Should I be looking for a job in London if I don't want to live there?

Zettland

I realise the title of this post doesn't make much sense, so I'll elaborate. I'm currently living in London after having moved from my family home way up north. Part of the idea behind my moving was to get a graduate job quickly, hold it for a few months, then use that to find a job in another, smaller town.

The problem is: I really can't stand London. No offence meant to people who like it, but I think growing up on a farm has made adapting very difficult. Honestly, I feel like I'm missing a gene that makes life here tolerable. So, with this in mind, would I be better off looking for my first graduate job in another town? Or is it a good idea to get some experience here, then move on? My tenancy is just a pay-per-month thing, so I'm pretty free.

Thanks, J

TrickyDicky101

Depends on what you want to do career-wise - if your ideal career is within banking/finance, then London is by far the best place (IMO) in this country to get a job in this field. It would then serve you well for potential future employment in such fields elsewhere.

Like you, I dislike London intensely. But for my work, it is literally second-to-none in the UK in terms of remuneration and opportunity. Hence I have to suffer a daily commute.

Browntoa

I work in London but commute from kent . I'm within a 5 minute walk of open countryside

Zettland

TrickyDicky101 wrote: »

Depends on what you want to do career-wise - if your ideal career is within banking/finance, then London is by far the best place (IMO) in this country to get a job in this field. It would then serve you well for potential future employment in such fields elsewhere.

Like you, I dislike London intensely. But for my work, it is literally second-to-none in the UK in terms of remuneration and opportunity. Hence I have to suffer a daily commute.

Really, I'm not all that bothered, career-wise. I'd like to be doing something with a bit of scope to it - but I'd sacrifice scope to live somewhere I don't have to commute.

Say I was interested in marketing as my main sector. Are there many other opportunities with this outside of the capital?

Prothet_of_Doom

Short term pain for long term gain ?

DigForVictory

I still get petulant "we told you so" glances & sighs over might-have-beens from my family who think I should have done a stint in London, developed my network & *then* retreated North.

Whilst the place has limited charms (and whilst being paid a pittance to work daft hours & commute mad distances, it is blinking difficult to take advantage of all the cultural opportunities it provides both free & at ye-Gods-thank-gods-for-Corporate-Hospitality expense), it may be worth enduring a couple of years there. As the benefits are supposed to be lifelong.

Whatever you decide, best of luck!

persa

Parts of "London" are quite leafy, even in zone 3. The further out you go, the more rural, but it's still technically London.

There are plenty of train stations (Waterloo, Liverpool Street, etc) which connect you to places that aren't London with surprising speed. I wouldn't do it myself, I actually like London, but I know many who do live elsewhere, and believe their slightly longer commute is worth it for the extra countryside.

How long would you actually be prepared to travel? Door to door?

If not London, any decent graduate job is going to be in a big city, and personally I'd find that a less attractive proposition. Less money, just as busy, and not as well connected.

Horses for courses and all that.

What I will say is that if you hate something from the word go, it's going to be difficult to stick it out for any meaningful time.

shortcrust

If you want a decent job in a smaller norther town then that's what I'd be looking for it I were you. I really can't see how a spell in London will help. Particularly so if you only stick at it for a few months.

sniggings

I can't see getting a job in London for a few months and trying to use that to get a job elsewhere.

I can't see an employer looking to kindly on you for changing jobs so soon, they will think you are uncommitted.

If I were you I would search both areas, and see what comes up, the ideal would be a company with offices in both London and the North, then you could maybe transfer, would look better than changing comanies so soon after joining.

getmore4less

I am not a fan of London but love how compact Glasgow is.

The smaller the town/city the fewer networking opportunities.

sniggings

getmore4less wrote: »

I am not a fan of London but love how compact Glasgow is.

The smaller the town/city the fewer networking opportunities.

Glasgow is massive, it's just many dare not venture too far out :rotfl: