The Land of Opportunity: Why London is a Great Place to Launch Your Career

Traditionally, America has been seen as the land of opportunity, and while that may still be the case, there are other places in the world to launch a career. Like London, for instance, which is one of the most exciting cities you could possibly hope to live in.

There are plenty of work opportunities and the social benefits see people flocking from around the world to spend quality time in England’s capital. Let’s take a closer look at why London is the ideal place to launch your career.

Opportunities in London

Perhaps the main reason why so many graduates and young people find themselves moving to London is the volume of career opportunities. London remains one of the best places in Europe to find work thanks to its strong financial industry. 

However, you don’t have to be a banker to work in London, the city is a hub for many industries including technology, media and tourism. Given the sheer population, over nine million, it’s also a great place for a trade career as the number of homes means work will never be short.

London has a thriving arts and performing scene, huge culinary demand and a retail industry that is going strong. Some of the world’s largest corporations have set up headquarters in London including HSBC, Aviva, GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever and BP.

London is also one of the largest capital cities in Europe, measuring in at twice the size of Berlin. With such a high concentration of people, it’s no surprise that such large corporations are setting up shop in the city.

A diverse city

Stepping one foot onto London’s streets will quickly open your eyes to the melting pot of cultures it truly is. This diversity means that even if English isn’t your first language, there will still be opportunities to find work. With so many international corporations operating in the capital city, having a second language under your belt is often an asset.

London’s businesses and corporations are only the beginning, however. There is no need to worry about feeling out of place in London, it’s estimated there are 270 nationalities and 300 different languages among citizens. People in the city have a wide range of backgrounds, helping you to boost your cultural awareness and get in touch with internationals.

With so many international companies putting down roots in London, it also provides the opportunity for you to go places in your career, figuratively and literally. You may find yourself with the chance to travel the world through a job with a worldwide organisation you first found in London.

The cutting edge

One of the biggest appeals of this city is its ever-changing job landscape. It stays with the times, or often ahead of them, and can offer the latest jobs in emerging sectors.

In fact, London far outstrips its European competitors for the number of tech startups classed as ‘unicorns’. These are tech startups with a valuation of over $1 billion, and in 2021 London had 71.

That status as a technology hub isn’t likely to disappear any time soon, meaning it’s the perfect place to start your career in an emerging industry. Tech companies like Deliveroo and Revolut are just some of the big names making waves from the capital.

London’s history

Being one of the oldest metropolises in the world has its perks, and there is a lifetime of history and culture to immerse yourself in when moving to London. Whether you are from the UK or abroad, there is enough history in London to keep you learning something new throughout your stay. That could mean your swanky new office block is overlooking an old dome or stone building from centuries ago.

With such juxtaposition, it’s hard to get bored just looking at your surroundings. You could be walking through a maze of winding medieval streets only to find yourself standing in front of a hyper-modern building like the Shard.

Culture is everywhere

One of the biggest draws for anyone to move to London is its culture. No matter what you are into, there is likely to be somewhere for you to express yourself and enjoy the artform of your choosing. From fashion houses and art galleries to skateparks and tattoo conventions, it has it all.

With so much culture in the air, there is the added bonus of the creative buzz that simply never leaves London. That affords people the opportunity to find themselves and what they want to do with their lives. There is no shortage of festivals, events and museums to spark your creative juices, with the future of the video game industry, in particular, set to be bright in the capital.

Average pay in London

There is no hiding away from the fact that London is an expensive place to live. The cost of living can be extraordinarily high but there is a reason why so many people are willing to overlook that to continue working there.

Average pay in London for 2021 was £39,716 while the UK average was £31,285, which counteracts, somewhat the higher cost of living. On top of the salaries, there is so much to see and do in London that it’s hard to turn down.

Getting around is easy

Although London is one of the biggest capital cities in Europe, it doesn’t often feel like it due to the great transport infrastructure. Getting across town can be done by trains, taxis, bicycles, or even walking if you’re in the mood.

With an extensive and world-famous underground system, nowhere in London is off-limits to its inhabitants. Living in one part of town and working in another is entirely possible, with many commuters living further out but working centrally.

The links into and out of the city are also excellent, meaning you can live outside and work inside, something many people in the UK’s top commuter towns find themselves doing. Also, with the increased usage of remote working, many Londoners find themselves with more time on their hands than ever due to a lack of daily commute.

Make the move to London

With so many job opportunities, events and cultural happenings, London will always be one of the places to be. It offers the latest cutting-edge jobs, career development opportunities and a shedload of excitement. While other cities are great, there is only one London.