Embarking on the journey to secure a Global Talent visa after completing my MSc project was both a daunting and rewarding experience. Guided by my MSc project supervisor’s recommendation, I explored this pathway, initially feeling overwhelmed by the documentation requirements. However, with careful planning and dedication, I successfully obtained an endorsement. My journey can offer valuable insights to those navigating a similar path.
Getting the recommendation letters from top managers of the organizations I worked for posed a unique challenge; being outside my home country, the initial outreach to companies I had worked for yielded just one response, leaving me disheartened. I nearly abandoned the pursuit with the looming shift to a post-study visa.
Undeterred, I persevered and sent follow-up emails after a month. Two months passed with no response, and just as I was on the verge of giving up, one of the companies responded. Miraculously, two days later, the second recommendation arrived. The experience taught me the value of persistence and timing in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
I gathered all my documents in November 2023 and submitted my application on the 27th of November. I got my endorsement on the 3rd of January, 2024
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Sector: Technology
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Skill: UX Researcher
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Highest formal education level completed: Masters degree and PhD in view
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Category: Exceptional Promise
Documents /evidence:
Personal Statement:
I began by tracing my interest in design back to 2015, sharing my journey from being a school designer to contributing to redesigning my school’s Library portal. The narrative unfolded chronologically, touching upon my first job, the fashion-tech startup I initiated in 2018, and my role in integrating VR with fashion design.
Despite a temporary pause due to slow VR adoption in my home country, my startup experience highlighted my UI design and research skills. I detailed subsequent jobs, freelance roles, academic achievements, awards, professional memberships, and my fully sponsored PhD proposal set to impact the UK technological sector.
CV:
In my CV, I presented a clear overview of my experiences, professional bodies, certifications, and skills. I opted for a straightforward format, utilizing bullet points for clarity, and aimed to keep the narrative coherent and compelling.
Supporting Documents
Media Mentions and Awards:
- Recognition among the top 10 individuals impacting the technology ecosystem in your county.
- Featured speaker in a Tech Week discussion addressing the scarcity of UX research in digital product development.
- Spotlighted among Entrepreneurs Using Technology to Impact Lives in your home country.
- Publications featuring the launch of the fashion-tech startup I co-founded in 2018 that utilizes advanced VR technology, enabling users to design and customize their clothing.
- Publication of an interactive session, where I expressed how mentorship can help aspiring tech talents in my home country.
- Publication of my personal journey unveiling the origins of my tech career as a young individual in growing from the slum and the remarkable progress I have achieved.
- A publication of my perspective on how Twitter’s rebranding could impact businesses.
Track Record of Academic Excellence:
- Distinction in MBA, MSc: Clearly demonstrated commitment to high academic standards.
Documented through transcripts and supported by pictures of earned awards.
- Award as the Most Innovative Engineering Student (Undergraduate): Picture of award
- Award as Best MSc Graduating Student: Award pictures, transcripts and graduation brochure
- Letter of Recommendation from School: Provides external validation and support for your academic prowess.
- Fully sponsored PhD/ Research Proposal and offer: Demonstrated my ongoing commitment to academic advancement. The PhD offered insight into my current research focus, aligning with my aspirations and the impact on the UK’s technological sector.
Substantial contribution to the growth of a non-profit organization:
I highlighted my role in conceptualizing a revolutionary application with the primary objective of mitigating incidents of sexual assault in the northern region of my country. The app garnered significant attention from prominent media outlets such as BBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera, ultimately receiving accolades and recognition through prestigious awards.
Evidence:
- I provided substantiating evidence through comprehensive documentation, including chat histories from the design phase, user experience research records, and brand identity design files on my portfolio website. Additionally, I attached a reference from the CEO endorsing my contributions. Also, I shared links to media publications featuring coverage of the app, validating its widespread recognition and impact.
Proven Track Record As UX/UI Designer Of A Product-Led Digital Technology Company:
I demonstrated a proven track record as a UX/UI designer within a product-led digital technology company by briefly introducing the product along with relevant links. In support of my claim, I presented a comprehensive email thread encompassing my journey from onboarding to project delivery, which included my milestones and achievements. Substantiating my employment, I attached the official employment letter.
Evidence:
- I presented evidence of my design process using UX research documents and ideation sketches. To showcase the practical application of my skills, I shared a link to the Figma design, illustrating the evolution of the product under my design leadership. Furthermore, I highlighted my contribution to the company’s strategic narrative by providing a link to the pitch deck, which underscored my role in aligning design initiatives with overarching business objectives.
Led the growth of a product-led digital technology company:
I presented a concise introduction of the company and its product, links to its public statistics, and my notable achievements. Supporting this assertion, I included substantial evidence, such as access to the company’s dashboard metrics, a testament to the success and impact of my leadership.
To emphasize my design contributions, I shared links to my Figma designs, showcasing the tangible outcomes of my strategic approach. My evidence includes:
- Documentation of my stages of employment.
- A confirmation letter after probation and salary increase.
- Ongoing communication is exemplified through email threads and Slack messages.
- Additionally, I incorporated a performance acknowledgement from the CEO, solidifying my integral role in the company’s success.
- The award for best-performing staff attests to the recognition and commendation of my contributions to the organization.
- Company dashboard metrics (this was hard to get, and you need to have a good relationship with the company you worked for for them to give snaps of their metrics.)
- Links to my Figma designs.
Evidence of work beyond day-to-day job role that contributes to the field:
I present my substantiated commitment to advancing the field through evidence of work that extends beyond my day-to-day job role. This includes active involvement in industry-wide initiatives, such as conducting training sessions and participating in the CNN research group dedicated to optimizing their website for African visitors.
To support these claims, I provided evidence through pictures of flyers promoting the training sessions, messages demonstrating communication and collaboration within research groups, and visual documentation of me engaging with and addressing my team at CNN. These materials testify to my proactive contributions and the impact of my efforts beyond the confines of my immediate responsibilities.
Evidence of a commercially established business:
I presented evidence of a commercially established business, detailing the co-founding of a venture in 2018 aimed at innovatively merging technology with the fashion industry. Our business model sought to revolutionize the fashion sector by seamlessly integrating technology, allowing customers to digitally design their clothing with the freedom to customize every aspect, utilizing cutting-edge features such as AR and VR for precise measurement and testing. My multifaceted role encompassed extensive UX research and the design of the UI, resulting in the creation of a world-class product.
In support of these claims, I provided evidence through media publications and social media accounts, demonstrating the business’s presence in the public domain. Additionally, I shared a link to the product design on Adobe XD, showcasing the tangible output of my design efforts.
To underscore the business’s commercial viability before pausing services, I included business registration, shares, company pitch, and photo documentation of the business launch, providing a visual record of our operational activities. These materials collectively serve as robust evidence of the business’s establishment and traction in the market.
Evidence as a high salary earner:
I substantiated my status as a high-salary earner by providing a comprehensive overview of my compensation history. This included detailed information on the salaries received, encompassing employment letters, contract agreements for contractual positions, and payslips from relevant periods.
To underscore my market value further, I included evidence of competitive salary offers from recruiters on LinkedIn, captured through snapshots.
Evidence of employee working on a new digital field or concept:
I substantiated my engagement with a groundbreaking project in a new digital field or concept by concisely introducing the innovative product and its significance. I supplemented this with links to media coverage that underlined the project’s development journey, highlighting my notable contributions and achievements in its success.
To solidify the evidence, I attached data reflecting the public performance and unique visitor metrics on SimilarWeb, emphasizing the project’s impact and reach. I further showcased the practical implementation of my skills through a link to the Figma design.
Additionally, I included a copy of the contract offer, providing transparency into the payment structure and terms associated with my involvement in the project.
My advice:
I recommend prioritizing the presentation of substantial evidence over narrative elaboration. Provide comprehensive documentation without excessive storytelling. Aim for a balance between thoroughness and conciseness. Do not hesitate to invest your best effort.
Learn to cultivate positive relationships in your professional environments. Maintaining amicable connections is essential, as burning bridges can impede future requests or collaborations. My cultivated relationships with various companies have proven instrumental in obtaining sensitive documents, such as internal metrics and related materials.