Impressing UK employers as an International Student
UK employers expect you to be able to evidence the skills and competencies they are looking for as described in the job profile. They do not necessarily expect you to have gained relevant work experience, although if you have this is a bonus.
According to Bright Network research, students rank existing industry experience first, while employers actually rank it 12th. For employers, passion for the business is the most important attribute to demonstrate followed by resilience (which students rank 8th). You can read more about this Bright Network research here.
Key to impressing UK employers, is tailoring your application to the job role and to the company. This means writing a different application each time and so requires significant time and effort.
If you have identified gaps in your skills or experience, there are lots of ways of developing or improving these skills while at Exeter. You might consider joining a career-related society or attend some employer events to improve your commercial awareness. Perhaps joining a sports society might be a way of evidencing your teamwork skills. You might want to work on a global challenge and sustainable development goals as part of Grand Challenges or demonstrate your interest in green issues as part of Green Consultants training. Find out more here on the Career Zone pages.
You have extra (and unique) skills as an international student
As an international student, you already have a unique set of skills. Make sure you highlight them in your applications.
- You are adventurous, finding your place in new worlds.
- You are risk takers, independent decision-makers, skilled communicators (often in more than one language) and cultural chameleons.
- You bring knowledge and experience from your home countries as well as commercial insight into the ways businesses work at home.
You are amazing!
Sometimes students struggle to identify their unique skills or experiences. Your story is a mixture of your experiences from home and from the UK.
Questions to help you identify your unique skills
Spending some time reflecting on these questions can help. Try discussing the questions with your UK friends and course mates to really highlight your unique skills.
- What surprised you most about moving to the UK?
- What experiences have you had, both at home and in the UK, that have shaped your cultural and global perspectives?
- What were you hoping to gain or develop by coming to the UK that you couldn’t get in your home country?
- How was your education different to UK students?
- How is your work experience different to UK students?
- How do you use your international background to re-think a problem or see something in a new way?
- How are you a different person now compared to before you started your studies in the UK?
These questions will help you to identify skills and experiences beyond the obvious. For example, you may realise that you have studied topics/subjects that other people have not, or can see problems from multiple perspectives and bring unique points to discussions.
Be clear about what you bring as an international student
Think carefully about what you bring as an international student for each role you apply to. Different employers may be interested in different things. For example, the ICAEW said there is a need for accountants who can work with clients and colleagues in different countries and time zones. If you were applying to a company who operated in this way, you could highlight this as a skill that you could bring.
Add impact to your skills
When you describe these unique skills, try to be as specific as possible, and link it to what the employer is looking for. So rather than saying:
‘As an international student, I have experience of working in different cultures’
Say this instead:
‘Your job advert highlights teamwork as a key requirement. As an international student I have worked in a busy UK office, and taken a leadership role in several group projects on my course. Both have given me experience of successfully leading teams of people from different cultures. From the research I have done into your company, it seems this skill is especially relevant to your increasing emphasis of developing the business outside the UK.’
Can I compare with UK students?
Often international students worry that they cannot compare with UK students when applying for jobs in the UK.
Start by identifying exactly what your concern is - is it your lack of experience in interviews or that your language skills will let you down? Or that your work experience in your home country won’t be valued by employers? Or that your qualifications won’t be recognised?
Suggestions:
- Get help from Career Zone to learn about and practice interviews.
- Get help with your language skills from English Language Skills Development.
- Explore what your international qualifications are equivalent to in the UK using UK ENIC.
- Work out how to explain your prior work experience and skills in a way that is relevant for a UK audience. Ask Career Zone if you need help.
Show your passion and enthusiasm
Employers love to see evidence of your passion and enthusiasm for a job. Many UK employers say this is the most important thing to them, even more impressive than high grades or industry experience. You can show your passion and enthusiasm by learning more about the company and the industry. Showing your passion and enthusiasm will help you stand out amongst other applicants- both from the UK and international.
Suggestions:
- Read information about your chosen career area to find out more. You can do this through several ways, such as the Employment Sector pages on our Career Zone or on Prospects and TargetJobs.
- Contact the person in the job advert, to ask questions about the role. They will be impressed that you called! Make sure you prepare some questions to ask before you get in touch.
- Talk to University of Exeter graduates who work in the industry or company that interests you using the LinkedIn alumni tool or our Ask an Alum or Career Mentor Scheme.
- Complete a free virtual work experience on Forage to build your commercial awareness and develop a technical skill or knowledge about the company or sector.
When you apply for jobs in the UK, you may be asked about qualifications such as:
- GCSEs
- A-levels
- UCAS points
- Bachelor’s degree
How do international qualifications compare?
These qualifications are part of the UK National Qualification Framework (NQF). You can find out how qualifications from your home country compare by contacting UK ENIC. Most large employers know that qualifications come in all shapes and sizes and are used to converting secondary education qualifications into A-level equivalents.