How might internet networking help you get jobs in the UK

How might internet networking help you get jobs in the UK?

networking means connecting with people either offline or online to exchange information or build professional relationships, at the moment the job market is tougher than ever and I don't recommend just applying using your cv and waiting for someone to spot you through hundreds of different applicants, I do recommend being proactive and I give you exactly five examples of how to use networking to increase your chances of securing a job in the UK.

Ask for an Information Interview

Ask for an information interview from a person that already has a job you're aiming for, information interview is jumping on a call with someone or meeting in person and asking them for any information that might be useful for you.

For example, how can you do it as a student, I recommend finding ex-students from your university and checking who is working in a position that you want to get then you can reach out to them and ask for a quick phone call and during a phone call you could ask for valuable tips, you can gain some really helpful information on how to succeed in your type of career.

If the conversation is going very friendly and the person is very responsive you can also ask to be referred for a position in the company or ask if they know anyone that is hiring in the sector.

Reach out to your existing network for advice and help

I recommend reaching out to people that you know in your home country or the UK and letting them know you're looking for a job and that you're looking to connect with people that might help you. when you reach out you send a personal note to a person asking if they can help you in your current situation where you're looking for a job or perhaps they know someone and can help you not only the people you already know can give you some valuable career advice but they also might know people in the sector.

It means that they can connect you to the person that might be hiring or that can give you some valuable tips directly for the job in the UK or perhaps they can help you secure an interview with the company. so don't forget to reach out to people you already know don't forget to use your network you might be surprised that you already know a person that can help you secure a job in the UK the worst that can happen is they don't reply to a message.

Follow up on your job applications

sometimes when the job is posted on LinkedIn it tells you who posted this job which means that you can go to this person's page and easily send a message or connect, I recommend following up with recruiters or managers if you can find them and sending them a personalized yet very brief message. what to say in this message? you can say why you applied for this position, you can say why you're a suitable candidate, and you can say why this company is a great place for you to work but be very brief yet very precise and effective.

 

they might never respond to your message but they might and this can spark a conversation but also they might notice your name and it will stand out from other applications online.

Ask to be referred for a position

Many companies have referral programs which means that an existing employee can go to an internal portal and refer an external candidate for a position, then a candidate will receive an email or some kind of message saying you've been referred here is a link please apply for a position. not all companies have this referral system or program and not all companies pay attention to it but in some cases, it can help you stand out.

Why would the person refer you to a position, why would they be so helpful, first of all, there are a lot of really helpful people out there that are kind and want to be supportive especially or look when someone is looking for a job in such difficult times, you might be surprised but some companies pay the employees for referring a candidate.

So if you've been referred by a person and you're successful that person might get a bonus for referring you a cash bonus or some kind of benefit, why is that because sometimes it's very difficult for a company to find a good candidate and they want to support the employees for referring. that's why you should never be afraid to connect with someone and ask them to refer you, I think it can help stand out and some companies value you reaching out and trying to make a connection with the current employees.

Actively reach out to companies

reach out to companies to offer your expertise for an internship or work experience, how can you do that? you can find companies in your town that offer positions you wish to get even better if these companies have tier two sponsorship licenses then you can reach out to these companies either by email or by finding the managers or employees on LinkedIn and asking them to give you some kind of work experience or internship.

you need to show a genuine interest in the company and say that you want to contribute and you are the student that wants to develop the skills by contributing to its company goals by being proactive and flexible in terms of how you want to contribute to the company can decide to give you an opportunity it's probably not going to be a permanent job but quite likely can be an internship or some kind of project or work experience and if you get this opportunity you can prove to the company that you're worth your permanent position and if they have a license you might even prove to them that you're worthy of sponsorship.

I know it is quite time-consuming but if you create a very personal email to the company that is completely targeted to them not some kind of template or generic email "Hello give me a job" it can pay off and someone will see that you are being genuine that you want to help, and trust me a lot of companies are looking for fresh talent hungry for work or hungry for contribution.

Conclusion

These were just some really quick examples of how networking can benefit you if you're looking for a job in the UK as an international student, but let me warn you networking is very energy consuming and a lot of people will never respond to your messages but why am I talking about it a lot in my talks and to my clients because I really believe it can change the path of your career you just need one person to be genuinely interested in you and be kind enough to help you.