Explain Your Overseas Experience

Who it is for

Skilled people whose work experience is from another country, and who are now applying for jobs in the UK, Ireland, Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand or another English-speaking country. It helps most when an interviewer asks "Do you have local experience?" or when your job title at home is not a title people use here.

What it checks

• Two or three plain job titles a local interviewer may use for the work you did. They are suggestions, not official titles.
• Three short points for your CV or interview that show skills which carry over to any country, written from your own duties.
• A 45 to 60 second spoken answer to "Do you have local experience?": an honest first sentence, what you did, one example, and how you are learning the local way of working.
• A link to the official body in your target country that compares qualifications, for example UK ENIC in the UK or CICIC in Canada.

How to use it

1. Write the country where you did the job, your job title in your own words, how many years you did it and your main duties. Simple English and short notes are fine.
2. Choose the country where you want to work. Add your qualification name if you have one.
3. Read the draft and change any word that is not true for you. An interviewer may ask about any detail.
4. Press "Practise this answer" to say it out loud in a free practice interview and get feedback.

What it cannot do

• It does not assess your qualification, and it does not compare your qualification or job with local ones. Only an official recognition body or the regulator for your job can do that.
• It does not give legal advice or advice about permission to work.
• The job titles are common ways to describe the work. A particular employer may use a different title.
• It uses only the details you type. It does not add numbers or results you did not give. The details you type are not saved.

Common questions

How do I answer "Do you have local experience?" if I have none?

Say it honestly in one sentence, then move to what you did and what carries over. For example: "Most of my experience is from Nigeria. I worked for six years as a ward nurse, and the core of the job is the same here: safe care, clear handovers and teamwork. I am learning the local systems now."

Can this tool tell me how my degree compares with local degrees?

No. Comparisons are made by official bodies and regulators, not by us. The tool links to the official body for your target country, such as UK ENIC, CICIC in Canada or NZQA in New Zealand.

Should I change my job title on my CV?

Keep your real title, and add a plain description next to it, for example "Staff nurse (registered nurse on a surgical ward)". An interviewer may check your title with a reference, so it should match.