One of my friend went on HSMP to UK in April 05, 2004.She is having very difficulty getting a job there in Sheffield. She has got 8 years experience in Marketing jobs in Pakistan. Now she is very frustrated and according to her if she is unable to get a job on the pay scale she mentioned in HSMP form,
The job market in all fields is quite competitive and Unless you are already working full-time in the UK and will be doing similar work if you are granted HSMP status, or your occupation is in a known shortage area you should carefully research the UK job market to make sure that you will find graduate level work.
Some fields like marketing are quite tricky.................
I remember when I was doing my undergrad in the UK, we had an 'open' day for summer jobs - marketting (I think it was BUNAC programme) however I was not to go to USA but was to do my 'sales/marketting) in the UK.
The product to be sold was 'aerial photographs' and this would involve day to day direct sales by knocking on peoples doors and trying to sell them these pretty photographs.
When I attended the interview to become one of the Sales people/marketeers - The interviewer looked at me and I bet he laughed in his heart (bacuse he could not see me managing to make a sale)...
reasons being:
1). I had a 'little' bit of an African accent - despite the fact that I was speaking gramatically correct 'Queens' English
2). From my skin colour - very few people would attempt to open their doors for me to show them the pretty 'aerial' photos
So I never got the job!!!!
I hope your friend manages to 'break' those 'Invisible' barriers in the UK market. Obviously if your freind is extremely good at work then colour/accent should not be an issue
All the best
Where there is a will there is a way.