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How I Got a Tech Job in the UK After My Master’s | My Graduate Job Journey | International Student

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News and Commentary

Overview

The speaker shares a personal, non-universal account of how they secured an international-student tech job in the UK after completing a Master’s in Engineering Management in 2024. They worked in London as an “Integration Technology Analyst.” The process took about 10 months, involving persistent applications, iterative CV improvements, and multiple interview rounds.

Key Points of the Journey

Early job-hunt mistake

  • They recommend starting the job search while still studying.
  • They waited too long after finishing the Master’s, which made the search harder—even though they weren’t idle (they worked part-time and continued studying).

ATS-driven rejection cycle

  • After applying to many roles (about 20–25 per day), they received automatic rejection emails within a day or two.
  • They explain ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) filter CVs using keywords, meaning even qualified candidates can be rejected if their CV isn’t ATS-friendly.
  • They researched ATS compliance and rewrote their CV, with help from friends/family in the UK.

Interview learning

  • They got interviews but initially failed to convert on at least one early role.
  • This reinforced that job applications are essentially a full-time effort in disguise.

Work schedule strategy

  • To preserve energy for consistent applications, they kept their job part-time rather than working full-time overtime.
  • Their logic: longer shifts reduced the ability to apply consistently; living near the workplace helped, but they still avoided excessive hours.

Job targeting and finding a “sweet spot”

  • They first aimed for management-adjacent roles, but faced rejections due to limited relevant experience.
  • They describe finding a “sweet spot”—the intersection of skills, experience, and genuine interest.
  • Their background was mostly application support/data consultancy experience in India, but they redirected toward IT/support and later toward integration technology, which felt like a strong match.

Role selection and timing of applications

  • Primary sourcing: LinkedIn (they cite it as the main source of interview calls).
  • Other platforms used: Indeed, Handshake, and Gradcracker (note: university email access may expire).
  • Applying quickly mattered: they recommend applying shortly after jobs are posted, since older postings often have too many candidates already.
  • They also:
    • Applied to outdated postings at times (a mistake).
    • Tracked applications and outcomes using an Excel sheet.

Progression to the Final Role

  • The breakthrough came after they discovered the Integration Technology Analyst role and found it genuinely compelling.
  • They went through multiple stages:
    • Informal interview
    • Analytical interview
    • Technical round (including Python programming)
    • Final stages with:
      • A case study presentation
      • A CEO interview
  • They experienced a long gap between an informal interview and a response (weeks).
  • They spent about three weeks in India without applying, yet still received another interview there.

Case study preparation (MuleSoft)

  • For the final case study, they prepared a MuleSoft-based architecture presentation over two days.
  • They researched from scratch, practiced, and then delivered it successfully.
  • They describe this preparation as intense and central to winning the offer.

Advice and Lessons Emphasized

  • Interest matters: Don’t chase roles you wouldn’t genuinely want. Alignment of skills + interest is crucial.
  • Explore emerging tech: Research and experiment across technologies until something clicks.
  • Upskill strategically:
    • They learned AWS, but stopped when interest waned.
    • They also refreshed Unix/SQL and Python.
    • Certifications and course completion helped strengthen CV content and interview readiness.
  • Transferable skills & communication: Focus on clear, confident communication (not accent).
  • ATS + interview readiness: Don’t focus only on ATS/CV—human interviews and attitude also determine outcomes.
  • Metrics and CV impact: Tailor your CV to requirements and quantify results with metrics and action verbs.
  • Mindset and resilience: Expect emotional lows and breaks during the search. Even after getting the job, newcomers may face imposter syndrome and ongoing struggle while learning.

Presenter or Contributor

  • Presenter: The YouTube creator (not named in the subtitles) describing their graduate job journey in the UK.

Original video