Applying for a job in London from Ireland

rg1265

I recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Computer Science and would like to get a software developer job in London. The problem is that I'm not really sure how to go about applying for jobs in London while living in Ireland. I'm guessing most employers in London will immediately dismiss applicants from Ireland as too much hassle?

I guess I could move to London and apply for jobs from there, but I don’t really like the idea of moving to a new country with nothing lined up. I'm also unsure whether it would be best to apply to companies directly or contact a recruitment firm?

Any advice you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.

vicwatson

I don't think they would dismiss Irish applicants as too much hassle, I'd say they'd want the right peson for the job no matter what.

Tefral

If your worried about it, go through a recruitment agency

pow wow

vicwatson wrote: »

I don't think they would dismiss Irish applicants as too much hassle, I'd say they'd want the right peson for the job no matter what.

True but faced with two similar candidates, one of whom lives a couple of train stops away and one who lives in Ireland, I know who I'd choose.

OP do you have any relatives/friends in London or the wider UK who would let you use their address for applications?

rg1265

pow wow wrote: »

OP do you have any relatives/friends in London or the wider UK who would let you use their address for applications?

I do have some friends over there whose address I could use. Even still, I would have to put down my Irish phone number. I'm not sure it's a bluff that I could pull off for very long.

ABajaninCork

rg1265 wrote: »

I do have some friends over there whose address I could use. Even still, I would have to put down my Irish phone number. I'm not sure it's a bluff that I could pull off for very long.

Easy peasy. Get your mates to send you over a UK SIM. You can get them for free. Get an old handset (unlocked of course!) and put the SIM in that.

Voila! You can now get calls from the UK. No-one will be any the wiser...

OnTheCouch

rg1265 wrote: »

I recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Computer Science and would like to get a software developer job in London. The problem is that I'm not really sure how to go about applying for jobs in London while living in Ireland. I'm guessing most employers in London will immediately dismiss applicants from Ireland as too much hassle?

I guess I could move to London and apply for jobs from there, but I don’t really like the idea of moving to a new country with nothing lined up. I'm also unsure whether it would be best to apply to companies directly or contact a recruitment firm?

Any advice you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.

What I have heard is that is is actually the opposite, companies in the UK are more likely to look at outsiders than restrict themselves to local applicants than some countries, of which I include Ireland.

Don't quote me on this however.

sozbox

rg1265 wrote: »

I recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Computer Science and would like to get a software developer job in London. The problem is that I'm not really sure how to go about applying for jobs in London while living in Ireland. I'm guessing most employers in London will immediately dismiss applicants from Ireland as too much hassle?

I guess I could move to London and apply for jobs from there, but I don’t really like the idea of moving to a new country with nothing lined up. I'm also unsure whether it would be best to apply to companies directly or contact a recruitment firm?

Any advice you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.

My brother and most of his college class were in the same position not too long ago.
He applied from Ireland with his regular address and regular phone number, don't bother with friend's addresses or UK SIM's, it's unnecessary.

The process he and many others encountered is roughly:
Send over the CV
Telephone interview
Aptitude test online
Interview on site - some were flown over at the company expense, others paid themselves.
Job offer

Most will not discard your CV just because it's 'easier' to hire locally, they are looking for a role to be filled, not for easier recruitment. He now lives in London with 5 of his friends, all from Ireland, all had similar experiences and now all in professional roles from software development to banking consultancy.

So my advice, go for it and don't listen to any negative advice, listen to people's experience.

JustAThought

Try.

Icds.com

They.contacted.me.last.week.to.organise.an.interview. i had.sent.them.a.cv.from.hsre.ireland. and it.was.no.hassle to.them

maxwell smart

JustAThought wrote: »

Try.

Icds.com

They.contacted.me.last.week.to.organise.an.interview. i had.sent.them.a.cv.from.hsre.ireland. and it.was.no.hassle to.them

Did they send it by telex?

Sorry, Sorry couldn't resist that!

ABajaninCork

Telex?? Boy, you're showing your age...:D

pow wow

Jason1984 wrote: »

Most will not discard your CV just because it's 'easier' to hire locally, they are looking for a role to be filled, not for easier recruitment.

And some will. Why shouldn't the OP make a small effort to level the playing field against local candidates if (s)he can? It's not impossible to get a job from Ireland as your brother and his friends have proven but there's nothing wrong with trying to make things easier and giving yourself the best chance, even if it is only for the employers who would rather recruit locally (and these do exist, in large numbers, even if the people you know have been lucky enough not to encounter them). If it doesn't cost the OP anything to use a friend's address why shouldn't (s)he if it made it that bit easier? I'm posting from experience too btw.

Good luck with it OP.