On Wednesday 26 Feb I attended the Pakistan Job Fair at The University of Manchester which was organised in association
with The British Council, Pakistan. The
event featured 15 exhibitors, all of which were keen to meet students and talk
about internship and graduate opportunities in Pakistan. It was a busy event and I spoke to lots of
interesting employers who wanted to meet international students who have been
educated in the UK.
My main chance to quiz employers was at a seminar
before the exhibition opened. I thought I would give you a brief overview of my
experience and what I learnt...
- Many companies in Pakistan are experiencing major growth and are
therefore seeking to recruit more graduates in the coming years
- There are a lot of internship and graduate opportunities in Pakistan.
These are mainly in the following roles: Engineering/Technical and Supply
Chain/Business/Finance/Marketing/HR
-Applicants must be of high quality to compete and stand out against others
from around the world
-It is important to be an all round candidate with transferable skills
such as communication, relationship building and commercial awareness. To gain
these skills employers suggested that you gain work experience or join a
student society
-Applicants must want to work in Pakistan. Level of interest is high for
graduate schemes so it is essential to prove that you are committed to working
in Pakistan
I asked the question “In addition
to their degree, what should students get involved in whilst studying in the UK
that would give them an advantage when applying for jobs in Pakistan?”
Response from employers: “Get
involved with some well known prestigious companies that operate in the UK.
That would really appeal to us. If you are an Engineering student then you
should aim for an internship with a company that we will know like Rolls-Royce.
If you’re a Business student then why not get in touch with a major bank (for
example) to see if you can visit them or meet them whilst they are on your
campus. Alternatively, make the most of your summers by volunteering or work
shadowing”
I would like to sign off this blog with one other
key message... three Company Directors approached me after the seminar as they
heard me mention that I was representing the University of Sheffield. Employers
in Pakistan consider graduating from this University a major achievement due to
our positive international reputation – use this to your advantage and don’t be
afraid to shout about it!
The list of exhibitors can be found here:
Why not take a
look at the company websites and see if they have opportunities that suit you?!
Good luck!
Sarah
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