For the past two years, I have been a part of an intrapreneurial team that developed career programmes for ambitious international students who were interested in working in the UK after graduation. I learnt a lot along the way and that’s why I want to share the three most crucial aspects that I think all international students should know.
1. Start early & gain experience
Many international students start to think about their careers in their final year. Unfortunately, this might be too late, especially if you don’t have relevant experience, which takes me to the second part of this point.
An academic degree is not enough anymore. Employers are searching for candidates who have gained experience during their studies. The best possible experience would be an internship in your own industry, but there are many other ways to show how proactive you are, for example, volunteering or being an active member of university societies.
Having these experiences will also allow you to have great interview examples that demonstrate how you have applied your learnings into practice.
2. Polish your application materials
Different industries and countries require different kinds of application materials. I, for example, had a photo and a date of birth on my CV, which is completely normal in Finland, but in the UK this is something that should not be included due to strict anti-discrimination laws. So, remember to research the application material requirements specific to your industry and the country where you wish to work.
Did you know that nowadays your CV and cover letter might not even be seen by a human? More and more companies are using an Application Tracking System (ATS) that allows the company to scan and rank hundreds of applications in seconds. If you don’t use the right keywords or if the ATS cannot read your application because of the wrong kind of format, your application might end up in the ‘NO’ pile before anyone in the organisation sees it. To get past this first hurdle, you need to understand how the ATS works. You can get started by checking this summary on the Flexjobs website.
3. Networking
Did you know that 60-80% of jobs are never advertised? Recommendations and personal networks are used to fill vacancies. That’s why it’s very important to start growing your professional networks as early as possible. Attend networking events and get connected with peers and professors. You can also network through LinkedIn, find people who work in companies that you are interested in or who are doing jobs that you would like to see yourself in in the future. Ask them questions about their career journey or what kind of tips they would have for you to achieve a similar position in the future.
Finding a job in another country is definitely not easy, as there are many elements during the application journey that might be different to your own culture. I hope that these three tips have given you some ideas that will help you on your career path.
What other career tips would you share with international students?
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