Working in your home country

Source: https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/careers-resources/international-students/working-home/ Parent: https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/careers-resources/international-students/

Start thinking early about your return home, so you can make the most of all the opportunities available.

Research the job market and when to apply. Understand what employers are looking for and know how to sell the benefits of your UK experience in your applications.

How can I prepare to return home and find work?

As well as the practicalities of moving back home, it is useful to think about the benefits you have gained by studying in the UK. These might include:

improved spoken and written English, if it is not your first language - improved fluency could be a major selling point
better understanding of British social and business culture
ability to mix with a diverse range of people from around the world
experience of UK teaching methods which may have given you:
more problem solving, team work and communication skills
critical analysis and reasoning skills
ability to work more independently
new skills from volunteering, part-time work, skills courses, college and university life
maturity and adaptability from your experience of living and studying in another country
professional contacts developed through your studies, and employer and networking events
knowledge of new resources (professional journals/online forums) and research relevant to your future profession.

You could ask employers, academic supervisors or volunteering managers if they would be willing to give you a written reference to take with you, or agree to provide a reference to any future employers.

Many employers check social media before hiring, so check out what public online information is available about you. Think carefully about what your online presence tells a prospective employer about you.

Be aware of reverse culture shock when you return home, especially if you have been in the UK for a number of years.

What sort of research should I be doing and when?

Start your research early so you don't miss out on opportunities. You should start this research about 12 months before you are due to finish your course. If you are on a taught postgraduate course this will be soon after you arrive in the UK and start your academic course.

It is useful to make a plan that you can carry out over a number of months. Think about:

who recruits into your career area of interest and when?
who are the main graduate employers in your home country and what opportunities do they have?
multinational employers who may have opportunities in your home country - are any of these coming onto campus for a presentation or recruitment fair?
UK employers in your home country who would appreciate your UK university experience
if you are interested in smaller employers find out where they advertise vacancies as they arise - or see if you have any connection to them through your networks - use LinkedIn
British Chambers of Commerce in your home country can be useful sources of labour market information and employer contacts
find out about recruitment fairs in the UK focusing on overseas recruitment.

China

We have several events during the year to help you with finding graduate employment in China.

The University of York is a partner university for the Asia Careers Insight Series (usually held in March) The event includes employer presentations, labour market information and workshops to help you find out about organisations looking to hire students and graduates across Asia.

GoinGlobal covers over 50 countries including China. We subscribe so you don’t need to set up your own account. For each country, it includes:

employment guides,
links to major job sites,
jobs and internship listings
Sample CVs and cover letters
Background information, for example about the cost of living.

Access GoinGlobal via the link on the international work page, York log-in required.

Make sure you know about the recruitment cycles in China. The autumn recruitment cycle coincides with your arrival in York; many jobs are advertised during this period but recruitment is very competitive. The spring recruitment cycle from February to April is less competitive but with a smaller choice of jobs.

Explore job opportunities and incentives for returnees to high tier cities, particularly for STEM graduates and entrepreneurs. Be prepared also to consider Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where you may find good opportunties which are slightly less competitive. Growth sectors (Lockin U 2026) include IT / electronics, AI, High tech manufacturing, Renewable energy, Biopharmaceuticals.

Research employers so you know their priorities and what they are looking for. Think about how you can use your UK experience to impress employers. They are looking for traits such as:

Creativity - localised content ideas for global products
Learning agility - can you demonstrate prior research and analysis during your interview?
Proactive research - a clear understanding of the company's products, market and competitors
Tool proficiency - use of AI tools, short-form video editing, data visuals
Media literacy - familiarity with platforms like TikTok or Douyin
Engagement mindset - follow, comment or share content from the company's social platforms (LinkedIn, BiliBili, RED)

How can I make a strong job application?

Make sure you target your applications at employers who need what you have to offer - see the advice in Graduate jobs and Applying and Interviewing.
Use academic rankings of your course/university to show employers the status of the University of York or of your specific course/department as they may not be familiar with this information
Are there advantages to your UK education which set you apart from your peers who remained at home? For some students this can be different teaching methods that promote independent thought, critical thinking, problem based learning and team work
Include skills development courses you have attended and any volunteering/internships/short term work, if appropriate

Prepare a CV in a style which is appropriate for your home country. Some employers expect more weight to be given to your academic work, others want to understand what you've learned from your extra curricular activities. Do you need to include a photo? How long should your CV be? Check the resources below to find out

Key resources

GoinGlobal career and employment resources (linked from the International Work page) include worldwide job openings, internship listings, industry profiles and country-specific career information. Content is updated regularly on topics such as: work permit/visa regulations, resume writing guidelines, employment trends, networking groups and worldwide job listings...plus much more.
Sign up for York for Life and read about the experiences of graduates from your home country - they may have practical advice on making the most of your UK experience in job applications.

What job search websites can I use?

There are many ways to look for work overseas and thousands of job search websites. You may already be familiar with sites specific to your home country. Here are a few key resources to get you started:

Advertised vacancies

GoinGlobal - worldwide job openings, internship listings, industry and corporate profiles
World Links - resources for work and study outside the UK
GradLink: an excellent resource with expert careers advice and latest jobs for China, India, Gulf, ASEAN (including Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore), Africa, Bangladesh and Canada
See the Research section above for a link to the Asia Careers Insight Series - information on the job market and employers in China, SE Asia and India
Graduate jobs - advice on looking for graduate roles
Job search engines - indeed.com, careerjet.com have country search functions
See also suggestions on the international work page.

Unadvertised vacancies

In some countries recruiting through personal networks is as important as formal recruitment procedures.

Develop your own network - keep in contact with former employers, friends and contacts during your time in the UK and ensure they know what work you're seeking and when you will return home
York for Life has a list of overseas alumni groups. Members may be able to give you advice and make introductions
LinkedIn - use this professional networking site to make contacts, follow companies and join interest groups. For example IBM has a China students group, PWC has groups for India and South Africa
GoinGlobal careers resource which includes information on networking groups worldwide
See our networking page for more ideas.

Research and join other relevant networking groups - for example:

Chopsticks Club opportunities to learn and network with a culturally diverse network of professionals engaged with China
The British Council Alumni UK platform aims to support networking and career development
The Association of British Scholars India (also British Council) is a useful resource for graduates returning to India. The Assocation is broken down into individual "chapters" depending on region.

Your network might be able to tell you about vacancies when they arise or you may be able to use the information from your networks to make speculative applications to potential employers.

China - job sites

China jobs guide 22-23 (PDF from the British Chamber of Commerce in China; information on the job market in China, tips for applications, job listings.

The following may be useful if you are looking for a graduate job in China. If you find any problems with any of these websites, please let us know (careers@york.ac.uk)

and for teaching jobs:

What can I do to give myself the best chance of success when I return home?

Find out what skills and attributes graduate employers in your home country value, and take steps to develop these. Employers will want to know what you have gained from overseas study - so get involved in extra-curricular activities (eg student societies, volunteering, work experience) and be prepared to answer questions about what you did in the UK. Try to get work experience or an internship if possible, and add this to your CV.
Do your research and target employers appropriately. Find out if there are any negative perceptions about UK-educated graduates. In countries where loyalty is a valued trait, some employers feel that overseas educated graduates are too ambitious and might move on quickly to chase a higher salary. Make clear in your application information that you are motivated to work for their company and would be committed to building your career there and contributing longer-term.
In some countries there is a perception that a UK one-year taught Masters degree is not as good as a two- or even three-year Masters, which may include work experience. Use your CV to show employers that you have successfully undertaken a challenging and intensive period of study and research, while adapting to new teaching methods and possibly a foreign language.
Be realistic - you may not necessarily achieve your dream salary or find work in your preferred location immediately.
Use all the resources on this website to make strong targeted applications to carefully selected employers who have appropriate opportunities.

Is it possible to get in touch with York graduates in my home country for advice?

Join York for Life to connect with our global network of alumni. Start building your own network - find people from your course, look at different careers, ask questions and request a mentor.

Use LinkedIn to make connections, follow organisations of interest, and find out what York graduates are doing. Find out more about LinkedIn on our Networking page (how to build your network).

Getting help

The Careers and Placements team may not have in-depth knowledge of the recruitment situation in your home country, but we can still help in several ways. The Information Team can help you find relevant resources for your research and the Careers Consultants can help you think about your future plans, and give feedback on the strategies you are using to find suitable employment in your home country.

Please read the rest of the information in this section and if you have any questions please book an appointment.