Top 5 tips for finding work in London

When I decided I wanted to live in London, convincing my Frenchy wasn't as difficult as I thought. I started searching for work, while I was still in France and found SO many job opportunities.

Upon our arrival in London, so many people told us London is a great place to progress in the workplace. There are so many job opportunities here, so you'll be sure to find something for you.

So where do you start? 

1. Work on your resume to tailor it to the positions you are applying for. Your resume/cv is the most important tool to assist you in your employment success. Make sure it is detailed, professional and easy to read.

2. Submit your resume to a recruitment company. They will help you find the job/career you want, while you can focus on the move and settling into the city.

3. Don't put all your eggs in one basket! Apply for a few positions before you get to London. If you are successful, hopefully you will have some interviews lined up for when you arrive.

4. Prepare some common interview questions and responses before your interviews. Also, remember to familiarise yourself with the Company, the more you are prepared, the more confident and professional you will sound. If you haven't had much experience in interviewing, you can always find some coaching professionals to help!

5. First impressions are very important. Make sure you are professional. Arrive to your interview ahead of time, wear appropriate interview attire, be well rested and calm. This will ensure you perform at your optimum capacity!

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail!" Benjamin Franklin

Head to my previous post for more tips from London

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Top 5 tips for finding somewhere to live in London

I have to admit, London is an expensive place to live. Especially when you have foreign currency and need to exchange your euros and Australian dollars in pounds constantly.

However, once you start earning pounds, it makes the place more affordable.

My Frenchy and I have been looking for places to live since we arrived. And I have to say, it's not easy. There are hundreds and thousands of places you can live but how do you know what is the best place for you?

So here are some of the tips that we have found useful since being here.

1. Like I mentioned in my previous post, Airbnb is one of the best places to start out. Find somewhere a little further away from Central London. It's much cheaper in comparison to a hotel room and it's much more comfortable than a backpackers. Also, you can stay as many nights as you want (depending on availability) without needing to pay too much upfront.

2. Figure out roughly how much you will earn per week against the cost of living. This will determine how much you are willing to spend per week or per month and how much you can save. It will also make the search easier if you have a minimum and maximum filter on your search. Like I said, there are so many places to choose from!

3. The next important think to consider is the different Zone options. The further out you live, the more money you will spend on travelling into Central London. So think about where you are going to work and find a suburb close to transport and within nearby Zones.

4. It's important to find a selection of properties you like the look of and schedule an appointment to view them. You don't want to move in without looking at the place first. Make sure you feel comfortable and it's in a great location, close to transport.

5. And finally, don't settle for anything unless you are completely sure. Most places will have a 3-6 month minimum stay and you don't want to agree on it unless you truly love it.

Check in next week for more tips from London.

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Sunsets...

During the last four months, I've had many people compliment me on my travel pictures (thank you to all you wonderful people!) but some of my favourite pictures have been captured during sunset.

I never truly appreciated the setting sun, until my first date with my Frenchy. We sat on the beach, getting to know each other, talking in broken English, while the sun begun to set. 

This memory has made me truly appreciate the setting sun.

Since our first date, my favourite time of the day, is when the sun sets, casting beautiful light on the world. I thought I would share with you, some of my favourite sunsets...

The sunset from our first date in Perth

The first sunset over the Loire river in Angers

More sunsets in Angers

A sunset over the city of Toulouse

One of my favourite sunset pictures from Les Ponts de Ce

A Summer sunset

Enjoying the sunset on the beach in Penestin, France

Angers city before the night falls

What's your favourite time of day?

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Top 5 things to do BEFORE moving to London

My Frenchy and I decided to move to London.

I was missing the English language and I found so many job opportunities online so we made the move. 

We were fortunate enough to have a great Airbnb host and housemate who told us all the important things we should have done BEFORE we moved.

So to save you the trouble we went through, I thought I would share my top 5 tips to help make your move easier.

1. Find accommodation for longer than a few days. It's going to take a little bit of time to find accommodation and check it out before moving in. I suggest Airbnb as a great place to start. You can find some nice, affordable locations, while you look for another place. Here is a link to the Airbnb we stayed. It's a great location and the Host is so helpful.

2. Book your accommodation a couple of weeks in advance. Build up a rapport with your Host and they may be able to help and give advise, leading up to the move.

3. If you are planning on working, call ahead to the National Insurance company to secure an appointment to receive the next available appointment. Ask your host if you can use their address as it is a requirement for applying for a NI number. I booked for an appointment when I first arrived in London and I had to wait 2 weeks.

4. Plan an appointment with a bank provider to make sure you don't have to wait for the next available appointment. Schedule the appointment a couple of days after your NI number appointment. The bank won't give you an account without a permanent address or a NI number.

5. Study the transport in London. Make sure you know how to get from where you arrive in London, to your accommodation. Also, upon your arrival, get yourself an Oyster card. It makes travelling so much easier instead of buying tickets all the time. Also, the more you travel on an Oyster card, the more money you can save.

Be sure to check back soon for more tips from London.

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