Published on May 15, 2014 | by Karina Starobina
0Stay in the UK: finding a job
In April 2012 Tier 1(Post-study work visa) was closed to all new applicants. Before that international students had 3 years to find a job – now this time is cut to 4 months which makes it almost impossible. Even a qualified UK citizen spends more than that amount of time to get a decent position.
Getting a work visa
Many people with Bachelor and Masters degrees are forced to take jobs for which they are overqualified.
Matheo, 23 years old, BA in Business Administration, says:
“I got my bachelor’s degree in Business administration last August and have been searching for a job ever since. But I have to pay for my accommodation and you know I have to eat something so I had to take up a job in catering. It’s not so bad. So I usually go to job interviews in daytime and do my shifts in the evening. No luck in getting a job so far… I want to work in events management.”
So imagine how hard it is for non-EU students who are asking their employers for a work visa.
“This year I lost my job… Now I’m really scared I’ll have to go back to Moscow and start all over again. I have my whole life figured out here and now I might have to leave.”
Elena, 27, LSE Graduate
But there are some happy endings as well.
Olesya, 24, Masters at AA University:
“Thankfully I found a job just a day before my visa expired. I’m an architect and was struggling so much going to all the architectural bureaus trying to get a job and never hearing back from them. On my last day in London I had an interview so I just went there for the sake of it. My suitcase was already packed. And… I got the job!”
The facts are that for the first time in many years the number of non-EU students at UK universities has dropped by one percent, says the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
Solutions
So here is some advice for students who still haven’t lost their hope:
– Apply everywhere. Don’t be picky about your positions. You never know where help might come from and who might give you a visa. It’s always easier to move up inside the company. So one day you are a social media manager assistant and the other they might have an open position for a news editor.
– Take a good look at your CV. You should consult your professors – they might give you some valuable advice. Are you presenting yourself in a right way? Remember an employer takes 30 seconds to look at it. Make it interesting.
– If Internet applications are not working for you, why not drop by the office? At least your prospective employers will know what you look like.
– Find your love, get married and have kids. Who needs to work anyway?
ALN spoke to some people who were happy to share their experience!
Meet Sophie – current international student at LCC, who is still struggling to find a job in the UK.
What about European students? Is it easy to find a job for them? Kate and Thomas – both LCC students – are optimistic about the future! Listen to what they have to say.
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Related links
Why not find a job today?
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2010/may/08/finding-a-new-job
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/getthatjob/
Author: Karina Starobina