Every year, thousands of students return to India after studying in the U.K. to join the world’s fastest growing major economy and explore all the opportunities it has to offer. What can they do to ensure that they will be successful in a competitive job market?
My advice is that they should think about their career planning from the first day of their studies in the U.K., whether they are pursuing an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree. It is also important to maximise the time in the U.K. and take full advantage of all the university has to offer. This means not just working hard on the degree, but also undertaking placements/internships and part-time work and getting involved in extra-curricular activities. The latter could include sports, clubs/societies and voluntary work, with the key aspect being taking up a position of responsibility. All of this increases confidence, further develops English language fluency, and ensures that there will be plenty to put on a CV and to talk about at interviews. Also, take advantage of the opportunity to mix with students from all over the world, thereby increasing intercultural awareness, a skill prized by employers in the global economy.
It is also important to engage with the careers service at the university as they are experts at supporting students who intend to access global careers and are able to put them in touch with a range of country-specific resources and useful job search websites. They will be able to provide advice and guidance to help each individual determine his/her career strategy and plan how to achieve it.
While in the U.K., it is vital to keep links with contacts back home and keep up to date with labour market trends. Using social media platforms such as LinkedIn is a useful way of keeping in touch with employers and industry-specific groups and developing one’s network. Undergraduate students, in particular, can use some of their vacation time to undertake placements back home in India.
British Council The British Council, India, provides a networking forum for Indian students in the U.K. and runs a U.K.-India Career Summit with jobs/careers fairs for returning graduates. Individual universities also have alumni groups and these can provide a very useful network of contacts.
As a student approaches the end of his/her study time in the U.K., it is important to reflect on what has been gained by the experience and then be prepared to explain this to employers in India. In other words, think about how to answer the question ‘what makes you different’. This could include the modules taken and the interactive, problem-solving style of teaching. A U.K. education is highly respected and prestigious but it is important that the graduate is also able to explain the ratings/rankings of the particular university and department attended, to likely recruiters.
On return to India, graduates need to ensure that they are accessing all appropriate vacancies by registering on the leading job search websites and using the services of highly regarded agencies. An individual’s CV must be not too long (two pages ideally), well-structured and easy-to-read. Most importantly, the CV, covering letter or application form must be tailored to the needs of the specific job and company and fully reflect all the skills, knowledge and experience gained from studying in the U.K.
The writer is careers adviser (International Students and Employers), University of Sheffield, U.K.
