Just to give a backgroundI did my Bachelors in I.T. (minor in Information Systems). I learnt some programming mostly till intermediate level. I am good with C++. I was excellent with .NET and SQL. However I lost touch with them and the only thing engrained in my head is C++.Post bachelors, I did my M.Sc in IT Management and Organisational Change which (if you can figure from the name) had no programming element in it and was based entirely on the management aspect. During my Bachelors, I tried doing as much extra-curricular activities as I could. I was in a horrible college located in a country where no chance (even for unpaid internship) is given to a foreign national. I couldnt go back to my passport country because all internships would be saved for people who resided over there. During the course of my Masters however I got to work with the CTO of IBM on a short project. This gave me some experience on gathering requirements, analysing IT infrastructure for projects etc. This was all a part of the course.After my Masters I was looking for jobs in consulting firms like Accenture, Capgemini and the works. After looking for several months, I visited my parents (based in a Gulf country). I was still looking for jobs but I got, what I call, an emergency job. I was clearly over qualified for it but I decided to take it anyway. I thought I'd have some way to get some money while I look for other jobs more relevant to my education. Its been an year now. I am stuck in the same job. The job is horrible and it's wearing me down. My boss is horrible. I've been constantly applying for jobs in the past one year but no luck.I just need some advice on whether I am making the correct decisions.1. Given my background, do you think I am overshooting when I want a career as an IT Consultant?2. Although I did my Bachelors in IT I do not have very strong programming skills. From the current job that I am doing, I learnt PHP and Web Analytics. I try to learn Python on my own. Do I need to get more programming skills before I aim to work as an IT Consultant?3. I've been trying for consulting jobs in UK but since I am non-EU citizen, the whole issue of work visa gets in the way quite often. From what I have researched, the consulting jobs in UK focus less on programming skills (and many of them even train employees when they join). Do you know which other place will have a similar job role ? I've been looking into Dubai / Abu Dhabi but havent found much.Thanks and sorry for the long postForgot to mention. I recently got my ITIL Foundation certification. Can anyone give any tips on any certifications I could get to increase my chances ?

Why are you looking to find a job in the UK, if you're not an EU national? Why not try and find a job in your home country, or a country nearby? It would make things a lot easier, don't you think?Other than that, you're fine to be an IT consultant. Don't worry about getting more skills, you have enough already.

If you don't have the permanent right to live and work in the EU you're going to find it almost impossible to find a graduate position. It's simply not worth the time and effort for the recruiters to negotiate for your skill-set and more than likely your skill-set is so generic that with the ever expanding EU there is less and less justification to have that battle. So agree with BEP's point that you should look within the Gulf for work.Also - stop focusing upon programming. Large scale IT work is almost always outsourced to a large, monolithic delivery center now. If your goal is to be client facing, then focus more upon analysis, presentation, listening, bull-sh1tting and reasoning skills.....

@BEP and @Ardy:There aren't a lot of IT consulting positions in the Gulf. When I was researching for jobs, Gulf countries seem to have consulting positions more focused on accounting and finance, auditing etc. Which is why I started looking Europe as an option as there are more positions as IT consultants. Plus I got my Masters from UK which I thought would provide me with a small advantage.So in my current shitty job - I work in a college, helping them with content management for the website, implementation of the e-learning platform, conducting workshops for the e-learning platform and minor change management w.r.t. the e-learning platform. It has given the chance to develop my soft skills ... but is looking for a career as an IT Consultant too much 'cause my last job was just as some IT guy in a college ?