Ideas about London!

[Fonzy]

Hi Guys.

So I came to England at the start of April, after just finishing my Information Technology Engineering course, and have been seeking employment ever since. Sadly, it seems the UK is going through another recession, and jobs are very scarce. I sent out about 40 cv's a day, and have only gotten 2 responses. The agency's that I get into contact with, tell me ATM, they don't see me getting a chance, because of the current economic state.

I also recently broke up with my GF, because she doesn't want to do long distance anymore. I am staying in a small village outside Nottingham but I am now really looking to get to London. Its horrible facing all this disappointment in a small village, where you don't know any1, and don't really have a way of meeting people.


I am now at the point where I have to make a decision. I can either give up, go back to South Africa, get the job experience I need, be with my friends and get in a better headspace about life, and then come back to England and try again in a year.


Or, as a last effort, I can pack a bag, go to London and stay in a backpackers, where atleast then I will have people to talk to, and walk the streets looking for a job in a bar. If I find one, I can then afford to stay in London, and carry on applying for jobs.

The problem with this is, I have no experience working in a bar, and I don't know if I can handle the rejection of being told I am unable to work in a ****ty pub... There has just been so much disappointment already, and it might push me over the edge.

Any1 have any advice?

[abzo]

Why do you want to be there? Travel around a bit and come back.

[demiurge]

Being broke in London is really horrible, and London is expensive. I was there (some time ago) and I got a casual job with Argos stores, packing shelves overnight. ****ty job and I earned just enough to feed myself, pay rent on a tiny, tiny room and pay transport costs - mostly to get to work and home again. I had no life. In the end I returned to SA, got my career going here and only go back to London now to visit - with spending money - which I enjoy.

However, I wasn't sending out CV's or actively looking for a proper job at the time so I felt trapped with no real future.
It may be worth sticking it out for a while with a ****ty job while you are looking for a proper job. There is a lot of casual work in London besides pub work too, I'm sure you'll find something (although, I was there before the tough economic times we are currently living in, so I don't know if it's still easy to find such work)

[TheHiveMind]

are you a British citizen?

[Fonzy]

Ye I am a British citizen

[abzo]

Ye I am a British citizen

Oh then I retract my first post, stay there.

[TheHiveMind]

The agency's that I get into contact with, tell me ATM, they don't see me getting a chance, because of the current economic state.

Do they say it is experience that is holding you back? I have been on their job boards, and there are a lot of IT jobs, and they are only really hiring citizens in this climate. You are sending out 40 CV's a day, why so few replies? That's a lot of CV's, that's a lot of jobs.

[Fonzy]

Yeah, they say it is experience that is the problem. I literally have no experience working in the IT industry. As soon as I finished my final exam, I booked my ticket and came over. I was in London with my gf(well ex now) about 3 weeks ago, and went for drinks with one of her friends, who also studied IT, and has been working for about 5 years. He said that he has also just been retrenched, and cannot get a job in IT either, even with his experience.

It is just a really bad time to be here atm it seems.

[TheHiveMind]

What is the job market like in sa right now in the IT industry for graduates without exp, anyone? I have not been paying attention, so I couldn't tell you.

[demiurge]

What is the job market like in sa right now in the IT industry for graduates without exp, anyone? I have not been paying attention, so I couldn't tell you.

As far as I know there is a demand for certain IT skills, developers, architects, etc

[gregmcc]

Its more of a lack of experience - there are loads of good paying jobs in the UK if you have the right experience. I'd say try and stick it out. Something will come up sooner or later.

Working in London you will get paid loads more but its also a lot more expensive than living out of London.

[Freaksta]

I would say you have to broaden your hunting, dont only look for IT.

My bro did the same about 8 years ago, went over with his degree couldnt find a job, so he had to look for ANYTHING. He started off at an events company just cleaning up after events, did furniture removal, then worked at a posh wine bar. Enough to live and meet new people, eventually found a job at a large IT training company and stayed there till he came back.

[Fonzy]

Yeah. I am going to start looking at any sort of job now. I think the hardest thing right now, is that I went from being a very self confident person in South Africa, Played in a band at festivals (ramfest main stage etc), had lots of friends, had a gf, and then I came here, and all I have had is disappointment and rejection. I have never been so lonely in my life.

It has just put me in a terrible headspace, leaving me to think the only way out is to go back home.

[Koosi]

come back home then

[zippy]

When you say you sent your cv out, have you put it on sites such as Monster ?

I have always had good results from them. Reputable employment agencies get cv off Monster.

Have you tried Edinburgh or Cardiff ? There are some dev jobs in those cities. I guess it also depends what technology you deal in. I get enquries every week for contract work on the Oracle platform. Seems to be a shortage of Oracle dev's in the UK.