Finally, it’s my turn to make it ashore! A sincere post.

Joy and some soft-experience sharing:

❤️ This offer absolutely didn’t come easy. I worked part-time for a year while applying for jobs and earning money, without asking my family for a single penny. Then I made up my mind to quit and job-hunt full-time for two whole months. I finally got the offer that belongs to me!

❤️‍🩹 Recently it’s flu season in the UK. I went to my second-round in-person interview with a cold and fever. I woke up at 6:30 a.m. and didn’t take medicine because I was afraid of getting drowsy. It took 4 hours round-trip by bus plus 1.5 hours walking. My leather shoes were so stiff that I got blisters. I barely drank water because using the restroom was inconvenient, and I hardly ate because I had no appetite while sick. On the way home, I stood for a long time waiting for the bus, feeling nauseous and dry heaving at the bus stop. My limbs felt weak, I was dizzy and lightheaded—I genuinely thought I might collapse in the crowd. Only after getting on the bus and drinking water and eating something did I feel a bit better.

❤️‍🔥 Not long after, I received the offer on the bus. I burst into tears! I’ve seen many “made it ashore” posts where people say they felt calm. I thought I’d be calm too, because the job-hunting journey was so long—countless times imagining success, countless disappointments, and countless moments of self-doubt. But when I got the offer and shared the news with my loved ones, I truly couldn’t stop crying…

🧡 I landed an entry-level role through social recruitment at a large UK manufacturing company. Don’t ask about visa sponsorship, salary, or position—if I didn’t mention it, it’s because it’s not convenient to share. I applied to 1,200+ jobs in total. Honestly, I thought it would take at least 2,500–3,000 applications to succeed. I had neither UK internships nor big-name internships back home, and no full-time experience. So don’t just focus on grad roles—apply to entry-level social recruitment roles aggressively too. The number of applications really matters. Out of 1,200 applications, I only got around 12 interviews, including 2 assessment centers that didn’t work out. Most people aren’t the lucky few—we rely on volume.

💛 During my job search, I didn’t pay for any agencies or buy any questionable services. I landed this with zero monetary cost. There are plenty of CV and practice guides online, so I’ll mainly share about direction and applications:

[Direction]
This requires time to think through carefully, and you should adjust based on feedback from your applications. I suggest having one main target field plus a secondary field. Brainstorm related roles for each field and also consider more basic positions—don’t be overly picky. Write a job-search priority list and keywords, and follow that list when applying daily.

[Applications]
Use LinkedIn, Bright Network, Gradcracker, as well as one-click applications on Totaljobs and Reed. Finding the right keywords is also extremely important. Make good use of filters.

💙 Grateful for all the help I received along the way. Thankful for everything.

🩵 Making it ashore is never the end—just another beginning. After recovering from my illness and moving house, I’ll be busy again. I want to share a line I saw during my job search that helped me: be a working ox, and be a good one.

🤍 The job search process is like looking into a mirror—it reflects your past and your future. Other people’s experiences may not apply to you. What matters most is what you want and what you’re pursuing.