One thing I wish I knew before travelling abroad – Getting a job after a master’s degree can be difficult

One of the major reasons most people make the move from developing countries to the West for a postgraduate degree is to settle in the new country after the programme. Getting a job and working in the country for some years is the most common route to settlement. But even that is not always very straightforward.

Travelling abroad for a master’s degree comes at a huge financial cost and so only a few people can make such a move effortlessly. It is common for people to sell off some or all of their personal and family assets, empty their bank accounts, take up loans and run into huge debts in the process of gathering the required funds for the move.

It’s easy to see why many master’s degree students would be desperate to get a job, either part-time while studying, or a full-time job soon after graduation.

A lot of people who have completed masters degree programs would wish someone had told them earlier that getting a job can be quite difficult. In addition to the very competitive nature of the job market, international students have a few inherent disadvantages that further reduce their chances of landing those dream jobs. I will briefly explain some of these constraints, using the UK as an example. I’ll also explain the new Graduate route visa for the UK, and provide some helpful tips that could improve one’s chances of landing a job.

The constraints

Visa duration: The first constraint the international student usually has is the duration of the visa. Most master’s degree programmes in the UK are one-year programmes. The visa granted for this would normally be a 1-year visa with a few months added at the end, normally between 2 to 5 months. This means that by the time the student is done with the master’s programme – which would have been intensive and packed with lectures, course works, practicals, exams – the student suddenly realises that there are only a few months left before they would have to leave the UK.

The recruitment cycle: Most international students moving to the UK for the first time would not be aware that there is a cycle for the recruitment of graduates into the major companies for their graduate schemes. These big companies employ significantly more graduates than the smaller companies, and they would normally start taking applications from around September up till December, with a few of the applications still open till January. These applications are for the potential employees that would start the jobs the following summer, around August-September. Unfortunately, this application window coincides with the same period that the international student, who would have arrived around September, is still battling with getting settled in the new environment, searching for accommodation in some cases, getting to understand the accent, adjusting to the expected culture shock and other challenges that come with moving to a new country. By the time the student is settled in and becomes aware of this recruitment cycle, most of such applications would have closed. This cycle does not apply to all graduate jobs though, but I’m emphasising maximising every opportunity. Find more information about graduate schemes here.

Visa sponsorships: This is probably the biggest constraint the international student will be faced with when applying to organisations for jobs. As an international student, you are given a leave to enter the UK for the sole purpose of studying, and this student visa would be sponsored by the university or any institution where you are studying. You are required to leave the country when this contract ends at the end of your study. If you are to continue to remain in the UK after your program for any other purpose such as working on a full-time job, then a new visa must be issued to you. The new visa would be sponsored by the employer that is offering the job. The challenge is that only a small percentage of employers in the UK have the licence to sponsor work visas. In addition, the organisations in possession of the licence are not under any obligation to sponsor a potential employee, since it might be less expensive with fewer hassles to employ another candidate that requires no sponsorship.

Lack of work experience through Internships: As employers want to hire the best of the best in the market, it is quite common for them to prefer candidates with some form of work experience. These are mostly acquired through internships in the UK during or after undergraduate programs. The international master’s student would not have had the chance to get such experiences due to the duration of their program. This sets the student back when compared to other job seekers who may have had internship experiences in the UK, sometimes in the same companies that they are applying to for a full-time job. However, if the student has had previous relevant work experience while in their home countries, that could help.

The Graduate Route visa

Having briefly described these limiting factors to getting a job in the UK after a master’s degree as an international student, it is worth mentioning that the UK recently introduced a new Graduate route that would now enable international master’s degree students to apply for a two-year post-study visa. This would take effect with students graduating from the summer of 2021. While on this visa, the graduate can live and work unlimited hours in the UK. You can find out more here.

This changes the game to a good extent by allowing more time in the UK after studies. It also potentially eases some of the constraints discussed above, especially the constraints that stem from short visa durations. However, the international student must be intentional about how best to maximise the opportunity. The scheme promises nothing else after the 2 years so the graduate would still have to leave the UK in the end if they are still unable to secure a job with an employer who is willing to sponsor their work visa.

Improving your job chances and maximising the Graduate route visa

Here are a few tips that could help improve your chances of getting a job after the master’s degree and also maximise the Graduate route opportunity.

Start applying for jobs immediately you arrive in the UK: It is easy to think that if one is hoping to get a job with the master’s degree qualification, then the job search should only begin after the programme ends. But considering the recruitment cycle that I described earlier, the best strategy would be to begin submitting applications during the first application window, which is almost the time the student arrives in the UK. This could be quite challenging, but it is a great way to expand one’s chances.

Prioritise jobs and internships that grow your employable skills: You will quickly realise after moving to the UK that getting low-skilled or unskilled menial jobs is not difficult. The barriers to entry are as low as possible and there are almost always open positions for such roles. This is not to say that such roles are of low value to society or that there is no dignity in working in such roles. Not at all. The point is that you have to be strategic and think long term (or medium-term), given the limited time you have. Apply to and join roles that continually add to the skills you require to land the job you have in mind. These could be hard or soft skills but make sure you are adding employable values to yourself.

Prioritise jobs and internships that could lead to sponsorship: Similar to the point made above, you should also consider getting into an organisation that already has a certificate of sponsorship, or that would be willing to sponsor your visa. This could potentially increase your chances of getting sponsored since the organisation, having observed your performance – which hopefully is satisfactory – could easily extend your stay on the role or in the organisation by sponsoring your visa. Getting into such organisations is not always easy because of the highly competitive market, but it’s important to be prepared to take advantage of such opportunities when they come. This criterion should not be a deal-breaker if you are offered a role in an organisation that does not have the certificate to sponsor.

Volunteer: Volunteering is a relatively easier way to gain some work experience. Look out for the roles and causes that interest you, apply to them and take the opportunity if you are given.

Apply for the graduate route visa: The Graduate route visa is not automatically granted, so you have to apply for it. You can find out what the eligibility criteria and associated financial costs are here.

Treat the Graduate route with urgency: Even though you have the option of two additional years after your master’s degree programme if you get on the graduate route, this is not a very long time and it would go by very quickly. A good strategy would be to avoid any procrastination and treat the project of getting a job as urgent. Start submitting applications, getting exposed to interviews and doing the other things that have been described earlier as soon as you arrive in the UK. Your first plan should be to not have to apply for the Graduate route in the first place but to have it as a Plan B.

Prepare for the job market: Before making the move, it could be worthwhile to do some research and find out what skills are in demand in the country you intend to move to. This would help you think about your own specific skillset and how you could start consolidating in areas where you think you are lacking or picking up new skills that would be relevant for getting a job after your studies. Remember, you will be competing for jobs with people who are very skilled from a wide range of backgrounds.

What was your experience landing a job after doing a masters in the UK or any other country? What strategies worked for you? Do you have other tips for intending international students? Please share in the comments section.