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Moving to London



Contributed by Charlie Waterman

I regularly speak to students who have set out on their job search believing all the best opportunities lie London, and I would agree. Emphasising this, The Graduate Market 2018 suggests that 83% of graduate vacancies at leading UK employers are in London. So what is there to hold you back? In my experience, there seem to be three main areas graduates get stressed about when it comes to relocating…

The cost of living in London

The first (and some would argue the biggest issue) is the cost of living in London. Having been a 2013 graduate myself, I remember this feeling only too well. So what’s my advice for trying to make sure that you’re not just living to work but working to live? Apply for jobs that have extra benefits or incentives. This could include something as simple as free fruit, discounted gym membership or something that may help you out long-term – interest free travel loans for instance.

One major aspect that appealed about my role was the commission. I love being rewarded for all the hard work I put in, and I’m in charge of my own earnings so can earn as much as I want. It is very unlikely that you’ll be able to afford a one bedroom flat, so instead, another budget friendly option could be a house share. They’re a great way of involving yourself in the busy London lifestyle, making new friends and saving money. They could be compared to your ex-student lifestyle as you’ll be living with young professionals who are in a similar situation to you.


Where to live in London?

The next nerve-wracking decision seems to be where to live. London is the biggest and arguably the most diverse city in the UK, so how do you find your patch? Lots of graduates seem to perceive that ‘living the London lifestyle’ is only possible if you live and work in Central London, zone 1.

Yes this would be ideal for many, however, with an annual travel card for zone 1 alone costing £1,284, there would be minimal money to enjoy yourself on a graduate salary. So, why not live and work in zones further out from the city where rent is much cheaper and you don’t have to experience a cramped, busy train carriage for hours every day. Being offered a job in Wimbledon was another aspect that sold my job to me.

I live in zone 2, the commute to work is 20 minutes on an unpacked train (going against the traffic!) and it costs me £1.90. Plus, if I want to go into central London after work, Waterloo is a 15 minute train journey away. 



Moving away from your friends & family

My last piece of advice is related to leaving your family and friends. Most people know someone who lives in London, but a lot of us choose to move away from parents, siblings and best friends to be here. In many jobs you are going to be spending a high percentage of your time in your workplace, therefore selecting the right company culture is vital. I knew my chosen industry was going to be hard work and entail long hours so I needed to be around colleagues that would become friends inside and outside of work.

To enable this I would encourage everyone to go to lots of interviews and meet as many people as you can who you might be working with. If you can’t do that, definitely research companies on Glassdoor. Try not to take the first job that’s offered to you and if they put pressure on you to make a decision, question it. Are they worried that you’ll find a better opportunity elsewhere? Above all, remember that these new colleagues are probably going to spend more time with you than your partner and friends so choose wisely.

When you do make that first trip back home to see everyone, you’ll realise that nothing has changed and all the best graduate opportunities really do lie in London.

For more information about working for Harnham or even relocating to London, contact Charlie Waterman, our Graduate Internal Recruiter via email at charliewaterman@harnham.com

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Sabine Odfjell

16. January 2019

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Guest Blog

09. January 2019

2018 Top Five Data & Analytics News Stories

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Joshua Carter

20. December 2018

Easier, Smarter, Better: What Does The 2019 Data Landscape Look Like?

Data & Analytics have played a larger role in 2018 than ever before. A key talking-point, this year saw the Cambridge Analytica scandal, resulting in increased pressure on the biggest names in tech. With Mark Zuckerberg being summoned before various governments worldwide to answer privacy and security concerns, it’s unlikely that we’re going to stop talking about the impact of Big Data any time soon.  Fortunately, 2018 also appears to have been a turning point. Whilst we’ve seen a greater number of threats from Data, we’ve embraced the technology it supports more than ever before. As a result of this, 2019 is looking brighter than ever for the Data & Analytics landscape.  Easier Access to Data As businesses start to look at keeping their data closer to home, access has become more important than ever. Edge Computing has dramatically increased in popularity, and it doesn’t look like we’re going to see it slow down any time soon. BI Intelligence are estimating that, by the end of 2019, there will be 5.6 billion business-owned devices that access data in this way.  A result of the speed at which technology is advancing, Edge Computing is also seen as a more secure and private way to hold data. Whilst it was initially feared that the ‘Edge Will Eat the Cloud’, we’ve actually seen both perform strongly enough to stand on their own two feet. Far more than just being a stepping stone as we move away from Data Centres, we’ve seen Edge Computing play a role in everything from the Internet of Things, to everyday fuel efficiency. And, in 2019, we can expect it to play an even bigger role, as platforms emerge that will combine edge, multi-cloud and hybrid technologies. Smarter Tech Than Ever Before Whilst we all know that next year will introduce us to smarter technologies, they’re a few places where we can already some 2019 standouts. Natural Language Processing (NLP) has leapt forward over the past year and will continue its acceleration in 2019. Advances in Machine Learning (ML) will see BI tools feel the biggest benefit from this. In particular, the ability to ask programs questions around Data Visualisations and improve our insights will play a huge role.  Off the back of this, we’re likely to see Automated ML play a huge role. Falling between cognitive APIs and custom ML platforms, Auto ML will offer analysts the flexibility to deal with complex issues without having to go through the typical ML training process.  AI and ML will also revolutionise the DevOps world as 2019 sees AIOps become mainstream. This multi-layered technology will automate and streamline significant amounts of IT operations as the speed, and demand, of data continues to increase, but accountability remains the same.  Becoming a Better Society with Data Unsurprisingly, GDPR has had a huge impact on the Data & Analytics landscape in 2018. And, with the USA and India looking to embrace similar regulations in the new year, we’ll continue to feel the repercussions of this in 2019.  Companies are now no longer being assessed on the black and white of the legality of their practices, but how ethically they use the data they have access to. As a result of issues that have arisen over the past few years, how social media giants handle their data is now a leading discussion point during every major election. Whilst Facebook are already taking some steps to address this, expect to see the pressure on them and their contemporaries continue to increase in 2019.  It’s not only major networks that are having to adapt either. The number of leading businesses who now have their own data code of ethics has dramatically increased in the past few years and shows no signs of slowing. Plus, new technologies mean new risks and new principles. For example, as Facial Recognition technology becomes more and more prevalent, public concerns will lead to both fresh regulations but also increased responsibilities for firms.  However, it’s not all rules and regulations. The rise in the amount of Data we have has led to a rise in the possibility to utilise it for social good. Enterprises like Orange and The Hutch Data Commonwealth are looking at how we can share data and insights to achieve common goals and make the world a better place. Despite an increase in risks, 2019 is also offering a plethora of opportunities to use data for good.  If you’re looking to embrace the new and take on a fresh challenge in 2019, we can help. Take a look at our latest roles or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out more. 

Sophie ten Berge

11. December 2018