1.     Why did you choose to study in the UK?

The UK education system is one of the best in the world and the UK qualifications are reputation worldwide, therefore, I thought that having a degree and MBA from UK universities would give me a huge advantage for getting a valuable job afterwards.

After studying my bachelors degree in the UK, I really wanted to do the MBA in the UK as well to increase my opportunities. I had the  chance to visit the UK last year during a business trip, and I was so impressed with what Scotland  had to offer- I love the weather, food, landscape and also the kindness of people, so I decided to do my MBA there.

2.     What’s your current career aspiration? 

 My career aspiration is to become a team leader in business operations in the next 1-2 years.  I am looking for a Senior Consultant Executive position with a multinational corporation in the UK specialising in recruitment or marketing, where I can develop my interpersonal skills and business knowledge.

 3. What were the main barriers and challenges you faced as a Tier 4 international graduate trying to secure a job in UK?

The main challenge was the to visa rules. After I finished my studies,  I only had 4 months to stay in the country to find a job. Another challenge is the salary threshold, for the work visa to stay in the UK, we need to earn a minimum of 20,800GBP which is not easy to find. Finally, the biggest barrier is we need to find a job that accepts visa sponsorship. Most of the companies prefer to accept applications from European or local people instead of hiring international students as they would have to do the paperwork to sponsor for me.

4. What advice would give to a current Tier 4 international student who wants to secure a graduate role in UK?

International Students should apply for a graduate program from multinational companies one year in advance to make sure they are prepared for the recruiting process. Also, students should take part in job fairs frequently and be active in attending soft-skill classes and career workshops from the university, to get ready for types of UK's tests and interviewing procedure.

5.       Looking back, what advice would you give to your past student self for what you could do to develop your employability skills?

I would participate in volunteering or unpaid work, as this helps make UK connections and develop knowledge of careers. It is also a good way to get Linkedln recommendations or references for jobs in the UK.

6. Do you think career support should be different for international students compared to home students?

Personally, I think careers services should keep an eye on international students, as the team should focus on visa rules and requiring documents to help students prepare for applications and be aware of government rules for sponsoring work visas. Since Europeans and Local students have already got an advantage with this,   it's a major barrier for international students so they need that extra support.

7.      What’s your definition of employability?

From my point of view, employability is a broader set of skills, personal attributes that allow candidates  to gain a competitive advantage over another candidate, allowing them to be successful in their chosen career path.

Thank you to Linh for taking the time to answer the questions. We wish her the best of luck with her career aspiration.

If you are a Tier 4 graduate who would like to take part in International Voices, or just get in touch with comments or questions, please get in touch careers@praino.co.uk

Ciao for now!

Bianca