Working in the UK(for international students)

David Levinson, Careers Adviser

This session will:

To provide information and advice on UK job hunting

To highlight support and resources available from the Careers Service

Answer many, but perhaps not all of your questions

We won’t go into detail on

Looking for part-time jobs Visa regulations CVs, application forms, interviews

We run regular workshops on all of these

“It’s the start of semester, why think

about careers now?”

Some UK deadlines are as early as October

Don’t wait until it’s too late

It’s not too early to think about what you want to do after University and to plan how to get there

The UK graduate job market is very competitive – you need to stand out from the crowd

How do we work?

Can the Careers Service find me a job?

Will the Careers Service write my CV?

Is the information only for UK students?

A quick quiz….

TRUE / FALSE - In the UK all jobs must be advertised FALSE

TRUE / FALSE – Most graduate jobs in the UK are either targeting only undergraduates or only postgraduates FALSE

TRUE / FALSE – It’s possible for a Tier 4 international masters student to do a full-time internship next summer FALSE

CVs in the UK should be no longer than 2 pages

What kind of work can I do during my studies?

As an international (non-EEA) student you can do most kinds of part-time work for up to 20 hours per week, but you must not:

be self-employed

be employed as a professional sportsperson or sports coach

be employed as an entertainer

take a permanent full-time job

Students from EEA are not restricted in the type of work they undertake

The UK graduate job market…

Graduate training schemes ( large blue chip companies)

Graduate jobs with small & medium sized enterprises (SMEs), not-for profit sector (but salaries may not meet visa criteria….)

Graduate schemes are not your only option – many employers do not recruit in this way

Visible job market

Responding to advertised vacancies = reactive job hunting

To do this you need to know where (and if!) the jobs you want are usually advertised

Sources of vacancies include:

Websites

Campus activities

Visible UK Graduate recruitment process

On-line application forms On-line tests Telephone interviews Assessment centres Face-to-face interviews Competency-based questions

Hidden job market - proactive job hunting

Why should you consider doing it?

Where does this approach work?

Opportunities exist – but are not advertised

Employers prefer to recruit in ways which minimise costs and risk!

Websites

SAGE - our vacancy and employer database:

www.ed.ac.uk/careers/sage

Other graduate vacancy websites examples:

www.prospects.ac.uk

www.targetjobs.co.uk

www.milkround.com

Directories – e.g. GET, Prospects, Times Top100

International (non-EU) students:

Come to one of our workshops on “Work visa routes in the UK” for full information on:

Tier 2 ‘Graduate’ Skilled Worker Tier 1 ‘Graduate’ Entrepreneur Tier 5 Youth Mobility UK Ancestry Working after a PhD

International (non-EU) students:Applying for graduate jobs in the UK

NO resident labour market test under Tier 2

Minimum salary criteria form most roles is £20,300 but varies e.g. £23,600 for electrical engineers - check the Home Office SOC codes

Must switch within expiry date of T4 visa and from within UK

You must have been awarded your qualification

“How will I know if an employer is a sponsor?”

Home Office register of sponsors

Much more information is available in workshops throughout the year – but get clued up early….

What do the regulations mean in practice?

If you want to work in the UK after graduating, you have to secure a job with a sponsoring employer before your visa expires

You must check that the employer is a registered sponsor and that the job meets the salary criteria

Other routes may be possible – come to a visa workshop to find out more

How are you going to stand out from the crowd?

What do employers want?

Do you want the job? Can you do the job? Do you want to work with us?

WANT-CAN-FIT

This is often more important than what degree you have

Before applying for graduate jobs, you should ...

Assess your own skills and experience

Research suitable opportunities and organisations

Find out what they want for that role

Match yourself to their needs and identify sources of evidence

International students:Applying for graduate jobs in the UK

When should I start....? NOW!

Many UK graduate jobs close by the end of November

Top tips….

Be clear about what you want to do and why Ensure your CV / application is targeted and

relevant Use the best examples you’ve got Review – ask yourself “so what” Ask for feedback - first impressions

Resources for international students

International students web pages

International employer and vacancy information

Information on visas

How do I get help with my CV?

Appointments available every day, both centres (bookable on the day)

Resources in our careers information rooms

Talks on how to write a winning CV

Talks on application forms/interviews

Check out our events on the website

Some events to look out for: Careers workshops International talks Employer presentations Careers Fair 8-10 October, Adam House China & SE Asia Virtual Careers Fairs China Career Development Workshop & Mini Job Fair

on Sunday 27 October

and much more….

Have a great year, build your CV and use your Careers Service!!

King’s Buildings Central

Weir Building 3rd Floor, Main Library

0131 650 5773 0131 650 4670