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Moving to London

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  • 11-04-2009 08:54PM
    #1
    GiftofGab
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭


    I plan on moving to London as soon as i can. To be honest im just sick of this country and want a more enjoyable life in a bigger environment.

    Just wondering what are the job prospects over there?? Im finishing a postgrad in a few weeks in business and would take any decent job i.e. I dont want to have a degree and end up working in a retail shop (no offense intended).

    Also, how should I go about it?? Should I find a job before I go or go over there and just chance my arm?? It'll be pretty expensive living there without any income. Where are the best places to live?? What forms do I need to fill out?? Can you collect social benefits even thou im an irish citizen?? What do people do-do they just step of a plane and hit the city looking for a place to stay??

    Im asking loads of questions because im heading over on my own (which im pretty excited about), my friends will follow me as soon as I settle down.


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Comments

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    #2
    dlofnep
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    Expensive accomodation.

    Underground to get everywhere.

    Awful traffic.

    Good nightlife.

    Weird homeless people who randomly get up and dance as you walk past.

    Annoying cockney accent.

    Good nightlife.

    Did I mention, expensive?


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    #3
    GiftofGab
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭GiftofGab


    dlofnep wrote: »
    Expensive accomodation.

    Underground to get everywhere.

    Awful traffic.

    Good nightlife.

    Weird homeless people who randomly get up and dance as you walk past.

    Annoying cockney accent.

    Good nightlife.

    Did I mention, expensive?

    sounds better than dublin


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    #4
    OPENROAD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,692 ✭✭✭✭OPENROAD


    Mr.S wrote: »
    Clearly you have never seen the underground at rush hour;)

    Thing is one tube pulls out and another pulls in and if you know the stations on a particular line well you can position yourself to stand at the right spot to get a seat :)


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    #5
    Snowie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,048 ✭✭✭✭Snowie


    dlofnep wrote: »
    Expensive accomodation.

    Underground to get everywhere.

    Awful traffic.

    Good nightlife.

    Weird homeless people who randomly get up and dance as you walk past.

    Annoying cockney accent.

    Good nightlife.

    Did I mention, expensive?

    What and Dublins better ?

    crap traffic.

    crap night life with FFs imposing law's...

    homeless people who throw money at you when its not enough !

    At least they got some good word vira lin's , pete tyhong, ruby murry, bee's and honey,

    what and Irelands not expensive ? :confused:

    oh and not to mention the fact when he chats up a girl hes got an increased 40% chance of getting layed simply because hes got an irish accent

    oh expresions like to be shore a lot top of the morning to ya!!!!


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    #6
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    I don't like London, way too big and way too busy and way too many terrorists.


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    #7
    My name is URL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,626 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


    London's a great city. I don't think I'd fancy spending any more than an odd weekend there though. It's cramped, impersonal and full of English


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    #8
    dlofnep
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    Snow-Monkey wrote: »
    What and Dublins better ?

    No, Dublin's a human toilet. I wouldn't be caught dead within 102 miles of it. Hence me living in Waterford.


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    #9
    bluto63
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,228 ✭✭✭bluto63


    dlofnep wrote: »
    Did I mention, expensive?

    What you on about? London is far cheaper than Dublin.
    I moved over almost 2 years ago, haven't regretted it for a second. The nightlife is amazing, so much more to offer than Dublin. The people are far more open minded, much more variety.
    The only thing I don't like is how big it is. Where I am, it takes an hour to get to central on the bus. Meh, you get used to it after a few goes.

    I'd suggest you sort things out before you go over though


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    #10
    Snowie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,048 ✭✭✭✭Snowie


    dlofnep wrote: »
    No, Dublin's a human toilet. I wouldn't be caught dead within 102 miles of it. Hence me living in Waterford.

    but isnt Tramore where most of the human toilet people go on hoilday ?


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    #11
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    Actually, I'd move, there are some serious hot women in London.


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    #12
    Snowie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,048 ✭✭✭✭Snowie


    MagicMarker wrote: »
    Actually, I'd move, there are some serious hot women in London.

    thats very true :cool:.......:)


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    #13
    GiftofGab
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭GiftofGab


    hey can anybody actually answer any of my questions??


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    #14
    Snowie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,048 ✭✭✭✭Snowie


    hmmm google


    Jobs in london see what comes up might be a good start.

    Im suprised you can use a forum!


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    #15
    NickNolte
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,259 ✭✭✭NickNolte


    Don't go over to live in London unless you've got something lined up job-wise and be sure to have a few grand put aside for initial living expenses and to get your accommodation sorted out. London isn't the kind of place you can just pack your bags and take a flight to and hope for the best. You'll end up on the streets... or coming home very early with your tail between your legs!

    London is a great place to live if you like big cities. The up-side:
    • The Underground is a fantastic transport system. You can go from anywhere in London to anyone in around about an hour.
    • There's always loads to do in London. Even if you find yourself broke, there are always loads of free events and great things to see. The Tate Modern and a walk along the West Bank was one of my favourite weekend past-times.
    • The nightlife is fantastic and there are a variety of boozers and nightclubs to suit everyone.
    • The city center and West End are fairly compact and navigable.
    The things you mightn't like about London:
    • It's expensive... although, accommodation aside, not a lot more expensive than Dublin.
    • The people. This is a very hard one to quantify to be honest. I might not be too popular for saying this but I think, deep down, Londoners are much nicer people than Dubliners. On the surface, they can be quite aloof and rude and come across somewhat arrogant. However, I always found the friends I made there to be much more easy going, genuine and kind. Despite the gregarious nature of Dubliners and their outward friendliness (although maybe less so these days), they tend to be a lot more cliquey, bitchy and workplace bullying is more endemic in Dublin than in London. London will suit you if you're the social butterfly type.
    • The Underground is hard work at peak times; particularly if you're on one of the older, stuffier lines such as the Picadilly.


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    #16
    r3nu4l
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,392 ✭✭✭✭r3nu4l


    GiftofGab wrote: »
    I plan on moving to London as soon as i can. To be honest im just sick of this country and want a more enjoyable life in a bigger environment.

    Just wondering what are the job prospects over there?? Im finishing a postgrad in a few weeks in business and would take any decent job i.e. I dont want to have a degree and end up working in a retail shop (no offense intended).

    Also, how should I go about it?? Should I find a job before I go or go over there and just chance my arm?? It'll be pretty expensive living there without any income. Where are the best places to live?? What forms do I need to fill out?? Can you collect social benefits even thou im an irish citizen?? What do people do-do they just step of a plane and hit the city looking for a place to stay??

    Im asking loads of questions because im heading over on my own (which im pretty excited about), my friends will follow me as soon as I settle down.
    Try here. A lot of us have moved from Ireland to the UK and can answer lots of your questions, including how to get a National Insurance number, what recruitment agencies to use etc. DO NOT come to England without at least having a couple of interviews lined up. There are hundreds of thousands of people looking for jobs over here, lots of them from Middle Management of major companies who have been slimming down. There's loads of jobs available but the number going for each job has increased!

    Ask your questions on the London forum on boards.org.uk and you'll get some answers. Also, try the Living Abroad forum on boards.ie. :)


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    #17
    Highsider
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,384 ✭✭✭Highsider


    GiftofGab wrote: »
    I plan on moving to London as soon as i can. To be honest im just sick of this country and want a more enjoyable life in a bigger environment.

    Just wondering what are the job prospects over there?? Im finishing a postgrad in a few weeks in business and would take any decent job i.e. I dont want to have a degree and end up working in a retail shop (no offense intended).

    Also, how should I go about it?? Should I find a job before I go or go over there and just chance my arm?? It'll be pretty expensive living there without any income. Where are the best places to live?? What forms do I need to fill out?? Can you collect social benefits even thou im an irish citizen?? What do people do-do they just step of a plane and hit the city looking for a place to stay??

    Im asking loads of questions because im heading over on my own (which im pretty excited about), my friends will follow me as soon as I settle down.
    Shut the door on the way out


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    #18
    dlofnep
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    Snow-Monkey wrote: »
    but isnt Tramore where most of the human toilet people go on hoilday ?

    It is. Just as well I don't live there either!


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    #19
    kumate_champ07
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,150 ✭✭✭kumate_champ07


    dlofnep wrote: »
    No, Dublin's a human toilet. I wouldn't be caught dead within 102 miles of it. Hence me living in Waterford.

    smart move. waterford is the asshole of ireland.


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    #20
    Ulysses Gaze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,570 ✭✭✭Ulysses Gaze


    so, how should I go about it?? Should I find a job before I go or go over there and just chance my arm??

    Definitely have a few job interviews lined up. Don't go over there without at least a few interviews unless you have some serious cash to last you until you find a job. Commute from here for interviews if necessary. Companies will understand this and some (in my experience) will do a phone interview first and if they like you, line up the whole interview process in one day (instead of the two/three round process).

    If you can get a few interviews over a two/three day period it gives you the chance to go over, do the job interviews and also gauge whether or not you will like the city.


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    #21
    dlofnep
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    kumate_champ07 wrote: »
    smart move. waterford is the asshole of ireland.

    Well, we can't all be Kumite champs!


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    #22
    Borneo Fnctn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,378 ✭✭✭Borneo Fnctn


    GiftofGab wrote: »

    Also, how should I go about it?? Should I find a job before I go or go over there and just chance my arm?? It'll be pretty expensive living there without any income. Where are the best places to live?? What forms do I need to fill out?? Can you collect social benefits even thou im an irish citizen?? What do people do-do they just step of a plane and hit the city looking for a place to stay??


    Why the two question marks after every question??


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    #23
    Dudess
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37,214 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    OP, send as many job applications as possible. Your qualifications alone may not suffice for the type of job you want - it may also require experience.

    You might have no choice but to work on a shop - just bear these things in mind. It's not advisable to go over there without some type of work sorted out.


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    #24
    kumate_champ07
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,150 ✭✭✭kumate_champ07


    dlofnep wrote: »
    Well, we can't all be Kumite champs!
    practice doing the splits and wear a blindfold while training and your odds will improve greatly


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    #25
    bluto63
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,228 ✭✭✭bluto63


    jackpalance wrote: »
    Why the two question marks after every question??

    To show the urgency of the situation!!


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    #26
    GiftofGab
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭GiftofGab


    bluto63 wrote: »
    To show the urgency of the situation!!

    exactly!!


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    #27
    FruitLover
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,534 ✭✭✭FruitLover


    dlofnep wrote: »
    Well, we can't all be Kumite champs!

    You mean Kumate (apparently). It's like kumite, but with even more claws!

    (For those who don't get this pun, 'kumate' means 'bear hand' in Japanese...)


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    #28
    dlofnep
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    kumate_champ07 wrote: »
    practice doing the splits and wear a blindfold while training and your odds will improve greatly

    That's alright, I'd rather practice drinking pints of cider.


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    #29
    BaconZombie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,814 ✭✭✭BaconZombie


    Don't forget to pack for TinFoil hat and anti-CCTV face mask.


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    #30
    CeilingCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 164 ✭✭CeilingCat


    I lived there for just under a year back in 2001/2002 and I loved it. My advice would be to get in touch with some estate agents about accommodation and some temp agencies about work before you go. Have several grand saved before you even think about it.

    My flatmate worked for an estate agency at the time and he reckoned that they were asking for huge security deposits, sometimes several months rent in advance or a guarantor for the properties they were renting out so I'd keep that in mind.

    I found the temp agencies were brilliant for finding me work, I got a few great jobs out of them but I don't know what the job market is like there now - better off ringing a few to get some info.

    I had trouble setting up a bank account even though I have dual citizenship - you have to be living there 12 months it seems.

    There's loads to do even if you're skint, loads of art galleries and free shows, and I found the people really lovely. Much friendlier and more laid back than here most of the time. There's great entertainment to be had just wandering around the west end or Camden or Covent Garden at the weekends. I'd go back in a heartbeat :)


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    #31
    GiftofGab
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭GiftofGab


    CeilingCat wrote: »
    Have several grand saved before you even think about it.

    I had trouble setting up a bank account even though I have dual citizenship - you have to be living there 12 months it seems.

    Firstly, I think I may need a loan (if possible) as I've actually no money at the moment. Do you reckon 2000 would do it??

    Secondly, how did you get your bank account sorted?? That's crazy how they won't let you set up a bank account, I only need one getting paid out of work and taking my money out.


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