A parent new to the UK job market starts by settling the direction

Ms Lin (not her real name) has a daughter in the third year of a business degree in Leeds. Her daughter said she wanted to stay and work in the UK; asked what she wanted to do, the answer swung between marketing and data analysis. Ms Lin works in administration in China and knew nothing about British industries, but she did not want to wait until graduation to start worrying. She signed up for the parent version herself, to get the direction clear first.

I can't decide for her what to do. But I can find out what the road looks like first, then talk it through with her.

Weeks one to two: two directions side by side

Ms Lin described her daughter's modules, her grades and a spell running a student society, then asked about marketing and data analysis in turn. The comparison JobExpress gave was specific: marketing roles are friendlier to undergraduates, with slightly lower starting salaries and competition centred on portfolio and internship experience; data roles start higher, but her daughter's maths and programming modules were not enough and would need at least six months of catching up.

Ms Lin sent both comparisons to her daughter, who read them and chose marketing, because the thing she had actually done and enjoyed was running those society events. With the direction settled, everything that followed had an order.

Weeks three to eight: filling the gaps along the roadmap

• The skills assessment was set at junior marketing level and showed the gaps were in data tools and content writing
• The learning roadmap ran for six weeks, one course and one small assignment a week. Her daughter did the work around her studies, and Ms Lin tracked progress in the conversation
• The society experience was rewritten as a measurable result and the CV rebuilt in the British format; the ATS score went from 63 to 85

Weeks nine to twelve: applications

Before the third-year summer, JobExpress filtered the marketing roles in Leeds and Manchester open to new graduates against the profile: 12 in total. Ms Lin handled applications and follow-ups; her daughter handled interviews. Three went to interview and the third made an offer: a junior marketing executive role starting after graduation, with a one-year training period.

Looking back

• Until the direction is settled, don't rush to rewrite the CV. Put the real requirements of both paths side by side and let the child choose
• A parent going through it first, then guiding the child through, works far better than simply pointing the child at a tool
• Starting in the third year leaves plenty of time, and the roadmap can be paced without pressure