As an immigration consultant (also known as an immigration advisor ), you will be responsible for providing guidance and assistance to clients who wish to relocate to another country. You will support clients with acquiring visas, filling in application forms, gathering legal documents, acquiring a new nationality or citizenship and appealing against a visa or immigration decisions.
This guide has been created to give you all the relevant information and guidance to help you write your perfect immigration consultant CV and get more job interviews.
I am a committed and organised Immigration Advisor with a strong passion for helping to overcome their problems. I have more than two years of experience in helping individuals and families with their immigration issues, including, but not limited to, providing up to date immigration advice, applying for visas and passports, writing official letters and liaising with governmental agencies on behalf of the clients.
Achievements
Two years of relevant work experience
Employee of the month for two months running while at Fabulous Solutions
Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checked
Education
2007 – 2010
Diploma in Business Administration
Aston College
Grade achieved: [Tripple Distinction]
Relevant Modules:
Discovering Business Enterprise
Business Negotiation Skills
Communication for Professional Effectiveness
2003 – 2007 Results: 10 GCSEs at Grades A-C, including Maths (B) and English (B)
GCSEs
Summerfield Secondary School
Work experience
Jan 2014 – Present
Immigration Advisor (Level 1-3) VisaSense Ltd
Main duties performed:
Providing legal advice regarding immigration to and from the UK
Preparing applications for Tier 4 student visas, entry clearance, partner visas, asylum seekers and indefinite leave to remain applications
Advising foreign nationals on residency and work permits
Drafting visa letters and application forms
Assisting with appeals, and visa and passport extensions
Double-checking all applications before they are submitted to the embassy
Liaising with the relevant authorities on behalf of the clients
Liaising with lawyers and solicitors to discuss particular cases
Investigating claims put forward by clients when necessary
Managing and prioritised in-tray tasks in order of importance and deadlines
Updating clients during every step of the immigration process
Reviewing changes in UK Home Office policies & procedures
Preventing immigration fraud and reporting any illegal activities to senior managers or the relevant authorities
Photocopying, scanning, sending and filing of official documents
Dealing with stressful situations in a calm and professional manner
Jan 2011 – Dec 2013
Customer Services Assistant Fabulous Solutions
Main duties performed:
Assisting customers with their purchases
Assisting the Customer Service Manager in brainstorming new ways to provide better customer service and streamline the complaints process
Handling customer returns or cancellations in a professional manner
Liaising with multiple departments within the organisation, including manufacturing, sales and legal to efficiently settle complaints
Qualifications
Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) Levels 1-3 qualified
E-Type qualified (Level 2 Distinction)
Currently undergoing CILEX Level 3 Diploma in Providing Legal Services
Skills
Organisational skills: Experienced in keeping organised, handling a heavy workload and prioritising different tasks in order of importance
Communication skills: Able to communicate with a broad range of people including students, families, solicitors and government officials
Attention to detail: Adept at spotting mistakes in application forms and reading between the lines concerning immigration statutes
Hobbies and interests
In my spare time, I enjoy my weekly paintball sessions with work colleagues, along with socialising with immediate and extended family. The rest of my free time is spent keeping up to date with the latest developments in national and international politics.
Adopt a traditional CV format: A standard CV consists of the following 8 sections in order; personal profile, personal profile statement, achievements, education and qualifications, employment and work experience, hobbies and interests and, finally, references. It’s best to stick to this (or similar) format to help employers find the information that they need at a glance. An unconventional CV format will catch them off guard and waste their time as they try to understand how you have structured your CV.
Keep an eye on the length of your CV: As a general rule of thumb, shorter CVs are better than longer CVs. Try to only include the most important and up-to-date information while omitting any irrelevant or old information such as very basic-level qualifications or irrelevant, part-time work experience done a long time ago. The maximum length of a CV should not exceed two sides of an A4 paper.
Use a professional font: You should opt for a CV font that is professional and mainstream. Good fonts that you can use include Times New Roman, Verdana, Helvetica, Georgia and Calibri. Also, make sure you use the correct font size which is not too small (10pt or smaller) or too big (13pt or bigger).
Use plenty of white space: White space, as its name indicates, refers to the white space around the text elements of your CV such as paragraphs and subheadings. White space is used in visual art to create some “breathing space” around text-dense elements, making it easier for people to scan, read and digest the content of the document. You can experiment with the spacing and margins of your paragraphs and subheadings to give your CV a clean, clear structure.
Avoid using long paragraphs: Employer surveys have shown that employers tend to scan CVs for the most important information rather than read them in great detail. Use short paragraphs, bullet points and subheadings to improve the scannability and readability of your CV, instead of long, chunky paragraphs.
Let’s start at the top with the personal details section.
This is going to be the first section of your CV and should contain your personal and contact details such as your name, address, telephone number and email address.
Some applicants also include their LinkedIn profile or the web address of their portfolio/blog. This is acceptable if it strengthens your job application.
Things not to include in this section (or anywhere else on your CV!):
Next, you need to write a short introduction to your CV called a personal profile statement or CV summary. See your personal profile as a short “sales pitch” that informs the employer about your personal characteristics, abilities and experience.
Guidelines for writing an effective personal profile:
Keep it short and concise
Back up everything you say with facts, figures and examples
I am a friendly and methodical immigration advisor with more than 3 years of experience in the law and legal industry. I have advised, supported and assisted more than three hundred clients with various immigration issues such as visas, residence permits, appeals, naturalisations, family reunions and court representations. I possess excellent organisational and time management skills, enabling me to handle a heavy workload and meet tight deadlines.
Achievements
Your achievements section, as its name suggests, contains a list of your achievements and accomplishments. See it as your badge of honour by which you wish to stand out from the other candidates and impress the employer.
Some examples of achievements to include on your CV:
Awards received
Promotions
Good grades
Qualifications gained
Relevant work experience
Elected for leadership or management positions (e.g. project manager)
Participated in charity events
Example:
3 years of relevant work experience
Managed a small team of three office staff
High customer retention rate
Employment and work experience
Next, you need to write details of your previous jobs and work experience.
The types of jobs to include in this section are full-time, part-time, voluntary and professional placement positions.
It’s important that you also mention your key responsibilities, duties and/or achievements so that employers have a good understanding of what you did in these jobs and how they could be relevant to the job you’re applying for.
December 2020 – Present
Immigration consultant Bayfield Solicitors
Main duties and responsibilities performed:
Advised and supported clients on all matters of immigration including visas, naturalisation, appeals and residence permits.
Conducted one-to-one immigration consultations with clients
Assisted clients with completing paperwork and application forms
Assisted clients with gathering the required documents
Checked application forms and documents, ensuring that they meet the strict requirements of the Home Office.
Liaised with other professionals for the benefit of clients
Kept up-to-date with the latest alterations in immigration laws
Provide information, advice and guidance on all matters related to immigration.
Process a range of different visa applications including business, family, settlement, study, transit and visitor visas.
Assist clients with gathering legal documents and completing application forms.
Manage a heavy caseload of clients.
Contact the immigration office on behalf of clients.
Appeal immigration decisions.
Represent clients in court.
Education and training
The education section contains details of your formal education and professional training qualifications (if applicable).
Things you can include in this section:
School-level qualifications such as GCSEs
College-level qualifications such as BTECs and A-Levels
University-level qualifications such as undergraduate and postgraduate degrees
Example:
2017-2020
BSc International Tourism Management
University of Brighton
Degree classification: 2:1.
Relevant Modules:
The Travel and Tourism Industry
Impacts of Tourism
International Business Analysis
Global Issues in Travel and Tourism
Employment Law
2015 – 2017 Results: Business (B), English (B) and Maths (B).
A-Levels
Southern Clark College
Qualifications
The qualifications section of your CV should contain a list of additional qualifications such as a first aid qualification.
Example:
Certificate in Information, Advice or Guidance – Level 2 – South Staff College
Skills
Studies have shown that skills-focused and achievement-focused CVs are much better received by employers than duties-focused CVs.
Applicants with achievement-focused CVs are three times more likely to be shorted for an interview compared to those applications with duties-focused CVs.
You should list some of your key skills and abilities in part of your CV, especially those that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Example:
Comprehensive knowledge of immigration laws and the legal industry
Excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrated in my ability to work with a variety of clients, colleagues and third-party professionals
Listening skills to pay attention to the concerns of the clients
Writing skills to write reports or fill in application forms
Proficiency in using the Microsoft Office suite
The ability to multi-task, handle a heavy workload and meet deadlines
Attention to detail to ensure no small details are missed
Hobbies and interests (optional)
The hobbies and interests section is often overlooked by candidates but, in certain circumstances, it can add value to your job application.
For example, mentioning that you participate in events for charity demonstrates to the employer that you care about good causes and want to help people, an excellent characteristic to have in an immigration consultant/advisor.
Note: only mention hobbies that are relevant to the job or those that add value to your CV.
Example:
In my free time, I enjoy doing online research and watching TV documentaries to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in my industry.
References
The last section of your CV contains the personal details of your references.
Your references are two people who know you well, have worked with you in the past and can vouch for your character, skills and abilities to the employer.
Who can be your reference?
Your current or previous employer, manager, teacher, tutor, coach, etc.
Who can’t be your reference?
Friends or family members – this is because employers with to have an unbiased, professional opinion about you. It’s highly unlikely that your mum, dad or best friend would be 100% honest and/or critical of you to the employer!
Showcase your expertise: As an immigration advisor/consultant, you should be someone who is well-grounded in all aspects of your job. Your CV should clearly reflect that you are an authority in your field. For example, don’t just write “completed application forms” as one of your responsibilities because anyone can fill in an application form! Compare the previous statement with, “Completed visa and residency applications, including student visas, entry clearance, partner visas and indefinite leave to remain.” Sounds much better, right?
Include a cover letter with your job application: You can boost the impact of your CV by sending with it a tailored, personalised cover letter. A cover letter is a one-page letter that informs the employer about the reason for your application, your key strengths and abilities and why they should consider you as a suitable candidate for the advertised role. Research has shown that most applicants don’t send cover letters with their applications so this is your opportunity to make your application stand out from the crowd and secure a job interview.
Written by Sobhan Mohmand Sobhan is a qualified Careers Advisor and Professional CV Writer with over 10 years of experience in helping job seekers get a job. He is a Member of the Careers Development Institute (CDI) and is listed on the official UK Register of Career Development Professionals. He holds a Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development (QCF).