You've got your degree and you're ready to dive straight in to your career. Find yourself some digs and head for the bright lights, London. It's a classic path of pilgrimage for aspiring professionals and traditionally one that bears fruit in the end.
However, having helped nurture careers in the FMCG industry, amongst others, for the past 15 years, I've often sounded like a stuck record in urging candidates in the early stages of their career to stop and think. Are you thinking about setting up shop in London for ALL the right reasons?
Sure, there are plenty of pros, what a diverse environment to indulge professional goals as well as obvious advantages for indulging in some of the world's finest attractions of the social scene too.
But for the smart and career hungry, there are so many opportunities outside the bright lights, and results from the latest studies seem to support the view that less competition in the regions may also lead to slightly better reward too.
This isn't just restricted to graduates. Others looking for fast progression and - for those in an easier position - perhaps think about upping sticks and look to the regions. Might be food for thought?
Doug Monro, co-founder of Adzuna, comments: “Graduates keep gravitating towards the bright lights of London. The capital has always held a charm for those fresh out of university and filled with ambition. But sometimes moving to the capital isn’t the wisest choice. “London has many jobs and is a hub for many industries. But competition is getting tougher in the capital and graduates may be missing out on other fantastic opportunities. Cities like Cambridge and Oxford offer a great alternative – less competition and easy access to London. Start-up companies are branching out from the capital and this is the adventurous approach graduates should adopt too.”
Read the original article here