Careers Service: International StudentsImprove your chances of securing a job

Applying for jobs in a new country, and possibly a new language, takes planning, time and effort.

The section below offers some tips and advice we hope you find helpful.

Understanding UK culture

Understanding British work practices

This guide to cross-cultural etiquette may help you develop a better understanding of UK business culture: Cultural Crossing Guide.

CVs & application forms in a UK format

  • read the Making Applications section on our site 
  • use action words, eg defined, co-ordinated: (clicking will download a word document) Action Words for CVs
  • think about your skills and evidence for them
  • use resources such as Grammarly to check language and spelling
  • attend an Information Session on CVs or cover letters
  • build your CV then use the Careers Toolkit CV 360 for instant feedback on layout and structure
  • book a CV/application/cover letter check

Interview skills

Articulating your skills to an employer

It's essential to be able to clearly articulate your skills to an employer. UK employers look for evidence of the skills they require which are usually listed in the person specification:

  1. The first step to doing this is to identify the skills they are looking for. You can find this information in the job advert, in the person specification section. Look for any skills, qualities or attitudes that they ask for. If you're struggling to understand the language in the job advert, you might want to try this jargon decoder tool.
  2. Next, reflect on the skills you have. These could be transferable skills like communication and problem-solving, or technical skills such as quantum analysis or financial modelling.  Start with our interactive online course Choosing My Career to help you reflect on your skills.
  3. Finally, reflect on the evidence you have for each of these skills.  It's one thing to state that you have a skill, but it's much more effective to give clear evidence for developing or demonstrating that skill. The best evidence is giving a specific example that demonstrates your ability to use the skill in practice.  Evidence can come from work experience, your academic studies or extracurricular activities. Our Making Applications section will help with how to format your evidence at different stages of the recruitment process.

Explaining non UK qualifications

Employers may not be familiar with your qualifications if achieved outside the UK. State the UK equivalence clearly on a CV or application form, if you can. See the explaining your qualifications information for help with this.

Building your network

Working in the UK as an international student

  • read the information given on the Careers Service website to improve your understanding of UK recruitment and labour market
  • attend Careers Service information sessions and events on relevant topics
  • attend any Careers Education sessions delivered as part of your course
  • discuss your job search strategy at an appointment with a Careers Consultant

Support to improve your English language and written skills

Employers in the UK expect international applicants to demonstrate a good level of written and spoken English.

There are many ways you can improve your English communication skills while studying.

Make time to practice with friends. It can be tempting to speak to classmates from your home country in your own language, but try speaking to them in English. The more you practice, the more confident you will feel.

The conversational English skills you develop through these activities will help you to succeed in interviews.