Job Hunting In The UK

Job Hunting In The UK
It has to be said that unemployment in the UK’s immigrant communities is higher than in the native population, making a positive attitude to your job search as essential as a well thought-out CV. If you’ve arrived from a non-English speaking country, a strong commitment to learning English is a must, as is good self-presentation at interviews.

There are numerous paths to the right job open to new arrivals, including the internet, with websites posting daily skilled and non-skilled jobs in all fields. Sending your resume by email and not receiving a reply may be depressing, but it’s normal for companies to only reply to those they are considering for the position, not always well-described on the website.

Searching the classified jobs pages in local and national newspapers is another route, with many advertisers giving an email address for your resume. Again, if you’re not exactly sure what the company is looking for, don’t expect a reply. If you have a specific skill or qualification, English language magazines relating to your speciality also carry job advertisements, as do the websites of speciality companies when they are hiring.

Government job centres are found in every district, although nowadays they seem to carry mostly low-level jobs, many of which are temporary or part-time; however, these opportunities may be better than nothing at a time when many employers are shedding jobs to save money. If you’re living in an expat community, word of mouth may be the way forward.

For highly-skilled and academic positions, the top-end recruitment agencies can be useful, although you will need to be interviewed and your credentials verified before being taken on as a job-seeker. Recruitment agencies also exist for specialised employment sectors lower down the scale, although, as with many upscale agencies, you may be asked to pay a fee for their services. Searching online should result in your finding a suitable agency.

Job-seekers should also note that a temporary job may become permanent, especially in the medical and teaching sectors. Supply teaching and nursing, for example, are well-paid for applicants with the right qualifications, and can lead to full-time employment, although teachers new to the UK are required to undertake a 12-month full- or part-time induction course.

Recent research states migrant workers will continue to play a role in the UK job market for some time, although less migrant job-seekers are now being recorded as the economy continues to stagnate and the points-based visa system tightens.

The truth is that employers are still recruiting migrant workers as they cannot find trained UK staff willing to do the job due to the high level of social security payments for unemployed nationals combined with the high level of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax on wages. So, given the right attitude and determination, jobs are out there for incomers.