When I first arrived in the UK, I shared my story on LinkedIn, and to my surprise, many people reached out to me. Some of these individuals were already residing in the UK, and I did not hesitate to connect with them. The first and most important piece of advice I received came from one of these connections, Mr. Stephen Temitayo. He said, “Solace, don’t limit yourself to Care Jobs. You can break into any other area and succeed. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
At the time, I didn’t fully understand why he was giving me this advice. It was only later in my journey that I grasped his reasoning. Within the immigrant community, there is a prevailing notion that you cannot get a skilled worker visa outside the care sector. As a result, many immigrants, despite having passion and potential for other fields, have confined themselves to the care sector.
I took his advice very seriously. I don’t like the care job, I do not have passion for it and I was not going to settle for it. After graduating, I worked various shifts in different fields—cleaning, waitressing, housekeeping, replenishment, and internships. These jobs helped me sustain myself while I fervently searched for positions in areas I was passionate about. Many people insisted that without taking a Care job, I wouldn’t be able to secure sponsorship. However, I knew that if I entered a field I wasn’t passionate about solely for sponsorship, I would end up miserable.
Despite the naysayers, I kept applying for PR and Communications roles, which truly excited me. After numerous applications and persistent effort, I finally landed a job that I loved, along with the sponsorship I needed.
This experience taught me a crucial lesson: it is possible to succeed in fields other than Care, even as an immigrant. This is not to say that Care jobs are bad. In fact, they are essential and rewarding for those who are passionate about them. However, there’s a prevailing notion within the immigrant community that we are limited to Care roles and cannot fit into other sectors. This simply isn’t true.
Here are some tips I learned along the way:
- Follow Your Passion: Identify what you are passionate about and pursue it relentlessly. Your enthusiasm and dedication will set you apart from other candidates.
- Gain Diverse Experience: Don’t shy away from taking up various jobs initially. These roles can provide you with essential skills and experience while you search for your dream job.
- Network Actively: Connect with professionals in your desired field. Attend industry events, join relevant groups on LinkedIn, and don’t hesitate to reach out to people for advice and mentorship.
- Tailor Your Applications: Customize your CV and cover letter for each job application. Highlight how your skills and experiences align with the job requirements.
- Stay Persistent: Rejection is part of the process. Don’t get discouraged by setbacks. Keep refining your approach and keep applying.
- Seek Support: There are numerous resources and organizations that can assist immigrants in job hunting and career development. Make use of these resources.
- Consider Volunteering: Volunteering in your field of interest can provide valuable experience, help you build a network, and sometimes lead to job offers.
- Remember, if you don’t have a passion for Care, you can still succeed in other fields. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. Embrace your ambitions and strive to find a career that truly makes you happy.
