Part time work for internation students and what is a National Insurance number?

If you’re looking to earn some extra cash while studying there are a few things that you should know.

The first thing to check is your visa status and how many hours a week you are allowed to work.

If you re from the European Union then you may work as many hours as you like, although this should be cautioned as you still have a degree to pass! If you’re here as a non EU student on the standard tier 4 visa than the usual rules are that you can work up to 20 hours per week during term time and unlimited in the holidays. Many employers will not be aware of the rules so you may have to gently educate them. To find out you’re exact status, look in your passport, or talk to UCL Rights and advice.

Once you know how long you can work you need one other bit of legal information. A national insurance number. Now, you can start work without one but you will need to get this sorted fairly quickly. A national insurance number allows you to work in the UK and makes sure you pay tax on your earning above the threshold of £146 per week. Anything you earn above this threshold will be taxed at 12%.

• 12% on your weekly earnings between £146 and £817
• an extra 2% on any earnings over £817

For more info go to the HMRC website (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs)

Now you are ready to find work it’s good to know where to look. The first go to place should be UCL Jobonline. This is where all the employers that like UCL students will place their adverts. You can search for part time/full time work and internships as well as graduate positions for when you finish your studies. There are roughly a 1000 new posting a month.

The next place to look is the UCL union Job shop. It has mainly part time roles and most jobs are fairly local to UCL.

Other sites include

1. UCL Careers website job resources
2. http://www.e4s.co.uk/
3. If looking for positions in different countries ie. Not in the UK, then check out Going Global ( you will need your UCL ID and Password to sign in)

When you have found a job you want to apply for, you will often have to provide a CV (resume) and cover letter (Introduction letter) to be able to apply for the role. On the link below are some help sheets to show you how to put them together.

http://www.careerstagged.co.uk/resources/helpsheets~applications/all/popular/1

When you have a draft, come into the careers service and have it checked over by an adviser. We run 15 minute one to one sessions Monday-Thursday that you can book in the morning for later on that same day. There are no advanced bookings. For full instruction on how to book see the link below.

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/students/advice

Don’t forget to bring the job advert you are applying for as it’s really important that your documents are tailored to the opportunity.

Similarly if you are invited for an interview, we can run a practice interview with you and make sure you are on peak performance on the day.

Happy job hunting and if your not sure where to look or how to apply and impress, come in and see us for a short guidance appointment. Click on the link above for detail on how to book.

Good luck!

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International Students : October 2012 Events

UCL Careers Service aims to support international students throughout the entire career management process, from understanding the UK graduate labour market to writing CV’s, interviewing and beyond. 

With the Autumn term having started, we offer a series of careers events specifically designed to address the needs of international students considering work or post-graduate study in the UK and overseas.

To book onto any of these sessions, please log in to your My Careers Service account.

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Monday 1^st October 2012, 1-2pm

De-mystifying the UK Job Market

An introduction to finding a job in the UK through a variety of different routes.  We will look at how to find job openings including graduate training schemes, examine other strategic approaches to job-hunting and look at cultural differences in the recruitment process.  We will also provide a term-by-term ‘job-success’ planner so you won’t miss important application deadlines.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the UK job market including the different ways for graduates to access it.
• Provide information on current market using data from previous UCL graduates and an employer’s perspective.
• Form a strategic approach to job hunting in the UK using different approaches such as networking, online tools and speculative applications
• Understand the recruitment cycle in the UK.

 —–

Monday 8^th October 2012, 1-2pm

Working while you study and CV’s for part-time work

This one hour talk offers advice on how to combine earning money with effective studying, the legal requirements for working in the UK, information about the range of jobs that you might be able to do and where to look for part-time jobs.  We’ll then look at how a CV for part-time work should be structured.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the importance of having UK work experience on a CV for finding post study work in a global job market.
• Outline and signpost legal requirements for working part time while studying, including visa and tax issues.
• Explore different types of part-time work in the UK and sources to find jobs.
• Develop an awareness of the structure and content of typical UK CV’s, for part-time work and how to translate previous experiences to a style that future employers will understand.

 —–

Monday 8^th October 2012, 5-6pm

Effective Job Applications

This seminar gives advice on how to effectively communicate your relevant skills to employers and provides key strategies to better stand out through the entire UK application process.  Discover how to build a sound argument that you have what the employer is looking for and learn how best to communicate that argument in your job applications

Learning Outcomes:

• Gain insight into UK employers or educational institution’s perspective and an overview of the application process.
• Understand how best to structure a UK CV and covering letter, and its key components
• Consider how best to explain your experiences in a way UK employers will understand their value and see how they match their job descriptions.
• Understand how best to answer competency (or other) questions on an application form and complete a personal statement.

 —–

Tuesday 9^th October 2012, 1-2pm

Employer presentation – working in China for Mars

This session is presented by Mars representatives to help Chinese students understand the opportunities open to them within the large international organisation of Mars.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the graduate programmes available from Mars
• Gain insights into working for a large multi-national company in China both as a graduate and beyond
• Learn how the Mars recruitment programme works, including tips on completing the application forms and the assessment centre
• Hear real life accounts of working for Mars from a recent graduate

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Monday 15^th October 2012 1-2pm

Writing a UK CV

How can you make sure that your CV impresses an employer?  If you’re applying for jobs in the UK, an excellent CV is critical to your success.  This seminar gives advice on putting together an effective CV and formatting a powerful cover letter for the competitive UK market.  We will give you an insight into what UK employers are looking for, and point out common CV-writing mistakes.

Learning outcomes:

• Develop an awareness of the structure and content of typical UK CV’s, cover / motivation letters and application forms.
• Understand how to translate skills, experience and personal qualities gained through academic and other experiences to a recruiter.
• Explore techniques used in UK application processes, including reading job advertisements, analysing CV’s and tailor CV’s to specific recruiters.
• Articulate positively and convincingly your reasons for applying for specific jobs based in the UK.

 ——

Monday 22^nd October 2012 5-6pm

De-mystifying the UK Job Market

An introduction to finding a job in the UK through a variety of different routes.  We will look at how to find job openings including graduate training schemes, examine other strategic approaches to job-hunting and look at cultural differences in the recruitment process.  We will also provide a term-by-term ‘job-success’ planner so you won’t miss important application deadlines.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the UK job market including the different ways for graduates to access it.
• Provide information on current market using data from previous UCL graduates and an employer’s perspective.
• Form a strategic approach to job hunting in the UK using different approaches such as networking, online tools and speculative applications
• Understand the recruitment cycle in the UK.

 —–

Monday 29^th October 2012 1-2pm

Effective Job Applications

This seminar gives advice on how to effectively communicate your relevant skills to employers and provides key strategies to better stand out through the entire UK application process.  Discover how to build a sound argument that you have what the employer is looking for and learn how best to communicate that argument in your job applications

Learning Outcomes:

• Gain insight into UK employers or educational institution’s perspective and an overview of the application process.
• Understand how best to structure a UK CV and covering letter, and its key components
• Consider how best to explain your experiences in a way UK employers will understand their value and see how they match their job descriptions.
• Understand how best to answer competency (or other) questions on an application form and complete a personal statement.

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For further information please visit: http://bit.ly/SrBODx

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Should you disclose your nationality on your CV?

Lately I have seen a number of International Students who have asked me the same question, “should I put my nationality on my CV?” and “will this affect how employers view my application?”

My view is to be upfront about this… Remember an employer will read your CV and may well work out you are from overseas by simply looking at your previous education.

So if you are from outside the UK, be clear about your nationality on your CV whilst clarifying how this impacts your eligibility to work in the UK. For example, if applying for a part-time job whilst studying put something like:
Nationality: Indian, eligible to work part-time in the UK for up to X hours.

(Make sure you know the current position by always keeping up to date with information on the UK Borders website)

If you are looking for work in the UK after you have finished your studies, try something like
Nationality: Indian, Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) Migrant, eligible to work in the UK for 2 years.

Again there are excellent guidance notes from UKCISA

For specific question relating to your right to work in the UK contact UCL Rights and Advice.

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Links from Visa Options Post Study talk

Thanks to all of you that took time out during this busy time to come along to the post study options visa talk today.  Here are some of the links that were mentioned:

The UK Boarder Agency’s list of employers that are licensed to employ migrant workers or sponsor migrant students (The Register of sponsors)  http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/points/sponsoringmigrants/registerofsponsors/

Information for contacting UCL Rights and Advice who can give you one-to-one support: http://www.uclunion.org/get-advice/- if you click on Immigration you can download a help sheet which covers much of the advice given in todays talk

The UK Boarder agency website to download all your forms: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/

A website that wasn’t mentioned but is very helpful is the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA):  http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/

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Dress Sense?

I was giving a talk to a group of international students recently when the topic of what to wear at an interview came up. We spent quite a bit of time talking about it because nowadays it is not always clear how to dress. The default dress code has traditionally been a business suit but even that may not be appropriate in today’s diverse workplace.

There are many contradictions in British dress. Children are still sent to school in, sometimes eccentric, uniforms and there is still a good trade in clothing for City gentlemen. And yet many people work in jeans and t-shirts, casual jackets and converse trainers. Ironically, women may find the maze of clothing etiquette easier to navigate than male candidates.So I have asked colleagues and professionals for their thoughts.

You can never go wrong wearing a smart black suit?

“I applied for a creative job  for a well know publishing company in central London.  I was unsure of what to wear to this interview and discussed this with my sister who also worked in the creative industry.  She said that “you can never go wrong wearing a smart black suit”!  The interview went well but  it wasn’t until the very last moment that I was aware the interviewer was looking at my clothes from top to bottom.  I realised that the clothes I had chosen to wear didn’t match the role or culture of the organisation.”

Better overdress than under-dress?

“I worked in finance with a large multinational IT company. The training HR gave managers when recruiting emphasised the need for them to ‘fit’ the corporate image. If you wore a suit to interview, it could go against you because the image was smart-casual.”

So no suits then?

“I never trust “dress casual” – I think they are testing you to see if you have the nous to dress Business Casual. And what exactly is Business Casual anyway?”

You can see how I ended up talking with the students about this.  It is not easy for UK nationals to navigate their way, and that much harder when you come from countries with different work cultures. One student had been invited to interview at an investment bank with the instruction to “dress casual”. For men this sort of “casual” is typically a suit with open-neck shirt and no tie.

We are told of the need to appear to “fit in”. That is, when you go to an interview you should look as though you already belong to that organisation. But where do you draw the line? Many IT professionals wear shorts, jeans and t-shirts but would that be acceptable for an interviewee?

“I used to work in a ‘trendy’ publishing outfit where flip-flops and shorts were encouraged but would have been horrified if anyone had turned up to interview dressed like that.”

So what is acceptable?

The idea that a business suit should be the default interview attire is probably correct for certain professions and industries.  But part of demonstrating your interest in working in a particular sector, let alone company and role, is through your clothing and willingness to adapt your style to them.

Always dress to impress. But that impression needs to be tailored to the industry. There may be a culture of wearing jeans and open-neck shirts but certain branded clothes may have a higher status in those environments. Women should think about avoiding bright colours and patterns which can be distracting to the interviewer!

“I got a job at one new media agency through the chunky ART orange trainers I was wearing. My credibility at the NY office was down to my Vans.  Never underestimate the power of well-chosen branded footwear.”

“Quite a lot of places I go to are in the Arts crowd – the male uniform is clean good condition jeans, very expensive shoes, smart jacket and either a plain black or white t shirt or open necked shirt.”

So the advice is to do your homework.  Ask people working in the industry what they would consider appropriate. Perhaps take the company’s culture to another level – if they wear jeans and t-shirts, top notch jeans, blouse or shirt and an informal jacket may demonstrate your seriousness about the position. For other organisations with a smart-casual dress code, think about chinos and neutral shirts for men and tailored tops or blouses with smart trousers and skirts for women.

And finally

“Girls should never ever wear uncomfortable shoes – finding interview rooms always involves a lot of walking, often across car parks/unfamiliar city centres/around confusing buildings, and limping is not a good look.”

Blog courtesy of International Futures

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Reading week CV workshop

Reading week is the perfect time to get your CV up to date and to help you with this, we’re running a CV work to help you design a CV fit for the UK market.

This seminar gives advice on putting together an effective CV and formatting a powerful cover letter for the competitive UK market. We will give you an insight into what UK employers are looking for, and point out common CV-writing mistakes.

Join us at 5pm on Tuesday 9th of November in the Christopher Ingold Auditorium.  Don’t forget to register in advance at the UCL careers service website.

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De-mystifying the UK Job Market re-run

For those of you that missed last weeks presentation on de-mystifying the UK the job market, we’re running it again!

Join us tomorrow in the Christopher Ingold Auditorium at 5pm to explore what the reality’s are of working here after your degree.  Sign up at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/events/international/index.htm or just come along.

While you’re there, why not sign up to attend the CV talk taking place next Tuesday evening as well!

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Why do part-time work?

How can part-time work help you in your career search after university?  There are a number of ways:

• Get English work experience for your CV: this is valuable primarily if you are going to seek work in the UK after graduating rather than returning home.  In some other countries, part-time work isn’t valued as if it doesn’t relate to the industry you are trying to get work in, however in the UK employers do value it.

• Get soft-skills examples for application forms and interviews.  At the application stage you will be expected to give example of times when you have used skills like teamwork, interpersonal skills, leadership etc.  These are skills you will have often used in your part-time work, so it can provide examples for you.

• Improve your English: whether you are planning to try and get UK work or to return home, a high standard of English is invaluable.

• Gain cross cultural understanding: part-time work will give you the chance to mix with people outside of your course who may have a different age and background to yourself or your peers at uni.

• Gain useful contacts for your job hunt: the people around you in your part-time work may know people who work in the industry you want to get into. You could ask to be put in touch with them to find out some more about job roles in the industry, how to get into it and any other useful information.

• Understand the professional work environment in the UK: in every country the work environment differs.  It will help you at interview for a full-time job if you know how to interact with employers and how you will be expected to behave in the work-place.

Content supplied from International Futures website written by Abi Sharma.

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Welcome to UCL everyone!

I hope everyone is settling in nicely to the new academic year, weather your returning or new to our campus.

We had a great turn out for our first workshop from our international programme last night, aimed at careers planning for masters students and for those of you who didn’t get to attend, the slides will be posted through the careers service shortly.

On Tuesday I’ll be running a session on ‘Working while you Study’ which will cover a range of things from job hunting, typical part time jobs, how to present your work experience, and how to do up a part-time work CV.  It will be from 1-2pm in the Harrie Massey Lecture Theatre.  To book or for more information please visit the careers events page.

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Should you disclose your nationality on your CV?

Lately I have seen a number of International Students who have asked me the same question, “should I put my nationality on my CV?” and “will this affect how employers view my application?”

My view is to be upfront about this… Remember an employer will read your CV and may well work out you are from overseas by simply looking at your previous education.

So if you are from outside the UK, be clear about your nationality on your CV whilst clarifying how this impacts your eligibility to work in the UK. For example, if applying for a part-time job whilst studying put something like:
Nationality: Indian, eligible to work part-time in the UK for up to X hours.

(Make sure you know the current position by always keeping up to date with information on the UK Borders website)

If you are looking for work in the UK after you have finished your studies, try something like
Nationality: Indian, Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) Migrant, eligible to work in the UK for 2 years.

Again there are excellent guidance notes from UKCISA

For specific question relating to your right to work in the UK contact UCL Rights and Advice.

Read Full Post »