Getting a job in the middle of a recession is hard for any new graduate, and international students have another hurdle in the UK – they need to persuade an employer to sponsor a work visa.

So it was really heartening to hear an excellent case study earlier today.  An international student, interested in the Investment Industry, scoured the attendee lists of related conferences to find Companies that she hadn’t heard of before.  Then she researched the Companies and shortlisted ones that were interested in investing in her home region, safe in the knowledge that her language skills and cultural awareness would be valued by these companies.

She then set about networking with members of these companies, securing meetings with various people, and eventually was asked for a formal interview.  She’s now accepted a role based in the City, complete with work visa sponsorship.

This method of job hunting doesn’t just apply to international job seekers – it applies to all, and whilst it might seem long winded, it is a proven method of success because the process demonstrates all those skills that employers are looking for – communication, commercial awareness, influencing, determination, research, analysis, relationship building, and so on.

If you need some help getting started then contact me or Martyn – our details are on icmacentre.ac.uk.