# Is it impossible to find work in the UK?



## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

Hello to everyone!

Why is it so difficult to find work in the UK??

I am a Spanish born citizen, having lived for most of my life in South Africa I came to Spain with my wife and daughter 7 years ago, but have not been able to settle here in Spain and have wanted to go work and live permanently in the UK but this seems like a impossible task, specially if one isn't already in the UK.

I have applied through many employment agencies,I have 30 years international working experience in Shipping Management, hotel and restaurant management,international trade, fluent in various languages and yet I am never considered for a job.

The worst is that time flies and one gets older, on the other hand, Spain has no employment treaties with South Africa and the 30 years that I have worked there do not count for me and therefore I will not be entitled to old age pension and to top it off, because there is such a large unemployment rate salaries are ridiculously low, according to employers "take it or leave it, there are 5 Million applying" and the people are being totally exploited in every way!!

To make matters worst, companies employ people between the ages of 21 and 35, anything above that is considered too old and considering that the government subsidises companies which employ people under the age of 30, anything over that is TOO OLD!!!

How are we then to feed and look after our families??!!

I will really appreciate any assistance or advice I may get to enable me to find a suitable job and settle anywhere in the UK.

Thanks and best regards.


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## madasaspoon (Jan 11, 2010)

the UK government is saddled with crippling debt and has to make huge cuts in public services. All those people out of work from the cuts will be searching for employment.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

mano1438 said:


> Hello to everyone!
> 
> Why is it so difficult to find work in the UK??



Because there is a recession. Jobs have been cut and therefore there are thousands out of work; most of whom are doing what you are doing - applying for the same few jobs available.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

You could ask the question another way: Why is it so hard to find employment in Spain? Same thing, actually. (And the unemployment rate in Spain is higher than in the UK.)
Cheers,
Bev


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Bevdeforges said:


> You could ask the question another way: Why is it so hard to find employment in Spain? Same thing, actually. (And the unemployment rate in Spain is higher than in the UK.)
> Cheers,
> Bev


Bevs right. We're the other way round, English and living in Spain, where unemployment is much higher and there are no jobs to be found! Sadly, it seems to be the way things are more or less globally at present

Jo xxx


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## DavidO (May 3, 2010)

All I can tell you is don't give up! You'll surely find work earlier in the U.K. than you will in Spain and you'll get much better pay and conditions.

As others have posted, things are difficult everywhere and even worse in Spain, as you know. But the economy is slowly starting to grow in the U.K. and in time there will be more opportunities for people like you.

So don't give up. Concentrate on looking in areas where your experience is (or will be) in the most demand. This would, I imagine, be large port cities and tourist areas.

When the economic recovery gets stronger you will surely find work.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

mano1438 said:


> Hello to everyone!
> 
> Why is it so difficult to find work in the UK??
> 
> I am a Spanish born citizen, having lived for most of my life in South Africa I came to Spain with my wife and daughter 7 years ago, but have not been able to settle here in Spain and have wanted to go work and live permanently in the UK but this seems like a impossible task, *specially if one isn't already in the UK*.


That says it all, really. Nobody is going to take you seriously unless you are already in UK and applying for jobs. Contacting them from Spain and applying to them will in almost all cases end up in the bin.
Even if you are in UK, getting jobs will be very difficult as others have said and for the reasons given. But you have zero chance of being taken seriously if you try to job-hunt while you are still in Spain, unless you are a highly-paid executive and going through an international head hunter/recruitment agency.
Give yourself at least 3 months to look for jobs in UK - rent somewhere in a big city, charge up your mobile phone and scour websites and recruitment ads, register with a Job Centre (government-run recruitment agency, which you are entitled to as an EU citizen; they will also help you with your CV and interview techniques). 
It's still not easy, as my own friends and family are finding, but persistence pays off in the end so don't give up. But go to UK first!


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## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your responses,ideas and opinions, I also wish those presently living in Spain good luck with their job hunting, but I do understand that it is a impossible situation here at the moment.


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## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

Bevdeforges said:


> You could ask the question another way: Why is it so hard to find employment in Spain? Same thing, actually. (And the unemployment rate in Spain is higher than in the UK.)
> Cheers,
> Bev


I think that you have responded to your question and answer Bev, you said it, unemployment rate is much higher in Spain as I did say too.
I honestly hope that you can find something here soon, actually foreigners stand a better chance obtaining a job here than a local at this moment,also depending in the region you are living.


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## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

Thanks for the support, I will keep trying.


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## steveg63 (Sep 5, 2010)

Hi, previous comments about you being nere in the UK are correct, however...things are getting worse here, the government cuts in the public sector are now just starting to hit, last quarter we had a negative growth, another one this quarter and we are into the double dip recession, inflation upto 4%, banks still not helping the ecconomy, unemployment will rise in this next quarter when the public sector redundancies hit, this will then have a negative impact on the private sector for the second and possibly 3rd quarters, we may find that the last quarter of this year sees some stablisation before we start the predicted growth of a little over 2%. Sounds bad.......it is!

Good luck on the job search though.

Steve


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## Weebie (Sep 16, 2009)

I've just got back from the UK things there are better infact most of the top Banking and Services companies are hiring but only if you obviously good and worth it.

If you are flexible and don't care about about what you are doing then you'll find work within a day.


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## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

Thanks for those facts Steve, I am really sorry to hear that the UK is going through a rough patch......a lovely country with lovely people, I do hope that it will overcome all those issues soonest!


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## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

Great to know that things are getting better Weebie!!
Naturally one should always be prepared to do anything legal for work.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

I feel so sorry for all those out of work but more so for the young who have no work/life experience. Down here in the Welsh valleys there is little or no work for the average un-skilled or semi-skilled, youngsters are being churned out of university with all but worthless degrees in 'media studies' or 'sports science' which certainly won't get them work and even in nursing it is now hard to find a permanent contract.

The original poster though has life skills and work experience and is in a better postion than many to find employment; good luck to him and his family.


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## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

bob_bob said:


> I feel so sorry for all those out of work but more so for the young who have no work/life experience. Down here in the Welsh valleys there is little or no work for the average un-skilled or semi-skilled, youngsters are being churned out of university with all but worthless degrees in 'media studies' or 'sports science' which certainly won't get them work and even in nursing it is now hard to find a permanent contract.
> 
> The original poster though has life skills and work experience and is in a better postion than many to find employment; good luck to him and his family.


Thank you Bob_Bob for your kind wishes; I do agree with you that it is a shame that youngsters today coming out of university cannot find something suitable for them, but on the other hand the majority, here at least, do stay with their parents, so their needs are attended to, sad is when the father cannot find work either to be able to care for his family.......


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## onlyhereonce (Feb 10, 2011)

To put it into perspective... 

I applied for a Computer Technican Vacancy a while back. Turned out that i knew the lad who interviewed me. Do you know how many applications he had for the job? And this is a basic wage job (£6ph).............. 150 approx applications.

150 people all chasing the same job! Sums up the state this country is in.

Matt


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## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

onlyhereonce said:


> To put it into perspective...
> 
> I applied for a Computer Technican Vacancy a while back. Turned out that i knew the lad who interviewed me. Do you know how many applications he had for the job? And this is a basic wage job (£6ph).............. 150 approx applications.
> 
> ...


I do agree with you, it is actually sad when people do want to work and cannot.it seems like we are going back in history.....


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

mano1438 , Try some of these: Spanish Jobs, Spanish Speaking Language Jobs in London, UK & Europe
Spanish Jobs, Spanish Speaking Jobs in London, UK and Europe
Jobrapido | Jobs, Spanish vacancies
spanish speaking jobs London - JobisJob UK


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

mano1438 , Try some of these: Spanish Jobs, Spanish Speaking Language Jobs in London, UK & Europe
Spanish Jobs, Spanish Speaking Jobs in London, UK and Europe
Jobrapido | Jobs, Spanish Speaking vacancies
spanish speaking jobs London - JobisJob UK
Multilingual Language jobs UK
Language Jobs in London, French Jobs, German, Spanish Speaking Jobs London
French, German or Spanish speaking Helpdesk/Product Support Representative in Central London | London, UK and Europe | Top Language Jobs


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## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> mano1438 , Try some of these: Spanish Jobs, Spanish Speaking Language Jobs in London, UK & Europe
> Spanish Jobs, Spanish Speaking Jobs in London, UK and Europe
> Jobrapido | Jobs, Spanish vacancies
> spanish speaking jobs London - JobisJob UK


Thanks Gus!!!
Really appreciate it!


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## InspectorClusoe (Dec 18, 2010)

if there is one country in the world where a foreigner can get a job its the uk -


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

InspectorClusoe said:


> if there is one country in the world where a foreigner can get a job its the uk -


Tell me about it ! I was in a food production plant one day where there was a fault on a machine which the electrician was trying to sort out. He was asking the lad who was operating the machine & who was expected to check the labelling was correct, what was wrong. Turned out he was German & didn't speak english ! :rofl:
Now 75% of the plant is staffed by Polish workers & most don't speak english. The engineers have to wait for a bi-lingual Pole to arrive to find out what the fault is ! You can't make it up. 
The list is endless. My Spanish neighbours find it unbelievable. One son , who speaks english, hauls produce all over Europe & the UK is the only place that have to supply interpreters as a lot of the places he delivers have a staff where no one speaks english. As he says " I'm Spanish , I've learnt English, English is the major language in business yet I can't speak to them in the UK because most are foreigners who don't speak English ? " " How on earth can that be condoned ? "


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## InspectorClusoe (Dec 18, 2010)

can you get me a job in spain gus


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

InspectorClusoe said:


> can you get me a job in spain gus


I'd like one myself !


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## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> Tell me about it ! I was in a food production plant one day where there was a fault on a machine which the electrician was trying to sort out. He was asking the lad who was operating the machine & who was expected to check the labelling was correct, what was wrong. Turned out he was German & didn't speak english ! :rofl:
> Now 75% of the plant is staffed by Polish workers & most don't speak english. The engineers have to wait for a bi-lingual Pole to arrive to find out what the fault is ! You can't make it up.
> The list is endless. My Spanish neighbours find it unbelievable. One son , who speaks english, hauls produce all over Europe & the UK is the only place that have to supply interpreters as a lot of the places he delivers have a staff where no one speaks english. As he says " I'm Spanish , I've learnt English, English is the major language in business yet I can't speak to them in the UK because most are foreigners who don't speak English ? " " How on earth can that be condoned ? "


I hear you, actually the first time I visited London I was quite amazed because just about everyone I spoke to,all working in different industries, were foreigners!!!.....it was quite difficult to actually find someone whom was actually English.
I guess that when doing selection of personnel, they should demand that English be spoken.
I lived in South Africa for most of my life and although I am Spanish, our home language is English.
I am of the opinion that if people come to live and work in Spain they should be able to speak Spanish.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

mano1438 said:


> I am of the opinion that if people come to live and work in Spain they should be able to speak Spanish.


I dont think anyone would disagree with that!!! However, the UK seems to have become a little misguided maybe with equal rights, anti racism etc and its wasnt "politically correct" to simply refuse to give potential employees a chance just because they cant speak the language????

Jo xxx


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## mano1438 (Mar 13, 2010)

jojo said:


> I dont think anyone would disagree with that!!! However, the UK seems to have become a little misguided maybe with equal rights, anti racism etc and its wasnt "politically correct" to simply refuse to give potential employees a chance just because they cant speak the language????
> 
> Jo xxx


That is quite an issue here in Spain as it seems that foreigners do have more rights than the locals,also by employing foreigners the salaries decrease and although the industries do tend to lose man working hours because of language barriers, they make up for it by offering lower salaries, but then again it does become a problem when taking on locals as they tend to offer lower wages to what they normally would and it becomes a issue of,take it or leave it, there are thousands whom are willing to accept lower conditions and salaries, unfortunately this is applied everywhere,not only here.


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## Jennianne (Feb 8, 2010)

Job vacancies in the uk are non-exsistant!! Even in the nhs etc! We have moved to canada last year as it was the only place my hubby could get a secure job in construction (which was the worst affected) ! I was a midwife in uk employed by the local nurse bank and hadnt worked for 9 months as cut backs mean that wards are just having to work short staffed rather than using us to cover! Uk is in a total mess and going to only get worse! My mum is one of the public sector workers affected by cut backs too she finishes work end of march! Uk is a dying country moving here is the BEST thing we have done for us and our boys!!! Good luck getting a job your going to need it!!!


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## Weebie (Sep 16, 2009)

The UK isn't that bad. The Banks are hiring again and many services are finding work. The UK is still much better off than America and Western Europe.


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## GillianF (Mar 7, 2010)

Hello Mano – are you still looking? In your original post you mention several areas you have experience in but don’t say in which area you have been looking for work. In the current employment climate employers can afford to be very choosy about who they hire so they tend to go for people who have focused skills and experience in their chosen area. 

It is the same for the employment agencies, they are in a competitive market themselves and are looking for candidates who can neatly slot into one of their vacancies – they look for specialists not generalists and usually only consider local candidates. 

Do you have a CV in UK format (each country has different preferred formats which include different information) which is carefully targeted at the industry and position/level you are applying for? If not, that could be part of your problem as you will be competing with local candidates who do. 

Kind regards
Gillian


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## evilshell (Jun 14, 2009)

Depending on what you do, it is very difficult to find a job in the UK for foreigners. I've been here a year and have only managed to land a two month temporary position, despite getting quite a few interviews. It keeps coming down to me and another person, and they go with the other person (or so HR and recruiters keep telling me).


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