Freshwhyte

So just a bit of background, I live in the rust belt of Southern Ontario (Niagara) and with the stagnant economy and overall boredom of the area I've decided to settle in the UK. Passport is in the works (British by descent) and the biggest mental block im having is with regards to finding work BEFORE I get there. How unrealistic am I being ? Would I be best to just save up a bundle of cash and hope for the best when I get there ? Or what sort of luck have any of you had finding work before landing ?

My area of expertise is around Customer Service Management and Training, ideally I'm looking to settle either in Glasgowor/Edinburgh or North East England.

Cheers !

Quokka

I've no idea of your particular job but I've been back in the North East for three months and no joy in engineering yet.

Freshwhyte

Cheers for the reply, sorry to hear you've had bad luck, hopefully it will get better for you soon. My job is definitely dead end at the moment, nowhere to move (up OR even down) so am beyond fed up. I know it would be irresponsible of me to just hop on a plane and fly over without anything lined up but I'm starting to wonder if that is going to be my only option.

spouse of scouse

I really need to change my specs. I thought you said you lived in Nigeria

Freshwhyte

Hahaha economically it's not that far off

Pulaski

How tough? Very, probably close to impossible unless you have a specialist skill, which TBH doesn't sound like it to me.

With an overseas address it is most likely any job application will be entirely ignored. So unless you know someone who's address you can use, or are willing to spoof an address using a Mailboxes Etc PO Box (use their street address, plus Unit No or Flat No), and get an in-country VoIP phone number, you are likely on a hiding to nothing until you get your feet on the ground.

Sorry.

Freshwhyte

Thanks for the advice, I do have family that is scattered throughout the area so I'm sure they would have no problem with me doing that.

I'm working on a possible internal transfer with my work, would bring me to Sheffield, which isn't ideal in the long term but could at least get some roots down

Pulaski

A transfer through work would be ideal. ..... Even better that it's Sheffield!

morpeth

This is definitely good advice. I know someone who had specific skills but didn't get any responses using North American address, using UK address got some responses though then a problem of attending interviews at the drop of a hat.

Freshwhyte

Funny thing that, I didn't really consider Sheffield much until the posting came up yesterday then were looking at the city, places to live, actually quite a nice place (I have a rubber arm at the moment however )

Bermudashorts

I secured a job 18 months ago whilst I was still in Australia. I never tried to hide where I was located and in fact I think the recruitment agents quite liked the novelty of a candidate in my situation. I had two phone interviews before permanent job offer, I thought they might want me to fly over and was pleased they didn't require that.

I think your situation is not quite the same as perhaps you have not been in the UK workforce before also dare I say a more generic occupation. So I think not impossible, but really quite unlikely.

Please do not lie about where you are located, you will be discovered. I have regularly recruited and if somebody misled me at the interview stage I would not feel I could trust that person enough to proceed further.

Freshwhyte

Thanks, I had these same concerns, I'd rather be honest with them for when it comes time for a possible interview. My employer has multiple offices scattered throughout the UK, it's just a matter of waiting for the right opportunity, but currently here is only 2 and I'm not sure how much patience I have left here :P

Pulaski

If you are alluding to my advice then the alternatives are either (i) use a local address, which you might not actually live at, or (ii) be "totally honest", and not even be considered by most potential employers. As it is perfectly normal to move house before, or after, taking a job, I personally don't consider it to be "dishonest" to use an address you don't live at as the address is merely a mode of communication, .... and if contacted it would, in any case make sense to say "I am moving to the area", but if you give an address in Ontario you're never going to even get the chance for that conversation in most cases.

morpeth

I agree, address just gets perhaps a response- and in response one can say one is just moving back. As an employer I wouldn't think twice except to worry how to arrange an interview, since few jobs justify flying someone in for an interview- though increasing use of Skype etc mkle an initial interview easier.

I guess I have a question, what are best job sites in UK ? Comparing to what I see in US there seems less jobs advertised ( considering of course different size in population). Maybe just my impression

Sparkleydiva

I had a job offer before returning from New Zealand this year. Interview and presentation via skype, but think does depend on occupation/skills. I didnt hide my overseas address.