Job Overview: Careers and Employability Advisor (International Students)
This exciting position sits within the Careers and Employability Service, a department dedicated to empowering students and graduates to excel in today’s competitive global job market. As the Careers and Employability Advisor specializing in international students, your primary focus will be on supporting a diverse cohort with tailored resources, services, and initiatives designed to enhance their employability. From strengthening recruitment practices to building employer relationships and integrating career development into the curriculum, you’ll contribute significantly to improving the student experience and graduate prospects for international learners.
This role gives you the opportunity to lead the design and delivery of impactful career programming, collaborate with academic departments on employability-focused initiatives, and create innovative e-learning tools tailored to a diverse, global student body. You’ll play a key role in shaping career support across all stages of the student journey, ensuring international graduates thrive. If you’re passionate about fostering career success on a global scale, this is a role where your creativity and skills can make a genuine difference.
How to Apply with an International Education Perspective:
Advice for Applicants:
- Highlight Global and Cross-Cultural Expertise:
When applying, emphasize your ability to understand and address the nuances of supporting international students. Showcase prior experience working within international education settings, advising diverse student groups, or creating initiatives tailored to global audiences. For example, discuss how you’ve developed resources or programs specifically for students who face unique challenges like visa restrictions, cultural adaptation, or varying employment landscapes.
- Showcase a Data-Driven Approach:
Given the importance of delivering measurable impact, highlight your ability to interpret student engagement and employment data to refine strategies. Provide specific examples of how you’ve used data insights to make informed decisions or enhance programming in previous roles.
- Demonstrate Content Creation Expertise:
E-learning plays a large role in this position. Talk about your experience developing engaging online resources-such as webinars, tutorials, videos, or interactive learning tools-that cater to large, diverse populations. If you can elaborate on innovative ways you’ve made content accessible for international students, such as multilingual resources, all the better.
- Illustrate Collaborative Success:
Collaboration is key in this role, as you’ll liaise with academic departments, external employers, and other stakeholders. Provide examples of how you’ve successfully partnered with teams to integrate employability into curricula, organized employer networks, or delivered events targeting international student success.
- Reflect a Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:
Manchester Metropolitan University values inclusivity. Highlight your understanding of the challenges faced by underrepresented or disadvantaged students and discuss how you’ve worked to overcome these barriers in your career services delivery. Tailoring support to learners from diverse backgrounds should be a focus in both your CV and cover letter.
Application Tips:
- Craft a Cover Letter That Stands Out: Begin by explaining how your skills and experiences align with the mission of the Careers and Employability Service, particularly for supporting international students at the university-wide level. Make sure to address each of the key responsibilities outlined in the job description while tying them back to tangible achievements from your previous roles.
- Emphasize Innovation: Since the role calls for innovation, use your application to show off your creative problem-solving. If you’ve led new initiatives, piloted employability projects, or built innovative career resources, make these highlights stand out.
- Tailor to the University’s Values: Manchester Met is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Align your application with these values by sharing how you’ll contribute to fostering an environment that supports international success. For instance, mention your insights into graduate employability trends for international students and how you’d address obstacles such as visa regulations or returning home markets.
Additional Notes:
- Hybrid Work Environment: Be prepared to engage both remotely and on-campus, depending on the time of year and departmental priorities. Highlight your adaptability to managing projects in hybrid working conditions in your application.
- Contact for Informal Inquiries: If you have questions about the role, reach out to Julian White at j.r.white@mmu.ac.uk. Making informal inquiries can give you valuable insights into the role while demonstrating proactive interest.
Manchester Met welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and encourages individuals from underrepresented groups in higher education and the workplace to apply. If you identify as disabled, take advantage of the Disability Confident Scheme by ensuring you meet the essential criteria, as this may guarantee you an interview