My Experience as a Student Assistant in Career Services

From communication and creativity to teamwork and practical tasks, Hien’s role as a Student Assistant at HAMK Career Services brought together many sides of student life and professional growth. Read her story below in her own words.

How I found the opportunity

Hello, my name is Hien Pham, and I am a third year Design student at HAMK. This opportunity came to me in August 2025, when I was browsing Viva Engage and saw a job posting for a Student Assistant at HAMK Career Services. I applied right away, because I had always admired how dynamic and friendly the team seemed, and I hoped to work there to gain more experience. Looking back, these two months have been a memorable milestone for me and also my first paid job in Finland.

What I worked on

From the first day, I felt warmly welcomed by my supervisor, my team leaders Edgar and Qingyang, my colleagues, and even the lovely welcome chocolate from HAMK’s HR. One thing I truly appreciate is the flexibility of the role. I can choose my working hours as long as I agree on the tasks with my team leaders, which helps me balance work and studies effectively.

My main responsibility is searching for and posting job and internship opportunities suitable for international students at HAMK. As a student myself, I deeply understand the concerns and challenges they face, which makes this work especially meaningful to me. I also worked closely with my fellow student assistant on an intern project focused on developing Career Services through service design, understanding students’ needs, and researching local employers across HAMK campuses to identify suitable types of collaboration for each campus.

In addition, I interviewed lecturers and entrepreneurship support staff to write career related articles for students. By collecting and combining expert insights for these articles, I not only provided valuable information for students, but also gained useful insights for my own future. Some weeks, I supported events at different HAMK campuses, including Evo, Mustiala, and Forssa, which gave me the chance to explore other parts of the university. I also designed recruitment posters and worked as a photographer for CV photos and photo editing, tasks I truly enjoy as a design student.

What I learned from the experience

During my internship, I also booked a Career Guidance session and received thoughtful career advice from Qingyang, who helped me create a clear plan for approaching future employers. I used to hesitate to book guidance sessions myself, but now I strongly encourage students to use this service, even if they are unsure about their career plans.

Through this experience, I have developed skills in marketing, networking, service design, teamwork, and time management. More importantly, I realized that I have a strong passion for supporting others through service oriented and user centered work. I am incredibly grateful to my supervisor Kati, my team leaders Edgar and Qingyang, and the entire Career Services team for creating such a positive and motivating working environment.