No Right Click
Finding
Work in the UK
Once you have arrived in
the UK and had a few days breather and a chance to look around you may want to
start looking for work. One of the most common ways to find work is through
employment agencies.
WHAT KIND OF WORK?
Despite Londons huge
native population, and the 1000s of working holidaymakers who descend every
year, there are more than enough jobs to go around. It should be easy to find work
in whatever field you want. There are hundreds of specialist recruitment
agencies, all looking for such eminently employable people as yourselves.
Well give you lots of tips on how to navigate the sometimes shark-infested
waters of agencies, and how to find a job independently, through ads in the
papers, magazines on web sites.
Rates of Pay
Listed below are estimated rates of pay for employment in London. Each year of
work experience you gain in London adds about 10% to your rate. These rates are
before tax and based on the PAYE system of tax payment (i.e. not working through
a Limited Company).
Banking and Finance (in the City)
Unqualified temps: £9£11 p/hr
Part-qualified accountants: £13£18 p/hr
Newly qualified: £18£25 p/hr
Qualified with post-qualified experience: £18£25+ p/hr
(Rates may be subject to variation due to length of assignment and market
conditions).
There is a strong demand for temporary work in this field. The City of London is
the financial capital of Europe and banking is big business. Any accounting
experience, computer spreadsheet (Lotus or Excel) or database knowledge will
help enormously.
Industry
Unqualified clerks: £8£10 p/hr
Part-Qualified clerks: £10£12 p/hr
Newly Qualified: £12£14 p/hr
Qualified + Experience: £14+ p/hr
Lawyers
£10+ p/hr. Legal work is difficult to find. Credit control or debt collecting
is the most common contract work in this field. More experienced lawyers can
command very high salaries depending on the company you work for, the sector you
work in and agreement you negotiate with your employer.
But as
mentioned above it also depends largely on qualifications and the experience you
have acquired since finishing university. As a general indication, a qualified
lawyer with a few years experience with a firm of solicitors can earn upwards of
£60,000 a year in London.
Legal Secretaries
£10£15 p/hr. If you have good typing skills with a year or more experience,
you should find a job in no time at all! Specialist and general secretarial
agencies will both be desperate for your skills.
Nannying
£120£400 per week (you may also be paid by the hour). Your wage will vary
greatly depending upon whether you live in or out, the inclination of the
family, and the number of your duties.
Office Junior (photocopying/filing etc.)
£5£7 p/hr.
Personal Assistants
Untrained: £8£9 p/hr
Trained: £10£15 p/hr.
Secretaries/Receptionists
Untrained: £6£9 p/hr
Trained: £10£15 p/hr.
Teaching
£10£12 p/hr - Short-term/locum contracts are common.
Waitressing/Barman
£4£7 p/hr (excluding tips).
These rates of pay are not hard and fast rules, and there are many other areas
of work open to travelers, particularly for those with vocational skills.
Tips
