Finding work in London
Step 1: Getting a working visa
This is reasonably easy, but a copious amount of patience is required here. If you’ve got an EU passport then you’re already sorted. If you’re from a Commonwealth country you can get up to two years here, but you can only work for 12 of those months. The money you earn is supposed to be to help you travel more. What you need to do is take some small photos of yourself to your countries consulate general, fill in some forms, pay a small fee and then just wait. This can be an all day process, but by the end of the day you’re entitled to work legally. For those of you who don’t fall into one of these two categories, like Americans, you’ve got an extra hurdle to tackle. You’ll need to find someone to sponsor you in the UK. So this means finding an employer who really wants you to work for them and is willing to back you on your application. For those Commonwealthers who want to stay beyond their allotted two years you’ll also need to find a sponsor. But this is usually easier for you as you’ve already been working somewhere for ages and have a good rapoure with your boss.
Step 2: Decide what you want to do for money
The easiest jobs for a backpacker to land would be bar and restaurant work, there’s always such a high turn-over in staff, that someone’s guaranteed to be hiring. Of course this is also the lowest paying and the hardest way to save as you would normally drink away your wages. If you’re really addicted to the backpacker lifestyle and want to work in a hostel or pub like St. Christopher’s your best bet is to go in and talk to the staff. Buy them a pint. It’s always a lot better to join the team when you already know you like them and they like you. If you’re around long enough sooner or later you’re going to be working there. Walking in cold off the street is a last resort.
London is a great city for administrative work both temporary and permanent. The best plan of attack would be to grab a TNT magazine and start registering with some of the temping agencies listed there. The pages of this mag are loaded with all sorts of agencies located through out the city so you’ll never have to travel far to find one that suits you. Teaching positions and social work are other in demand vocations, if you have the right qualifications. Something like this can earn you £105-£145 a day. The fun thing about travelling is that you don’t have the pressures to build up your CV like are home. You’re getting life experience here. So if you’ve got a degree, or a full-on career at home, but you’ve always wanted to work in a record store, here’s your chance.
Step 3: Find the best resources and aids
In this, the technology age your best friend is the Internet. A quick visit to your local library will get you online without creating a new expense. Some of the best sites to get you on your way include:
These are more than just job sites, they’ll also give you more pointers on your CV, interviews, cover letters and marketing yourself.
If you don’t have access to a computer or you’re just a little old fashioned you’ve got some other tried and true options: First, there’s the cold call. Grab a huge stack of CV’s head onto a high street and start passing them around. This is a good idea if you already know what area you are looking to live in. Then you can just stop by every restaurant or shop you pass. You’ve got to be pretty lively, positive and adamant about seeing a manager. Don’t just leave the CV, ask to see someone who does the hiring. If they’re not available ask when you can come back. This little bit of effort goes a long way, shows that you are really keen to work at this place specifically and it wasn’t just on your way down the road. The other option you can check out is the newspapers classifieds. Again a library or job centre really comes in handy here as you don’t need to pay for the papers, and you cut down on waste. Just aim for something a little more highbrow than the Sun.
Step 4: Getting a bank account
This is guaranteed to be the most challenging bit to your search for gainful employment. The major banks in the UK are Natwest, HSBC, Barclays and Lloyds TSB. Finding which one is right for you depends a lot on what you look for in a bank.
Visit the banks respective websites use www.(bankname).co.uk. When you’ve made your choice, arm yourself with as much ID as possible. You’ll need your passport, proof of address (bills, rent receipts or a lease), a letter from your employer, bank statements and a letter from your bank back home. You’ll be lucky to get away without being asked to walk on your hands while balancing fine bone china on your toes.
Step 5: Find new and exciting ways to spend your money
So you’ve got yourself sorted with a job, your bank account is overflowing with wages and you’re thinking it’s about time to splash out. This is the fun part. And really, you don’t need our help finding ways to spend money in London with all the theatre, pubs, clubs, music venues, tourist attractions, shopping and not to mention travel opportunities. So go wild, enjoy London and just remember that you’re here for a good time, not a long time.
