Being part of the job market is the first step to building your career plan. Given the profound impact of the global pandemic, the job market is changing at an ever-faster pace. Especially for international graduates, understanding the UK’s job market will help you become more employable. Here are some tips that the BU Career team has given me to prepare for my future job.

The importance of market research

A report from ManpowerGroup surveying 39,000 employers across 40 countries found that employers in the UK report outlooks of 32% in Q1 2022, up 2% since last quarter with strongest expectations in London and most optimistic outlooks in IT, Technology, Telecoms, Communications & Media.

Understanding the trends and demand for talent in the job market will help graduates set up their career paths and develop skills needed for their future job. A few months before graduation, it is high time for me to find information and look for new work opportunities. Even though I have had three years of working experience in the marketing and communications field, most of them were from Vietnam – my home country; little do I know what to expect when entering the UK job market. By attending the BU Career team workshop on understanding the UK job market, I have gained essential knowledge of where to find information, the current trends, and where to seek support.

Different ways of gaining experience

As a student, there are a number of ways to you to gain experience to define your area of interest, challenge yourself in a new area, and build a network. If you already have experience from your home country like me and plan to find a job in the UK in the future, it is always good to gain experience within a different culture. Applying for part-time jobs while studying is a valuable experience to develop transferable skills. Volunteering and extra-curricular activities are also great ways to gain experience. Moreover, actively seeking internships and placements will broaden your chances of building your CV while studying.

Bournemouth University offers lots of resources for you to find work opportunities and gain practical experience. For example, in summer 2021, I was successfully applied for a virtual internship with Think Pacific with funding and support from the university. With this experience, I challenged myself in a new area in marketing and communications, which I had never worked in before. It is a golden chance to connect with liked-mind people with similar interests in sustainable marketing. You can read more about my virtual internship experience here.

Make the most of LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a powerful platform to build your CV, reach out to people working in the industry and find job opportunities. By reading industry news and looking at the type of work in the companies I am interested in, I am keeping myself up to date with the latest information. Moreover, LinkedIn provides a great space to connect with professionals you want to work with or motivate you. It is easy to find Bournemouth University’s alumni on LinkedIn and see their career growth. If you want to build your profile and share your achievements while studying or working, LinkedIn is also a great tool to invest in before applying for jobs in the UK.

If you are at the first steps of entering the job market and want to find support, you can always reach out to the BU Career team or look for information on MyCareerHub. These are great resources that help me grow many essential skills while studying at Bournemouth University.

For those looking for jobs or opportunities to gain working experience, I wish you good luck and great success in your upcoming journeys.