When Mingke Pan finished her master’s degree in the UK, she thought the hardest part was behind her. It wasn’t.
“After graduation, I applied to over 100 jobs. I didn’t get a single offer for six months,” she said.
That silence wasn’t just disheartening. It was common. Like many international students, Mingke found herself stuck. The job application systems were confusing. Interviews felt like traps. Most university career services stopped helping after she got her degree.
Breaking through
Eventually, something changed.
She landed an internship. It wasn’t fancy, but it was a start. That internship led to a visa-sponsored job. From there, she figured out how to play the hiring game. And she played it well.
In time, she received offers from top firms like McKinsey, Accenture, and GSK.
“I realised it wasn’t luck,” she said. “It was process.”
That process became the foundation for Careertegy, the company she launched in 2022.
What is Careertegy?
Careertegy is a career coaching company based in London. It helps international students and early-career professionals land jobs in the UK. The main program is a one-on-one coaching system, delivered online, with a clear goal: help clients get job offers in under 90 days.
The method comes straight from Mingke’s personal experience.
“We built the exact program I wish I had during my own job hunt,” she explained.
The coaching includes help with CV writing, application training, interview prep, online test practice, and access to job leads. But more than that, it includes mock interviews based on real employer expectations, plus guaranteed internship placements.
Filling a gap
University career centres usually give general advice. They don’t tailor help based on industry, culture, or immigration status. And after graduation, that support often disappears.
Mingke Pan saw this gap clearly.
“Many of our clients have no UK experience. Some are switching industries. Some are stuck in visa limbo. The system doesn’t support them, so we do,” she said.
Every Careertegy client is paired with a coach who has worked in the field the student wants to enter. Weekly sessions focus on building practical job search skills, not just theory.
It’s structured, but personal.
Real results
Over 300 students have completed the program. Many landed jobs at firms like Morgan Stanley, BNP Paribas, KPMG, and JP Morgan.
One student went from a biology background to a finance role. Another secured offers from Aon and Rolls Royce in under eight weeks.
Mingke says the average student gets multiple offers within three months.
She’s careful not to oversell it.
“It’s not magic,” she said. “You still have to do the work. But if you follow the system, it works.”
Built from experience
Before starting Careertegy, Mingke worked in business analytics, sales, and operations. She held roles at BGI Genomics, Synthis, and other life science firms. Along the way, she also ran events, built partnerships, and created marketing plans.
But her most valuable skill came from rejection.
“The job hunt taught me more than any job did,” she said.
That’s why she’s built her company around real-world advice. Not classroom theory.
Today, she leads a team of between 11 and 50 people out of Canary Wharf. Her coaches come from consulting, finance, engineering, and marketing.
Community and clarity
Careertegy isn’t just about paid coaching. The company has built a community of over 200,000 followers on social media. It gives away free CV templates, job guides, and ebooks.
The style is blunt. On the homepage, the message is clear: No bullshit. Just proven strategies to get job offers.
The goal is to remove the guesswork from job searching.
“You don’t need to be perfect. You just need a plan that works,” Mingke said.
Who it’s for
Careertegy isn’t for everyone. It’s designed for people who feel stuck, lost, or unsure of how to get hired in the UK. Especially those navigating it all for the first time.
For that group, it offers something simple: structure, clarity, and a plan built by someone who’s been there.
Mingke walked the same road. Now she’s lighting the path for others.
Q&A with Mingke Pan, Founder of Careertegy
What was the hardest part of your own job search in the UK?
Honestly, the silence. I applied to over 100 jobs and didn’t get a single reply for six months. No feedback, no next steps, just rejection or nothing at all. That kind of uncertainty really messes with your confidence.
What do you think most international students misunderstand about the UK job market?
Many assume good grades are enough. But hiring here is about storytelling, clarity, and understanding what employers are actually looking for. You need to explain your value in a way that fits how UK companies think.
Why did you decide to start Careertegy?
I built the exact program I wish I had. I went through every mistake possible and realised it wasn’t about talent or luck, it was about having a clear, repeatable process. I wanted to share that with others.
What makes Careertegy’s approach different from university career services?
We’re specific. University advice is usually generic and stops after graduation. We match clients with industry coaches, run mock interviews based on real hiring rounds, and give actual feedback that helps you get results.
What kind of success stories stand out to you?
One client switched from biology to finance and landed a job after just eight weeks. Another was stuck in visa limbo and now works at Rolls Royce. These are people who had no UK experience, just a clear plan and support.
What’s one piece of advice you give every job seeker?
Don’t aim to be perfect. Aim to be clear. Hiring managers don’t need a superstar, they need someone who understands the role and can explain why they’re ready for it. Clarity beats confidence every time.
