Making the move to London

[moleamol]

Right, I need a bit of help as I know people on here have already done this. I'm currently in Wigan and although I love the town I will never make any serious money while I'm here. The job will be in IT, I've done a fair bit so not too specific.

Anyway, where should I be looking for jobs? I know people down there already so I'm ok for places to stay etc. I just need to get out of Wigan for a while and get some valuable experience and a fair chunk more money. The Sagaris looks a long way off at the moment :(

[groomi]

I don't know much about the IT sector, but get registered with all the agencies you can find. Also, don't ignore the option of working slightly further out (such as Reading) as there always seems to be work around that area at similar rates to the city.

Good luck

[Kinky]

Reading and Bracknell would be worth considering.

Whilst the salaries may be slightly lower, property etc, will be cheaper.

K

[moleamol]

Well I don't need to worry about property, I'd probably move in with my mate in Watford, or one of my other mates more central.

[Plotloss]

You're going to be a Southerner?

Jobserve seems good as any, after that its agencies on recommendation.

[Kinky]

Actually, we have a few fellow PHers who are IT Recruitment consultants ....

Some (maybe all) are London/South based.

They'd be a good first start. Try Gargamel and Samn01. Search on the forums, there's been a lot of discussion about it.

K

[puggit]

If you're set on living in Watford ( come on you Horns) then you'll have to forget about working in Reading/Bracknell - it's a terrible commute.

Watford is easy to get in to Euston, and from there the West End and the City are your Oyster (pun intended).

Get registered with www.jobserve.com, www.cwjobs.co.uk, www.monster.co.uk and you'll get lots of calls.

However - you're cutting off a huge amount of great jobs if you decide not to work in the M4 corridor...

[LuS1fer]

You need to get out of Wigan! Have you tried Parbold? LOL.

[puggit]

Just to add - you might make more money down here, but everything costs a lot more too! From fuel to shop prices, get ready to be fleeced

[TeamD]

puggit said:

Just to add - you might make more money down here, but everything costs a lot more too! From fuel to shop prices, get ready to be fleeced

Hey! Don't forget the important stuff...BEER!
Yeah, that's more expensive too.

[munky]

puggit said:

Just to add - you might make more money down here, but everything costs a lot more too! From fuel to shop prices, get ready to be fleeced

You reckon? Unleaded still 86.9p in London today, which is below the national average apparently

[Incorrigible]

FWIW

London is a shithole, don't live there

Can't you find something in Manchester or Birmingham

[munky]

Incorrigible said:

FWIW London is a shithole, don't live there Can't you find something in Manchester or Birmingham

Birmingham? What a godawful place. Have you actually ever been to London?

[Tuna]

Depends what you're after really. Some of the commuter towns have all their soul sucked out by London, and transport is geared purely to get you in and out of the city, so commuting from one town to the next can be very painful.

If you're up for a party lifestyle, aim for the middle of London. If you want to do something other than sitting on trains, don't try to save money by living away from where you work. Living 'just across London' can mean you spend three hours a day sitting on a tube. Remember that as you're moving, you have the opportunity to live as close as possible to your workplace, or choose your workplace to be as close as possible to where you want to live.

There are usually IT roles in the City, which will pay well but have ridiculous hours. Alternatively you could try for the media companies around Soho or Shoreditch which have a more fun 'n funky vibe. There are other centres where you might find a concentration of companies - Hammersmith and Dartford spring to mind for no real reason. Check out the online IT job sites (like Jobserve) to get an idea of where the jobs are. Apart from the areas in central London, they tend to congregate around travel hubs.

[munky]

Tuna said:

There are usually IT roles in the City, which will pay well but have ridiculous hours.

Not necessarily, I know an IT guy that works exactly 7am - 5pm for £250k a year. Not tooooo ridiculous!

[munky]

No, he's in the City. Used to walk to work in 15 mins, but has now decided to move to Kent and get the train in.

[stumartin]

munky said:

Incorrigible said: FWIW London is a shithole, don't live there Can't you find something in Manchester or Birmingham Birmingham? What a godawful place. Have you actually ever been to London?

Have you been to Birmingham recently? FWIW I'd rather be living there than London..



he says having just put down an offer on a flat in er, London

[chim_knee]

munky said:

Tuna said: There are usually IT roles in the City, which will pay well but have ridiculous hours. Not necessarily, I know an IT guy that works exactly 7am - 5pm for £250k a year. Not tooooo ridiculous!

Well, there y'go. One astonishly unique circumstance totally debunks a oft-quoted statement.

[munky]

Standard trading floor hours, so I'd expect there are quite a few well paid IT types doing the same hours.

[chim_knee]

munky said:

Standard trading floor hours, so I'd expect there are quite a few well paid IT types doing the same hours.

It was the salary combiation I was referring too.

I work for an investment bank - I work (at best) 7 hours a day and get paid what some people would consider a "ridiculous" amount but it's nowhere near (NOWHERE NEAR!) £250k.