How to find a job in the UK as a foreigner

Discover how to navigate the UK job market, ace your interview, and successfully land your dream job in the UK.

Ivandzhelin

4 minute read

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Updated on 14 Nov 2023

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Working

Starting anew with the job application process can be overwhelming, especially in a country where you have little or no experience working. Luckily, with plenty of opportunities for expats available on the island, finding a job in the UK is far more achievable than it might initially seem.

To help you navigate the UK job market, we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to finding work in the UK. This guide will equip you with the insights and knowledge needed to master the job search and application process, so you can successfully land your dream job.

Absolutely, the UK stands out as one of the best countries worldwide for expats to work in. With a robust economy and a mere 3.7% unemployment rate, the UK has job opportunities for everyone. And even though the cost of living is on the rise, UK's commendably high minimum wage of £10.42 adds to its appeal.

But there's more to the UK than just work prospects. With expats making up over 14.5% of the population (around 9.6 million), you're sure to find a warm and diverse international community wherever you choose to settle.

And let's not forget about the perks of being a resident. You'll have access to universal healthcare for free through the National Health Service (NHS), ensuring your well-being as you embark on this exciting new chapter.

Foreigners who want to work in the UK must meet these legal requirements before embarking on their careers:

1. Work visa or work permit: Depending on your nationality and the type of job you'll be doing, you might need a visa or work permit to work in the UK.
2. Right-to-work check: Once you’ve secured a job, you’ve to provide your employer with proof of your eligibility to work. Depending on your immigration status, you'll need to present documents such as your online share code or passport with a visa and a stamp or sticker from the Home Office.
3. National Insurance Number (NIN): This unique identifier is essential for UK tax and social security purposes. Acquiring a NIN is a prerequisite for legal employment.
4. Tax obligations: All employees in the UK must adhere to the country's tax regulations. You’ve to register for a unique tax code, and pay your income tax and National Insurance contributions.
5. Employment contract: To work legally in the UK, you need an employment contract that outlines rights, responsibilities, salary, working hours, and vacation days.

If you’ve a student visa (Tier 4 visa) you can work up to 20 hours per week during term-times and full-time during university vacations.

The UK is an economic powerhouse with plenty of job opportunities. In-demand sectors frequently seeking international professionals include healthcare, sciences, engineering, IT, and business management. The image above shows the industries with the highest number of vacancies in the UK.

To expand your options, you can also explore professions with a shortage of skilled workers. These challenging-to-fill roles encompass fields such as medicine, pharmacy, healthcare, teaching, and social care.

If your profession appears on the shortage occupation list in the part of the UK you’re moving to, the salary requirements for a skilled worker visa will be lower.

The job market might be competitive, but there’re plenty of places where you can look for a job in the UK. You can kick-start your search by exploring opportunities on:

• job boards
• national press (check out The GuardianJobs)
• recruitment agencies
• sector-specific websites
• social media like LinkedIn, Glassdoor or Indeed
• university and company career pages
• the UK government job portal

If you need a British work visa, it's crucial to focus your job search on companies that can sponsor such visas.

A commonly chosen option is the skilled worker visa. To be eligible for this visa, you must secure a job offer from an approved UK employer within an eligible occupation and earn at least the minimum salary for your specific role.

So, once you've identified a company of interest, verify whether it's listed as an authorized visa sponsor and if your desired job offer aligns with the visa requirements.

Creating your CV

To successfully maximise your chances of landing a job in the UK, you should make sure your CV includes the following:

• Personal profile: Introduce yourself, your background and your career aspirations in no more than 3 sentences. Tailor it to the description of the job you’re applying for to increase your chances of being interviewed.
• Education history: Detail your academic journey, listing schools, colleges, universities, and relevant courses in descending chronological order.
• Work history: Highlight your professional experiences, including job titles, descriptions, working dates, and employer names in descending chronological order. Emphasise acquired skills.
• Skills: Showcase language proficiencies, software expertise, and other relevant skills.
• Hobbies and achievements: Utilise this section to stand out, particularly if you lack an extensive work history.

Some extra tips for your CV:

• Don’t make your CV longer than 1 page if you don’t have many years of experience.
• Save your CV as a pdf file and put your name as the name of the file (e.g. JaneDoe_CV). This way, recruiters would find your CV easier.
• Use a clear font like Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri, in size 11 or bigger.
• Keep your design simple and use headings, bullet points and line spacing to enhance readability.
• Choose a CV style which fits the field you want to work in.

Tips for interviews

Depending on the field you’re in, and the position and company you’re applying for, your interviews will vary. Overall, you can expect evaluation in competency, technical skills, situational awareness, and values-based questions.

Here are some universally valuable tips for job applications in the UK:

• Research the role and company you’re interviewing for. It’s better to be over-prepared than underprepared.
• Practice answering questions in the evaluation categories.
• Prepare a few questions to ask the interviewer.
• Arrive on time; a little early is better than being late.
• Be yourself and let your personality shine. The interviewer is also judging how you'll fit within the team and company based on your character.

Now that you know how to get a job in the UK, work visa requirements, and tips for your CV and interviews, you're set to take the UK by storm. Good luck!

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