Finding a job in the UK for PGT International Students

1. Finding a job in the UK for PGT International Students David Levinson, Careers Adviser

2. Aims of the session: To provide information and advice on UK job hunting To be informal, interactive and provide an opportunity for questions to be asked and answered To highlight support available from the Careers Service and additional resources To answer many, but perhaps not all of your questions

3. These slides are available on our blog:http://edinburghinternationalcareers.wordpress.com/

4. 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

5. In pairs………… Where are you from? What are you studying? What would like to get from this talk?

6. “I just got here, why think about careers now?” • Some deadlines are as early as October Don’t wait until it’s too late

7. 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

8. 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?

9. 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

10. Am I eligible to work part-time? • Most (non-EU) international students will be eligible but to be completely sure you should check your passport • You can also visit The International Office, 33 Buccleuch Place, where staff are trained to advise on permission to work • If you are eligible to work then you are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week. The University however recommends that you work no more than 15 hours per week • Bulgarian and Romanian students will need to obtain form BR1 for their Registration Certificate (until Jan 2014)

11. Come to one of our “Finding a part time job” workshops for more information

12. What are my first steps? • Log in to SAGE at www.ed.ac.uk/careers/sage • You should use your Myed/EASE user name and password • SAGE gives you access to: Vacancies, Employer details and Latest news items

13. National Insurance processing days: Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 25 September 09.30-16.30 at the Careers Service in the MLB • Jobcentre Plus is coming into the Careers Service to process National Insurance Numbers for students. Appointments are not bookable, please just come along and wait your turn. The session opens at 9.30am; the last appointment will be determined by demand on the day and is likely to be around 3.30pm.

14. Graduate jobs in the UK.….Helping you to stand out from the crowd

15. 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

16. 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

17. Applying for graduate jobs in the UK NOW! When should I start....? Many UK graduate jobs close by the end of November

18. 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 more important than what degree you have

19. It’s competitive.... • Make a good application – get feedback • Think about your USP – what makes you stand out? • Build your skills (and evidence of them) outside study • Make use of the Careers Service

20. 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

21. 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 Newspapers Industry magazines Recruitment agencies

22. Visible Graduate recruitment process On-line application forms On-line tests Telephone interviews Assessment centres Face-to-face interviews Competency-based questions

23. 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!

24. 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 Directories – e.g. GET, Prospects, Top100, The Best 600 Companies to work for

25. International (non-EU) students: Come to one of our workshops on “Working in the UK - a guide to employment and work visa routes” for full information on: • Tier 2 ‘Graduate’ Skilled Worker • Tier 1 ‘Graduate’ Entrepreneur • Tier 5 Youth Mobility • UK Ancestry • Working after a PhD

26. 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 and £16,700 for some “creative roles”- 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

27. “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….

28. 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

29. Resources for international students • International students web pages • International employer and vacancy information • Information on visas

30. How do I get help with my CV? • Appointments available every day, both centres • 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

31. Some events to look out for: • Careers workshops start 12 September • International talks • China & SE Asia Virtual Careers Fairs • Employer presentations start 16 September • Careers Fair 8-10 October, Adam House and much more….

32. 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