Reply to: Is it possible to secure an IT BA contract in the UK before moving there

[eclairey612]

OP, you haven't answered any questions about exactly what you do. The reason for asking? I worked for a long time for a major Swiss financial services company (in the UK). I worked in a large Business Change & IT department without outsourced development, so the retained people (still working for the company rather than the outsource partner) were PMs or BAs. Good BAs were rarer than hen's teeth, and we had real problems recruiting people with the right behaviours and knowledge. I left a couple of years ago, but by all accounts it's still the same now - and I've been working in a similar (UK, not Swiss) financial service company with an extremely similar set-up and I've experienced the same thing there.

So I do think it's really relevant what your industry and skillset is. As far as I'm concerned, as a PM in financial services, the market seems incredibly buoyant at the moment and from what I can see this is true of BAs too.

Anyway I think you don't have a lot to lose by targeting your CV appropriately, taking the advice of the more can-do people on here, and looking for roles in international companies. I'm sure people are right about agents being risk-averse but I also think the main thing that'll put them off is if you're 'obviously foreign' (from your language skills). Although it's not a surprise to me from your posts that you're not a native English speaker, I've worked a lot with a very international set of colleagues. I reckon most agents won't even notice until they get you on the phone...

Good luck!

Thanks 'Glencky' and everyone else for your feedback...I have actually worked for a UK financial services firm in Switzerland for a few years and as well in banking with colleagues predominantly from the UK (front to back office trading). I do have a 'can do' attitude and have taken the advice from a few folks here so as you said, I will certainly give it a go and target my CV when I arrive. I just wanted to get a feel of what to expect from others who may have done the same.

[Glencky]

OP, you haven't answered any questions about exactly what you do. The reason for asking? I worked for a long time for a major Swiss financial services company (in the UK). I worked in a large Business Change & IT department without outsourced development, so the retained people (still working for the company rather than the outsource partner) were PMs or BAs. Good BAs were rarer than hen's teeth, and we had real problems recruiting people with the right behaviours and knowledge. I left a couple of years ago, but by all accounts it's still the same now - and I've been working in a similar (UK, not Swiss) financial service company with an extremely similar set-up and I've experienced the same thing there.

So I do think it's really relevant what your industry and skillset is. As far as I'm concerned, as a PM in financial services, the market seems incredibly buoyant at the moment and from what I can see this is true of BAs too.

Anyway I think you don't have a lot to lose by targeting your CV appropriately, taking the advice of the more can-do people on here, and looking for roles in international companies. I'm sure people are right about agents being risk-averse but I also think the main thing that'll put them off is if you're 'obviously foreign' (from your language skills). Although it's not a surprise to me from your posts that you're not a native English speaker, I've worked a lot with a very international set of colleagues. I reckon most agents won't even notice until they get you on the phone...

Good luck!

[jmo21]

Agents are risk averse.

Anything which might indicate you won't get the role and you won't get a sniff of one of their interview slots (oo-er!)

Not even being in the country yet will be a big negative for you.

It doesn't mean you won't get an interview, but it certainly is not in your favor.

The way I always look at it that for any advertised role, if they get 50 CV's in, they might start with the first 25 that arrive, and bin the other 25.

A quick scan of the remaining, and they'll bin another 10 that aren't suitable (totally wrong skills, live nowhere near the client, newbie contractors etc)

Then they'll take the remaining 15 and start calling them.

Now I've just plucked those numbers out the air, but you get the idea.

[Project Monkey]

I am a senior business analyst from Switzerland and planning to move to the UK in a few weeks. I have the right to work in the UK as a Swiss national. I would like to ask for advice to get a head start. Has anyone here on this forum have advice on finding a contract BA position before moving to the UK and before settling in? Is it possible to have initial phone interviews? I was planning on sending out my CV to recruiters and job boards but I am worried that i will be overlooked as I do not yet have a UK address. Your experiences and advice would be highly appreciated.

Being Swiss I assume you have good French and/or German skills. In which case you might be a perfect fit for the bilingual roles which are normally very difficult to fill.

Why not try filtering roles that need language skills and start applying, my guess is that you'll get lots of responses from recruiters.

Also, setting up a UK Ltd co. is no problem and can be done in just a few days.

[mrv]

I am a senior business analyst from Switzerland and planning to move to the UK in a few weeks. I have the right to work in the UK as a Swiss national. I would like to ask for advice to get a head start. Has anyone here on this forum have advice on finding a contract BA position before moving to the UK and before settling in? Is it possible to have initial phone interviews? I was planning on sending out my CV to recruiters and job boards but I am worried that i will be overlooked as I do not yet have a UK address. Your experiences and advice would be highly appreciated.

It is very well possible to get a contract in UK without a local address and phone no. These days agents will call you pretty much anywhere on any number, no need to worry here. Not having UK address works in your favour, as you are very flexible in terms of work location - you can rent and work anywhere in the UK, you can always find a place to rent close to your future office (if you move only after receiving an offer). It all boils down to you having skills that are in demand. If you do - they will call you at home, you will have everything set and sorted before you board your plane (you could even try to get them pay a relocation bonus, not sure if you would succeed though ). If you don't - you could be living next door to the client site, equiped with mobiles for each and every network + land line, and they will ignore you. Don't know what the market for BA's looks like at the moment, a way to find out would be to upload your cv to jobserve or jobsite and see how many interest it generates.

[BlasterBates]

Having applied for contracts in the UK while based in Switzerland, my experience is that pretending to be in the UK really isn't necessary.

It's enough to say you wish to relocate, and be willing to fly back at short notice.

More important is whether you are a good fit.

These days there is little difference between commuting from Zürich or Newcastle to London.

Saying that you will be moving close to the client will be viewed more positively than someone who is in the UK but has a long commute.

Obviously locally based candidates will always have an advantage if they have the same skill set and experience.

[theroyale]

VoipFone?

I never mentioned that I can't be bothered. My concern was not yet having a permanent address and UK number...therefore being overlooked.

The address is not so much a problem - there's no need to put a full address on your CV and you can always say 'North London' or something if an agent asks.

And how about using a VoipFone service for a phone number? I haven't read the fine print yet but they say its only £2 a month, plus pennies per minute.

Our geographic telephone numbers can even make you look like you live or work anywhere in the UK so that if you live in Basildon or Bangkok you can still have a London number. (This service was featured in The Guardian)

Geographic numbers traditionally show your location; 020 is London, 01273 Brighton, 0151 Liverpool etc. But with VoIP, they can be anywhere – you no longer need to be located in the area code of the number to use them – you can be anywhere in the world.

These VoIP telephone numbers are universally understood and should be your first choice for a normal businesses number.

Voipfone - UK Telephone Numbers

[FatLazyContractor]

I am a senior business analyst from Switzerland and planning to move to the UK in a few weeks. I have the right to work in the UK as a Swiss national. I would like to ask for advice to get a head start. Has anyone here on this forum have advice on finding a contract BA position before moving to the UK and before settling in? Is it possible to have initial phone interviews? I was planning on sending out my CV to recruiters and job boards but I am worried that i will be overlooked as I do not yet have a UK address. Your experiences and advice would be highly appreciated.

Business Analyst is a blanket term. (Even Su*ty is a BA for Christsake !! ) What exactly is your specialty?

Umbrella company would be the way to go till you understand the "dynamics" of UK tax system, companies etc.

HTH

[eclairey612]

How expensive are the flights from Ch to London?
If you're planning on becoming a BA in the UK and have been working a while in Switzerland, you must have saved up enough to fly in for an interview?
It is possible to fly in, in the morning, and come back in the evening. Or you can stay overnight.
What's the problem with that? You're planning on moving here permanently and can't be bothered to fly in for an interview?

I never mentioned that I can't be bothered. My concern was not yet having a permanent address and UK number...therefore being overlooked.

[yasockie]

How expensive are the flights from Ch to London?
If you're planning on becoming a BA in the UK and have been working a while in Switzerland, you must have saved up enough to fly in for an interview?
It is possible to fly in, in the morning, and come back in the evening. Or you can stay overnight.
What's the problem with that? You're planning on moving here permanently and can't be bothered to fly in for an interview?

[AnotherGuy]

I get constant emails (at least 2 or 3 per week) for positions based in other european cities in a mixed array of countries, like Dublin, Amsterdam, Rome, Dusseldorf, etc.
Some of them are contracts, other perms.

If I got those to go there, I can imagine someone living in some of those cities/countries might be getting also roles to come to the UK, if that makes sense?

So maybe if you just try hard with the recruiter agencies in your country and signup for online CVs, you might start getting positions for the UK, as long as you specify you're open to relocation and stuff like that.

[BlasterBates]

I am a senior business analyst from Switzerland and planning to move to the UK in a few weeks. I have the right to work in the UK as a Swiss national. I would like to ask for advice to get a head start. Has anyone here on this forum have advice on finding a contract BA position before moving to the UK and before settling in? Is it possible to have initial phone interviews? I was planning on sending out my CV to recruiters and job boards but I am worried that i will be overlooked as I do not yet have a UK address. Your experiences and advice would be highly appreciated.

In the past it was not an issue and I've had plenty of interviews without a UK address. The fact that you have a definite plan to move to the UK should be sufficient. I've done the same thing.

The market is however difficult, so it may be harder, but if that's the case it will also be tough when you have a UK address.

I would apply from Switzerland, if you get no replies brace yourself for a difficult time when you're in the UK as well.

[northernladuk]

Has anyone had experience with the contractor angels service? Contractor Angels

Keep well away..

If you want an umbrella look at Contractor Umbrella. Lisa who runs the company posts on here regularly in the Umbrella Section. She drinks a bit too much tea but apart from than shes one of the good ones.

[TykeMerc]

Put your brain care specialist on danger money, you're going to need some serious work.

An Umbrella claiming 83%+ retention is either bending the truth massively or using some type of scheme and that will lead to long term pain when HMRC start their attack.

[eclairey612]

Has anyone had experience with the contractor angels service? Contractor Angels.