There is no telling how nervous you must feel preparing for your first job interview as an immigrant. There is the fear of not saying what your prospective employer wants to hear.
Reading several articles on interview questions and the best answer to give is a good place to start. Nevertheless, employers are different, and these may not be all you need to scale through. So, before going for that all-important first interview, here are seven things to bear in mind.
1. Brace up for Background Check
Your potential employer may be interested in knowing about you beyond what you can provide at the interview. With your permission, they would do some background checks on you. The essence is to verify the things you’ve said and have in your documentations. Of course, refusing them to do so may imply that you are trying to hide something.
The bright side to this is that it could be a sign that your would-be employers are interested in your profile enough to go through the trouble.
Hence, carry your guarantors along with the process so that they can be ready for questioning should the need arise.
2. Ratify your Immigration Status
Asides from your skill, your immigration status would prove to be most important. Although an employer must never discriminate between whom they employ, UK law mandates employers to check if an immigrant’s eligibility to work in the country before tendering an offer.
Your visa type may not permit you to work. For example, if you came in using a spousal visa, you would have to apply for a work permit to be employable.
To work in the UK as a non-citizen, you must fall into one of the following categories:
? Gained entry into the UK with a work visa
? Have been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK
If none of the above includes you, then it’s time you applied for a work visa. With the services of the best immigration lawyer, applying and obtaining one wouldn’t be a problem.
3. Be Honest
If interviewers find you lying, it won’t matter anything else you say. While you should necessarily stay positive, avoid any false information to boost your appearance before them or draw some sympathy.
Many interviewers can tell when you are hiding something. Detecting this would cause them to subject you to a barrage of questions till you crumble.
Besides, you may not get the job after all. Come clean with any past incident that may seem dark rather than hiding it. Everyone has a past, so be open about it if asked.
4. Work on your Grammar and Tone
We agree that you must have written one English proficiency examination as part of your point-based requirement. The ultimate test is when you have to speak before your prospective employers.
Meanwhile, you must listen to several audios from an interview session, not only to learn of possible questions but to familiarize yourself with the intonations. You won’t necessarily need to speak like an incident, but your expression must be fluent.
5. Dress Appropriately
Unless otherwise stated, the standard dress mode for an interview is formal. Get a collared shirt and a tie, at the least. A female can get a corporate-looking gown and moderate heel shoes to match. If you can, get a pair of suits ready for the day.
Another tip is to get clothes in somber colors such as navy blue, brown, and grey. Light colors carry too much cheerful appearance, which is formal enough.
A tattoo isn’t bad, but it doesn’t tick the box of formality. Clear off any which is at a revealing spot or hide if you can. Who knows what an employer may find offensive?
6. Be Yourself
Above the several rules of courtesy and self-carriage, be yourself. Rehearse several times if you must gain some confidence. Your interviewers already know how tense you must be and would appreciate someone confident and unscripted.
Ask questions when you are not clear about their meaning. Look at the interviewer but avoid gazing directly into their eyes continuously too.
Final Thoughts
You’ve put in some work securing an interview appointment, and you should be proud. Remember that your character is just as important as your qualifications. Also, ensuring your documentation is complete is crucial.
Work visa application is a criterion for anyone hoping to work in the UK. Applying from within or outside is possible. Thankfully, regardless of your visa of entry, you can change your status with the right moves.
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