So I got to London about 10 days ago. I had been travelling nearly for 1 year, leaving behind a job and feeling that money was motivating me to neglect some of the priorities in my life.
I do my big trip, learn a lot, am challenged, find again a feeling of self-worth and finally, make plans to work and pay off a bit of credit card debt in London.
I flew into London where thankfully I have accomodation free of charge until the end of November (although the hot water is broken!). On Monday after trying to settle in I sit up in bed, brew a coffee and I realise 'I need to look for a job today and I have absolutely no idea how to do it.' Shit, better make another coffee. A little depressed I procrastinate but finally call some recruitment agents. They sound upbeat about my possibilities but then they always do.
I meet with a couple of them who start palming my CV out to advertised jobs. I discuss the situation (I am looking for a challenging job in finance, or a short term opportunity in something I already have experience with). It is not a great time to be job-hunting, the city is in relative termoil with the sup-prime situation and a bank run in the UK having shown up the Investment Banks to have bought a lot of pups and that means heads start rolling.
But opportunity is everywhere for someone capable. I can demonstrate having done a quality job. But I want to break out of a routine of being just like every other applicant, CV through a recruiter, over a desk at HR (I have a dismal opinion of most recruiters, and most HR people, perhaps just my prejudice). I don't want to wait for the right job, I want to make people aware that I am about and I want to work for them. Right now!
Now that I am moving with pursuing work I remember more ways to market myself. I speak fluent Spanish. Lots of the job specs I have read list a language as an advantage, it has some simple applications. Maybe I can get in touch with banks in Madrid.
I remember a contact in New Zealand, a friend's father who had been a stockbroker and is now a director at Citibank. It is time for some advice, I call him before attempting to cold-call a few bank desks. Cold-calling is likely to just get me referred to HR anyway, he doesn't like my chances. He suggests that there is a lot of grind ahead. Send your CV into HR via the websites- Goldman Sachs, JB Were, Merill Lynch, everyone via email.
But it still feels like I am not making any point of difference here. Somewhere someone in the city just needs to employ someone who is capable, can do what ever work needs doing, someone who can be creative and find solutions etc and the person who needs this doesn't know anything about me.
I also want to keep my momentum rolling. This morning I received about 3 calls from one recruitment agency who are applying for pretty well every middle-office role they get it seems. All fairly elementary but seems a way to get a foot in the door. I have applied for a few internet ads also yesterday, no response yet but I will call the agents now.
So, I am broke in London, my big decision today is whether to spend about $400-500 on a second-hand laptop or not. I think I am gradually spending a lot on internet cafes etc and putting a lot of time into running around sending cvs about.
My real dilemma is how can I hustle for some more opportunities.
I think I will line up some casual work on Monday, probably just some labour for a friend but to get me out of the house and get me making something. It would be a bit unfair to take a bar job and leave it immediately but I had planned on picking up a second job also - it just seems the main job would be better to line up in terms of a timetable etc.
Any suggestions or thoughts on being creative in the hunt?
Or should I just get something simple in a bar and bide my time, going to interviews during the day?
thanks, I hope a few can relate to the frustration of feeling powerless in this situation!
any experiences good or bad also welcome
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Originally Posted by Toaster
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