How to get a job in the UK?

Pat2000

Hey,
Anyone recommend a job site in the UK? I believe at the moment things are tougher here than the UK right now, but when I send out the CV, I get a response here, or some level of interest per x CVs, but when I send it via the major UK job sites, I get zero response, and I've sent ALLOT more over there. I'm guessing its cos my address is abroad (here) for a start, and they get allot more CVs per opening?

Cheers

marmurr1916

Pat2000 wrote: »

Hey,
Anyone recommend a job site in the UK? I believe at the moment things are tougher here than the UK right now, but when I send out the CV, I get a response here, or some level of interest per x CVs, but when I send it via the major UK job sites, I get zero response, and I've sent ALLOT more over there. I'm guessing its cos my address is abroad (here) for a start, and they get allot more CVs per opening?

Cheers

Hundreds of job sites. Start here (Job Centre Plus, roughly the equivalent of FÁS).

pow wow

Very few, if any employers/agencies will consider you with an 'overseas' address. Have you any friends/relatives already living where you're hoping to move to who'd let you pop their address on your CV? The interest will increase once you're more of an attractive applicant (i.e. not going through the upheaval of moving from another country).

Reed is usually a good agency but it varies by industry.

LadyMayBelle

What's your field? This matters. I spent three months searching for something decent and I lived in London. Most of my success came from speculative applications; ringing and finding out who I should be sending a spec CV to, sending it, following that up with an email/call about two weeks later. Honestly, this worked for me, but I guess it may depend on your field.

Also, if you know anyone, anywhere in work, use them and ask them to keep their ears open for jobs etc.

I have found the job sites rubbish, and agencies not great either bar one or two.

Pat2000

My field is IT. I found the Reed site very impressive, it tells you how many have applied for each job, which is a really useful feature I haven't seen on other sites.
I wonder are sites like Reed to efficient for the applicant, leading to employers getting inundated with CVs that aren't a perfect fit.
But what you say is interesting, LadyMayBelle, I never expected speculative applications to work. I used the job sites with a London address also (even though I'm located in Ireland), and I still found their response rate to be minimal compared with here.
I heard you have to literally call into an agency. It makes applying from here a bit chicken and egg, - I'd never pack it all in and go over on speculation.
I'll have a look the site you suggested, marmurr1916, thanks!

TheNewMee

I'm looking for a job in the UK at the moment as well and I've found going through recruiters to be the best way. They have a much better idea of the jobs available than I would and have gotten me a couple of phone interviews so far.

r3nu4l

If you're in IT then also try Paramount recruitment, they do jobs in my field (medical communications) and IT.

MrPudding

This one is pretty good:

http://www.jobserve.co.uk/

I would not worry about not living in the UK while looking for a job. Obviously it is a little more hassle, but companyies don't seem to mind. I got my job while I was living in Dublin, it is just a bit of a ballache going for the interview...:D

EDIT: Apply for a few job on the site, even if you don't really fancy them. The recruiter will then contact you and ask for CV etc. Getting register with a few recruiter will really help.

MrP

Lemming

MrPudding wrote: »

I would not worry about not living in the UK while looking for a job. Obviously it is a little more hassle, but companyies don't seem to mind. I got my job while I was living in Dublin, it is just a bit of a ballache going for the interview...:D

The Above ^^

What you'll find is that employers are more hesitant with overseas candidates, or even candidates at the other end of the UK because they don't want to get burnt with a "will I/wont I? actually up sticks and move" decision at the end of it all by the candidate. So you will need to sell yourself on that point with prospective employers/agencies. if you're dealing with agencies you'll need to impress upon them (to sell on to prospetive employers) that you are very much interested in moving.

It's not impossible or even a particularly difficult slog, but you most definitely have the odds stacked against you from the word go vs. someone more local (common sense obviously).

I got my current job (Leeds) whilst living in Dublin. Took a while and I started looking through 2009 when employers across Ireland & the UK just uncertain about hiring, but there ye go.

cupan

I moved over to London a few days ago luckily I have a sister to stay with. I went to Brook Street agency looking for admin work and they told me they had nothing at all available, i was rather surprised this was in east London. I have a lot of experience and excellent references and I hope it wont be too difficult to find work. i will try some of the other agencies listed here in the coming days. if anybody has anyfurther recommendations i would really appreciate it.

Count Duckula

Where will you be looking? For a good overall picture, places like Monster.co.uk are very good. Try contacting some of the internet-based agencies directly, too. Web-Recruit are a fast-growing business that a lot of companies are starting to use because of their lower prices.

And, depending on where you want to move to, more local job sites are often worth the hassle. Jobs in Kent is an example of this - obviously it lists nothing outside of Kent, so if you're looking at living in Dorset, for example, it's useless. But then Dorset probably has its own. National sites are all well and good, but some of the smaller companies can't afford to advertise on them, nor use an agency. Try contacting the local employment office of the area you want to work in and ask if there's any local sites that would list jobs in the area.

The exception to this, I suspect, would be London. If you're looking at London then don't forget that a large majority of the multi-nationals won't use job sites at all, and you'll be expected to apply directly to them via their website.

cupan

Thank you Count Duckula, that is very helpful information. I am currently living in Hackney. I will try the websites you listed and also some local agencies.

doopa

RE local job sites - this one is mainly based in the greater manchester area - but does have some postings for London.

http://www.it-ventures.co.uk/

In my experience you have to sell yourself to the recruiter - so its worth meeting up with them and stuff - maybe skype (video) if that isn't possible. But it would be more impressive if you could pay them a visit even if you are currently living in Dublin. Rail and sail to London is about 30 quid (stg), and then try and find a sympathetic mate that is willing to put you up.

For IT jobs - I've also had offers via sites like linkedin - so its worth making sure your CV is up to date on sites like these as well.

Country lane

cupan wrote: »

I moved over to London a few days ago luckily I have a sister to stay with. I went to Brook Street agency looking for admin work and they told me they had nothing at all available, i was rather surprised this was in east London. I have a lot of experience and excellent references and I hope it wont be too difficult to find work. i will try some of the other agencies listed here in the coming days. if anybody has anyfurther recommendations i would really appreciate it.

Hi, i would recommend Huntress (based in Holborn), ROC (just off Oxford street) and Tate (not sure where head office is. They all have a good client list and pay good hourly rates. Huntress got me work within the week, and ROC within two days...which has gone permanent.

A good thing to do is go on sites like jobsite, monster etc and look at jobs you like..and then register with the agencies that advertised them

cupan

Country lane wrote: »

Hi, i would recommend Huntress (based in Holborn), ROC (just off Oxford street) and Tate (not sure where head office is. They all have a good client list and pay good hourly rates. Huntress got me work within the week, and ROC within two days...which has gone permanent.

A good thing to do is go on sites like jobsite, monster etc and look at jobs you like..and then register with the agencies that advertised them

Thanks Country Lane you are a star, I am going to see Huntress early next week, they told me they would be able to sort me out.

Country lane

cupan wrote: »

Thanks Country Lane you are a star, I am going to see Huntress early next week, they told me they would be able to sort me out.

Glad to help. If your not working in London, its because you dont want to work. I would recommend registering with the other two as well though so all your eggs arent in the one basket and to increase your options, as you could end up with two agencies offering you work at the same time.

Mr Chuckles

cupan wrote: »

I moved over to London a few days ago luckily I have a sister to stay with. I went to Brook Street agency looking for admin work and they told me they had nothing at all available, i was rather surprised this was in east London. I have a lot of experience and excellent references and I hope it wont be too difficult to find work. i will try some of the other agencies listed here in the coming days. if anybody has anyfurther recommendations i would really appreciate it.

I'd recommend going into the local jobcentre, you will need to register for a National Insurance number anyway.

http://www.get-uk-jobs.com/London-job-centres.html

r3nu4l

I've used Tate to recruit a receptionist at our workplace and found them to be good. Country Lane is right, register with loads of recruitment agencies, not just one. Impress upon then that you really want to work. They like enthusiasm as it makes you an easier sell to their clients.

Also, get to the Job centre as Mr Chuckles said. You can get your NI number and also keep an eye out for jobs.

Thegingerbear

I have just been reading the thread, am in London too at the moment looking for work in the construction sector. I find the agencies are a waste of time, they will talk to you on the phone but you never hear from them again! As regards trying to get an appointment to meet them, not a chance. I guess it doesn't help that the construction sector is pretty flat at the moment.

r3nu4l

Thegingerbear wrote: »

I have just been reading the thread, am in London too at the moment looking for work in the construction sector. I find the agencies are a waste of time, they will talk to you on the phone but you never hear from them again! As regards trying to get an appointment to meet them, not a chance. I guess it doesn't help that the construction sector is pretty flat at the moment.

Yeah the biggest problem is that the market is down at the moment. It must be really flat if they aren't even getting back to you because they earn a percentage for every place they fill

Have you tried going direct to any of the firms working in East London on the Olympics site?

Country lane

I hear ye. But those ones listed are white collar agencies, and blue collar agencies wouldnt pay enough anyway.

Do you have a trade? You would definately be better off going directly to the companies your interested in. I was walking over London Bridge on Monday and the amount of cranes on sites i could see was huge so the work is definately there, and cross rail was going on next to my old office, and thats a huge project, going on for years to come.

Here is a list i've found just from a quick google search of the biggest construction companies - http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/market-data/top-100-construction-companies/2009

Keep the faith and combine your efforts; call the companies directly; go to big building sites and ask around; network through the irish pubs etc.

Good luck

cupan

Thegingerbear wrote: »

I have just been reading the thread, am in London too at the moment looking for work in the construction sector. I find the agencies are a waste of time, they will talk to you on the phone but you never hear from them again! As regards trying to get an appointment to meet them, not a chance. I guess it doesn't help that the construction sector is pretty flat at the moment.

It is really difficult to find employment in London, I have also joined numerous employment agencies, they promise the earth moon and stars to get you to join up and then nothing. Huntress were one of the only ones I managed to get an appointment with and while the interview went great I never heard another word from them and my recruitment consultant is always too busy to take my call. Manpower were great, they called me for interview as soon as I uploaded my CV online and when I mentioned it to him he said they always snap up the good ones as they come along, however, I was shocked to learn the job was only paying £16000 hardly enough to live on in London so I declined. I am astonished at the low levels of pay here, they are many office jobs going for as little as £11,000 or £12,000 per annum

Now I am concentrating in sending in my CV to various companies and hopefully something will turn up.

Gingerbear, I will check around for you and pm you later with a few contacts in the construction sector. They may be some work in the city but there is nothing at all going on our where I am living and I am also aware that a high number of eastern europeans are working in construcion for less than €50 a day.

cupan

Mr Chuckles wrote: »

I'd recommend going into the local jobcentre, you will need to register for a National Insurance number anyway.

http://www.get-uk-jobs.com/London-job-centres.html

Thanks for that, I already have NI number, bank numbers etc as I lived here in the nineties. I have been to the job centres nothing at all there unless you want to work for £5 an hour.

Younger irish people who were born in Britain can find their NI number on the top of their birth certificate

Thegingerbear

Thanks for all the replys, I think I am better off approaching the companies directly and maybe call into a few building sites - I feel like a salesman :rolleyes:

cupan

Thegingerbear wrote: »

Thanks for all the replys, I think I am better off approaching the companies directly and maybe call into a few building sites - I feel like a salesman :rolleyes:

I am just going to send you a pm with some info and maybe you will be lucky.:)

Pat2000

After looking at these posts, I think the answer to the original question is you can't apply for a job in the UK from an Irish address, the turn around is so fast, the agencies don't need to consider an address that isn't local

Count Duckula

This had probably already been said, or is irrelevant because other factors are at play, but if you're thinking of moving country then you HAVE to secure work first.

So many people decide to move to the UK / Ireland / America / Canada / France / Australia, find a place to rent, get all their stuff sent there and then have to come home four months later because they can't find employment.

Pat2000

agreed, and good advice! The point I am making is, it is then chicken and egg, unless you know someone there to use as an address

u140acro3xs7dm

I am thinking of moving over to the UK to secure some work. I am not too fussy where I go even although I would probably prefer London or Manchester. I have a few years office experience mainly admin type work. I also have worked in and would not have no problem working in factories and warehouses.

Is there much chance of me getting a job over there or would I be wasting my money?

Jarren

cupan wrote: »

It is really difficult to find employment in London, I have also joined numerous employment agencies, they promise the earth moon and stars to get you to join up and then nothing. Huntress were one of the only ones I managed to get an appointment with and while the interview went great I never heard another word from them and my recruitment consultant is always too busy to take my call. Manpower were great, they called me for interview as soon as I uploaded my CV online and when I mentioned it to him he said they always snap up the good ones as they come along, however, I was shocked to learn the job was only paying £16000 hardly enough to live on in London so I declined. I am astonished at the low levels of pay here, they are many office jobs going for as little as £11,000 or £12,000 per annum

Now I am concentrating in sending in my CV to various companies and hopefully something will turn up.

Gingerbear, I will check around for you and pm you later with a few contacts in the construction sector. They may be some work in the city but there is nothing at all going on our where I am living and I am also aware that a high number of eastern europeans are working in construcion for less than €50 a day.

+1

same here

I flew to UK for an interview,aptitude test and work trial all done in one day.got phone call today that I have the job (i'ts factory work) but the starting wage is low enough for me to decline.
The job is based in west Sussex and the pay is 18k.Based on
http://listentotaxman.com/index.php
I would be getting only 275 pound sterling after tax
and based on that
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/
I would have to be paying 400 pounds for small apt in Chichester+council tax
There is no way I can be supporting my family for that.
tbh there was couple of very well paid job offers from Canada and Oz but the
distance is the real killer!!:(
Sadly enough I only get the proper job offers from the countries overseas but I don't want to emigrate that far:(
I will keep trying though and hopefully something concrete will turn up,persistance is the key though:)

cupan

I have finally found the job of my dreams after 3 months of searching:):).

I would like to pass on a few words of advise to anyone thinking of coming over or who may be already here searching for employment.

• Write directly to companies that you are interested in working for, do a lovely cover letter and ensure your CV is clear and concise and adapted to the job in question.
• Make as many links as possible, it is through linking and writing directly to organisations that I eventually found what I wanted to do.
• By all means join job agencies but don't hold your breadth, out of the numerous agencies I joined and hundreds of jobs I applied for I never got one interview from any one of them. A couple of phonecalls yes, but they never came to nothing.
• Keep an eye on local papers
• Take frequent breaks from the job searching as it can get one down after a while.
• Don't give up there are jobs to be got in London, you just got to give it time and go about it in the right way

There is an irish govenment funded organisation in London where you can get help and advise with cv's, and tips on job interviews as well as accommodation options, it's called Safestart, website www.safestart.org.uk
if anyone wants any further general advise I will be happy to assist.