Careers support for international students

CAREER PLANNING MINI-GUIDE

Careers support for

international students LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 â?š careers@ljmu.ac.uk

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

LJMU and your career

Careers support at LJMU LJMU’s Careers Team offers a wide range of support to help you plan your next step as an international student so you can achieve the career outcome you want after graduation. Our ‘Careers Zones’ provide you with careers information, advice and guidance from more accessible locations around the university.

We offer in-depth careers advice and guidance (which mostly take place in the Careers Zones), a My Jobs & Placements website for placements and graduate jobs, opportunities to meet and engage with employers and an extensive programme of careers and employability workshops, all designed to help you get the job you want.

In addition we manage LJMU’s CareerSmart programme. All students in their first year of study will have an opportunity to engage with the programme as an integral part of a core module of study.

Once you have completed this, a wide range of other career-related provision and services will be available to support your development throughout your studies including the new CareerSmart e-learning tool.

Whatever your situation, whether applying for an opportunity in the UK, looking for work back in your home country, or if you don’t know what you want to do after university and need help with direction, the Careers Team is always available to help.

SUPPORT FROM EMPLOYABILITY ADVISERS Our Employability Advisers work across the university Careers Zones providing professional, personalised advice on a range of careers issues, looking for jobs, and the application process. They can help with tailoring a CV; writing applications and personal statements for jobs, postgraduate study and PhDs; writing covering letters; and preparing for interviews. They also mark and assess students’ submissions for the World of Work Skills Certificate process and can offer verbal feedback on statements before submission.

Applying for jobs in the UK and applying for jobs in your home country may differ considerably so seek support from our Employability Advisers to find out more about recruitment processes in the UK. Our Employability Advisers will also happily provide support and feedback on putting together applications for roles outside the UK but bear in mind that family and friends can often provide useful tips and advice on current recruitment practices in your home country.

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Careers Support for International Students

SUPPORT FROM CAREERS ADVISERS Whatever your faculty, you will also have your own dedicated Careers Adviser. Our Careers Advisers are able to provide expert job sector advice and information tailored to your needs. They are available for guidance interviews to discuss career options with your degree, finding jobs, and how to prepare for interviews. You are likely to meet your faculty Careers Adviser at some point during your programme of study.

INTERVIEW PRACTICE SESSIONS We also offer individual interview practice sessions to help build your confidence by experiencing a one-to-one ‘mock’ interview with an assessor who will give you detailed feedback and advice. We understand that interviews can be daunting, particularly if you haven’t had a job interview in the UK before, so this service will help you understand what is expected and will help you prepare for the real thing. Whether you want to practise your interview technique or are preparing for a real life interview, you can book in to use this service.

HELP LOOKING FOR JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS We have a vacancy website to help you find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, work placements or graduate roles.

Our My Jobs and Placements website (http://ljmu.prospects. ac.uk) is free to all undergraduates and graduates and lists opportunities with both regional and national employers. Our new Careers Zone 24/7 online platform also includes a job search, which allows you to research job opportunities in over 50 countries. Register via the World of Work Careers Centre website on https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/worldofwork/.

ACCESS TO EMPLOYER NETWORKS The Careers Team takes employer networking and collaboration seriously and who better to help you develop your employability than graduate recruiters themselves. We have strong relationships with a large number of public, private, creative, not-for-profit, large and small organisations.

Students are encouraged to make the most of our employer connections and relationships by attending employer visits in the Careers Zones, guest speakers from industry as part of their programme or employer presentations at the World of Work Careers Centre. In addition, look out for placement and internship opportunities on our My Jobs & Placements website. www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/international

LJMU and your career

Careers Zones The Careers Team operates out of three campus Careers Zones to make it as easy as possible for students to access careers provision no matter where they are based in the university.

APPOINTMENTS & DROP-IN SUPPORT Students can book appointments with Careers Advisers and Employability Advisers every day in the Zones; the Advisers provide students with individual, tailored CV and application support as well as careers guidance. Drop ins are also available daily (no appointment required) to speak to one of our Advisers and access help with quick careers and employability-related questions. Staff can signpost you to useful resources to get your careers research off to a flying start and refer you to additional support within the team and across the university.

EMPLOYER VISITS Employers visit the zones each week offering jobs, internships, and other career opportunities. You can meet with them and start to build your professional network, as well as asking any careers-related questions you may have.

Employers that have visited in the past: ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

Laing O’Rourke Fujitsu BUNAC Volunteer West Africa CRCC Asia Ernst & Young Wates Boulting EMC Computer Systems Teach First Vauxhall Santander

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/international

■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

Association of Chartered Accountants Eli Lily Pharmaserve Barclays Aldi Transport for London

WANT TO FIND OUT MORE? We have both Twitter and Facebook pages to keep you informed of what’s going on in the zones on a daily basis search @LJMUCareers.

You can also check out our blog which is full of useful careers information: www.ljmucareerszones.wordpress.com.

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The staff in the Careers Zone are very friendly and helpful.

Personally, I sent my CV to get comments and recommendations from one of the advisers a number of times. The variety of workshops that they hold really help a lot. I have attended some sessions about how to apply for a visa after graduation and how to apply for jobs in the UK. Ahmed Ahmed from Iraq, MSc Software Engineering

Careers Support for International Students

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LJMU and your career

Work Experience GAINING EXPERIENCE IN THE UK Developing your skills and gaining valuable work experience can really benefit you when it comes to applying for graduate jobs both in the UK and overseas. In addition to a good degree, UK and global employers often look for evidence of skills and experience when recruiting applicants so using your time wisely at LJMU will really benefit you long-term.

International students on a Tier 4 (General) student visa can usually work up to 20 hours a week during term time (and full-time during vacation periods) so why not use this allowance to explore different career options, build up your English language skills in a professional environment, and find out more about the world of work in the UK? We have a vacancy website to help you find parttime jobs, volunteering opportunities, work placements or graduate roles. Our My Jobs & Placements site (http://ljmu.prospects. ac.uk) is free to all undergraduates and graduates and lists opportunities with both regional and national employers. Students in Level 5 and level 6 should look out for our paid undergraduate internship opportunities, which you can read more about on page 6.

You could also look for jobs in the university working as a student advocate or in a role with the Liverpool Students’ Union (Liverpool SU), or find opportunities through recruitment agencies or businesses in and around the city: look online, on social media and in shop/restaurant windows. Remember, some visas have employment restrictions and not all types of employment are allowed so please check this carefully. For further information about looking for part-time work, download a copy of our part-time work mini-guide from our website at https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/ careers/123871.htm.

In addition to work and volunteering, you could also consider taking part in groups, sports and societies, which can provide a really rewarding experience and will help you meet new people and develop new skills. Holding a position of responsibility in one of these groups, such as treasurer or captain, would look particularly good on your CV. LiverpoolSU runs various groups and societies such as the World Travel Society, the Business and Finance Society, The Islamic Society, the Looprevil Press, and the Feminist Society, amongst others, so make sure you take a look at their website to find out more: http://www.liverpoolsu.com/clubsandsocs.

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Careers Support for International Students

GRADUATE JOBS IN THE UK You can discuss your career options and applying for jobs in the UK with our advisers. Commercial awareness and having a good understanding of your industry will benefit you when applying for jobs in the UK so gaining relevant work experience, attending networking events, and coming along to employer talks and careers fairs whilst you are a student will help with this. Think about the additional skills, such as languages and an understanding of overseas markets, you have as an international candidate and can highlight to potential employers. Our advisers can help you demonstrate in your applications that you have the relevant skills and experience required for the post.

If you are interested in working in the UK after you graduate you will need to have a good understanding of the visa options available to you and the conditions attached to these. For instance, for a Tier 2 visa the minimum salary requirement is £20,800. We can offer basic advice but we are not legally trained to give in-depth advice so you should contact Caroline O’Rourke, the International Welfare Adviser in the Student Advice and Wellbeing Team, on 0151 231 3673 or email nternationaladvice@ljmu.ac.uk for further support.

You should also keep an eye out for talks from an immigration solicitor or contact the UK Council for International Affairs (UKCISA) if you need further advice. You can find out about work visa for the UK here: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/ work-visas.

RETURNING TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY TO WORK If you want to return home after graduation you should keep up to date with the labour market and the industry you want to work in whilst you are in the UK and plan early on if you want to set up a position for after graduation. Think about how you can market your UK qualification to employers back home and speak to our advisers for guidance on how to highlight the skills and experience you have gained through your time studying at LJMU. To help you research employment industry information and find out about useful recruitment websites, the GoinGlobal website should act as a useful starting point. Speak to the Student Information Officers in the Careers Zones to find out how to access this. www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/international

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LJMU and your career

NAME: Liudmila Manina PROGRAMME: MSc Digital Marketing

ORGANISATION: Kitsune Studio Ltd JOB TITLE: Digital Marketer

Liudmila Manina from Russia completed an MSc in Digital Marketing and worked part-time in a marketing role with Kitsune Studio Ltd, a web design studio in Liverpool.

Why did you decide to apply for part-time work?

I decided to start looking for a part-time job related to my field of studies to gain some work experience as well gaining some additional income. I wanted to work along-side my studies as I seemed to have enough time for 2-3 days of work.

What did the selection process involve and how did you prepare beforehand?

During a 2-3 month period I sent off about 50 CVs applying for different vacancies. Only about 20% of my applications were replied to. For 3 or 4 vacancies I was asked for an interview but was not successful. Then I learned about marketing networking events in Merseyside and decided to go there. At the first marketing networking event in my life I met my future manager.

He gave me his business card, I found him on LinkedIn, and he invited me for an interview. After the interview he emailed me an official job offer.

What support and help did you access from the Careers Team?

I booked an appointment at the Careers Zone at the Aldham Robarts Library where Jenny Hammond, one of the Employability Advisers, recommended several improvements to my CV and new opportunities I should consider. One of them was going to local networking events, and I was surprised by how many of them are in Liverpool for business and digital marketing professionals. I met my future manager at the very

first event I went to. The Employability Adviser has kept in touch for a long time after the appointment to help me with my LinkedIn account and my formal interview with the manager later. Overall, the recommendations from staff in the Careers Zones were close to real businesses’ expectations, which was extremely helpful for me personally.

What relevant work experience / skills did you use during the selection process?

By that time, I already had around two years of work experience in marketing. However, I had gained this experience back in Russia, which is why I wanted to update my experience in the UK. I also had some volunteering experience at my previous university.

What particularly helped you during the job search process?

Everything mentioned above plus my networking skills. Also, my ability to listen carefully and give a full and engaging answer to the question helped me a lot in the interview.

What advice would you give to other international students to improve their employability?

Networking does matter in today’s world. Finding people of the same mind and in the same field through university projects, online social networks, offline networking events, etc. might help you a lot when looking for your future employer.

Search for graduate jobs, placements, internships, part time jobs and voluntary roles

MyJobs&Placements http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk

LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 || careers@ljmu.ac.uk

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/international

LJMUCareers

Careers Support for International Students

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LJMU and your career

Internship Programme According to a 2016 survey of large employers (carried out by High Fliers Research), more than half of employers taking part in the research warned that graduates who have had no previous work experience are unlikely to be successful during the selection process. The report also said that nearly a third of their graduate level vacancies would be filled by graduates who had already completed an internship or placement with them.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SECURE AN INTERNSHIP? Put yourself in an employer’s position. They will receive a large number of applications for each graduate vacancy; regardless of how well your application might be written, if you have no work experience, and no employment references and another candidate does, the employer is more likely to shortlist the person who has ‘proof’ of their abilities in the workplace.

Therefore, it is important to get hands-on experience in possible future job roles. This helps to build up your CV and provides examples to use in applications and at interview. You can also use it as a fact-finding exercise to make sure it is a future career you want, and it gives you experience of a professional working environment which improves your organisational and commercial awareness. Work experience looks great on your CV when applying to jobs in the UK, and UK based-work experience will look good in addition to your UK qualification, when applying for jobs back home or in another country.

On top of these benefits it will give you opportunities for networking and provide information about job opportunities and employers’ recruitment methods. It is also a great way to make contacts, build confidence and develop a range of skills that, even if not entirely related to your future graduate role, show that you are a motivated person who wants to develop. A number of international students have completed our internships and really valued the experience these gave them.

LJMU FUNDED INTERNSHIPS Funded internships are available to level 5 and level 6 students not undertaking compulsory work-based learning. The internships last 20 days and will be with a local employer in a range of disciplines.

These are either one day per week commencing 1st of each

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Careers Support for International Students

month until mid-March OR 20 consecutive days commencing in May. Undergraduates will receive a living wage of £1346 (may change due to pay awards). Internships are advertised via LJMU’s ‘My Jobs & Placements’ website.

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I applied for the LJMU-funded internship because I knew I needed more experience on my CV to add to the knowledge I have gained from my time in university. Having experience makes you stand out. Work experience helps overall employability as it shows you are driven and have motivation to work within a certain role. It also shows that you show initiative to find a role and go through the application process yourself, without having a job handed to you. I know that I am not doing a year in industry so I am hoping that this internship, along with another internship I have completed, will give me an edge in job interviews. The internship programme is wonderful and it’s great that LJMU is doing all it can to help its students.

Constance Hill, Business and Public Relations

Placement/Employability Learning Support Units Each school at LJMU has a Placement Learning Support Unit or Employability Support Unit to help students find year-long sandwich placements (which are part of your course), shorter term placements and voluntary roles. Staff in these units can also help you to develop your graduate skills and help with CVs for placements.

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/international

LJMU and your career

Get involved in

university life ...

Sin Ying Tan from Malaysia has really made the most of her time at LJMU and had taken on a number of different opportunities whilst studying for an MSc in Digital Marketing, including: ■■ Working in LJMU’s International Recruitment Department as a Student Advocate.

■■ Working as an International Experience Rep in Liverpool Student Union.

■■ Working part-time job with Sollertia (an outsourced accountancy company in St Helens) managing their social media accounts which is related to the digital marketing course

Raziyeh Amiri Baghbadorani is from Kuwait and has just completed her BSc (Hons) in Community Nutrition.

Outside her studies, she has been very active in a number of clubs and societies and contributed to numerous projects.

What extracurricular activities have you been involved in during your undergraduate studies at LJMU? ■■ Placement at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital to participate in a research project ■■ Voluntary involvement in university lecturer’s research project: completing literature review ■■ Contributing to international student focus group at LJMU to provide feedback on international recruitment strategy and communication with current international students ■■ Student Advocate at LJMU open days ■■ Involvement in student societies through Liverpool Student Union: International Society and Islamic Society How did you benefit from these experiences?

■■ Built up additional research experience which has been useful to discuss in applications for postgraduate study ■■ Met students from other degree programmes at LJMU and made friends from outside my own course, helping me feel more at home in Liverpool ■■ Strengthened confidence and communication skills ■■ Discussed experience as an international student with others, helping new international students adapt to living and studying in Liverpool

Looking for greater insight about career options related to your degree?

Download our course-specific Career Insights from:

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/international

Careers Support for International Students

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LJMU and your career

Careers Resources At LJMU you will have a range of careers resources available to you that will help with all aspects of looking for, finding and securing placements, internships, part-time work and graduate level employment, whether in the UK or elsewhere in the world. Some of our key resources include:

SCHOOL-SPECIFIC CAREER PLANNING GUIDES

CAREER INSIGHTS A career insight guide is available for every programme at LJMU and offers greater detail and career options available to students on that programme.

CAREER MINI GUIDES These handy guides offer advice on subjects including CVs and applications, interviews, graduate schemes, planning your career, postgraduate study, work experience and more.

SEARCHING FOR JOBS, PLACEMENTS AND INTERNSHIPS Every school in LJMU has a bespoke career planning guide.

The guides are produced every year and feature articles on all aspects of careers including careers options with your degree or postgraduate qualifications, how to make the most of your time at university, finding graduate level jobs, placements and internships, careers events and networking, CVs and covering letters, application forms, interviews, psychometric tests and assessment centres.

CAREERS WEBSITE The Careers website is the focal point for careers information, news and guidance, and includes a designated page for international students containing lots of useful web-links and resources. From the site you can access all of our services including:

Students have access to LJMU’s MyJobs&Placements website which features part-time jobs, placements, internships and voluntary work both in the UK and abroad. Over 5000 employers are signed up and using the website to advertise their vacancies, ranging from multinationals to small employers, from not-forprofit organisations to public sector jobs. Our new Careers Zone 24/7 online platform also includes a job search, which allows you to research job opportunities in over 50 countries, so make sure you sign up via the Careers website on: https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS You can keep up to date with everything careers-related, including which employers are visiting LJMU and careers sessions taking place on campus, via our social media channels.

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Viewing or downloading copies of our Career Planning Guide Viewing or downloading copies of Career Insights Viewing or downloading our Career Planning Mini-Guides Registering for our Careers Zone 24/7 online platform Booking onto a workshop or webinar Finding out about upcoming careers events Accessing our news page with job opportunities, sector news and competitions Accessing our video content Accessing our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Careers Support for International Students

CMYK / .ai

Facebook “f ” Logo

CMYK / .ai

facebook.com/

LJMUCareers

twitter.com/

LJMUCareers

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/international

LJMU and your career

Workshops & Webinars SPECIALIST WORKSHOPS Each year we run a series of specialist workshops for students that fall outside of the regular year-round careers and employability workshops (see below). In the last academic year for instance we ran workshops about graduate schemes, gaining work experience, and applying to graduate courses in dentistry and medicine.

CAREERS WORKSHOPS We run a regular programme of careers and employability workshops throughout the academic year, which give international students a great introduction to recruitment processes and applying for jobs in the UK: ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

CV and Application Form Essentials Preparing for Interviews Creative Job Hunting and Networking Psychometric Testing Practice Session Assessment Centres Presentation Skills Introduction to Linkedin - the ‘Facebook’ for Professionals

CAREERS WEBINARS (ONLINE CLASSROOMS) The Careers Team runs a series of short, punchy 40-minute Career Essentials webinars, giving students the chance to access careers support from the comfort of their own home, the library or anywhere in the world.

The webinars are particularly useful for international students who spend vacations in their home countries, for mature students with family commitments, and for disabled students for whom mobility is an issue.

All you need is an audio enabled PC or laptop with Java installed.

You can also watch the webinars via a mobile device by downloading the Blackboard Collaborate App. ■■ Finding Hidden Jobs ■■ Effective Applications ■■ Introduction to LinkedIn - the ‘Facebook’ for

Professionals

■■ Winning CVs ■■ Interview Success ■■ Managing Your Online Presence

Visa Workshops The Student Advice team run weekly Tier 4 (General) Extension Workshops to help international students who need to extend their student visa in the UK. We strongly advise any students who need to extend their visa to come along to the session. The application process is now completed online. Before coming to a workshop students MUST register their details with the UKBA:

https://apply.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/iapply.portal

To book a place on a workshop, webinar or employer event go to our Events System at:

https://worldofwork.ljmu.ac.uk/events www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/international

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LJMU and your career

Searching for jobs outside of the UK GOINGLOBAL DATABASE All LJMU students can access the GoinGlobal Database to access detailed information about living, working and searching for jobs in a host of countries around the world. The database is an ideal tool for international students looking for jobs or internships in their home countries, or elsewhere outside the UK. It features:

■■ 38 country career guides ■■ 53 city career guides for the United States and Canada ■■ More than 16 million internship and job listings within the USA and around the world Country career guides include India, UAE, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, China and Vietnam. Each guide is written and updated by local experts, providing you with up to date information that can be difficult to find elsewhere.

To access the database (from an LJMU networked computer) go to: online.goinglobal.com/default.aspx

STARTING YOUR CAREER IN - COUNTRY GUIDES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) produces a series of country guides that offer practical advice to international students who have chosen to return to their home country to look for work.

Each country guide includes key facts about current trends and jobs, advice about seeking employment, hints and tips for making a successful application, and helpful information sources.

There are profiles for Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and the USA.

The series was produced with funding from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the devolved administrations under the Prime Minister’s Initiative for International Education.

To download the guides go to: www.agcas.org.uk/agcas_resources/132-Starting-Your-Career-In-CountryGuides-for-International-Students

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Careers Support for International Students

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/international

Graduates First

LJMU and your career

INTERVIEW, PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS AND ASSESSMENT CENTRE PRACTICE PORTAL

Tests and reports developed by Chartered Psychologists and Psychometric Consultants to help you navigate employer screening tests FEATURES INCLUDE:

❚ Numerical, verbal and logical tests ❚ Employer tests ❚ Assessment centres ❚ Interviews ❚ job advice and tools ❚ Progress monitor ❚ Expert feedback reports TO ACCESS GRADUATES FIRST GO TO 'CAREERS ZONE 24/7' ON THE LJMU CAREERS WEBSITE:

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 || careers@ljmu.ac.uk

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/international

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Looking for out of hours careers support?

Access our suite of online careers tools at any time, from anywhere ...

CAREERS ZONE

24/7

CV builder Interview simulator Job search websites Careers Newsroom Psychometric testing and assessment centre practice portal ❙ GoinGlobal international jobs database ❙ ❙ ❙ ❙ ❙

Access Careers Zone 24/7 from the Careers website:

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers LJMU CAREERS WORLD OF WORK CAREERSTEAM CENTRE 0151 231 2048/3719 ❚ careers@ljmu.ac.uk || worldofwork@ljmu.ac.uk 0151 231 2048/3719

www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers www2.ljmu.ac.uk/worldofwork