advice needed

[mheanRanola]

hello :) im having a problem now... :doh im so bored and i really need to get job to help my hubby.. im here in central London for 2 months now but still i cant find any job... :NoNo: they preferred atleast 2 references and experienced here in london but obviously i dont have any. It doesnt matter what kind of job as long as its legal. i am a photo editor and customer service assistant in Philippines and i have tesda certificate in housekeeping. how i can find job here?? thanks in advance :)

[joebloggs]

you must know people in the phils who will give reference and have you tried agencies if your willing to do any job

[Arthur Little]

hello :) im having a problem now... :doh im so bored and i really need to get job to help my hubby.. im here in central London for 2 months now but still i cant find any job... :NoNo: they preferred atleast 2 references and experienced here in london but obviously i dont have any. It doesnt matter what kind of job as long as its legal. i am a photo editor and customer service assistant in Philippines and i have tesda certificate in housekeeping. how i can find job here?? thanks in advance :)

I can empathise with what you're up against :Brick: - as MY wife had taught at a Government High School for twenty-two years back home in the Phils ... yet her BSc in Agricultural Sciences counts for very little :cwm24: if she were to try and enter the teaching profession here in Scotland.

:anerikke: Mind you, I'm not so sure that she would WANT to resume her career :NoNo: ... preferring instead, to work as a Horticulturist. But she's in a "no-win" situation, really ... being considered under-qualified for the type of job she's accustomed to, and over-qualified for others. :doh And I expect you find yourself in the same predicament!

:Erm: ... Have you considered doing voluntary work? :rolleyes: Sometimes this can eventually lead to either full or part-time remunerative employment - and very often brings out latent skills that people never previously knew they HAD!! If, of course, you've already DECIDED you need to earn a wage in order to supplement your husband's income - then how about approaching one or other of the many supermarket chains/fashion stores/photography studios on the basis of your customer services/photographic experience. In other words, "shop around". Good Luck! :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Arthur Little]

... have tesda certificate in housekeeping.

On reflection ... the certificate you mention, COULD help you find a job as a 'live-in' housekeeper :hoovering: - depending upon how it happened to tie-in with the kind of work your husband does - and don't forget, Filipinas have a reputation for being extremely industrious at whatever they tackle!

[estherboaz]

Hello mhean.i live in London too.I had that problem before.I agree with Arthur.Volunteering could lead to employment.I volunteered in a surgery near our place.Now am working there.

[mheanRanola]

thanks for all the advice.... thats what im thinking... go for a volunteer work first..... :) some people think living here is easy aswell as getting job.. ohwell they will never know until they've tried.... i have 2 certificate of employment from my employer in Philippines but i think does doesnt help in anyway...

[pennybarry]

It's really hard to find job even in the city?:omg:
I met some filipino student taking up HND in Hospitality and finished their HRM in our country. After few weeks they arrived they all land a job in hotels. Why not try hotel jobs? They said it's in demand in the city.

[Arthur Little]

... some people think living here is easy aswell as getting job.. ohwell they will never know until they've tried ...

... yeah, :iagree:! I remember - during my first trip to the Phils ... :Erm: ... before I'd heard of this forum - thinking everything would be straightforward! My THEN girlfriend and I planned on getting married - SHE'D simply come to the UK and, once HERE, she could apply for a teaching job [similar to the one she had done for so long back home] at the College no more than a quarter of a mile from where I lived. Nearly two years down the line, I'm STILL wondering how I could ever have been so naive! :doh

[Arthur Little]

Why not try hotel jobs? They said it's in demand in the city.

:gp:, Penny! But hotel work CAN be - and very often IS - extremely demanding physically ... not to mention tedious. I'm thinking here of Myrna's niece's husband - a Commerce graduate, and one time senior-ranking officer with the PNP in Davao City. On arrival in N.E. England (Hartlepool) the only job he could find ... amounted to washing dishes in a hotel-cum-restaurant for many hours on end ...! :yikes: D'you think Mhean would fancy THAT? :rolleyes:

[estherboaz]

It doesnt matter what kind of job as long as its legal according to Mhean.That job is a good start already.Just to have experience and then move on...

[mheanRanola]

yeah any job would be okay... even maid... i dont mind... the only problem is im short/petite im only 24 and they all think i cant do the job -- especially hotel jobs because it will require lifting stuff and beds... and its really frustrating.... im doing a partime job... "nanny" for 5-6 hrs and i got paid for only £10 a day.. 3x a week... but its ok... i also iron clothes of some filipinos here in London and they pay me £20 for doing that (almost 50 long sleeves and polo from 3pm to 11pm) but still i need more stable jobs not cash in hand.... even in hotel jobs.. they required hotel experience and i have only training and certificate not an actual hotel experience

[pennybarry]

:gp:, Penny! But hotel work CAN be - and very often IS - extremely demanding physically ... not to mention tedious. I'm thinking here of Myrna's niece's husband - a Commerce graduate, and one time senior-ranking officer with the PNP in Davao City. On arrival in N.E. England (Hartlepool) the only job he could find ... amounted to washing dishes in a hotel-cum-restaurant for many hours on end ...! :yikes: D'you think Mhean would fancy THAT? :rolleyes:
I agree Arhur but we, filipinas are not picky when just arrived. Working in hotel is hardwork and receives basic pay only according to my friends in Edinburgh. :bigcry:
Before, I was thinking about working in the city as my friend can accommodate me in Edinburgh but my husband said, you better compute your wages and compare it in our place.
Here in the countryside I get £7/hour but only seasonal job. If the company is quiet, I can receive £65/week from jobcentreplus plus £20 from hubby and I don't pay any bills. Not bad rather than working permanent fulltime in the city but you need to pay everything.:D
Mhean is living in the city and I wish she can find any job that will make her happy.:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[mheanRanola]

i wish i could find job soon.....

[ukvisaworks.com]

@mheanRanola can you please let me know the following:


would you consider working in nursing/residential homes?
would you be willing to travel outside London?


Thank you

[Arthur Little]

@mheanRanola can you please let me know the following:


would you consider working in nursing/residential homes?
would you be willing to travel outside London?


Thank you

:Erm: ... do you provide advice/assistance free of charge? Just curious!

[reaandandrew]

i can emphatize with u.. i have the same problem, ive been here in edinburgh for 5 months now and havent found any job still. i had several interviews attended already in hotel jobs (ive worked with the hotel before in PI) but no luck, i can only reach 2nd interview and dont hear any after that. its frustrating. i guess we just have to be patient and keep on looking, I believe theres someone there that would give us chance.

[mheanRanola]

yeah... nursing/residential homes will be fine... but travel outside london?? i dont think so.. my husband wont allow me for sure...

[mheanRanola]

5 months?? i know its really frustrating... they are always looking for an experience here in uk..:NoNo: I wish they would give us a chance to work here... and im so bored!!! i dont have any friends here.. im just browsing the net all day and go to the shop if needed...

[pennybarry]

i can emphatize with u.. i have the same problem, ive been here in edinburgh for 5 months now and havent found any job still. i had several interviews attended already in hotel jobs (ive worked with the hotel before in PI) but no luck, i can only reach 2nd interview and dont hear any after that. its frustrating. i guess we just have to be patient and keep on looking, I believe theres someone there that would give us chance.

5 months is frustrating really and unbelievable.:omg:
I wish you can find one. Did you try Premier Inn?
Did you try to visit nhs scotland website?
How about cleaning job?

[reaandandrew]

I started looking for job po about february and it took them ages to reply but was able to manage 3 interviews but end up nothing.. i send my CV's to housekeeping jobs too but no one replied to it.. I send my cv as well to care homes but still nothing,.. soo frustrating po, with cleaners they're looking for experienced individuals but I still try and still keep on trying. I think I sent my CV to premier inn for housekeeping job but they havent reply to me yet.

U might know anything else Ms. penny, I've read you vist Edinburgh most of the time? hehe

@Mhean- its really boring being at home all day.. I'll pray for both of us to find a job soon...

[mheanRanola]

ur right they are always looking for ''experienced'' one.. even cleaner/housekeeper... how can we find job if they are always looking for the experienced one... its really really frustrating!!! :Brick:

[reaandandrew]

thats true... how can we have experienced if nobody would like to accept us?? weird... haaayss, just dont give up girl, lets just wait... :)

[Pete/London]

If you want to meet some friends a good place to start would be St James church in Spanish Place W1
on a Sunday. Big Philippine community attend there.:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[somebody]

The easiest ways with Hotels im guessing is going in person with the smaller ones.
In W2 (Paddington bayswater there are hundreds of smaller hotels so maybe worth walking round with CV's if you have not already.

The bigger Hotels are sometimes quite hard to get in to as many of the staff seem to be hired from abroad from the branch of the Hotel in their home country what I have seen when visiting them.

At the moment not many new Hotels or large shops opening, but in the long term the Stratford westfield shopping centre is opening soon so maybe worth looking into as they often hire staff well in advance of opening and sometimes they move experienced staff from other branches and move newer staff into their old position.

Dont forget Coffe shops the Wife started in one and is now an account manger for a famous make up company in less than 5 years she also had no experience:xxgrinning--00xx3:

A few questions only speed read the posts so i may have missed people mentioning.

Have you got your NI number sorted, not vital but employers do like to see? Do you have proof of address and a bank account? Do you have good quality copies of your passport to show the Visa you have permit you to work.

What is is your spoken English like? What do you think you are like in interviews?
Is there anyone with plenty of experience of British job interviews who can help you look at how your fairing and how you can improve? Often this is better if its say one of your friends friends or your husbands friends so you are not to familiar with them


Employers are quite rightly terrified of employing those who are not fully legally entitled to work. A fine at the moment with the financial situation as it is could be quite bad for them.

Have you tried agencies, they maybe aboe to get you some experience?

What is your CV like does it mention your skill, experiences and qualification's?

Im guessing you get the free London papers they often have jobs in them.
Have you tried Oxford street and other major shopping streets they often need to employ staff due to turnover.

As others have suggested experience is always a bind so if you do have free time volunteer if you can offer to work for free for a short time.
If you can get a foot in the door and you prove your worth its much harder for the employer to say no:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[pennybarry]

I started looking for job po about february and it took them ages to reply but was able to manage 3 interviews but end up nothing.. i send my CV's to housekeeping jobs too but no one replied to it.. I send my cv as well to care homes but still nothing,.. soo frustrating po, with cleaners they're looking for experienced individuals but I still try and still keep on trying. I think I sent my CV to premier inn for housekeeping job but they havent reply to me yet.

U might know anything else Ms. penny, I've read you vist Edinburgh most of the time? hehe

@Mhean- its really boring being at home all day.. I'll pray for both of us to find a job soon...

Yes, I was there just last sunday for a spring excapade.:D
One of my friend filed her resignation at Premier so you may get the chance. Have some students friends who got their job after few weeks they arrived.
You can meet them if you go to church every sunday.
They can help you recommend to their employers. I have one filipino cleaning supervisor friend and he helps kababayans. One is also a Chef in a hotel. One friend work as biomedical scientist at Edinburgh Uni. Go out and mix with filipinos out there! They might help you! Goodluck!:xxgrinning--00xx3::)

[estherboaz]

Hello sis.Do you want to try applying in an agency?

[mheanRanola]

sure sure..... i dont mind.... i have an interview tomorrow (fingers crossed) wish me luck.. this is my 1st interview and i hope i could get the job. If you know any agency here central london or near central london that would be fine. Im willing to try it. :)

[mheanRanola]

@somebody--- thanks for the advice... i really appreciate it.. :)

@pete/london --- i really want to meet some filipino's here in london... i dont have any friends here at the moment but im looking forward to have some.. :)

[gWaPito]

For Jane, agency work was the way to go. She got a job that day!

No references required, just proof you are allowed to work here.
Unlike the volunteer work Jane applied for, she had to show 2 references of people who have known you for a min of 2 years who are not related to you, who live in the UK.
In my wife's case, that was not possible.

If you are serious about working here and all avenues have been closed then, agency work is the way to go!

[mheanRanola]

For Jane, agency work was the way to go. She got a job that day!

No references required, just proof you are allowed to work here.
Unlike the volunteer work Jane applied for, she had to show 2 references of people who have known you for a min of 2 years who are not related to you, who live in the UK.
In my wife's case, that was not possible.

If you are serious about working here and all avenues have been closed then, agency work is the way to go!

yeah yeah i might do that... i would register on the agencies near our place. thank you very much

[gWaPito]

yeah yeah i might do that... i would register on the agencies near our place. thank you very much

The work is not great but, it's a start and you will get a reference from the agency if, and when you happen to move on to another job.
Don't be too flexible on the work they will offer you.
You have to know in your mind before you see them on what hours you are willing to do and how far from you are willing to travel each day to work, don't get pushed into doing something you are not happy with.
They will accomadate you, If you are working, the agency your are working for are earning.

Good Luck:Wave: