Unemployed for Too Long in the UK
Posted by New_Boat_8628@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 24 comments
I’ve been unemployed in the UK for more than a year and I’m not sure how to move forward with my future. The job market in the UK is not good at the moment, especially for someone from an EU country, even after living in the UK for more than 10 years and having permanent rights to live and work here. Would you wait longer and keep trying to find work by relocating anywhere in the country, or would you return to your European home country to avoid spending more savings (which I’ve already spent a lot of)?
kdot122@reddit
Are you looking at remote jobs (in the UK, or in Europe)? Would going back give you an advantage in the local job market? Can you build on the experience gained here, or keep working from Europe for a UK/ international company?
New_Boat_8628@reddit (OP)
I’m currently open to all kinds of opportunities. Do you know of any remote jobs available, please?
kdot122@reddit
I am unable to do the job search for you. Keep trying! Have you checked the south of England for engineering jobs? There are some industries here, but only you know where you might fit.
New_Boat_8628@reddit (OP)
Ok Thanks 😉
PomeloSafe9086@reddit
Start signing up at recruitment agencies.
New_Boat_8628@reddit (OP)
You don’t need to sign up separately because when you apply online, most jobs are posted through recruitment agencies anyway. Those agencies usually save your CV in their database, and many times they will contact you later if they think you’re a good fit for another role. Recruiters also actively search for CVs on websites such as Indeed, LinkedIn, Totaljobs, and CV-Library. I think that once you start applying, you end up sending your CV to many agencies and companies anyway, at least in my experience.
PomeloSafe9086@reddit
Sounds like you got it covered then. I thought maybe showing in person at a specific agency might improve chances but I might be wrong.
New_Boat_8628@reddit (OP)
I’ve applied for many jobs all over the country, which is why I’m worried. But thanks! 👍
Happy-Depressed@reddit
Hey, a fellow EU-born, in the UK for just about 10 years.
I just wanted to say that I've never experienced a 'British-first' mentality. I live in Cheshire, and most of my work places are like 95% white British, and most of my time I was the only 'non British' person in the department I work in.
I've job hopped in the last 5 years, but never experienced much difficulty in finding roles in my field of work (HR) even without a degree.
From recruitment perspective, I've seen a massive influx of engineering and logistics degrees to the point I think it's very oversaturated. Just because you can't make it past the Teams interview, doesn't mean you're a bad candidate. It can just mean that there are 100 of other applicants who may already live closer-ish to the workplace and therefore don't need to carry the risk of relying on the candidate to relocate, especially because we all know how bad the housing is.
My thought would be to relocate to a bigger city where the engineering sector is bigger (I know nothing about your sector), and then start applying. It could also help to add location on your CV, not just 'willing to relocate'. If you're looking for a job in Manchester, put 'Greater Manchester', if Liverpool put 'Merseyside' etc. that will alleviate from the questioning and automatic disqualification.
If someone from Essex applied for a job in Cheshire, it'd be almost an automatic no - unless they have ties to the area.
New_Boat_8628@reddit (OP)
I really appreciate your opinion because I’m at a moment of complete indecision and I don’t have much time. I’ve been thinking about moving back to Manchester. To be honest, I’ve thought the same as you — even though I say I’m open to relocating, companies still ignore me because they don’t want the complications of someone moving, so that’s why I considered relocating and not stay longer here.
I do get quite a few MS Teams interviews, but I’m aware that there are probably over 100 other people applying too, so it’s difficult. I think I’ll go back to my city. ☺️
International-Exam84@reddit
connect w people. don’t just apply.
New_Boat_8628@reddit (OP)
What do you mean 🧐,pls ?
New_Boat_8628@reddit (OP)
Thanks everyone for your comments and for taking the time.😊
I will try to explain my situation a bit more. I moved from Manchester to Sheffield for a job that did not work out well (I would rather not go into details). I only worked in Sheffield for 3 months and since then I have been looking for a job for 1 year and 2 months.
I applied for jobs both in Sheffield and elsewhere, always making it clear that I was willing to relocate. I had many interviews through Microsoft Teams and fewer in person. Most of them were with companies outside Sheffield. I do not know whether companies simply do not trust candidates who say they are willing to relocate, but I have not had any success.
My savings are running out and I do not want to take too many risks. I have an engineering degree and my experience is mainly in laboratory work and manufacturing/quality. I had thought about moving again to the Northwest area and taking the risk of still not finding anything, or going back to my home country and living with family (at least that way I would stop spending my savings) while looking for work there. It is not the best country for finding jobs either, but England is offering me zero opportunities at the moment.
I am leaving my flat in July, so I need to make a decision. I am also scared of throwing away the life I built in England over more than 10 years. At least I do not have children, which makes making these decisions a bit easier.Even so, a part of me belongs to this country, although right now I am having quite a hard time because of the current situation we are living through.😔
Advanced-Parking173@reddit
In that case, it might be worth just getting a small part time job for now while you keep looking for a relevant engineering job. It can even be a minimum wage part time job, retail job, care work, warehouse job etc. This way, you could alleviate the stress of running out of savings while still looking for a job that you actually want. Also if you just work like 15-20 hours a week then you don’t have to worry about tax because you won’t even be on pace to go above the tax-free threshold, at least until you find a job in engineering.
New_Boat_8628@reddit (OP)
Thanks👍
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
This is an impossible question for someone else to answer. I don't have a way of gauging if there are opportunities for you by expanding your networking within your industry.
What is your specific challenge with finding work? Are there just too few opportunities in your field?
New_Boat_8628@reddit (OP)
I can apply for many opportunities, but I think the “British first” mentality is affecting things.
carrie-ser@reddit
Which industry? Which roles?
Telecom_VoIP_Fan@reddit
I left the UK after periods of unemployment, and do not look back on the decision. Back in the 80s the job market was also not great there.
icecream1973@reddit
Vacancies in what industry? & many other questions.
If you are already in the UK, I would first try to relocate anywhere in country to actually get a UK job instead going through the massive work + financial investment for yet again a permanent relocation.
But the important question = WHY are you unsuccesfull in getting a job in your UK industry, and would returning to your original EU country home actually better those chances to get any job? There are massive job cuts globally & cross industry, so WHAT guarantee do you have succeding in another country that isnt UK?
Halo_of_Light@reddit
why would you assume you can more easily find work in your home country? Does your industry have more opportunities there?
We don't have enough information
Odd-Time-4875@reddit
I hope you’re doing well.
I wanted to share some thoughts, as I can relate to what you're going through. Moving abroad, with all your hopes, sacrifices, savings, and attachments, can sometimes feel like a failure when things don’t go as planned. Honestly, the UK job market isn’t as dynamic or flexible as it once was. Personally, I found it easier to secure jobs in France compared to here. Even though I live in the UK now, I'm a founder, connected with a top-tier London school, and have a strong network, I still find myself relying on referrals and introductions to open doors.
In the past, I’ve experienced what you’re going through. I’ve left friends and belongings behind in the pursuit of something better. Like you, I’ve even had permanent residency in certain places but felt awful going back home, unsure of my decisions. However, I’ve grown from those experiences. Now, life is better than ever; I'm thriving and happier than I thought possible. Back then, I pushed myself to succeed in a country where things just didn’t align. I landed jobs that weren’t well-paying but kept trying until I eventually realized they weren't the right fit for me. The social challenges, homesickness, and local attitudes wore me down. It cost me time and money that, in hindsight, I should have cut my losses on sooner.
I learned from that mistake. Later, in another country, it only took me three months to recognize it wasn’t right for me and make the decision to leave. Ultimately, the choice is yours to make, and whatever you decide, I wish you the very best of luck.
Advanced-Parking173@reddit
No one in the comments is going to give you a good answer because you provided almost zero information about yourself. It’s a waste of time to ask for advice if you aren’t going to share your individual situation. Unless you just want to hear generic advice like “yeah go back” or “nah keep trying” lol
ginogekko@reddit
You need to provide details, what industries have you worked in, what qualifications do you have, where in the country do you live? What roles have you been applying for? How many do you apply for per week? What happens when you interview? What do you spend the rest of your time on? Have you been upskilling yourself?