Category Archives: Working in the UK

The Autumn Graduate and Placement Fair – advice for international students

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The Autumn Graduate and Placement Fair is the largest university careers fair in the UK. Here are two steps that can specifically help you as an international student to make the most of this event:

1) Review which employers are attending and what steps you’d need to take

The fair brochure with details of all attending employers is now available –

If you are looking for opportunities in the UK and need a visa there is an exhibitors list which includes if companies are UKVI registered, and say if they sponsor Tier 2 and/or Tier 5 visas. The advice we would give is to use this more as a guide to what steps you would need to take to work there – for example, if they a company you are interested in doesn’t isn’t UKVI registered, that doesn’t mean you can’t work there, it would just take about 4 months for them to get registered. If they do not sponsor visas, you could ask why – for example, their jobs might not meet the minimum salary requirements for a Tier 2 visa. Please note that in many instances the people you speak to won’t be the experts on visas, so if that if is the case you can ask for contact details of someone at the company you could speak to about finding out more..

If you are looking for opportunities in another country, many of the companies at the fair are multinational. While the company representatives present may not know explicitly about opportunities abroad, you can still learn a lot of information about the company that can be used in future applications by asking them good questions.

2) Attend Prepare for the Fair – Wed 17th Oct

Every year the Careers Network run a workshop called ‘Prepare for the Fair‘ to help you learn about using social and face-to-face networking, before, during and after the fair. This includes going through a through a calendar of steps on how you can connect with your chosen employers prior to the event and then, once at the fair, how you can gain answers to your questions whilst impressing at the same time.

For more details and to book your place, click here.

– Christian Jameson-Warren

Balancing job searching and mental well-being

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Being a full-time student trying to balance different commitments and expectations can weigh heavily on you. As part of marking World Mental Health Day on the international blog, below are some steps to help you manage the weight of searching for a job as a student.

1) Get clarity on your direction

It’s easy to mistake being busy for being productive. You only have a set amount of time and energy, so knowing where to focus your job searching efforts will help you maximise your efforts and reduce unnecessary work and pressure. This includes understanding what motivates you, what skills you’d like to use in a job, what sort of work environment you want and so on. You can book a Careers Consultation to get help with this.

Putting pressure on yourself to get a certain type of job because it will impress people or to make others happy can be unhealthy and adds unnecessary stress as you may be pushing yourself to do something that deep down you don’t want to do.

2) Recognise your strengths

Many people feel they are reasonably good at a variety of things, but really being clear about your key strengths (including attributes, skills, experience and so on) can help you focus your job searching efforts, choose suitable extra-curricular activities, accept when you make mistakes in other areas and respond positively to any setbacks. You may not be as good as someone else at one particular thing, but that’s okay because you have strengths elsewhere. Remember employers aren’t looking for someone who is perfect at everything, and increasingly value the different strengths that people bring to a team.

This process is also closely linked with job satisfaction, as being able to do things you’re good at will enable contribute more in the workplace and have increased job satisfaction.

Understanding your strengths can also help as part of separating your self-esteem from external factors, such as whether you get a prestigious job you wanted or not.

3) Break activities down into smaller parts and plan ahead

Plan your time a week at a time instead of just day-by-day. Think of all your commitments and activities in the upcoming week – lectures, coursework, societies, work and so on, and try to plan your time so you that activities that you find draining are balanced by periods of rest or doing something enjoyable. For example, if you are trying to network with employers but find it stressful and draining you could consider planning something fun in afterwards as a reward for trying and to build your energy levels up again.

If you have tasks that you want to put off or are stressed about because they seem overwhelming, try planning to do them in smaller segments throughout the week. Breaking activities into smaller parts can make them more manageable. For example, rather than trying to complete an application form in one night the day before it’s due, try doing sections over 3 days.

4) Understand where you need help

No one is good at everything, and at the same time no one person achieves a lot in life purely on their own efforts without the support of others. Acknowledging where and when you need the help of others can help you move forward quicker and also feel pressure or negative self-talk. For example, maybe you want to attend the Careers Fair but feel shy and worried that you’ll say the wrong things to the employers there. Dropping into Careers Help Point for to talk about how to speak to employers can help you feel more confident rather than worrying excessively about this.

5) Listen to yourself

Sometimes you may feel you should be doing studying or working, but part of you just wants to relax or do something fun. Feeling like can cause you to procrastinate rather than get anything or properly relaxing – instead just feeling like you’re achieving nothing and not feeling any better.

This conflict is often caused by using the suppressing your emotions. Emotions often act as signals that something that you’re doing is or isn’t working. For example, maybe your emotions are indicating that you are trying to do too much, or that your approach to a particular task needs changing.

Taking regular time to pause and reflect on your emotions will help you be more balanced and successful in what you do. Of course there are times when you’ll need to force yourself to do something, but relying purely on willpower all the time is not a healthy strategy.

6) Dealing with setbacks

Everyone experiences setbacks in their job search at some point. Following on from the previous point, whenever you experience a setback it’s important to acknowledge your emotions. Research shows that taking time to embrace and recognise individual negative emotions you are experiencing is more effective than trying to suppress them. As you take time to do this, you may also be able to better identify things you could change or do better next time you’re applying for a job. Setbacks are part of life – in many instances as human beings we learn more from when something went wrong rather than when it went right.

– Christian Jameson-Warren

 

How can the Careers Network help me as an international student?

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Loughborough Careers Network was voted the best university careers service for international students in the 2017 International and UK Student Barometer – a survey of student views at 211 universities in the UK and overseas.

We’ve just updated our Careers Network pages for International Students to make it easier for you to find the information you need, including:

  • Finding work in the UK and in other countries
  • Finding a part-time job during your studies
  • Visa information and solicitor’s advice

One of our international students has made a video about how the Careers Network can help you.

 

The expert’s advice – finding a job in the UK

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Careers staff in the Midlands International Group were asked what was the best advice they would give to international students looking for a job in the UK. This is their responses. The original post can be found here.

Be prepared to take up a range of positions and opportunities that quickly show your commitment to working and contributing within the UK.  Thinking over more diverse ways of demonstrating your interest in particular industry issues and employer needs can help employers see the research you have done.  This can work especially well if you can write and express succinctly how your previous experience, study specialisms and skills link to their needs.

Chris Steventon, Coventry University

Start early, be targeted in your approach, make the most of university recruitment fairs and UK recruitment agencies. Network, use any Mentors available at the University and contact Alumni from your course (try LinkedIN), especially if the Alumni is an international student who is now working in the UK.

Michele Zala, Nottingham Trent University

Understand the Tier 2 visa rules – UKCISA is a good website to help you to understand the requirements. Ensure you understand the Tier 4-Tier 2 Visa switching process and have the list or Tier 2 sponsors . Student Circus is a website designed to only advertise Tier 2 Sponsored roles (for Tier 4 students)

Make sure you speak to the Careers Service so that you can fully prepare for UK recruitment and selection activities, they’ll have resources to help with: Psychometric testing, job search, interview skills, assessment centres etc.

Teresa Corcoran, University of Nottingham

Make sure that you understand the graduate labour market in the UK – this means that you will have a better understanding of the job roles that you can apply for and the companies that may be able to sponsor you. Attend any session within your Careers & Employability Dept. that will give you an understanding of this. Attend careers fairs and speak with employers directly about opportunities.

Judy Turner, University of Lincoln

We can’t emphasise enough the value of gaining relevant work experience whilst studying. Not only in terms of building your networking opportunities to support your case for staying in the UK but also to show the added value of your UK qualification when you return to your home country. What kudos to be able to say you have real-world insight into UK business because of your work experience! Take advantage of paid placements and internships offered.

Merlinda Charley, University College Birmingham

Make the most of your time in the UK by developing employability skills.  Get work experience of any kind- apply for summer internships and part time work or join Societies.  Aim for fluency in English and educate yourself regarding the UK labour market and which employers recruit international students.  Identify key employers and seek an internship. Use the help offered by your Careers Service especially with preparation for assessment centres.

Ellen O’Brien, University of Birmingham

  • Have a good understanding of the UK VISA requirements
  • Understand the graduate recruitment process as well as the opportunities available to you and where to find them
  • Don’t forget to use your university careers service for information and advice
  • Attend as many networking opportunities such as careers fairs as possible.

Mark Blaber, Northampton University

While a degree is still a valuable asset to have, UK employers are overwhelmed by high class graduates applying for jobs each year. As an international student it is important to consider the additional value you can demonstrate through your application or CV, and be able to offer things that other people may not have. If you are someone who needs a sponsored visa, then you need to demonstrate that you are worth that investment, and that you can offer something that no one else can! So maybe think about doing some of these things:

Many students now see the benefit that undertaking part-time work or volunteering brings when applying for work after University, and a significant placement year available as part of some degrees offers a depth of experiences and on the job work skill development that cannot be gained anywhere else. Experienced workers are often preferred by employers, a degree along is not enough.

Clubs and societies are not just for fun, the network that you create during your studies may help you find work, or encourage you in a direction that you may not currently know about. Many University Societies offer students the chance to meet guest speakers and attend events that would allow you to meet people and make friendships that could influence your career – don’t miss out by not participating!

Soak yourself in the UK culture! It’s sometimes all too easy to stay in our comfort zones and stay within our own community groups. It’s a challenge to make ourselves broaden our friendships and engage with the wider community. Do think about seeking out opportunities to volunteer with local charities or companies, join community projects and whatever else you can find out about to constantly develop your language skills and the region you study in. Your international cultural awareness is a very strong selling point for many jobs!

James Heritage, Aston University

Worried about being interviewed in a different language?

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Firstly, it’s normal to feel nervous before a job interview. As long as the nerves do not get too much, this isn’t anything to worry about. Sometimes though you may feel additional worry or pressure because you are interviewing in a different language. In addition to practicing your language skills, the following techniques can help with this.

Recognise your specific worries

This will help you address each negative thought or emotion directly instead of being overshadowed by a overall feeling of unease. List your worries as specifically as possible, your thoughts and/or beliefs about each one and it’s potential impact on your behaviour. For example:

Worry – I’ll be asked a question that I don’t understand

Thoughts/beliefs – I’ll fail the interview because I can’t answer and will look stupid

Impact – I’m already scared about questions I’ll be asked and won’t be able to relax or come across confidently

Strategies for addressing specific worries include:

Being solution-focused

When we really care about something (such as securing a job), it’s easy to focus on what has or might go wrong. Unfortunately, focusing thoughts this way can be obstructive to success.

One strategy to use is to reframe negative thoughts from a positive angle. Seeing the situation in a new way that allows you to move forward. For example:

Original thought Reframed thought
‘I’m scared I won’t know the right words to say’ ‘It’s great that I really want to do well in this interview. What specific questions am I worried about answering, and who can help me practise them?’
‘I failed at the last interview even though I really prepared’ ‘I’m disappointed, but now know more about questions I might get asked, where I do well and where to improve for the next one. It’s normal for people to have a few job interviews before they are successful.’
‘I don’t know enough words’ ‘There are some some words and phrases I am confident using. How can I practise answers for questions I’m likely to get asked so I can improve on any areas of weakness?’

 

Reviewing your list of worries, are there anyways you can reframe your thoughts positively?

Scaling

A rating scale can be used to identify where you are in relation to a goal and identify small, manageable steps to help you move forward. Sample questions you could ask yourself include –

  • On a scale of 1-10, if 1 were absolutely terrible and 10 was perfection, what score would I give myself for my interview skills?
  • I have given myself a score of X. What have I done to get the score this high?
  • What are the reasons I haven’t given myself a higher score? What would it take to get it up to the next score [e.g. from 5 to 6]?

Positive Experiences

While you may not have successfully interviewed in another language, you can still think about experiences that collectively improve your self-belief in detail. For example, remembering a good interview you had elsewhere. What did you do that made it a good interview? How did that make you feel? How did you prepare for it? How did you answer any difficult questions?

Visualisations

This involves imagining performing well in an upcoming event in minute detail. If this is a positive experience it can create positive feelings and associations in your brain as if you’d actually experienced the event for real. As an example of this –

Imagine yourself arriving for your interview, including thinking about what you are wearing. Think about how you might be feeling. Imagine meeting and introducing yourself to the people interviewing you, including the details of the room and furniture. You are walking in confidently and shake their hands. How are they reacting to you?

You sit down and they ask you the first interview question, which you answer confidently and easily. How does this make you feel? How are people reacting to you? Continue this process for a few more questions.

You end the interview by confidently shaking hands, smile and leaving the room. How do you feel now? What are the interviewers thinking as you leave?

Now try think of a word that you can associate with this final scene that would allow you to remember this image and associated feelings easily.

You can recreate this scene in your mind several times leading up to the interview, and each time use your chosen word to bring back the positive images in your mind. On the day of the interview you can say this word to yourself to help you get into a confident frame of mind.

Mock Interviews and Practise

You can book a mock interview with a member of the Careers Network for any upcoming interview you have. This will give you interview practise. Please note that this will most likely be in English. If there are specific things you are worried about (e.g. specific interview questions), you can address these.

If you have an upcoming interview in a different language, having a mock interview in English will still help you practise good interview technique. If there are people you know who are fluent in the language you are interviewing in, there is value in practising interview questions and answers with them, even if they are not interview experts. Simply speaking words and phrases will help you feel more confident and be more proficient.

  • Christian Jameson-Warren

What to do with the last 4 months of your visa

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What to do with the last 4 months of your visa

After graduation, you may have some time left in the UK before your visa expires. If you are wondering how to best use this time, consider developing your career capital. Career capital is anything that puts you in a better position in your career, such as skills, connections, experience, credentials and so on. Below are some activities you can undertake to help with this – and remember, you can discuss any of the below with the Careers Network.

Research what skills employers want now and in the future – and make a plan to upskill

Even if you have a job lined up, researching labour market information (LMI) to understand predicted trends can help you better understand how to focus your professional development and stand out to prospective employers. For example, if analytics is an increasingly required skill in your sector, you could complete some online professional courses to further develop your skills in this area.

You can learn about skill needs by reading job and sector profiles on CN website, Prospects, Targetjobs, reading industry journals and reviewing job adverts for common requirements.

You can gain complete access to Lynda.com using your Loughborough University email account. For access once your email account has expired, contact careers@lboro.ac.uk. Other recognised learning resources include coursera.org, futurelearn.com, edx.org and several others.

Get clarity on where you can add value to an organisation

Clearly understanding your strengths and how you can best add value to a future employer in your chosen field can also help focus your career development. For example, you may naturally enjoy getting to know new people, want to work in an industry that doesn’t attract a lot of people with customer relationship building skills and having researched job roles can see how these skills could be of specific use to companies. Taking steps to become more skilled and/or experienced in this area is something worth considering to make you stand out as a candidate.

As you do this, practise communicating to employers how this skill will benefit them.

Build up your professional contacts

Knowing people in your industry who you can ask for advice (such as a mentor) can speed up your career development, regardless of whether you are looking for a new job or not. People often find it difficult to invest a lot of time in this once they are in employment, so after graduation is a great opportunity to invest time in this. The Careers Network have resources which can help you with this.

Freelance projects

One way to gain further skills and experience that would impress an employer is to complete freelance projects. If you are still unsure about your career direction, this is also a great way to try out different options.

As an example, you can contact local businesses about consulting on a topic based on your skills and experience. You can also search online for opportunities.

Volunteer for a cause you care about

Volunteering has many benefits, such as improving your confidence using workplace English. The experience may also make your applications stronger, and gives potential employers more of an insight about you as a person. Spending time helping on a cause you care about can also be fun and greatly rewarding. Volunteering opportunities can be found by visiting www.do-it.org.

 

Networking in the UK when you lack confidence in your English-language skills

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Networking is oft-cited as the most effective way to find a job. The Careers Network have resources that explain how to do this well. However, as an international student, networking with people in the UK can seem daunting regardless of how much you practise your English language skills. The following activities can help:

1) Identify your specific worries

Filling out the table below will help you identify each of your specific worries so you can start to address each:

Situation you are worried about How does this make you feel? What emotions do you experience? What thoughts go through your mind? How does this affect your behaviour?
E.g.Speaking to new people in English E.g. Scared E.g. I will say something wrong. I will make a bad impression. E.g.I won’t speak to anyone new in English
E.g. Not completing my LinkedIn profile to a good enough standard because of my lack of writing skills. E.g. Embarrassed, hurt E.g. People will laugh at or criticise my profile E.g. I won’t use LinkedIn

It is natural to want to avoid situations that might cause negative emotions. However, doing so means negative thoughts are as bad as we anticipate.

2) Test the validity of your beliefs and thoughts.

Using the list above  –

  • For each situation, and think of examples of similar activities that would be less stressful. For example, if you are worried about speaking to someone new in English in a networking setting, you could consider; speaking to students on your course that you don’t know; networking with people who speak your native-language; practising speaking in professional English with a member of the Careers Network; practise asking questions you might ask in the mirror.
  • Give each situation a score out of 100 as to how anxious it makes you feel.
  • Reorganise the list by score, i.e. highest score at the top.
  • Make a plan to do something that ‘exposes’ you to the situation with the lowest score, to test if your beliefs and thoughts are about are correct.
  • Before you undertake any actions, it may help to consider the following questions:
    • How much do you believe this thought? (0-100%)
    • What do you think will actually happen? How likely do you think this is to happen? (0-100%)
    • What else might happen? How likely do you think this is to happen? (0-100%)
    • What may stop you from completing this activity?
    • How can you overcome these potential difficulties?
  • Try the activity, and reflect on what happened. How does this compare to what you predicted? What are the consequences of what happened? How did you feel at the end compared to the beginning?
    • For example, if you felt you would be embarrassed practising networking questions, did you actually feel embarrassed once you got into it? If you did feel embarrassed, did the other person notice or react negatively?
  • As you feel more confident in an activity, repeat the process for the next item on the list.

By doing these activities, your beliefs and thoughts may change in a positive way. If they don’t, there are two other options to consider:

3) Inference Chaining

This technique basically explores how bad something might be. At the most basic level, this entails repeatedly asking ‘what would then happen?’. For example, feeling embarrassed by ‘messing up’ a networking opportunity –

I didn’t create a good impression and feel I failed.
What would then happen? That person won’t help me in the future.
What would then happen? They will probably forget about it eventually. I will get over it eventually too.
What would then happen? It doesn’t affect me speaking to people at other companies, and now I’ve tried once I know how to improve next time.
What would then happen? I’ll find other people to speak to, and will practise where I need to improve so I am more confident next time. Maybe I will read the Careers Network resources to help me prepare more thoroughly.

Following this will help you keep events in perspective and also identify what you need to do to improve next time.

4) Rewards

Networking can be tiring, so schedule into do something fun after you’ve tried some networking activities – regardless of how good or bad they’ve gone. This will help your wellbeing and motivation.

If you would like further help with networking, then please don’t hesitate to get in contact.

How to prepare for interviews and assessment centres in the UK

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The vast majority of job applications involve an interview at some point, while some countries require you to attend an assessment centre. The below information will help you with preparing for these.

Interviews

Our Make Applications page has information and links to help you prepare for an interview, including examples of questions. To quote:

Interviews may seem scary, but they don’t have to be.  By preparing well they can be a positive experience. Review your application form, letter or CV and build on the research you have started. Find out as much as you can about what the employer expects during their interview process and prepare and practise answers to typical interview questions.

Work out in advance what you will wear and how you will get to your interview; and on the day be positive and enthusiastic to make the best impression possible.

The Careers Network also delivered some workshops in Spring 2017 entitled Interview Workshop for International Students. Key points include that it doesn’t matter where you gained your skills as long as you can demonstrate them, how to answer ‘tell me about yourself’, the different types of interview questions and how to prepare for them.

In addition, pages 20 – 23 of ‘How to excel in applications and interviews’ also has information about different types of interviews and how to prepare for the questions you’ll be asked.

Video Interviews

The Careers Network has teamed up with Sonru, a leading provider of video interview software, to bring you the change to practise a video interview. Details on how to prepare for video interview and about Sonru can be found here. To quote from ‘How to excel in applications and interviews’:

Video interviews can sound scary, especially when you are responding to pre-recorded questions. But the more you can practise the more relaxed you will be for the real thing. These types of interviews may involve you talking face to face with the employer (like a Skype chat), you could have a recorded video of the employer giving you a question and you are allotted an amount of time to respond, or you may just have questions pop up on your screen for you to answer.

You may be given multiple chances to re-record your answer or you may only be given one chance. It is therefore important to establish what type of video interview you will be taking part in. Before your interview make sure to do the following:

  • Dress smartly – you may be at home but you are still being assessed as if you were in an interview room.
  • Take the interview in a quiet room with no distractions.
  • Tidy the space behind you so the employer will not see any embarrassing posters, clothes strewn on the floor or dirty plates!
  • Test your workspace: is the lighting correct? Do you have a reasonable enough internet connection? Do your microphone and webcam work? Is there any loud traffic outside?

Telephone Interviews

Telephone interviews may be similar to face to face interviews so remember to respond and act as if you were in the room with the employer. The benefit is that you can use notes to prompt you for difficult questions. However, be warned – too many notes can be distracting.

  • Try to smile when you talk, it will help vary the tone of your voice and make you sound friendly and approachable. Consider dressing smartly to help you get into your ‘professional’ mind set.
  • You will be told a time to expect your call so make sure you use a quiet room with a good phone signal.
  • Have a notepad handy to take notes, but don’t use a computer if the interviewer can hear the keyboard tapping!
  • Don’t worry if there are short silences at the other end, the employer is probably taking notes.

Assessment Centres

Assessment centres, (sometimes called second interviews), are often the final stage in the graduate recruitment process – and are increasingly used in placement selection too. They are usually held at the employer’s premises or a hotel and involve a variety of individual and group exercises designed to give you the opportunity to demonstrate specific skills and qualities against a predetermined set of criteria.

Find out if you need to prepare anything to take with you to the assessment centre. Some employers ask you to prepare a short presentation. Identify which skills and qualities the organisation is looking for and work out how you can best demonstrate these.  When you get there be friendly, positive and professional and be yourself.  Make a contribution to all activities so that the assessors have something to mark you on.

For more detailed advice, see our guidebook – How to excel in applications and interviews 2017.

 

If you would like help with any of the above, then please do not hesitate to book an appointment with the Careers Network.

How to talk about your previous qualifications and experience from home with UK employers

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You may feel worried that the qualifications and experience gained from your home country won’t be valued by employers in the UK because they don’t fully understand. The following tips can help you present these most effectively to increase your chances of getting a job.

Qualifications

There is value in referencing on CVs and applications what your previous qualifications are equivalent to in the UK, where possible (e.g. A-levels). The admissions team in your department can help you with this if you are unsure.

If you have completed professional qualifications that don’t have a UK equivalent, it is worth adding few brief words about the qualification is if it’s not otherwise clear to someone unfamiliar with it. If the qualification is particularly relevant to the job you are applying for, you may want to highlight this in more detail in your cover letter or supporting statement.

If you have previously completed a degree elsewhere, you do not need to add every single module (especially if you are a postgraduate student and have changed career direction). Instead, add some final year modules most relevant to the job you are applying for.

You can arrange an appointment with the Careers Network if you would like to talk about this further.

Experience

Generally, employers won’t discriminate or devalue your experience simply because you completed this in another country. Instead, you can often make having experience in a different country(s) an advantage by highlighting what is unique about it, for example how you gained experience of working with people in different cultures/environments, confidence in other languages, developed an international outlook, have learnt best practises and different ways of working that might benefit the company, and so on.

Our ‘Make Applications’ page has excellent information on how to talk to an employer about your previous work experience. To quote:

The secret to any successful application (and interview!) is doing your background research before you start. By reading the vacancy carefully, learning about the organisation and exploring the wider job sector, you will be more effective at targeting your applications. Learning about skills employers seek will help you to identify your strengths and evidence the relevant ones. Work out your unique selling points (USPs) and use positive action words to make a more powerful impact, online and in person.

All applications must be tailored to each job role you apply for. The vacancy will ask you for specific skills, qualifications and knowledge, so it is imperative that you use the information given to you, as well as what you have learned from your background research, to construct your application.

In summary, identify what an skills/attributes/experience employer is looking for, and then write about your experience to highlight how you demonstrate these. Leaving out information that is not relevant will make it easier for the employer, although always double-check with the Careers Network if you are unsure what is relevant and not relevant, or if you would like further help with any part of this process then please don’t hesitate to book an appointment.

– Christian Jameson-Warren

Careers Network information on Visas & Free Immigration Solicitor’s Advice

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As part of the International Students section on the Careers Network website, there is a section covering Visa and Immigration. This has several documents and summaries, including:

Free Immigration Solicitor’s Advice

International students can access free legal advice from a leading solicitors firm specialising in immigration law.  Appointments are available for students, researchers and employers to discuss job related immigration queries.  More details can be found here.