially support my life here. My German improved significantly, but I still felt disconnected from the professional world and still had no work experience in my field, communication.

In Spain, entering the job market isn’t easy. Unlike in Germany, there aren’t many opportunities to combine work and university studies. It’s common to finish your degree with no practical experience, while companies demand at least one or two years. On top of that, internship offers are scarce and rarely paid, creating a vicious cycle that explains the well-known dependence of Spanish youth on their families.

I pinned my hopes on Germany, a country that had always fascinated me with its culture, language and career opportunities. Since I was already here, I decided to try my luck and look for an internship in the field of communication. Of course, that wasn’t easy either. As a Spaniard, I don’t speak perfect German, and in communication, that’s a major barrier. I sent many emails and received many rejections. There were days when I thought it just wouldn’t work out and that I should give up or settle for less, until I found Industrie Contact (IC), a PR agency that offers extensive communication services. They gave me the opportunity to work with them as an intern and gain my first professional experience in this sector.

I started at IC on June 1st, 2025. From day one, they entrusted me with real tasks and projects that made me feel like a true part of the team. I’ve been able to write press releases, learn how to use platforms like CISION, PResstige, or ARGUS, create social media posts, prepare client presentations, compile contact lists, conduct surveys, and much more. Each of these tasks nurtures my passion for communication and shows me how valuable and versatile it can be in such different contexts.

These first three weeks have been intense, productive, and, above all, proof that I’m taking steps in the right direction. My goal for the coming months is to continue building confidence and exploring new tools so I can build a solid career and move forward in the communications world with trust and clarity, more and more certain that this is the path I want to follow.

Carlota Martínez Bárcena, Intern at the German PR agency Industrie-Contact (IC)

Sometimes the path is made by walking, and every step, even an uncertain one, brings you closer to where you’re meant to be.

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