Hello after  a long hiatus! The last couple of months have been a busy busy time for most of us haven´t they? Except for those of you making last minute university applications, accommodation bookings and visa applications must be well underway? Just another month to go! I hope I´ve been able to answer some of the questions you´ve had about studying and living in the UK and I hope my posts and my e-book have made things a little easier and comfortable for you. I wish all those of you flying to the UK next month, a very happy countdown to departure!

This post, by the way, is not for you! It´s for those of you who haven´t been able to make it to the universities of your choice, and are looking for a second chance.

Read on…

We’re well into May, and those of you with offers are probably looking into accommodation options now? Read the Uni vs Private Accommodation post to figure out which one is for you! If you’ve decided on uni accomm, life becomes much simpler because you simply have to study the brochure and the website, shortlist a couple of places you’re keen on and make an application! But if you’ve decided to go down the private accommodation road, things become a little confusing. How do you look for a place sitting seven seas away? What does bedsit mean? And what do bills include? And what’s a detached house? And also, where do you search for rooms and flatmates?

I’m going to try and tackle these worries one step at a time. How about we begin by figuring out where to look first? Read on…

Just back from a lovely afternoon get-together, happy on tiramisu and carrot cake and rasberry meringue and all kinds of salads! I’m one of those folks who can’t enjoy a party unless there’s good food (no matter how fabulous the music is or how brilliant the company is or how much alcohol is flowing!), and so am feeling very content because there was a bit of it all! I made my two penny bit of contribution to the snack bar as well (and hope it made some stomachs happy!), and that brings me to party food recipe no 2! Read recipe 1 here.

Roasted vegetable and pesto salad

Read on…

What is a summer internship?

A summer internship is an opportunity to work in an organisation as a member of the team for a certain period of time in the holidays so as to gain valuable work experience in an industry of your choice!

Am I eligible to apply for an internship?

Summer internships are usually for penultimate year students (students in their second last year of university) and graduates. However each organisation has it’s own criteria, so it’s best to get in touch with them to enquire if you are eligible (incase the information on the website is not clear)

How long does it last?

Summer internships usually last for about 4-10 weeks. Some could be slightly shorter or longer.

Do you get paid?

Read on…

And we complete 3 months of MTG!

I’ve added a few new features to the website:

- There’s a twitter widget in the right-hand sidebar with my latest tweets – so if you aren’t already following MTG on twitter, that widget will keep you informed of most student-news updates. The widget doesn’t display retweets, however, so you could follow MTG for the whole deal!

- There’s an Amazon widget in the right-hand sidebar that you can use to shop for books, cds, dvds, gadgets, and anything else you fancy on Amazon

- What all you prospective students would find most useful is the Student Talk feature recently introduced. It’s a collection of interviews with alumni and current students from various universities across UK.  The project is still in its infancy, and you can help it grow by contributing! Click here

- There’s a new testimonials page. I’m so glad MTG is being appreciated! Click here

-  There’s a Flickr widget in the right-hand sidebar that streams photos of interesting places I’ve been to and have blogged about in the UK!

Some other updates:

- MTG now has over a 100 Facebook fans! Hurrah! Become one too – click here!

- The Orkut community has over a 180 members! Join in!

Thanks everyone for all the support and appreciation! A special thank you to everyone who helped with the Student Talk section – thanks for taking the time out

Back to first section of this post

Can I decline the job offered to me after the training?

• Personally, I’d think  that would be an unethical decision to make given that the organisation has invested in training you.
• But people would argue that you’ve worked for the organisation in return for that training, and you could, if you like, and if you aren’t bound by any contract, decline, and search elsewhere. But remember, the training provided is invaluable within the organisation, and since every company functions differently, you may find yourself starting from scratch.

Are you paid while you are trained?

Read on…

Read Job Search – Part 1

Read Job Search – Part 2

There is one particular feature about UK employment that is actually quite god-sent. Consider yourself very fortunate if you land a place on a Graduate Training Programme.

What is a Graduate Training Programme?

• A graduate training programme or graduate training scheme is a special on-the-job training scheme designed for graduates.
• Organisations that run this scheme invest a lot of time, money, and effort in training graduates they think will benefit the company in the long run.
• Successful graduates are given intense training, often in various departments of the organisation, so that they acquire knowledge of all the functions of the organisation.

Who is eligible for a graduate training programme?

Read on…

This one’s dedicated to all those who’ve said NO to meat! So if you’re a vegetarian out of choice or out of compulsion or even simply because you just haven’t got around to trying anything else, it’s possible you’re worried about what you’re going to eat once you hit UK. And that’s ok. It’s not too comforting thinking all you’re going to get is the chips of the famous fish and chips, or the salad in a subway sub! How much potato, tomato, cheese, and lettuce can a person eat, eh? And did I hear you say you can’t cook? Uh ohh…..:s

Read on…

If you have some time on your hands, and would like to use it to make a difference, why not volunteer abroad? It’s your chance to see a new country, and contribute to its development in a special way.

Read on…

Back to first section of Part 2

Right, you’ve located some job search sites you’re keen on. Now how do you get down to the jobs you’re looking for?

• This sounds like a seemingly silly question, but often it isn’t simply about typing in ‘marketing’ or ‘teaching’ in the search box. That would give you thousands of search results.

Read on…

Have you read Part 1 in the Mission: Employment UK [Job Search] focus posts? Read

Perhaps the most popular destination for searching for a job is the great WWW! How many of us haven’t at some point in our lives as students in the UK, googled ‘uk jobs’ or something similar? Few, I’d imagine.

But like everything else on the internet, what’s most alluring is also most frustrating: there’s just too much of information!

So,
Read on…

Get yourself a Young Person’s Railcard! Now called the 16-25 railcard! If you’re over 25, but studying full-time, you are eligible as well.

You get 1/3 off on all rail tickets- totally worth it if you’re going to be using the train often.

All you need to do is carry your passport-size photograph and passport to the station, pick up a 16-25 railcard leaflet which contains a form, fill out the form, and apply at the station ticket office! You can also apply online (only valid if you’re between 16 and 25. Need to visit the station otherwise)

Here is a list of the job fairs to be held in the UK between February and the end of March 2010, open to students from any university <some university fairs are only for students of that particular university, so check your uni  careers service centre or website for exclusive fairs for you>….

Read on…

Back to section 1

What should you wear to a job fair?

• A lot of international students turn up at a job fair dressed for an interview. I’d advice not doing so! Because this isn’t an interview. So no suit or other formal wear.
• You’re best off dressed in smart casuals.  Don’t turn up in shorts, or anything else too casual, of course!

What do you carry to a job fair?
Read on…

So where do you start searching for that dream job? There are plenty of places you should be looking. Over the next one week, we’ll be talking about Fairs, Classifieds, Online Search, Career Cells, Graduate Training Programmes, and Direct Applications

In today’s post, I’ll discuss Recruitment Fairs and Exhibitions.

Right,

What is a recruitment/job/career fair?

In the UK, these refer to an organised event where employers and students meet and interact with each other in an informal setting. Employers put up stalls and students go around the fair stopping at stalls that interest them, talking to prospective employers, and very often picking up leaflets and brochures.

Why should you attend a job fair?
Read on…