Going to work when you're unemployed
The title may not make sense, but when you’re unemployed and searching for a job, it really is your full-time job. I touched on this in the last post but looking for work in London is simple in the sense that there are so many jobs out there but hard when you realise everyone else is doing the same. So let me share with you the good, the bad and the “how to make the job hunt a bit more bearable”.
Speaking as someone who is still unemployed I’ve found the best way to find work is to treat the task like an actual job. That means getting a decent sleep then waking up at a reasonable time and carrying out your normal morning routine. Surrounding yourself with a good environment helps too and that’s where the next step comes in.
Being in such a large city like London has its perks and one I’ve grown to appreciate is the abundance of working cafes. I know it’s not a new thing but I love variety and when you have the chance to venture out to different areas of London and try a range of cafes to work in, it makes the process of finding a job easier. The majority of cafes will have wifi, most of the time there will be power outlets, and some will even have quiet-ish areas for you to work in. And if you’re lucky you might even find a place with decent coffee, this is a never-ending search for me. They’re in short supply at the moment but I’m lucky to have a cafe in my neighbourhood that does a pretty good oat flat white.
I think the ‘bad’ side of finding a job is pretty self-explanatory. Step 1: Find a role you think you’re suited for. Step 2: Work on your CV and application. Step 3: Submit the application with bubbling confidence. And a couple of minutes later you get the dreaded email that reads, “Thank you for your interest in this position… Unfortunately blah blah”, you know the rest. I might be exaggerating with the time frame that the email is received but when you’re pumping out applications left, right and centre it kind of feels like that.
It’s not just getting THAT email either, it’s also finding roles where your skills and experience match up BUT you need a relevant degree which is fair I guess but sometimes they’ll ask for any degree and now I feel even more at a disadvantage. If that wasn’t bad enough, I'm on a visa and that straight away tells the hiring manager I have a timer hanging over my head. I’m also in that weird space of my career where I have too little experience for a senior position but I have more experience than your average entry-level position. Now it sounds like I’m venting so let’s try to stay on track.
Regardless of all this, the prospect of working in London excites the hell out of me. There are so many jobs here and so many huge companies and businesses to work for. Easier said than done but what I’m trying to get at is the challenge of going through this process in a market as big as London drives me that much more. I’ve stared down the barrel of unemployment before; I wish I could say I hadn’t but this isn’t my first rodeo and I choose to see that as a good thing.
Why’s that? Let me tell you. There are a few things you have to be okay with during this process. You have to put a lot of time and effort into applications. There are also going to be times when you receive THAT email mentioned above and when you do you have to be fine with the disappointment that follows. And lastly, some places won’t even get back to you, which sucks, but I can’t imagine what going through hundreds of applications looks like so I don’t hold it against them.
The overseas job hunt is an ongoing test and despite all those things that make this process difficult for me, rejection is redirection. I know I’m not going to get there straight away but every rejection from something good is moving me closer to something better.
