How to be a UK success story!
This article is written to provide expert advice and guidance of proven successful strategies you can adopt to secure a job offer in the UK. Regardless of what kind of job you are looking for, your age, nationality or language background, this article will most certainly provide you with top tips around how to increase your chances of being a UK success story. The article focuses on those seeking sponsorship through the skilled worker visa route, however the advice can be applied to other visa routes as well and also to non British nationals looking for jobs who don't require sponsorship.
It is perfectly understandable and reasonable that as an international candidate, you struggle with navigating your career in an UK context- one which is unfamiliar and alien to your own. What intrigues me is what is it that makes one person successful in this quest over another? My experience supporting the international community with their UK job search urges me to ask this question frequently (curiosity is an innate part of my nature). Since founding Praino Careers, I have quickly identified effective strategies which work and of course, others which don't and I am writing this article to share these with you.
So on that note, below are my top tips on what you can do to increase your chances of success.
Use your research skills!
Do your research into the requirements of the skilled worker visa and check your eligibility. Nobody expects you to be a UK visa expert- let's leave that to the immigration lawyers. However knowing what your visa route options are and what the process is around securing different types of UK visas, gives you knowledge and power of the steps you have to take.
Know the UK labour market
Updating your knowledge about the UK labour market and what kind of jobs you should apply for based on your experience and skillset will ensure you are applying for the right jobs and will increase your chances. It is vital that you meet the essential criteria listed in the job advert before applying and are also aware of how the wording of job titles can differ in the UK compared to your home country. You can check which jobs are listed on the shortage occupation list for the skilled worker visa.
Only apply for jobs where the employer is willing to or can offer sponsorship. If you aren’t sure about this, then check if they have a license on the register of sponsor license holders. Bare in mind that, even if they do hold a license, it doesn’t guarantee they can sponsor that specific role as it may not be eligible for the skilled worker visa.
To save you a lot of time, you can subscribe for free to the Praino Careers newsletter to receive weekly jobs with sponsorship.
Be present online
Update your LinkedIn profile and make sure it is professional and that the impression you make is appropriate for a UK audience. Check for spelling mistakes, and be mindful of how you present yourself in your profile photo and always capitalise your name (may sound obvious, however I see a lot which aren’t). Simply having a linkedIn profile, isn’t enough (even an optimised one). You have to maintain an online presence, build your network and reach out to people who can help you with your career. Something to be mindful of is that LinkedIn users can view ALL your activity, so be careful with what you put out there as this will be noticed and instantly gives a first impression to employers and recruiters. For example, if you are saying that you want a job in the UK, but you are commenting on other posts for jobs in US, Canada and Australia- be aware that for UK employers, this gives off a lack of commitment to your UK career goal and is a real turn off.
Check out my article, Five ways to optimise your LinkedIn
Reach out & network
Do some research and find people who have succeeded with their UK job search and reach out to them for a conversation. This can be particularly helpful if it’s someone of the same professional background as you since you can understand if there are any gaps in your skills or knowledge which are creating barriers for you. The more people you speak to, the sooner you will realise that there is no one road to success but many, so if your current approach isn’t working, it’s time to change it.
Be culturally aware
Cross cultural communication skills are essential if you are looking for a job in another country. Understanding how to adapt your communication style to establish, build and maintain relationships with recruiters, employers and anyone else you come into contact will get you far. Those who have been successful with their UK job search, display a communication style and etiquette appropriate to the UK context. They understand the differences and are culturally and self aware. This doesn’t mean changing who you are, as culture and diversity should be celebrated however, it does mean being mindful of HOW you approach people about your career, what you say and how you say it. A simple message or email sets a tone and gives a lasting impression, and you want it to be a good one. For information on cross cultural training, check out Cheryl Obal & Associates.
Understand UK recruitment practices
I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to build knowledge around UK recruitment practices and focus on the quality of your applications, rather than quantity and ensure each one is tailored to the job will guarantee better results than sending your CV haphazardly to anyone and everyone- which will give off an air of desperation. Employers know when candidates have recycled the same applications and it isn’t appreciated. Be one step ahead and research UK interview formats so you are prepared. Start to consider how you are going to tell your career narrative when asked questions like, ‘Tell us about yourself’ or ‘Why do you want to move to the UK?’.
Convert your CV to the UK format
Make sure that your CV is updated and in a UK layout. Don’t forget to always send a tailored cover letter alongside your CV (unless it is stated otherwise not to). Remember, a CV without a cover letter, is like a burger without a bun. Be aware of your use of written English and make sure to quantify your experience and strike a balance between your technical and soft skills. Use strong action verbs to create impactful bullet point statements in your professional experience section. The UK is an individualistic culture- so they want to understand what YOU did and what impact YOU made in your previous jobs so quantifying your experience through your written English is vital. How to write a Great British CV.
Lastly and most importantly,
Be humble and human
Be patient, persevere and act graciously, not entitled or desperate. I receive a lot of messages from UK job seekers, and without even building a rapport, or introducing themselves, or giving a reason why they are messaging me, they write ‘can you get me a job with sponsorship?’ or my other favourite, ‘hi’. Those of my clients who have been successful with securing jobs, never approached me in this way. They were instead thoughtful, personable and professional and stated exactly what they were reaching out to me for to which I responded favourably to. I can only assume employers and recruiters would act the same way in these situations. So if you aren’t receiving responses, reflect on how you approached the person in the first place and how you come across to the other person.
So if you aren’t getting any responses from your applications and aren’t seeing results with your job search, even though you meet the criteria, it’s time to reflect on other reasons for why this may be.
Hear some success stories about how these two got jobs in the UK from India:
If you are struggling with your UK job search and want to find out about becoming a private client, Book a 15 minute call to find out more.
Thanks for reading.
Ciao for now!
Bianca.