How hard is it for an American citizen holding a UK settlement visa to find work in London?

Question

I am US citizen married to a UK citizen that is an undergraduate at UCL. I will be joining her this September when the autumn semester begins. I have limited savings and by my rough guess, I will have enough to cover living expenses in London, and manage my US bills for 2 months. I served in the US Air Force for 6 years with much experience and training in the electronics and aeronautical field. I don't have any degrees, and only attended college for a year before enlisting. I have an active secret security clearance, but I'm not sure how that would or could transfer to the UK. I'm not to selective about work, as an immediate income will be a top priority. I am excellent in interviews, and have a professional looking CV, but again, all experience coming from the US military. Training in electronic principles and systems. Is 2 months a reasonable time to obtain work, and what would be a feasable salary to expect or hope for? I know this is a broad question, but I'll appreciate any input

Answer 1

it's difficult to answer your question ... usually the recruitment process for a reasonable job takes a month or two ... you see the advert, respond to it, there's a closing date for applications maybe 3 to 4 weeks ahead, interviews etc etc ... however this can all be cut down a fair bit if you're going via an agency and they have prospective employers lined up

a lot will depend just how much your experience relates to the private sector workplace here ... there's always opportunities for skilled people and the fact that your experience is from the US military shouldn't be a hindrance ... your security clearance counts for something in that it shows you don't have anything major against you that way, but obviously if you were to get a job here requiring security clearance they'd have to start from scratch again

I suggest you start trawling the internet immediately for good employment agencies ... you should be able to register with them before you come and ask them to set you up with interviews as soon as possible after your arrival ... have you contacted any American companies in the electronics or aeronautics field with offices here in the UK as they might be better placed to recognise your experience and qualifications ... also have you contacted the American embassy in London to see if they can be of any assistance

the other option would be to take a job, any job, straight away while you look around for something you're qualified for and interested in ... this can be a dangerous tactic though as once you're working you have that much less time for looking for the right sort of work and obviously hampers your ability to attend interviews ... work that's quick to find also usually pays something like the minimum wage, which is dispiriting and won't cover your living expenses very well