1. Be prepared to demonstrate your skills

In the UK, employers value more than just academic achievement for success in the graduate job market. While some ask for a minimum grade, all prioritise the right skills and attitude for the role. Demonstrating these skills involves reflecting on past experiences, within and beyond university. To gain the required skills, consider volunteering, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, or societies. These diverse experiences are valuable for enhancing your career readiness.

2. Understand UK careers fairs

In countries like India and China, careers fairs often lead to immediate job offers. However, in the UK, careers fairs like those held on University Park and Jubilee campuses, emphasise career exploration over job offers.

As the third most targeted university by graduate employers (High Flyers 2024), don’t miss the opportunity to chat with representatives at our fairs and explore graduate and internship opportunities. Employers must ensure their recruitment is fair and equitable and you will need to follow their defined recruitment processes in order to gain employment. 

3. Use appropriate resources for your job search

Securing suitable employment as an international student or graduate can pose challenges. For permanent UK job roles, you may need sponsorship through the skilled worker visa. This can only be issued by and employer with a licence to sponsor.Over 110,000 employers in the UK are authorised to sponsor these visa but not all have sponsored international graduates from UK universities.

Simplify your search using the Student Circus job platform. It matches international graduate-friendly roles which are open to visa sponsorship, saving you time and effort. Access to the platform is free for Nottingham students and graduates. 

4. Understand the UK job market and targeting the right employers

Successful applications might hinge on targeting the right employers. For international students, finding UK employers open to hiring international graduates and sponsoring skilled worker visas can be challenging.

The online course, Target the Right Employer from eCareersGrad, identifies the top 300 UK employers hiring UK-educated international graduates. This resource, free for University of Nottingham students and graduates, offers valuable insights and tips for securing UK graduate positions. 

5. Target and tailor your CV or application

CV and application rejections often result from a lack of customisation to the specific job. Employers set out required skills and experience in their job specifications. Many international students receive rejections due to providing brief CVs lacking evidence of their skills.

We can help you identify job-relevant skills, enhancing your CV and application to give you the best chance of securing the role. Read more about this topic in our Getting the job section