Believe it or not, but expats are in high demand in the UK. Most employers understand that expats are only in the UK for two years under the Youth Mobility Scheme, which suits them perfectly. Most expats in the UK use their income solely to fund their travels and the thought of losing their job forces expats to consistently maintain high levels of quality work.

It’s for this reason that many Aussies, Kiwis and South Africans are preferred for short-term work or positions that companies need only filled on a semi-permanent basis.

Many expats new to the UK or looking at moving, often panic at the below average salaries and contract rates. UK figures converted back to most currencies often work out the same and, quite often, even higher than expected. If you’re planning on moving to London, keep in mind that pay rates tend to be higher than other cities and regions within the UK due to the higher living costs.

Use the tabs above to learn more about expected salaries and helpful information about securing work in the UK. You’ll also discover tips on developing the perfect CV, understanding recruitment agencies and best of all, you can even browse and apply for thousands of jobs online.
 

So you’re fresh off the plane and looking for work in the UK. It’s highly likely that a handful of people will tell you that you need to register with a recruitment agency in order to obtain work. Not true! Yes, whilst recruitment agencies account for a large percentage of pairing up desperate expats with willing employers, you can still turn to the good old internet and secure a very reasonable job yourself.

Below, we outline the advantages and disadvantages of using a recruitment agency in the United Kingdom. More information can be found in the ‘articles’ tab above, or click here.
 

What is a recruitment agency?

An employment agency is a company that matches workers to available jobs.  An employer looking to fill a position appoints a recruitment agency to produce a list of workers. The agency goes through the list of candidates, makes a selection and sends the list of candidates to the employer.  This may lead to an interview - and hopefully, employment.
 

Advantages of using a recruitment agency

In the UK, there are entire sectors of work that are only ever listed through agencies, including anything from high-paying and powerful positions, right through to casual work. One of the main advantages of using a recruitment agency is gaining access to job offers that are not otherwise advertised. If you’re planning on securing a job prior to arriving in the UK, then you’re best to use an agency as most other employers might not be willing to wait for you to arrive in the UK – especially if they are desperate for staff.

Recruitment agencies also maximise your efficiency as a jobseeker, as you are essentially getting someone else to help you look for a job, giving you more time to pursue other leads.

Disadvantages of using a recruitment agency

First and foremost, you need to understand that agencies are acting on behalf of the employer, because they are the one who’s paying their fee. It is for this reason that if any conflict between the employer and the prospective employee were to arise, agencies may tend to side with the employer.

Because agencies are required to fill positions, you may find yourself being pressured into a job that you feel is unsuitable. If they do, don’t feel as though you are under any obligation to take it - you are always in control of your own future employment.

We recommend that you use the Agency Central website for sourcing leading recruitment agencies.
 

For the majority of expats coming to the UK on the Youth Mobility Scheme, you are probably less likely to be securing long term, high-paying jobs. Instead, you are here to experience UK life, make new friends and have a blast traveling through out Europe. For the others who are fortunate enough to be coming to the UK on a more permanent basis, you’re going to want to secure a more fruitful and rewarding career.

The question most expats want to know is “what will I be earning each year”? Now that’s a rather difficult question to answer, as there as so many contributing factors; however, the average annual earnings of full-time workers in the UK rose by 1.4% to £26,500 in the year to April 2012.

The table below shows the current UK salaries.

 

The aim of your CV is to give an overview of your qualifications, skills and experience to entice an employer or recruiter to invite you to an interview. There are best CV formats...

Chronological

In a chronological CV, your employment history is listed in reverse chronological order, beginning with your current or most recent position. Your education/qualifications along with any other information will follow also in reverse chronological order.

Advantages

■ Traditional format which many employers favour because it's easy for them to see your career progression
■ Easy for the reader to find their way around

Disadvantages

■ Can be difficult to highlight your relevant key skills especially if they have been gained outside of your work history
■ If your most relevant experience is dated it's difficult to hide this

Functional/Skills-based

In contrast to a chronological CV, a functional or skills-based CV is arranged to highlight your skills, experience and attributes by listing these along with your achievements and, if applicable, specific projects you have worked on. This format works best if you’re a freelancer or contractor, have gaps in your employment history or are changing careers. Bullet-points work best making it easy for the reader to see key information.

Advantages

■ Enables you to highlight your key skills, attributes and relevant experience
■ Great for those with a wide range of skills to break them down into skills areas to provide more detail
■ Perfect for those who have haven't followed a linear career path

Disadvantages

■ Traditionalists might find it difficult to follow
■ Can be seen as an attempt to hide details such as employment gaps and lack of experience

Combination/Hybrid

Bringing together the elements of a functional and chronological CV is becoming increasingly popular as it enables you to highlight your key skills before following a more traditional, reverse chronological pattern. Since CVs are typically skimmed for just a matter of seconds by employers, using this format is a good way to ensure they see all the most relevant information on the front page.

Advantages

■ Enables you to highlight key skills while maintaining a traditional, reverse chronological format
■ Makes it easier for an employer to see what you have to offer as a potential employee
■ Shows you are able to convey complex information in a simplified way

Disadvantages

■ If not laid out correctly, there's a risk of creating a CV that is difficult to read and understand
■ Can annoy traditionalists who expect to see a traditional (ie. chronological) layout

Tips tp ensure that your CV meets UK requirements

Do

■ Ensure that you list all your qualifications, achievements and any extra studies you may have undertaken
■ If possible, try to back this up with actual achievements that you may feel appropriate.
■ Try and include company names as much as possible as this will serve to shore up your CV and reassure employers that they can check with the companies for references.
■ Be sure to highlight clearly any unique or extra special piece of information about you and your career thus far. This is what can attract the eye of an employer and is what will stick in their mind when it comes to offering interviews.

Don't

■ Lie or exaggerate about any part of your career. The internet makes it so much easier for companies to scout around and carry out a background check meaning you will be found out should you tell any white lies. This will do your prospects of securing an interview no good at all.
■ Include too many personal contact details. Remember you are still sending a great deal of information about yourself to someone you don’t know. Try and stick to one point of contact such as email or telephone rather than offering all manner of avenues for response.
■Avoid ‘bigging up’ your CV too much because chances are, employers will be able to tell if you’re lying especially in the age of online recruitment where it’s much easier to find out information about people.

This information was provided by Lisa LaRue, MCareerDev, BSocSc(Couns), DipCareerGuid,  MICG is a Career Counsellor/Career Coach at CareerWorx

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