Moving to London - Rent - what can I afford?

Errata

Can you easily scuttle back to North Wales if London doesn't work out? If you can, then take a chance and try London whilst you're young.

Macey100

Errata wrote: »

Can you easily scuttle back to North Wales if London doesn't work out? If you can, then take a chance and try London whilst you're young.

Technically I could scuttle back home yeah as I am still (unfortunaltely) living with the parents atm. But it would be horrendous if I did leave and then had to come back. Not sure how well my dad would take it! I feel like I need to get out and make it on my own.

Tbh I feel incredibly depressed with my lack of abilty to get a half decent job (is it just me or are others in the same position?!), hoping I'd find it easier in London. thought I'd be able to get on a grad scheme but it doesnt seem like its easy to get one anywhere. Does anybody work in recruitment? or have any opinions on jobs in recruitment/sales, it seems from Milkround etc that these are the higher paying options available for graduates with general degrees.

hazyjo

London is not paved with gold and parts of it are extremely run down and depressing (some of central London included!).

The wages are higher, but there's stiff competition for the good jobs, and there are still lots of very low paid jobs for those without qualifications or experience.

Do you know anyone here who could put you up for say a month while you visit all the agencies to see what's around?

We took on a graduate as an assistant to our senior partner's secretary and she started on £30k-odd!

Do you have any idea of what you want to do?

Jx

FTBFun

I worked for 6 months in recruitment off Piccadilly, although only as an administrator whilst I was waiting for a graduate position to open up in accountancy/tax (thankfully it did).

It is a high pressured job, working with people with far too high an opinion of themselves (think of most candidates on The Apprentice), with fairly long hours and a lot of BS. It does suit some people but not me!

I found that job a good stepping stone (I was on a fixed term contract, not temping, so still got holiday etc) as being in London its a lot easier to go to interviews etc, and the job market is healthy, so it might be a good idea to try that approach out. I was asked if I wanted to move into being a recruiter but decided against it.

princeofpounds

I second FTB's views on recruitment. It is a TOUGH industry and often a very unpleasant one. You will be KPIed to within an inch of your life and fired after 2 poor quarters. And she is dead-right about apprentice wannabes, especially in the larger houses who try to do more than secretarial and temping, like Michael Page or Five-Ten.

Some people do make a lot of money from it, but they have to suit it down to the bone. Mind you, it'll toughen you up quickly and if you can deal with it you can deal with anything -plenty of people have done it for a while and then moved on.

It tends to be different when you move into more geniunely specialist recruiters and headhunters, but they normally take people from the fields they deal with or who have experience or higher qualifications.

Think you will find it easier to get a job here than North Wales though!

FTBFun

She?

Blimey I must have an effeminate writing style or summat.

property.advert

You need to think outside the box a little to get best value.

If living in place A requires a £200 travelcard whereas place B requires only a £100 travelcard, then if the rent in place B is less than £100 more than place A, then you are ahead financially.

Then you need to add in travelling time. If you are paid by the hour and live miles away, then you may be better off living closer and working more hours instead of spending that time travelling, even if your rent is higher. Add a second job and travelling time really starts to add up.

Where do you socialise ? again, if transport costs then it has to be considered.

If your gaff is so poor that you always want to be out, then that will cost you much more. Better to pay more rent and perhaps live farther out if you have a really nice place.

What I am saying is that it isn't as straight forward as it may first seem.

neverdespairgirl

t0rt0ise wrote: »

I did similar. Slightly different circumstances but I gave up my job to move to London and I'm very glad I took the risk. I live in WC1 and I love it.

we do too - it's a great area. Bloomsbury or Holborn?