There are literally hundreds of thousands of jobs in London, UK being advertised at any given point. Some of these jobs are for high-level executive work, with pay and bonuses in the millions of pounds and demanding commensurate experience and skills. Others are for part-time or casual positions, pay relatively little, and are commonly taken up by students or people recently entered into London in order to secure themselves financially.
The London job market is a constantly evolving situation, and requires diligence and application in order to find the right job within the many options are available at any one point. Traditional approaches to job hunting still work very well; that is, actively networking, handing your resume into appropriate environments, and learning how to get past gatekeepers like administrators and receptionists in order to talk to people in HR and find positions that may be available for you.
In addition, the advent of the Internet has meant that the playing field has been levelled, both within London and also internationally. The longer constrained by selecting only people within a certain geographic location, employers can pick and choose from applicants throughout the UK and even overseas.
Especially amongst executive and high-level positions, many applicants from overseas are attracted to London’s thriving economy, enjoyable social life and shopping, and the fact that London is one of the world’s largest transport hubs, and is effectively a gateway to Europe.
What sort of job you are after in London will determine significantly how you go about finding it. If, for example, you are after work as a taxi driver, security guard, or retail assistant in London, the easiest way of securing one of these positions is to simply hit the street, and apply directly to the people you would like to be working for. In many working environments, being able to fit a name to a well presented face as a bonus. Personal networking still holds the greatest weight among peoples memories, and that to create a good and professional impression from the word go.
In contrast, some employers prefer not to be approached directly, and instead outsource their employment consulting to a agency. Whether they are looking for one employee to fit a particular role, or a batch of new employees to fill a need, for example, factory workers or employees within a call centre, outsourcing the selection to an agency with the relevant expertise in HR is a good way of saving time and winnowing through the applicants to a select few, or a shortlist, who can then be chosen by the managers directly.
Pay and conditions for jobs in London, UK.
Pay and conditions the jobs in London vary dramatically depending on whether you are employed as a contracter or as an employee, and whether you’re employed full-time or part-time. Casual employees had the least legal protection in terms of guaranteed wages, overtime, shifts, and sickly. Full-time and permanent employees are affordable most protection, as the unions in London, UK have fought for individual rights over several decades.
Unlike many other environments around Europe, pay is not generally negotiable in London. Instead, a pay range is advertised for most positions, and unless you have particular skills or can demonstrate relevant experience in the field, you start at the bottom of the pay range and then incrementally move up over time. This is most relevant for people in full-time positions. Casual employees are usually paid a fixed hourly rate, which is then multiplied by a set percentage in instances of shift work, overtime, or working on weekends or nightshift.
Outside of pay, conditions the jobs in London are relatively benign. There are strict laws on how long one can work without a break, on both OH+S and other labour conditions.
Unfair dismissal and leaving the workforce laws are carefully spelt out under a variety of acts of legislation in the United Kingdom. Generally speaking, if you are a full-time or permanent part-time employee, you need to be given a certain amount of notice before your position is terminated, or paid in lieu of notice.
Again, if you’re a casual employee, you can be fired for less clearly spelt out reasons, and given less motors. Because of the complexity of the laws of human resources in London, UK, if you have any concern that is best to contact your local employment offices or a local government branch, and there will be able to advise you further on the specifics of your situation.
Obviously this protection granted employees does not give you carte blanche to act inappropriately. Sexual harassment, inappropriate workplace behaviour, drug safety regulation abuse can all get you fired instantly, and with no chance of financial compensation. Generally, if an employer asks you to oblige with certain safety procedures or drug testing, and those not create an undue imposition on you, you have no choice but to comply or to resign.
Strict equality laws also apply in London, UK. It is illegal to discriminate against people in terms of age, race, religious beliefs, colour, disability, or any other factor that is not inherent requirements of the job. If you feel that you are being discriminated against, contact the local government office and see what information they have to give you.
As you can see, working in London can be both rewarding and enjoyable. There are a variety of jobs in London greater than can be found in any other city in the world, and every person can find a job that will meet their skills and particular preferences in terms of employment. We wish you all the best in finding the most appropriate job in London, UK for you.
