Living and Working in London
David Hampshire
Living and Working in London, first published in 2000 and now in its 5th edition, is the most comprehensive book available about daily life – and is essential reading for newcomers. What's it really like Living and Working in London? Not surprisingly there's a lot more to life than bobbies, beefeaters and busbys! This book is guaranteed to hasten your introduction to the London way of life, irrespective of whether you’re planning to stay for a few months or indefinitely. Adjusting to day-to day-life in London just got a whole lot simpler!
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Other guides for London
Extracts from the book…
Arrival & Settling In
Before making any plans to live or work in London, you must ensure that you have the appropriate entry documentation (e.g. a visa); without it, you won’t be allowed into the country. If you’re a national of a non-EEA country, you may need to obtain entry clearance.
If you’re in any doubt as to whether you require clearance to enter the UK, enquire at a British Diplomatic Post overseas before making plans to travel to the UK.
Permit infringements are taken seriously by the authorities and there are penalties for breaches of regulations, including fines and even deportation for flagrant abuses. The police and immigration authorities have the right to arrest anyone ‘reasonably suspected’ of being an illegal alien and can obtain search warrants to enter homes or places of employment. The penalties for harbouring illegal aliens are severe and prison sentences of up to seven years and heavy fines can be imposed on offenders.
The Home Office has the final decision on all matters relating to immigration. The latest information about immigration and permits can be obtained from its Border and Immigration Agency (www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk) and from local law centres, Citizens’ Advice Bureaux and community relations councils. Further information is provided in our sister publication, Living and Working in Britain (Survival Books).
The Immigration Enquiry Bureau (IEB) operates a telephone information service (0870-606 7766) which deals with general enquiries about immigration rules and procedures, and queries about specific cases. Its lines are open from 9am to 4.45pm, Mondays to Fridays, although you may have to wait a long time to speak to an official. The busiest days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays (it’s easier to get through towards the end of the week and in the afternoon). You can also use the following email address: indpublicenquiries@ind.homeoffice.qsi.gov.uk.
You shouldn’t base any decisions or actions on the information contained in this chapter without confirming it with an official and reliable source, such as a British embassy.
Job Hunting
When looking for a job in London, it’s wise not to put all your eggs in one basket and to spread your net far and wide – the more job applications you make, the better your chance of finding the right job. Contact as many prospective employers as possible, either by emailing, telephoning, writing or calling on them.
It’s important to tailor your approach to the type of job you’re after. For example, the recruitment of executives and senior managers is handled almost exclusively by consultants, who advertise in the British quality national press (and also abroad) and interview all applicants before presenting clients with a shortlist. At the other end of the scale, manual or part-time jobs requiring no experience may be advertised at Jobcentres, in local newspapers and in shop windows, and the first suitable applicant may be offered the job on the spot.
Your method of job hunting will also depend on your circumstances, qualifications and experience, but you should consider doing some or all of the following:
- Contacting the government employment service and visiting local Jobcentres;
- Registering with private employment agencies and recruitment consultants;
- Obtaining copies of British and London daily and weekly newspapers, most of which have ‘positions vacant’ sections on certain days;
- Surfing the internet, where there are literally hundreds of sites for jobseekers, including corporate websites, recruitment companies and newspaper job advertisements;
- Making applications direct to companies. You can obtain a list of companies operating in a particular field from trade directories, such as Kelly’s (www.kompass.co.uk) copies of which are available at reference libraries in London and British Chambers of Commerce overseas. Most medium-size to large companies advertise job vacancies on the internet.
- ‘Networking’, which is basically getting together with like-minded people and is a popular way of making business and professional contacts in the UK. It can be particularly successful for those seeking an executive, managerial or professional job.
- Asking relatives, friends or acquaintances working in London whether they know of an employer looking for someone with your experience and qualifications.
If you’re already in London, you can contact or join expatriate social clubs, churches, societies and professional organisations, or your country’s chamber of commerce. Many good business contacts can also be made among expatriate groups.
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PRICE: £14.95
PUBLICATION: February 2010
EDITION: 5th
PAGES: 360
BINDING: paperback
SIZE: 230mm x 155mm
COLOUR PHOTOS: 150+
