London has no shortage of jobs for bright eyed, idealistic graduates fresh off the boat from sparser pastures. Its often said that London sucks, both the talent and the grime and one doesnt come without the other. The story of the risks and rewards of a job in a huge city such as London play as textbook examples of urbanisation. This is how London entices you in and how you are risked hanging out to dry.
There are numerous positions in London for those starting their careers. These positions have generous pay and allow you to live in a vibrant location. The tradeoff is that with the increase in globalisation and free movement of people, the number of candidates for these positions have never been higher and competition has grown exponentially fiercer. This means a cut throat approach and work ethic is needed to survive in your employment in the British capital and to pay the sky high rental prices for the privilege of living there ( a recent Vice article put the rental price for a one bedroom flat at £495 per week). Literally, some of the people competing for jobs in London came from deadly corrupt ghettos and grew up in third world countries. Some applicants are hungry for employment as they went hungry on the streets as kids. These people want that job with every fibre in their body, these are your competition and are the apponents you need to beat at interview just to get on the starting line.
Further complicating matters are the issues concerning this oversupply of candidates and lack of positions. Firstly, the oversupply means that employers can be extremely picky about who they employ and command grueling work for your salary. Secondly, the expensive house prices go a long way to cancelling out your higher salary and the reliance on your salary to pay the bills makes you absolutely beholding to your job. This is the same job that we just mentioned can be made extremely demanding by your employer, and by relying on it for your survival you are at the mercy of your boss. Not a strong position to be in… unless you’re the landlord or big boss of course.
So after all the pull points why do so many people go to the capital, and can they make it big there? The advantage of London is that there are top employment positions from global corporations all in close proximity to one another. There is also more choice in London too, as the city has many jobs that are not available in smaller settlements such as jobs in investment banking and fashion design. If you want these jobs there are no two ways about it, despite the challenges, you have to go for it and go for your dreams.
Big city jobs are like upping the stakes of life, its more difficult to make it big, but if you succeed you are far more successful than a small time position. Furthermore as the old saying goes; in for a penny, in for a pound. So if you want that top job and high power salary and are willing to work 100 hours per week to keep it then London is the place for you. But if a big city job is not your dream, then there are probably much better paths to happiness and success than drowning in the rat race of the Big Smoke.