Finally landed a job through experienced-hire recruiting! Here’s the story behind a £48k salary…
Let me share my teammate’s experience of finding a company job in the UK last year:
Apply widely, and refine your CV carefully. Make sure your CV closely matches each job description, because most HR first-round screenings are automated—keywords are especially important.
Summary: 50% ability, 50% effort and luck 🍀
🎯 Target roles: Data Scientist, ML Engineer, Technology Consultant (entry level)
⚠️ When searching, try to look through all related roles. Don’t be lazy about it. Job titles vary a lot, but the actual responsibilities may be very similar to what you want.
⌚️ Timeline: From the first application to officially starting the job, it took 10 months in total.
🔢 Number of applications: 150+ formal applications, not including LinkedIn quick applies and recruiter referrals. In total, probably over 200.
✅ Platforms:
LinkedIn (choose entry/associate level if you don’t have much experience)
Company websites (some roles aren’t posted on LinkedIn or social media)
Indeed
These three are basically enough. After you apply, recruiters often reach out by phone or email to recommend roles and ask about your interest.
⏰ Time commitment:
Spend about 3 hours a day seriously searching and applying for jobs, editing your CV, and filling out applications.
Don’t use one CV for everything. Have a master version, but tailor each CV carefully to match the job description. Don’t be afraid of the extra work.
📋 Process:
If your CV passes, 🎉 the second step is usually a phone interview. HR will ask about your background, salary expectations, and career plans.
If you pass that, the third round is typically with the hiring manager, focusing on technical and role-related skills.
Some formats my teammate encountered:
The manager sends a test to complete within a few days
A live case question during the interview, with ~30 minutes to solve it and then give a presentation explaining your thinking
Q&A focused on professional/technical skills
Most experienced-hire processes follow these 3 steps. If you pass the final round and get an offer, they’ll call you. If you hear nothing, it usually means you didn’t pass—don’t get discouraged, just keep applying!
The first few times you may feel nervous or unsure how to prepare your CV, but the more you apply, the more you’ll understand the patterns and get better at it.
㊗️ Wishing everyone the best of luck in finding a job they’re happy with!