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5 Tips to Move Your Career to the United Kingdom
Posted on January 18th, 2012 No commentsBy Lucia Kolaja Bordean, Program Specialist, Passport Career
There are many ways to prepare for your job search before your arrival in the United Kingdom. You need to be resourceful, willing to meeting new people at any given moment, and skilled in the business culture. Yet your most important skill will be effectively make contacts or networking.
Jobs in the UK do not, by law, have to be advertised. Advertising is expensive and employers will often try to recruit internally by promotion or they may draw on their network to find suitable candidates. One of the best ways to get a job is by word of mouth, but in order for this to work you must be known to the employer, or at least to someone working at the organization that interests you. Networking is an essential job search skill.
Here are five key tips for your UK job search.
1. VISA & WORK PERMITThere have been a number of changes to the guidance and to the immigration rules since 2008. Your right to work in the United Kingdom depends on what country you are from. If you want to work in UK you may need a work permit. You may need to apply for work permission under the points-based system. For more information about working in the UK and student visas please check the detailed UK Border Agency website. Find detailed information about documents needed before starting to work in UK on the HM Revenue & Customs webpage.
If you have the right to work in the UK and you are looking for a job, apply for a National Insurance (NI) number by calling Jobcentre Plus on 0845 600 0643. Anyone who is working or self-employed in the UK must have an NI number. Jobcentre Plus will arrange an Evidence of Identity interview for you or mail you an application. The process of applying for and receiving an NI number can take up several weeks, so it is important to get the paperwork started as soon as possible.For additional information on permissions to work in UK, please check the Directgov webpage.
Effective networking is critical for expats as many companies do not advertise jobs in traditional ways in the UK and sometimes offices are overwhelmed by applicants. In addition, having a personal working relationship with an individual who can refer you to a position in their organization is favored highly over a “walk-in applicant.” To develop your network, consider joining a professional organization or an expat group. Passport Career members should log in and review the UK section of professional associations and expat groups. Non-members can find a partial listing on the Wikipedia page of professional associations in UK or search online for a number of groups and sites, e.g. InterNations, Expats.com. Similarly, connect with cultural associations that speak your language and can identify your needs, such as the Inter-Cultural Society of London, British Czech and Slovak Association, Bengali Cultural Association of London and dozens of others. Almost every ethnic community/cultural group is represented in the UK (and Passport Career members can find an extensive list in the UK portfolio).
2. MAKE CONTACTS/NETWORKSUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS
Jobcentre Plus, an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions, provides a wide range of information and services, such as benefits, loans and grants and help with finding a job.
If you want to work in a profession regulated by a specific body, such as nursing, engineering or other career field, be sure to contact the regulating body as soon as you can. List of about 30 regulating bodies can be found on The UK Inter-Professional Group (UKIPG) website. UKIPG acts as a forum for the major professional and regulatory bodies in the United Kingdom. Additional list of professional bodies in UK can be found on the Wikipedia page.
3. SELF-EMPLOYMENT
Some expats create their own career opportunities by setting up a business or registering as self-employed. In order to start up a business or register as self-employed, you will need to obtain a National Insurance Number and register with HM Revenue & Customs. You will be responsible for keeping your own records and for paying your own taxes. For information on how to register as self-employed, how to start a business or how to file a tax return, visit HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) web page.
4. TEMPORARY JOBS
To overcome your lack of work experience in the UK or to find a job while you are looking elsewhere, try to find a temporary job. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation annual report has stated that employers in the UK prefer to accommodate temporary agency workers for their overall workforce. Temping is a good way to get some experience in the UK workforce and often can lead to a more permanent position with a company. Some employers simply prefer to hire on a temporary contract in order to analyze candidates’ effectiveness. Or, for teachers who cannot find immediate full- or part-time work, consider working as a substitute (“supply”) teacher in a local UK or international school.WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT A CAREER IN THE UK?
Passport Career provides more detailed career information and extensive resources about finding a job, internship, or alternative career opportunity in the UK and other countries. If your organization, embassy, university/college, library, or other institution would like access to our country portfolios (12,000+ pages of expert content for 75+ countries) to share with your students, employees, spouses/partners, and others managing a national or international career transition, please click here to contact us regarding a free, online demo and details on how to subscribe.
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR TRANSITION!
Employment Opportunities, Global Job Search, Job Search Resources, Networking, Transitions, Work PermitsLeave a Reply