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The top 5 post-graduation tips for international students

 

These past few weeks, our social media platforms have been swamped with photos of students across the UK who have graduated from their final year of university. Congratulations to all of you who have graduated this year! Some of you may have found jobs either in the UK or in your home country, and some will still be searching. Now you’re a fully-fledged graduate we’ve got some advice that should help you navigate your first few months post-graduation and help you feel less daunted by the prospect of life after university.

Add to your experience

Whether you’ve secured a graduate role or not, try to use the time until you start working to add to your skill set. If you’re currently looking for a role, finding something short term could give you extra skills that can be used as examples in upcoming interviews. Is there a volunteering role you could apply for that would give you experience in teamwork, leadership or time management? These soft skills are often learned in the workplace so getting a head start to impress employers could help you chase off the competition.

Round up your reviews

While looking for a job, try to think about who will be confirming your skills and ability to a prospective employer. When making applications, make sure you speak to your named referees to ask permission to include their details.  That way, they’ll be expecting the call or email and can respond positively on your behalf. It’s also a good time to think about who could provide you with recommendations on your LinkedIn account. By asking your university tutors for these just after graduation ensures they are more likely to remember you and your abilities, guaranteeing a more personal and accurate endorsement.

Review your social media accounts

Whether we like it or not, social media makes us visible to a wide audience…including employers. Pretend you’re a potential employer and look at what you post about, and the visual content. If you comment on contentious issues or post photos that may not be business appropriate, then it might be time to re-think your sharing. Having a clear out can be quite cathartic, but if you’d rather not delete items, look at your privacy settings and make sure you restrict who can see your profiles.

Stay positive when the going gets tough

Job hunting can be a thankless task…until it pays off with a graduate role. Try to keep this in mind when trying to find a job. Write down what the options are in your possible career so that you can see a visible image of your choices. Although you may want one job in particular, by acknowledging other choices, you will be putting yourself under less pressure. Start by making a list of roles in two countries you would like to work in. This will help you to realise that there are always options if you’re struggling to find something in your first-choice country.

Find the resources that will help you succeed

Being an international student will mean that your focus might be slightly different to a home student or graduate. When discovering what your post-graduation life will look like, try to find websites and recruiters that can support your particular needs. Here at GradLink, we focus on employability for international students so you can visit one site for information from careers advice to a global jobs board or a CV writing tool. For more benefits of our free service, register today for the latest international roles and news.