How hard is it to find a job in London nowadays?

I'm thinking of moving to London on a Youth Mobility Scheme visa and I was just wondering how hard is it to find a job when I get there. I work in the IT industry as a programmer/applications developer with a great working knowledge of both Java and Peoplesoft. Would it be better for me to find a job before I get there and hopefully someone can sponsor me for a Tier 2 visa, or should I just take my chances and move there on a Tier 5 YMS visa and then find a job when I get there?

Please advise.

It is very hard to find jobs in London - and in fact, the UK in general. IT is probably one of the hardest hit sectors since a lot of IT work is directly connected to the finance sector. Also, the UKBA is being more restrictive when it comes to issuing work permits to foreigners as a means of protecting their job market. You might want to reconsider such a move at this time.

uk economy is in the toilet.

Not sure there is any other way to put it.

Don't give up a secure job to come here on a whim.

Thanks guys. I guess I'm now a little hesitant to move to London. The thing is, I'm 28 and I'm not getting any younger. Two years from now, I probably won't be eligible for the Youth Mobility Scheme. Plus if I postpone this any longer, it would probably be harder for me to leave and just go. This is something I really want to do and I would definitely regret not doing this if I don't. But this practical side of me wants me to stay at my secure job that pays well even though my heart tells me to leave.

Please, someone give me some hope although have it based in reality. Anybody here recently moved to London and found a job in their career (preferably in the IT industry)?

You're unlikely to find anyone on here who will be able to give you a positive take. Most of my friends that have moved to London, working in various fields from IT to finance, have either been laid off and are looking for new work (while trying to live in a city that is ridiculously expensive even for the employed) or are worried about being laid off. Seriously. It's that bad. The only ones who are more secure about their jobs are working in academia.

i have friends there as well and they report the same. i am a social worker and i think the social problems are so bad that jobs for us continue to be in demand.

i'm a software engineer and have been for almost 10 years. in my opinion, there are ALWAYS jobs available if you're the best there is at what you do, recession or no recession, in canada, the states, the uk, wherever.

if you could ace a hardcore java technical exam, demonstrate an expert-level understanding of peoplesoft, have say 5+ years relevant experience, and at least an undergrad comp sci degree from a respectable university, you *should* be able to find something, in my opinion.

my advice would be to seriously evaluate how you think you would fare in a competitive job market. if you think you're at the top of your game and can prove it in an interview with a technical evaluation, then go for it! otherwise, maybe wait a year when things get a bit better.

you could try to get a uk company to hire you prior to arrival and sort out your visa, but that only happens if some uk company desperately wants you. honestly, that is highly unlikely, unless you've got some extrememly rare skill set or experience that few people on the planet have.

Thanks sleepy. Your post gave me some hope in an otherwise dreary thread. I know I am competent and good at what I do but just worried about the job prospects with the recession and having a YMS instead of a Tier 1. Of course I wouldn't know how I would fare in the competitive job market of London unless I move there and give it a stab. Most recruiters probably will not read my CV any further when they see that I don't live in the UK. It's just the trepidation and the soul-crushing agony of being rejected constantly that worries me.

By the way, would you recommend me being Sun-Certified in java? Will that help my prospects?

I've never hired a java guy before... but i'd say the sun certification certainly doesn't hurt. i think what matters most is how you handle yourself under a technical evaluation.

Hello again sleepy, what do you think of Bite Consulting (see link below)? Do you think they'll be a big help in getting a job?

http://biteconsulting.co.uk/