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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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Weekly News Digest - 11th-15th Jan 2021

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Weekly News Digest: 4th-8th Jan 2021

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Sam Maughan

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The Top Data Trends for 2021

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Mark Bremer

Mark Bremer

07. January 2021