Where should I look for a job in the UK?

[O. Van Bruce]

Since a lot of people here are from the UK, I was hoping you could guide me. Which web pages should I use to send CV? Which are the rules and how should I apply for a job there?

I've been looking for a job too much time in Spain so if I get something on the UK I would go there as fast as a bullet.

[RGC]

Depends on the type of job you're looking for. If it's a technical role, there are various jobs boards you can submit your CV to, or if they're craply designed, complete one of their templates. Monster, CW Jobs, totaljobs.com, The IT Job Board are all ones I've subscribed to in the past. Just beware that once they have your details they'll keep spamming you long after you secure a position. If you're looking for an academic post, jobs.ac.uk is a nice option (I worked for them while studying at Uni -- they're owned by Warwick University). Good luck in your search!

[O. Van Bruce]

I'm actually looking for a low-skilled job like waiter or working at a supermarket. unfortunately, I haven't been able to complete my degree here.

[cools]

Anything like that is best done in person. Go in, ask for an application form, ask if any jobs are available and drop off your CV. It's not something that is generally done online.

[O. Van Bruce]

Are there homeless shelters in London? I don't have money right now to stay there more than a week so, if I can't find a job there in one week I'd have to go back to Spain without nothing...

Do you know where I can stay for free in London?

PD: Or any other english city... I don't care where I get a job.

[sven666]

try Norway? great wages there, even for a waiter, shortage of labourers too, even swedes cross the border all the time.

tricky country to get into tho, stiff government, weather sucks just like the UK..

[O. Van Bruce]

try Norway? great wages there, even for a waiter, shortage of labourers too, even swedes cross the border all the time.

tricky country to get into tho, stiff government, weather sucks just like the UK..

should I go to Sweeden and then cross the border to Norway? AFAIK, Norway isn't part of the EU so I would be an illegal inmigrant.

I only have permanent residence in Spain, not nationality... that can be a problem, because I only have a Colombian Passport.

And how the hell can I understand Norwegian? I can only talk in english, Spanish and Catalan.

[Skykid]

Actually, getting low paid jobs in the UK right now is fairly easy, since the student populations just went back for the new term, vacating a lot of positions until Christmas.

Here in Brighton I had a friend come down looking for work and place to live. He found a room in a shared house for £400 pm (I'd suggest that was the average rate in both London and Brighton for such a place, since they're about equal) and got three job offers for bar work, and one for landscape gardening in just a day of walking around, handing out CV's and chatting.

The UK has also witnessed a colossal onset of Coffee bars, they appear about every 5 feet these days, so if you don't mind becoming a barista they're a good opportunity (I tend to find most of the staff aren't native English speakers too.)

As for homeless shelters, they exist, but I'd do everything I could not to go there. If you're on the coast, it's nicer to sleep on the beach!

[O. Van Bruce]

Actually, getting low paid jobs in the UK right now is fairly easy, since the student populations just went back for the new term, vacating a lot of positions until Christmas.

Here in Brighton I had a friend come down looking for work and place to live. He found a room in a shared house for £400 pm (I'd suggest that was the average rate in both London and Brighton for such a place, since they're about equal) and got three job offers for bar work, and one for landscape gardening in just a day of walking around, handing out CV's and chatting.

The UK has also witnessed a colossal onset of Coffee bars, they appear about every 5 feet these days, so if you don't mind becoming a barista they're a good opportunity (I tend to find most of the staff aren't native English speakers too.)

As for homeless shelters, they exist, but I'd do everything I could not to go there. If you're on the coast, it's nicer to sleep on the beach!

Wouldn't I have problems for being a foreigner?

But if it's really that easy to get low-skilled jobs in the UK I may be packing my things and go there to try right now.

The real issue is, can I get enough money to live alone and without problems with those kind of jobs?

[Skykid]

Wouldn't I have problems for being a foreigner?

You've obviously never been to the UK.

If worst comes to worst, go into one of the million McDonalds and apply there. A huge (huge!) proportion of the workforce in basic minimum wage jobs are foreigners. Some with a better grasp of English than others. As long as you have a basic conversational ability, that would be fine.

But if it's really that easy to get low-skilled jobs in the UK I may be packing my things and go there to try right now.

The real issue is, can I get enough money to live alone and without problems with those kind of jobs?

Hold your horses! Although I'm quite confident there are plenty of positions available in minimum wage jobs, I can't guarantee anything. I'd say rich pickings were central london, since it has the highest concentration of coffee bars, cinemas and restaurants (and you get to go to Casino on your lunch break - bonus!) but accommodation isn't cheap and you would need to find a place to live outside of central to even think about affording a room (and that means train/bus tickets to work.)

Honestly, I think you'd be a bit crazy to fly here with no savings or preparation. What's the sudden urgency?

Sleeping rough is not cool, and wages are normally paid in arrears unless you can get cash in hand, so you'd be homeless for at least a month.

You could stay with me, but I'm gone on the 5th of October myself!

[O. Van Bruce]

Thanks for the offering but I think I can get some money for my living expenses... at least for the first month (or so I think).

The situation here is shit ... If I stay longer here I'm gonna burn my savings for nothing to finally start depending on my parents and I don't really want that to happen.

To anyone who is living in London, how much money do I need for a cheap room in the suburbs + food + transport every month?

[Skykid]

^ No such thing as cheap London transport. You must get an Oyster card when you arrive, as this reduces transport cost (£2 deposit on the card, then top up your balance using machines in tube stations). Don't bother registering one with a photocard unless you want it insured. It's just surveillance really.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14434.aspx

I would recommend Hostels for temporary accommodation while you look for a more permanent place:

http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/england/london/

[sven666]

should I go to Sweeden and then cross the border to Norway? AFAIK, Norway isn't part of the EU so I would be an illegal inmigrant.

I only have permanent residence in Spain, not nationality... that can be a problem, because I only have a Colombian Passport.

And how the hell can I understand Norwegian? I can only talk in english, Spanish and Catalan.

a waitress in Oslo makes around €2500 a month, try and top that in London living expenses are cheaper too (even if oslo is pretty damn expensive).

if you cant do it legally you can forget about it tho, if youre interested in it id say go to the embassy or norweigan sailors church thats closest to wherever you are now and ask them.
everyone speaks english in norway, proboably more so than london anyways lol

[Skykid]

a waitress in Oslo makes around €2500 a month, try and top that in London living expenses are cheaper too (even if oslo is pretty damn expensive).

I'm going to Oslo with wages like that.

Now we know how Sven's accumulated such an awesome arcade collection, you must be the best waitress in the city!

[neorichieb1971]

haha.

I wouldn't stay in London at all.

The cheapest accomodation is the tube station. Cheapest travel is a capital card ticket (lets you travel on buses, tubes and trains for one cost).

Getting a job isn't going to be so easy if you don't have the relevant paper works. Assuming you can legally work in the UK the best thing to do is go to an agency. Agencies will get you a job in 2 or 3 days max. My wife got a load of jobs from a site called stuckforstaff.co.uk. You pay to register and then people start calling you. Most of the jobs are promotions etc and you end up sitting at the entrance of a store giving out leaflets or promoting a product like chocolate giving samples. If your sexy there are alot of so called "clubs" that need sexy dancers. lol.

[thegreathopper]

London is where the work is, you can get a weekly bus pass for about £15 a week to take you any where, I have about a hundred Columbians at my place of work. They are mostly cleaners but get paid the London living wage which is £8.30 an hour, most speak no English at all. Any that speak English end up as the supervisors on approx £10 an hour.

[O. Van Bruce]

haha.

I wouldn't stay in London at all.

The cheapest accomodation is the tube station. Cheapest travel is a capital card ticket (lets you travel on buses, tubes and trains for one cost).

Getting a job isn't going to be so easy if you don't have the relevant paper works. Assuming you can legally work in the UK the best thing to do is go to an agency. Agencies will get you a job in 2 or 3 days max. My wife got a load of jobs from a site called stuckforstaff.co.uk. You pay to register and then people start calling you. Most of the jobs are promotions etc and you end up sitting at the entrance of a store giving out leaflets or promoting a product like chocolate giving samples. If your sexy there are alot of so called "clubs" that need sexy dancers. lol.

I think I'll be visiting the UK embassy tomorrow