Are you an international stu
dent looking for jobs in the UK or globally? Thinking about how your visa will affect the job search? Only just discovering what your options are? King’s Careers & Employability have listed a breakdown of the best job sites out there and specifically for international students. You can find resources and support from general guides and articles, where to find company information all the way to the best websites for current job vacancies. Read on to learn about the unique opportunities out there for you as an international student!
If you are an international student looking for jobs in the UK and you have visa questions, have a look at our previous blog posts about Visa Options and the 2-year Grad Visa. Also, make sure to visit King’s web pages for advice and support regarding visas and immigration laws in the UK.
Begin your search with a website that targets YOU!
In addition to those mainstream job search platforms which we know and love, did you know that there are a number of specialist job vacancy boards that specifically list grad schemes with international students in mind? Discover our top picks below.
Student circus is a job search platform that aims to enable International Students to secure jobs in the UK. Student Circus publishes only those jobs, where applications from international students would be considered. The decision to sponsor visas lies with the employer and the UKBA. Student Circus helps international students save time by pre-filtering jobs for which they might be eligible for.
For students considering working outside the UK, GradLink UK is a specialist careers site for international students and graduates who have studied or are studying in the UK. It currently includes sections for China, South-East Asia (ASEAN), the Gulf, Canada, Africa, India and Bangladesh. It includes information about graduate opportunities and connecting with graduate employers across the world and is a link to careers and jobs in students’ home countries and beyond.
TargetJobs is a job search platform where you can find current vacancies. When searching for work opportunities on Target jobs use the drop-down filter on the left to identify employers who accept those requiring a work permit, and you can view the opportunities available for visa holders!
Do you have an idea about what industry you would like to go to? You can find even more information about the websites they use via our KEATS pages, and even learn when it’s ideal to apply! Find your favourite industry from our list of Sector Guides on KEATS and get searching!
Consider widening your options with SME companies
Remember that applying for a graduate scheme is not your only option. Did you know that applying to SMEs (small and medium companies with less than 250 employees) is actually a hot topic among UK graduates? Rather than searching for a graduate scheme, you could look for a job suitable for a graduate – the direct entry route. Direct entry jobs are often with SMEs that do not need to hire a significant number of graduates every year, although larger employers do advertise some entry-level jobs. These vacancies can crop up at any time of the year. An immediate start is normally required so you can look to apply for these opportunities from April onwards on your last year of studies.
Talent Pool is a platform for advertising roles in start-ups and SMEs. The platform has approximately 750 employers registered and is a great place to discover big opportunities in small scale companies. They have detailed resources in their “Candidate Handbook” about what it’s like to work in a start-up or SME, and what graduate roles in different sectors are all about.
GraduateJobs is a website advertises many opportunities for graduates globally. As well as accessing their vacant graduate schemes, navigate to the SME tab on top of the page to find current vacancies posted specifically by SME companies.
Step is the UK’s leading provider of paid student and graduate internships, placements and permanent opportunities. It connects enterprising students and graduates with smaller, innovative, businesses for one-off roles as well as larger businesses on annual programmes.
Find out about current SME vacancies and all kinds of graduate and entry-level roles on the Guardian Jobs website. You can filter your search in many ways: by sector, or even by the type and topic of degree you studied!
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Social Media
SME vacancies could appear on a company’s blog/social media rather than on a dedicated jobs page on their website – so make sure you follow any companies you are interested in on their mailing lists, as well as on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
If you are applying to jobs, why not book an Application Advice appointment with King’s Careers & Employability, to look over that CV and cover letter and get valuable tips. Want to be your best self in your upcoming interview? We also do Practice Interviews! We are here to help every student and recent graduate at King’s, wherever you are on your career journey.