Job Opportunities in the UK: It’s Not as Difficult as You Think
The United Kingdom (UK) has the sixth-largest economy in the world along with a thriving market. It is also a highly globalized economy with London being the financial nerve centre of the country. It has the headquarters of some of the top Fortune 500 companies in the world. Companies belonging to Finance, IT, service industries have their offices in the UK, making the country, and particularly London, attractive for highly skilled graduates.
Although 2020 has been a difficult year for most of the large economies of the world, there have been signs of recovery since the end of the year. In the March-May quarter of 2021, there has been an increase in the employment rate, which stands at 74.8% and a decrease in the unemployment rate, which, in turn, stands at 4.8%.
After a period of relative lull, employers have started hiring again. There were 862,000 job vacancies in the April-June quarter, 2021, much higher than the pre-pandemic level. There has also been a growth of 7.3% in the average total pay of employees. All in all, this is a great time to look for a job in the UK, regardless of your nationality.
If you are looking for job opportunities in the UK, we have got you covered. While you may think that landing your dream job may be a tough task, we will share all the tips and tricks that will help you find one in no time.
Find Out the Skills in Demand
First, you need to find out what are the most coveted fields in the job market. The UK has some of the major companies across a range of industries. However, from the point of view of job opportunities, some of the emerging fields include Information technology, digital marketing, healthcare, accounting, education and engineering among others. If you happen to have a degree in any one of these fields, the chances of you being recruited get high.
Degrees in finance, marketing, cloud computing, retail, banking and accounting are highly sought after. The UK is the home to some of the leading universities, medical schools and business schools in the world. Having a degree from a UK-based university increases your chances of getting a job.
Enrol in a Graduate Programme/Internship
Second, you might increase your chances of hiring if you enrol in a company-backed graduate programme or can show that you have worked as an intern in a reputed enterprise. Many companies offer a graduate programme, which is a structured training programme run by an employer to develop the future leaders of their companies. These programmes are typically conducted in areas of specialization, such as HR, Finance, Accounting and suchlike. As per Guardian, some of the most popular graduate employers are Google, Amazon, SmithKline etc.
Alternately, you can also opt for an internship programme, which can typically run for a week to 12 months. During this period, you acquire relevant skills and also get paid for your work. Dedicated organizations, such as AISEC UK, BUNAC CRCC Asia etc, facilitate internships for international students.
Opt for a 2-year post-education work permit
International students who have completed undergraduate or a Master’s degree can opt for a 2-year work permit, which has to be applied for separately. As per the newly introduced Graduate Route, international students completing Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees would be able to benefit from the two-year work experience, while PhD students will be able to stay on for three years.
Prepare a Killer CV
Like any other country, the job market is competitive. Therefore, you must start early, even before you graduate. Opting for a summer internship or part-time position while pursuing a course in the UK is advisable. To increase your chances of getting a job, you should prepare a fool-proof CV, which highlights all the necessary skills, educational qualifications and relevant experience you have in a particular domain. You can also make a video resume, which increases your chances of getting noticed. There are several resume checker websites (aHiration and ResumeWorded) that can help you get a good understanding of where you stand in the job market.
Be Proactive
After you graduate, you should work on your resume and start sending it to various organizations. Most organizations accept online applications. References are a must. Try to showcase your best skills and justify why you should be the right fit for the organization. Use professional networks, such as LinkedIn, to connect with the employer of your choice and get noticed.
Apply for a work permit
If you are applying from a different country, you should first secure a job before applying for a work permit. Your company would send a letter of invitation, showing that you have been accepted in the company and that you would be paid a certain amount of salary that would ensure your survival. Having all papers in place would help in securing your visa. Alternately, if you are stuck in your country because of Covid-19, you can still apply for companies that are currently hiring remotely. Tech companies, finance and insurance, engineering and manufacturing are some of the key sectors that are currently hiring remotely. IQVIA, Bit Zesty, Veeva Systems, Zaizi, Microsoft, etc. have topped charts for remote hiring in the UK.
