Finding a job

London has a total labour force of around 3.6 million people. This is supplemented by a further 6 million in the South East and East regions around London. Managers, professionals and technical staff account for 48 per cent of those employed in London compared to 38 per cent across the rest of Great Britain.

This section will point you to the information you need to find work, where to look for vacancies and how to support yourself while you are looking.

Careers advice

The Guardian's careers advice provides up-to-date advice on how to get the job you want: from help with your CV and covering letters, to ideas on how to prepare for interviews and negotiating strategies for starting salaries.

Prospects - is the 'official' source of careers advice for graduates.

The East London Centre offers help with finding jobs and free training. It has a database of over 40,000 jobs nationwide that is updated every day. Even if outside east London give them a freephone call on 0800 652 6666 or go to one of their events.

Job Centre Plus

Jobcentre Plus (also known as Jobcentres) provides help in finding jobs and information about benefits to people of working age, training and how to apply for a job. For employers there is information on placing a vacancy with Jobcentre Plus and what Jobcentre Plus services are available to them. Their support services include

• Looking for a job - Search for a job at Jobcentre Plus where you can search the whole Jobcentre online database for vacancies in your area, London-wide or in the UK
• Making a claim for benfit
• Help for recruiting employers
• running local events for both job seekers and employers.
• providing job hunting help gives you help and advice on Interview Preparation, writing letters, safe Job searching, advice for Professionals and Graduates, and much more.

In addition, Jobcentre Plus provides information for executives, professionals and graduates' with information for those searching for jobs in high-level sectors such as IT, management and other similar professions. It provides numerous leads and good practice ideas to help you direct your jobsearch in the most effective manner.

Directgov

Visit Directgov to search for job opportunities, check out different careers, get practical advice on job applications and interviews, and find out about training opportunities and New Deal schemes. There are Employees and Jobseekers sections.

Job and career fairs

Prospects - this the official graduate careers service has careers information for all sectors and a job fairs listing.

Support while job hunting

New Deal gives people claiming benefits the help and support they need to look for work, including training and job preparation. New Deal is part of the Department for Work and Pensions(DWP). New Deal provides support for

• Young People (18 to 24).
• 25 plus
• 50 plus
• Disabled people
• Lone parents
• Partners
• Self-employment
• Musicians

Department for Work and Pensions (formerly the Department of Social Security) also has much useful advice on financial support while you are looking for work.

Newspaper vacancy listings

As well as local weekly paper job listings, the Evening Standard comes with a large job vacancy supplement every Monday. London jobs, is the Evening Standard's online job service.

The Guardian newspaper has jobs each day which vary according to sector. See Jobs Guardian for their complete listings, and for helpful advice on applying for jobs.

Commercial recruitment agencies

There are many commercial employment agencies in London in every postcode. Often agencies have their own websites too with their job vacancies on them.

Talk to agencies about the UK's skills shortages so you can find out what roles are in demand with a view to perhaps training in those areas or taking your employment in one of those directions.

• The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) is the body representing the recruitment industry. This is a good place to start when finding reputable REC member agencies in your locality.
• Agency Central provides access to thousands of agencies and websites for jobseekers and employers.
• Working Links formed by Employment Service, Ernst & Young and Manpower PLC aims to help people find work. Service for employers too - they help you find workers.
• Agency Central provides access to thousands of agencies and websites for jobseekers and employers.

Executives, Professionals and Graduates

Prospects.ac.uk provides a job search function as well as official careers information and advice.

Jobs.ac.uk is a recruitment site for the research, science, academic and related professions. It lists many UK Universities' vacancies as well as those of Unilever, Bank of England, British Museum, NHS Trusts and more.

Jobcentre Plus provides information for Executives, Professionals and Graduates' with information for those searching for jobs in high-level sectors such as IT, management and other similar professions. It provides numerous leads and good practice ideas to help you direct your jobsearch in the most effective manner.

Working for London

If you are interested in a job working for one of London's public sector agencies, the websites of the following organisations all have job vacancies on them

• London's 33 boroughs
• Greater London Authority
• Metropolitan Police Service
• Transport for London
• London Development Agency
• London Ambulance Service
• London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
• Association of London Government

Volunteering and work experience

Volunteering and gaining work experience in whatever type of work or context are very valuable experiences in terms of training and self-esteem.

• Jobcentre Plus provides advice on finding voluntary work.
• Millennium Volunteers, run by Department for Education and Skills, is aimed at young people aged 16-24. MV allows young people to build on their interests, to develop themselves and make a difference to their community at the same time. Through the course of their voluntary work, volunteers will gain valuable skills and experience that they can make use of in the workplace.
• The National Council for Work Experience promotes, supports and develops quality work experience for the benefits of students, organisations and the economy. IT focuses these activities on students in further and higher education.

Coming from outside the UK

UK Visas provide will tell you whether you need a visa to neter the UK and, if so, how to apply for one.

Working in the UK aims to provide you with clear information about the various routes open to Foreign Nationals who want to come and work in the United Kingdom.