Brit who applied for 600 jobs in UK gets one in weeks in Australia

Bradley Russell could not find a job in the UK after weeks of trying (Image: Getty)

A British man found a job in Australia within weeks after seeing 600 applications for work rejected in the UK. Bradley Russell, 32, and his Australian partner returned to the UK earlier this year after a period travelling abroad.

The couple wanted to settle down in Britain and build a new life for themselves. They returned to Dorset and stayed with Bradley's parents at the family home, while he looked for work in London. The 32-year-old works in the music industry as an operations and events manager, having previously been employed as a vice president at Barclays.

However, the search for work proved harder than he had anticipated, as he faced rejection after rejection.

He went through weeks of gruelling interviews, yet never managed to land the job, and was often told he was overqualified for the position.

“The most disheartening moments were rejections due to being overqualified, especially after weeks of interviews, sometimes extending over a month,” he told the Telegraph.

Bradley felt he was being used by unscrupulous employers to provide free consultancy, as many of the interviews involved "task-based" stages where applicants were required to come up with solutions to problems faced by the hiring company. Finally he decided to change tack and look to Australia, his partner's home country.

In stark contrast to his experiences in the UK, employers seemed far more engaged and pleasant and were quick to respond. They would get in touch within 24 hours, whereas in Britain, Bradley could wait for weeks before being contacted.

He said that after two weeks of applying for jobs in Australia he had three phone calls with different employers who, on the same phone call, arranged a face-to-face interview. The 32-year-old landed a job in two weeks down under with a better salary and prospects than expected.

He said he had made the right decision and the couple plan to stay in Australia for the long term, much to the disappointment of his parents.

Expats working abroad say they earn more outside the UK than they would if they had stayed in Britain, according to a Babble for Business survey. Among 56% of those polled said they are earning more abroad, with 84% feeling more satisfied with their lives overseas than in the UK.