Careers & Employability Centre

Top Tips for Global Job Search

Jane Wilders

Career Development adviser

Issues to think about

• Why do I want to work abroad?

• What are the pros and cons?

• Where can I go?

• How can I find employers and

vacancies?

• What timescale do I need to be

working to?

• How can I find out about the

labour markets in different

countries?

Do I want to work in my own or another country?

How do I find out about opportunities in other countries?Start with www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/careerchoices/international.This is a rich resource to get you started.

Also, you may find the Graduate Prospects’ Country Profiles very useful. www.prospects.ac.uk/working_abroad.htmThere are 50 country profiles available. www.prospects.ac.uk/country_profiles.htm

How are graduates recruited?

• Some organisations recruit internationally e.g international banks/accountancy firms/management consultancies/fmcg/retail/energy/telecoms/engineering/IT• Others locally• Advertised vacancies – websites, newspapers, specialist publications and graduate schemes• Recruitment agencies• Internships or work experience• Non advertised vacancies – eg word of mouth, previous employer or contact, speculative approach• CVs/application forms

Networking

Networking- what is it?Making contacts to help you find out more about acareer, to set up work experience, to prepare for applications and interviews – all of which might eventually lead to a job

Contacts can be friends, family, tutors, professional bodies, names on websites or job ads….

Talking to contacts can help you understand the nature of the work, what kind of experience and qualifications you need to build, find out about job opportunities, tips on entry

Sources of Information about international career opportunities

Specialist website vacancy sections and major graduate recruitment websites to find out about best vacancy sources for international jobs:

www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/careerchoices/international

International Job Search facilities and reference books: www.international-job-search.com/www.overseasjobs.com

Examples of useful books – see the Work and Study Abroad Section:

Sources of information about international career opportunities ctd

University of London International Job-line:

www.careers.lon.ac.uk/ijo

Graduate Job-search Online - University of Strathclyde - search by region

or country- links to regional websites

www.strath.ac.uk/careers/graduatejobsearch/country/

Specialist recruitment websites/agencies

Global Career Company – international recruitment consultancy specialising in Africa, Asia , Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe: recruitment eventshttp://www.globalcareercompany.com

Career Forum site for Japanese - English Bilingualswww.careerforum.net

Iron Rice Bowl – grad jobsearch website for East Asian graduates who have studied in the UK and seeking career in East Asiawww.ironricebowl.com

Europe

Eures - information about jobs throughout Europe

http://ec.europa.eu/eures/home.jsp?lang=en

Employer specialist programmes for international students and graduates

• International graduate schemeswww.liv.ac.uk/careers/international/after_studies/international_schemes.htm

• Unileverwww.unilever.co.uk/careers/carreerschoices/marketing/chinaprogramme/index.aspx

• HSBC www.hsbc.com/1/2/student-careers/international-programmes

• Tescowww.tesco-graduates.com/home/programmes/international-graduates/china-programme

• Deloitte China Taxhttp://careers.deloitte.com/students_internships.aspx?CountryContentID=13767

• KPMG Audit for Chinese nationalswww.kpmgcareers.co.uk/Graduates/Careeropportunities--Audit--ChineseNational_(273).aspx?pg=273

Top Tips: job search summary

1. Do your research thoroughly into companies and target carefully;

establish a job-search strategy and include specialist recruitment

agencies

2. Be creative in your job-search: use speculative approaches

3. Check with Graduate Recruitment Manager whether policy includes

recruiting international graduates first….(saves time!)

4. Don’t just consider graduate recruitment schemes – e.g. look at

small & medium companies who are innovative – they may be the big

players of tomorrow!

5. Apply for fixed-term contracts (e.g. for 1 year)

6. Ensure high standard of application (AF/CV, covering letter)

7. Get some interview skills practice and get experience of taking

aptitude tests

Top Tips: job search summaryCareers and Employability can help

Reviewing You

• CV, covering letter and application

• Your Skill-set review

• Career focus and direction

Reviewing your Job-search strategy

• creative job-search

• where to look for jobs

• international company search tools

• specialist recruitment agencies

Help from Careers and Employability

•Short interview with a Careers Adviser - discuss your career plans 10-4

Mon-Fri plus 5-7 on a Weds (Turn up on the day or pre-book)

•Briefing sessions - Applications forms, CVs,

Skills, Finding Work

•Events - we have a comprehensive events

programme

•CV and Application Feedback, interview

preparation

•Sussex Plus – www.sussex.ac.uk/sussexplus

www.sussex.ac.uk/careers

How are you going to start your global job search?

Spend the next ten minutes talking amongst

yourselves about this. Write your action points

down on the action plan sheet.