London's waiting

18 September 2002 by
London's waiting

If you've never worked in a major city before, prepare yourself for a culture shock in London. Life here can be fast, fashionable and fun, but at work levels of expectation and competition are likely to be higher than anywhere in the country, the clientele more business-orientated and high-powered, more transient and demanding.

So, if you've come for the right reasons, working in London can be an exciting and valuable experience. As Stephen Grant, director of recruitment specialists Grant International, says: "It's a great stepping stone for someone at the beginning of their career. Salaries are higher and opportunities are all around you."

In order to get the right job, however, planning is everything. David Goldfarb, director of the Mayday Group, says it's crucial to decide why you want to come to London in the first place. "Make sure you know your reasons for coming. If it's a career you're after, try to aim to work for a big name, somewhere with training and career development where you can see where you are going," he says. "If you end up working for a one-man-and-his-dog outfit, it's going to take longer to make progress."

Justine Watson, human resources director for Berkeley Scott recruitment, suggests spending some time temping in the city first. "London can be a cruel place, and it doesn't suit everyone," she says. "Being able to experience it by doing a little temping work can be valuable."

Watson also stresses that preparation and knowing how to sell yourself is important for fighting off the competition for London jobs. "For every position we deal with there are four people going for the job; so if you are not prepared, you will lose out."

JOB PROFILES

Anthony Bennett
Job title:
operations manager for Restaurant Associates (RA)
Age: 29
Born: Wells, Somerset
Job description: responsible for six of RA's key accounts in London
Salary: £30,000-£38,000
Employment package: competitive pension, up to 25 days' holiday, life assurance, staff discounts, SAYE share option scheme, sponsorship for further studies, company car and performance bonus of up to 25% of salary
Length of time in position: one year - before this I was operations manager looking after both Eurest and Leith's
Training offered: management development programmes, business development courses, job-specific training, statutory training
Career development: I am about to start Panorama, a development programme focusing on the move from operations management to directorship
Ambitions: to work with current team to grow RA in the UK and then to get involved in further development into Europe
Best thing about working in London: I love the diversity of the business I operate and enjoy the buzz of London in a market with very high expectations and high standards in all areas of service
Worst thing about working in London: public transport on a hot day

Helen Barry
Job title:
reservations manager at the Four Seasons London hotel, Park Lane
Age: 30
Born: Berkshire
Job description: I issue and control the reservations forecast for the hotel, set yield strategies, lead and supervise a team of five, including training and career development. In addition, I prepare a list of VIP arrivals on a daily basis, control room availability online and maintain the VIP profile log
Salary: £22,000-£25,000
Employment package: pension, holidays, accommodation, meals on duty, medical assistance, social committee events, private healthcare plan and complimentary roomnights at the hotel
Length of time in position: 15 months
Training offered: induction training program, management development programs including stress and time management, presentation, communications and conflict management
Career development: I started with Four Seasons Hotels in London in 1997 as receptionist and was promoted to reservations agent six months later. Eighteen months after that I was promoted to assistant reception manager/duty manager, and later promoted to reservations manager
Ambitions: to be front office manager in the short term and work abroad in the long term
Best thing about working in London: the constant buzz and energy of the city, the anything-can-happen intense atmosphere and the opportunities for a great social life
Worst thing about working in London: the cost of living and the transient nature

Jean-Michel Dixte
Job title:
food and beverage manager, the Hempel, Bayswater
Age: 29
Born: Dakar, Senegal
Job description: I am involved in the general running of the whole hotel and at the moment I'm number two to the GM. I oversee the running of the restaurant and all other food services. My role also includes sales and marketing
Salary: about £40,000
Employment package: company pension, 20 days' holiday, use of leisure club facilities
Length of time in position: 18 months
Training offered: mainly health and safety and first aid
Career development: I started at the Hempel as a restaurant manager and am now acting as number two to the GM
Ambitions: I would like to run my own company - either a hotel or a restaurant
Best thing about working in London: the hyperactivity and buzz, the competitiveness and the opportunities
Worst thing about working in London: the weather and the greed

Guy Brazier
Job title:
management recruitment manager, Pret A Manger, Victoria
Age: 29
Born: Redhill, Surrey
Job description: responsible for recruiting managers both internally and externally, planning and organising assessment days, communicating recruitment activity and forecasting management needs
Salary: £30,000 (basic)
Employment package: 20% bonus (up to 90% in shops), healthcare, 25 days' holiday, free lunch, Zone 1 travel, mobile phone, plus generous welfare package
Length of time in position: six months
Training offered: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development training in recruitment, up to 13 weeks' training as general manager of shops, off-site development courses as well as numerous internal courses
Career development: I was general manager in Pret A Manger shops for five years
Ambition: to gain recognised qualifications in my new field
Best thing about working in London: everything is within easy reach; lots to do and great opportunities
Worst thing about working in London: when the system fails, and the dirt

Nicole Toyne
Job title:
restaurant manager at Hadley House restaurant in Wanstead, east London
Age: 34
Born: Los Angeles
Job description: hands-on management of restaurant and staff, promoting the restaurant in the east London area, keeping up to speed on health and hygiene training
Salary: £24,000
Employment package: staff are involved in the business, as it's very much a family affair. We get looked after and also taken for regular lunches in London restaurants, such as Gordon Ramsay's
Length of time in position: four years
Training offered: on-the-job training, although I've established training packages on health and hygiene, fire safety, wine, etc
Career development: I started as a waitress. In four years we've doubled the business, and now I'm the manager
Ambitions: when I'm 40 I'd like to run my own bed and breakfast
Best thing about working in London: the buzz and the people. Not working in central London we get a broader range of clientele, from old ladies to kids, which I enjoy. Working in a suburb we also work fewer hours and don't have to commute
Worst thing about working in London: the expense and the pace. Nobody slows down. Everyone is after that quick dollar and works so fast

Charles McKerchar
Job title:
head chef for Tiger Tiger, Haymarket
Age: 28
Born: New Zealand
Salary: £30,000-£40,000
Employment package: private medical insurance
Length of time in position: five months
Training offered: on-the-job training with support from the executive chef of the company, Urbium
Career development: I'd like to stay at Tiger London until some time next year, then try to move upwards within the company
Ambitions: to be able to continue my career within Urbium and eventually work in one of their future openings overseas
Best thing about working in London: the variety of different cultures and people working in London combined with the large number of hospitality opportunities

Chris James
Job title:
bar manager, Strada restaurant, New Burlington Street
Age: 25
Born: South Africa
Job description: managing the bar, stocktaking, ordering, setting up promotions and cocktail hours
Salary: £14,000
Employment package: four weeks' holiday
Length of time in position: one year
Training offered: on the job
Ambitions: not in hospitality
Best thing about working in London: earning the pounds. I'm putting myself through college
Worst thing about working in London: the Tube and the weather

Six steps to success

  1. Do your research. Think about which companies appeal to you and what kind of career path you want to take, then read up on the subject. Find out about your chosen company on the Web, read guides and, of course, read Caterer.
  2. If possible, find someone to stay with in London so you can be on hand for interviews and appointments before you make the move. "Set up a base camp," says Stuart Howie, managing consultant for Portfolio International, "preferably with friends or family in order to get a feel for the city."
  3. The CV - keep it clear, to one page and to the point. Stephen Grant, director of Grant International, suggests including a brief one-paragraph biography of who you are and what you want to do to start the CV, then using bullet points for the rest. "Leave the details for the interview," he says.

    Also include contact details of a prepared referee and a picture (not a holiday snap). If you are unsure about putting together a CV, you can get professional help. It doesn't have to cost much and it may give you the edge.

  4. Image. Grant believes that employees often forget about how they present themselves in today's "dress-down" culture. "Your image," he says, "is often what can tip the balance in your favour." Again, do some research. Look at the style and image of the place you are applying to. If it's trendy, you can afford to dress accordingly - if it's very formal, make sure you look the part.
  5. When preparing for an interview, think about your target market and what your employers will want to know about you. Bring your skills to their attention and show them how they might be transferable to a London environment. Having experience in catering for large volumes of people, for instance, is likely to be of interest to employers at large hotels, or event caterers.
  6. Languages are a definite asset in London. French, German and Spanish are the obvious ones, but in the capital any are useful, from Russian to Arabic.
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