How I got my first job in the UK

Time for a story!

Thank you so much for watching! Hope you enjoyed it!

If you're new to my channel and videos, hi! I'm Evan Edinger, and I make weekly "comedy" videos every Sunday evening. As an American living in London I love noticing the funny differences between the cultures and one of my most popular video series is my British VS American one. I'm also known for making terrible puns so sorry in advance. Hope to see you around, and I'll see you next Sunday! :)

If you want to know HOW I make my videos including gear, lighting, all the tiddly bits that connect it all together, (with cheaper alternatives and kit I used to use), I've listed each item, what it's great at, and why I use it on the gear section of my website here:

Otherwise: here's a quick list of some of my kit without descriptions from the above link:

Camera: Sony A7siii

Main Lens: Sony 24mm f/1.4 G-Master

Secondary Lens: Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G-Master

Main Light: Aputure 120d mkii

Shotgun Microphone: Sennheiser MKH-416

Really useful SSD: SanDisk Extreme Portable 2TB

[christiancanty]

As a Brit who moved to Denmark, once you crack getting the first job, you're in the system and things get so much easier

[teamgibbsncis]

I had the tier 2 sponsor list bookmarked on my computer for 9 years - couldn't find something in the few months after UK grad school so I applied to corporate companies in the US that could sponsor in the UK, and worked in the US for 2 years before convincing them I was worth sending to their London office. Luck is definitely a big part of it! Thank you for being a channel of guidance over the years as I attempted to make this happen, I'm so happy to join the expat group! :)

[sheldonsalazar]

I’m originally from Trinidad 🇹🇹.I came to the UK on a student visa in 2005 where I got a diploma in Actuarial Science at the U of Kent in Canterbury.Unfortunately I couldn’t find an Actuarial job in the UK quickly enough so I applied for a student visa in the USA where I did my Masters in Applied Mathematics.Long story short, I became a US citizen in May 2023 .Im not an Actuary but I did some actuarial work for a while, however life happens .I now work at home for the moment and it’s great listening to your story. Keep up the good work 👍🏾

[chelseachelsea]

I’m glad you mentioned about luck playing a huge part in your success. Many people work extremely hard and feel dejected when things don’t work out believing that it must be because they don’t work as hard as their peers. You definitely need to work hard but luck is also a major element in finding the right job. A lot of people don’t acknowledge this when talking about their success.

[oni]

i thought it said "i got my first job in the UK" and i was like, "that took a while" 😂😂

[tylerbeaumont]

As somebody currently trying to find a job in the UK, I can attest it’s extremely difficult and super stressful. I can only imagine how stressful it would be if I needed to find a work visa on top of it.

[Angie_King_Bens_Grandma]

A sit'n'chat with a cuppa is a great thing to do on a Sunday! Thanks, Evan!

[chanelfitzgerald]

I made that mistake at my first job. I made tea for myself and no one else and for some reason never lived it down whilst working at the company. You've done really well Evan.

[KatyAdelson]

Whenever there is gun violence in the USA news, I always wonder if I should try to move away…but the process seems so daunting. It’s nice to hear your experiences, and how you could make it work even while sometimes feeling worried about it. I’m learning that people can make just about anything happen if they want it badly enough. 🙂

[segullseagull]

Really enjoyed the story! I can only imagine how difficult and stressful it is for a non EU/EEA/UK person to settle and get a job in Europe. Being European, I've lived and worked in Norway, Iceland, Spain, Gibraltar and Ireland and I've never had any problems at all...and I don't even have a degree! Kudos to you for working so hard and not giving up 😊

[ip]

I am watching this as a non graduate, British born albeit full ethnic minority, approaching 30, depressed, disabled, disadvantaged, chronically ill, in debt, unsupported, long term unemployed, suffering woman, in hell, has been to countless, nightmarish, failed interviews.
I'm sure you've worked hard Evan, but, as you've alluded to, you're very fortunate too.
How I wish I could relate!

[EMNstar]

Reach out to the manager at Urban and tell him thank you for helping you along your self respect journey

[danielintheantipodes]

I don't waste time on regrets, but I do truly regret not living in the UK for two years in my 20s. I was deterred by the high unemployment there at the time, but I since found out that Australians have minimal trouble getting jobs there. C'est la vie!
Thank you for the video! Have an amazing week!

[wendizll]

I would really be interested in a video of any work place customs in the UK. The one about the tea is interesting to hear as someone who grew up in the states.

[bobthebuilderdayleader]

I know algorithmically sit and chats don’t get you the traffic you deserve, but these sort of videos are incredibly helpful and make us viewers feel fond of you!

[hanagara]

just commenting before I start watching to say you really inspire me, I am looking to emigrate and although to a different country, seeing how happy you are inspires me and currently in my country of choice seeking a job and watching this for ideas

[michaelmedlinger]

Enjoyed your story. Determination and perseverance, wanting to make this move so badly that you will do whatever it takes to make it happen. That’s how I realized my dream of moving to Europe as well.
That and a healthy portion of good luck, yes. But as you say (and did): I put myself in a position to take advantage of that good luck when it came along. You can’t sit around and wait for the lucky break to come your way.

[lailaalfaddil]

With markets tumbling, inflation soaring, the Fed imposing large interest-rate hike, while treasury yields are rising rapidly—which means more red ink for portfolios this quarter. How can I profit from the current volatile market, I'm still at a crossroads deciding if to liquidate my $275k bond/stock portfolio

[bryonyw]

I know you said it isn't going to be a huge hit video but I actually really enjoyed learning more about you and the process you went through.

[daniellebatesxxx]

These types of videos are one of my favourites of yours. I can just put it on while I’m getting ready, so don’t stress too much about the algorithm 🙂