Finance Job

Dear Members,

I am struggling with the job hunt in the UK i have extensive invaluable experience in the field not only from Pakistan but Middle East also.

I am experiencing very weird response from the market. Recruiters and Company's HR people rush to my profile and gives me a call to discuss the position with full enthusiasm but when they find i do not posses UK experience they roll back (i have clearly mentioned on my profile my work history outside uk).

I know i cannot aim to the positions i use to work at, i am aiming quite reasonably low event to the accountant level but no luck, anybody here can shed some light on this particulate matter as its been almost 3 months and i am not able to land a job despite various on call interviews.

I am based in Birmingham i would also appreciate if anyone have some kind of reference which i can use in this regard.

Thanks,

At the moment a lot of workplaces are even shutting temporarily where existing staff is either staying home or getting heavily reduced work means no new recruitment is in place which may starts when the threat of cronovirus reduces. I have seen many security officers/uber drivers who even have the UK master degree and were doing managerial/secretarial level of jobs in their countries but here in UK their experience wasn't accepted. Moreover, there are also a lot of people who work voluntarily without pay with some organisation to gain experience in their desired field while doing another part time job in other areas to meet their expenses.

Hi Seagul,

Hope you doing well. Thank you for your response, could you advise me what should i do in this situation i mean Post Corona-virus situation, i believe my experience have been recognized by the people here that is why i have been getting calls from various recruiters and during the second round of interviews my CV drops back which i think is mainly due to non availability of UK experience. But the question is how will i be able to get hold on to the UK experience if all of them will ask for the same thing. Breaking into the industry is my challenge. I have come to the UK for more promising career and to learn more with in my own field.

Kindly suggest me the best way to deal with the circumstances i am kind of trapped-in.

Thanks,

I am afraid but the post coronovirus situation nobody can predict yet but hopefully all will be recovered and reinstated soon. Maybe adopting following practice might help you:

1. Extend your search in all over the England instead just be restricted for few miles
2. Prepare a good CV of UK standard and covering letter for which many templates are available
3. Try to pass few short diplomas in your field from UK institute
4. If affordable try to join some organisation without pay for gaining experience in similar field (same as said before).
5. Keep in mind to start from low salary and wherever being asked than ask low salary if affordable
6. Keep applying and if you get job in another area of work then accept it

At the moment, things are really looking poorly. Even during normal times, it's rather hard to get a Tier 2 sponsorship

Now, about your experience. Depending on the job really. If you code Java or C++, employers don't care if this experience has been acquired in India, USA or Dubai. Because technically it's the same thing.

However, if you work on finance, law or similar, the experience is really tied to a specific environment. Each country has very specific taxation system, banking system, VAT rules, accounting methods... maybe that's why prospective employers seem to insist on UK experience.

Zerubbabel wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 18, 2020 9:28 pm

However, if you work on finance, law or similar, the experience is really tied to a specific environment. Each country has very specific taxation system, banking system, VAT rules, accounting methods... maybe that's why prospective employers seem to insist on UK experience.

Not necessarily for instance ACCA/ACA/CIMA are the internationally recognized UK based professional qualifications where you study all these subjects purely in the context of British accountancy & taxation industry. Also a lot of multinational companies have their branches in many countries. Most UK employers always in need of employees with above mentioned qualifications even without/little practical experience.

seagul wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 19, 2020 7:53 am

Zerubbabel wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 18, 2020 9:28 pm

However, if you work on finance, law or similar, the experience is really tied to a specific environment. Each country has very specific taxation system, banking system, VAT rules, accounting methods... maybe that's why prospective employers seem to insist on UK experience.

Not necessarily for instance ACCA/ACA/CIMA are the internationally recognized UK based professional qualifications where you study all these subjects purely in the context of British accountancy & taxation industry. Also a lot of multinational companies have their branches in many countries. Most UK employers always in need of employees with above mentioned qualifications even without/little practical experience.

Thank you for the detailed answer. Last year, I was helping a young lad who just qualified from a University in Scotland. He was doing finance. And I remember he looked for a Tier 2 visa like crazy then on the last day of his Tier 4 visa he flew home. For some reason, he faced the same objections interview after interview : experience.

Zerubbabel wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 19, 2020 8:53 am

seagul wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 19, 2020 7:53 am

Zerubbabel wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 18, 2020 9:28 pm

However, if you work on finance, law or similar, the experience is really tied to a specific environment. Each country has very specific taxation system, banking system, VAT rules, accounting methods... maybe that's why prospective employers seem to insist on UK experience.

Not necessarily for instance ACCA/ACA/CIMA are the internationally recognized UK based professional qualifications where you study all these subjects purely in the context of British accountancy & taxation industry. Also a lot of multinational companies have their branches in many countries. Most UK employers always in need of employees with above mentioned qualifications even without/little practical experience.

Thank you for the detailed answer. Last year, I was helping a young lad who just qualified from a University in Scotland. He was doing finance. And I remember he looked for a Tier 2 visa like crazy then on the last day of his Tier 4 visa he flew home. For some reason, he faced the same objections interview after interview : experience.

Immigration/visa status has a lot impact because many employers only want a person with settled status because they cannot offer tier 2 sponsorship or keep changing employees where in near future someone's visa is expiring.