Telecoms Engineer: route to finding job.

Case study

Date: August 2012

Theme: Telecoms Engineer now working for Virgin Media

What was keeping me out of work?

Initially, A range of things, including

Ø  I was unfamiliar with competency based selection systems. We don't use that system in Iraq. and, having no UK experience, it felt as if it was designed to keep people some people out!

Ø  No specific services for me from Jobcentre Plus. They appeared to blame me for not having a job

Ø  I was already in a state of distress and insecurity at having had to flee from Iraq for safety and leaving my family, home and job. Housing was always a problem.  I felt very unsupported both emotionally and materially in the UK.

Ø  I had no UK work experience or UK work references, though 3 years’ Iraqi experience.

Ø  Iraqi Degree. I had a UK MSc and an Iraqi Degree. But NARIC and some employers and professional bodies viewed my degree as less than the value of a UK Degree.

Ø  I wasn’t a Member of the IET professional body. I am now.

Ø  Recruitment agencies wouldn't register me. I don't know why not.

Ø  Refugee status Many employers don't know that refugee status is a proper status, with permission to work. There is often no box for refugees to tick that applies to their status. Definitely this affected my competitiveness

What things made a difference?

Ø  Transitions:  Then I heard of Transitions, who specifically have services to enable the graduate labour market and refugee graduates to engage with one another.  i participated in several  workshops on effective job search for refugee professionals, with a range of guest engineer and other professional speakers as well as meeting for 1-1 support.

Ø  Talking with decision makers:

Brunel University: I borrowed money and persuaded Brunel University to over-ride the NARIC opinion and accept my academic and experiential knowledge to pursue a Mobile Telecommunications MSc. I  got a Distinction in my dissertation.

Guest speaker I also made a presentation myself as a guest speaker at a Transitions network meeting with colleagues from Jobcentre Plus, aimed at enhancing services by Jobcentre Plus to refugee.

The IET: I contacted and joined the IET as a Member, as advised by Transitions.

I also participated in a Transitions advisory network meeting with NARIC and the IET professional body, a recruitment agency and National Grid where we  discussed some of the miscommunications to happen between these organisations and refugee graduate candidates. it was good to have that opportunity to talk for myself to decision makers.

Effective presentation: I was initially approaching employers without referring specifically to the competences listed in the job they were advertising and not getting interviews.

I built up a portfolio of information about me and about the telecoms sector and the uk graduate recruitment system then started to frame my written applications better, using the competency system. Through Transitions I was interviewed by a major national employer for a job on their graduate trainee programme and got interview practice.

I got the interview with Virgin Media, who I now work for, by putting in a good written application, with assistance from Transitions, that highlighted and targetted my strengths for that job and motivations to work for them. Initially the agency who were doing the recruiting didn't shortlist me. Transitions called them to request the reasons why. The consultant put me forward a couple of weeks later for another role. Transitions assisted me to prepare for the phone and face to face interview, building up my self confidence, my ability to articulate my strengths and reasons for applying to Virgin Media and  my positive approach to the interview.

How are things going now?

I'm now on the road to rebuilding my career, which was interrupted by the events in Iraq and further interrupted by the lack of information advice and  support in the UK as a jobsearching refugee professional, which was very stressful! Transitions enabled me to learn how to approach the graduate labour market system here, have a chance to challenge and inform the decision-makers, and  finally to compete effectively for the great job that I now have.