Finding a Job in London

Tavola, Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill

In November 2005 I made my second trip to London. A few weeks earlier I had gotten an internship at the Independent, but rejected it because I wanted to find a job at once instead. Don’t ask me why.

Apart from a one-way flight from Stockholm Skavsta Airport to London Stanstead and two nights at a hostel in Earl’s Court I didn’t know where I would live and work, or how long I would stay. My preliminary plan was to find a job and an apartment as soon as possible. Since I had spent my first London stay earlier the same year in a luxurious hotel room at MyHotel Bloomsbury I thought it would only do me good to stay in a hostel this time. At least for a couple of days.

After two to three weeks of job hunting, I learnt some things that are applicable no matter if you’re looking for a job in London or any other city.

Decide what you don’t want

First, decide what you under no circumstances want to work with. In my case, that included a job as a gogo dancer, stripper, escort etc. I have nothing against people in these lines of work; it’s just not for me. The same goes for McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants since they represent the complete opposite of what I believe in. Last thing, call centers. I’m not a big phone person and wouldn’t want to spend several hours a day talking on the phone. Except for that and all the jobs I didn’t have an adequate education for, I had no restrictions.

What do you want to work with?

To me, the answer to this question is (and always have been) “something fun”. I have never taken a job I didn’t enjoy in some way and I’ve never paid any attention to whether a job has ‘status’ or not. I won’t deny that I like a high salary, but I’d rather have a job I love and earn less than do something I hate and earn more. As I see it, if my heart isn’t in it, if something is not meaningful, there’s no point in doing it.

Before traveling to London I knew I wanted to work at a café, restaurant or bar, mostly because it seemed fun and I had never done it before. (This was before I started freelancing.) So that was what I set out to do.

How long can you live without an income?

How fast do you need to find a new job in order to get by? Depending on your current financial situation, this can be anything from one day to several months. I set my sights on getting a job within three weeks.

Course of action

You can register at online job sites and take care of all applications via Internet. Many people who’ve just arrived in London use recruitment agencies. Keep in mind they will take a percentage of your future salary though. Since I wasn’t looking for any office jobs and often prefer to do things on my own, I printed out lots of copies of my CV and headed out to find potential employers.

Whenever walking past a place I found interesting, I went inside, introduced myself, asked to speak to the manager, if possible, and handed over my CV if they were in need of new staff.

Have the right attitude

What attitude you have makes a huge difference. An abundance mind-set goes a long way. Having a scarcity approach does not. Imagine that the city is full of employers who are looking to hire someone just like you.  Once you meet a potential employer, being open, friendly and outgoing are some of the things that matter most.

While I’d never lie about my qualifications, I usually say that I’m a quick learner whenever I don’t have any previous experience from a specific job. Hopefully this shows that I’m positive, motivated and enjoy learning new things. If I get the job, I obviously need to live up to that in order to keep it.

Quantity beats quality

When it comes to seeking jobs, quantity is way better than quality. Apply for as many jobs as possible rather than putting all your efforts into one choice. No matter how much you’d love that job. Better to have other options to fall back on.

I wanted a job at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club but never heard back from them. My interview at Sweaty Betty in Soho didn’t result in anything either. After working an afternoon at a lunch restaurant near Paddington Station the owner said I didn’t live up to her standards. Apparently I was doing the dishes too slowly. I also applied for a job as a receptionist at a hostel in Bayswater, but wasn’t even called for an interview. Probably had something to do with my lack of experience in the receptionist area. Anyhow, be proactive and get your CV out to as many employers as you can.

How long are you going to stay?

In the midst of my job hunting, I was called for an interview at Godiva where I had stopped by to leave my CV and speak with the owner a couple days earlier. As a true chocolate lover, what could be better than working with and around chocolate all day? But since a six-month contract was obligatory for all new employees, I turned down the offer (after seriously considering it) because I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to stay in London for as long as half a year.

I later learned from a friend that regardless of how long you’re planning to live in London, say to employers that you’re planning to stay forever. But I don’t think she meant jobs involving contracts though.

Should you take the first job you’re offered?

During one of my first days in the city, I met up with another Swede at her work place in Mayfair. The preceding day I had replied to her room to let ad and while I was checking out her room, she told me her boss needed a new bartender.

I looked around the place. Dim-lighted environment, a long bar table, suit-clad men smoking cigars while conversing quietly.

After a “hello”, a handshake, and a glance at my CV, my friend’s boss, a woman in her early thirties, asked about my previous experience.

“I’ve never worked in a bar before. But I’m a quick learner.”

“Ok. You’ll get the job. You’ll learn.”

“Really? That was fast.” I didn’t mean to say that out aloud.

“Don’t you want it?”

Did I? Shall I take the first job I’m offered? This job is ok. But I must be able to get something better.

So I continued looking. 

If you get a great job at once, by all means, take it. Just don’t take an average job out of fear that you’ll never find another one when you deep down know you’re worth something better. I liken it to relationships. I would never get into a relationship with someone who’s just ok. It has to be the right one. And, in a way, the same goes for jobs.

Dress properly

First impressions matter. Don’t show up dressed in an old pair of jeans, worn-out sneakers and an unwashed t-shirt. Being overdressed is almost as bad. One day I was called for an interview at a cosy, modest café near Paddington Station. I put on my most expensive pants, a black trenchcoat, pretty high heels, and light make-up, and did my hair in an up-do. I don’t know what I was thinking. Once I met the manager, dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt, she eyed me up and down, frowned, and left me standing there with a “we’ll be in touch”. I never heard from her again.

Does the work atmosphere matter?

To me, the atmosphere matters a lot. The feeling I get when I walk inside, the energy in the place — whether it’s positive or negative. After a week or so in London I went to a restaurant on Notting Hill Gate. The owner took my CV and told me to come back the same afternoon for an hour to see if I had what it took for the job. In the end, I didn’t take it because the look of the place was so depressing. Too dark and gloomy.  Spending hour after hour in a dull restaurant like that did not seem especially appealing.

Does location matter?

Some people want walking distance to their jobs while others don’t mind commuting. I wanted to find a job as near my flat as possible, preferably less than 15 minutes on the tube. I got a job at the health food store Holland & Barrett (they’re all over London) but since it was located pretty far from where I lived I decided to go for something else.

Just because you love a place doesn’t mean you should work there

I applied for a job at both Planet Organic and Fresh & Wild. And I considered applying for a job at H&M as well. And Body Shop. But then I realized, just because I love a place doesn’t mean I should work there. Loving a place and loving it so much that you want to work there are two entirely different things.

Personal hygiene at work

Before I came to the conclusion that working at Starbucks is not for me, I applied for a job there and was asked to come and ‘audition’ for a couple of hours one afternoon, helping out on the floor, taking orders, doing the dishes etc. I actually enjoyed it, apart from one aspect concerning a fellow co-worker. He smelled. A lot. Of course, sweating is natural and everyone can smell occasionally after having exercised or if the weather is really hot. And that’s ok. But not all the time. Or that much. Maintaining a good personal hygiene at work is extremely important. Even the staff room stank of sweat. And I was supposed to hang my coat in there. Not pleasant.

Make use of your contacts

If you have family, relatives or friends in the city you’re moving to, check with them to see whether they know someone or something. If you don’t know anyone, keep your eyes and ears open and don’t hesitate to strike up conversations with strangers at cafés, stores or markets. You’ve got nothing to lose.

While deciding on what veggie lunch sandwich to buy at Luscious Organic on Kensington High Street one day, I heard something very familiar. Swedish. I eavesdropped on the two forty-something women for a while and learnt that their favorite London restaurant needed new staff. I turned around and introduced myself, said that I had overheard their conversation. They couldn’t have been friendlier. They even drew me a map (because neither of us had one at the time) and pointed out the exact location of the restaurant. I went there with my CV the same day and spoke to the owner who offered me a two-week try-out period.

How to know which job to choose when you have several options

In the end, I had three jobs I could see myself in. Waitress/barista at a café near Carnaby Street in Soho. Sales assistant at Quiksilver. And waitress at a restaurant in South Kensington. I opted for the latter.

At first I had no idea what to choose since I wanted all the jobs. But after listing pros and cons for each job, I saw everything clearer and making a decision no longer appeared difficult.

Possibly related posts:

1. Finding Somewhere to Live in London
2. Why London?
3. What Every Tourist Ought To Know About London
4. Don’t Miss Neal’s Yard During Your London Stay
5. Jazz in London, Fashion Show in Paris, Art in Madrid and Seville Cathedral