In November, we held an ‘International Alumni Careers’ panel for international students seeking to find graduate jobs and to pursue careers in the UK.
We caught up with our five panellists to hear their top tips:
Anukriti Panda, MSc Public Health
Anukriti came to study at the University of Bristol from India and is now a Senior Clinical Research Practitioner at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London. Her advice to international students trying to find work in the UK is:
“Firstly, networking! Network with your friends, with your academic advisors, and most importantly with your alumni. We are all available on LinkedIn, just connect with us and then we can share our email addresses.”
Vivian Wei, MSc Gender and International Relations
Vivian came to the University of Bristol from China and is now an Audit Graduate Trainee at KPMG, Bristol.
Her advice to international students seeking work in the UK is:
“Just keep trying, be brave! Don’t be demoralized by failures, because every failure is a learning opportunity, and an opportunity to grow.
Try to make the most of the Careers Service at the University of Bristol because they’re really helpful. They have so many resources and wonderful Careers Advisers.”
Emelyn Tan, LLB Honours Law
Similarly, our very own Emelyn, came to study at Bristol from Malaysia and is now a Bristol PLUS Award officer. Her advice to international students trying to find work in the UK is:
“Don’t worry too much about having directly relevant experience in an industry you’re applying for because all experience is good experience.
Really work on tailoring your applications to the job descriptions you’re applying for, and in the role that you are currently in, whether it is a part-time job or an internship in an industry that maybe is not your preferred industry, you can still work on tailoring your skills to the [jobs] you’re looking for.
So work on closing that skills gap to get to your dream job!”
Veera Anandashankar Sasidharan, MEng Aerospace Engineering
Veera came to study at the University of Bristol from India and is now working as an engineer at Rotork in Bath. His advice for international students seeking work in the UK is:
“Get involved with societies from day one! Although it could look like a small thing that you’re doing, it’s going to be very beneficial in the bigger picture. It will be a big skill on your CV, and employers love to hear about it.”
“The next thing would be the ambassadorial schemes at the university. You have the Student Services ambassador, you can be a Global Lounge ambassador, and these experiences are something again that employers love to hear about. Plus, you get to make loads of different friends, your skill set is going to massively increase, and the best part is you’re going to get paid for it.”
Syndy Liew, LLB Law
Finally, Syndy came to study at the University of Bristol from Malaysia and is a future trainee solicitor at Allen and Overy (A&O) in London. Her advice to international students looking for work in the UK is:
“Research is really important! Take some time to do research into the application process of the career path you are thinking of going into, the company/firm you are applying to and the qualities that graduate recruiters are looking for.
If you need someone to point you in the direction of where to research, do speak to the Careers Service, your faculty advisor, personal tutor, seminar tutor, unit coordinator or your alumni on LinkedIn!”
- Access support for international students – we are here to help you, whether you want to work in the UK, return home or move to another country after your studies.
- Use Student Circus to search for sponsored UK roles as well as graduate opportunities in many countries around the world
- Find more tailored advice as well as stories from international students and graduates, using our International tag.