International Pre-arrival ModulePrepare

Checklists

Before you arrive

Once you get here you'll be busy getting to know a new city, making friends and starting your studies. Here's a list of things you can do before you come to help prepare you for finding part-time work. It will also help make the most of your Strathclyde experience: 

  • Access web services
    • The Careers Service has detailed information and lots of resources on its website. Most of these can be accessed before you come to study at Strathclyde
  • Check the details of your Visa
    • It's important to know exactly what work you can and cannot do. You can find more information and links to visa advice in the ‘Can I Work While Studying?’ section
  • Research jobs
  • Prepare your CV
    • Use the guidance on the Careers website to research how to create a CV suitable for the UK job market
    • CVs take quite a lot of time to write well so starting before you move here will help you to be prepared

Once you're here

Using the service

Once you start your course, don’t forget to make use of all the services that we offer:

  • our Induction Video, Events CalendarMyCareer, and our Careers Online Toolkit are great ways to get started
  • briefing sessions are a great way to get started. They are 30-minute introductions to career-related topics. These include Creating a Curriculum Vitae (CV), Interview Techniques, and Assessment Centres. Sign up to attend via our Events Calendar
  • download our CV and Cover Letter booklet. This explains how to create a CV and cover letter for jobs in the UK
  • the Scottish Graduate Fair in October. This is the biggest graduate recruitment fair in Scotland. You'll have the opportunity to meet some of the biggest companies across the UK
  • once you've settled in, you may want to have an appointment with a Careers Consultant. They can help you decide on your options after your course finishes

Broader opportunities

University is not just about your academic course. While you're here, there's a range of different opportunities you can take part in. UK employers value candidates with experiences and skills gained in lots of ways. It's important to have fun and make friends too. 

  • get involved with the Students’ Union. You can find out about the wide range of Student Union opportunities here
  • volunteering with a charity is a great way to help people and get valuable experience. You can find opportunities through the Student Union Volunteer Hub. There are opportunities around Glasgow with Volunteer Glasgow, or throughout Scotland with Volunteer Scotland
  • networking can be a great way to meet professionals in your field and find job opportunities. Come along to Careers Events. Free events are going on around Glasgow. Or there may be a Professional Body for the subject you're studying that puts on events

Learning diary

It can be really helpful to keep a Learning Diary. You can use it to update your CV and build your online Linkedin profile.

Regularly make a list of the skills you have learned. Also, include the knowledge you've gained. And activities you've been involved with. This can be from your course, your part-time job, volunteering, or other extracurricular activities. Whether it's daily, weekly or monthly, it will help you to remember everything you have done