A TikToker has shared her challenging experience after traveling abroad for a job opportunity, only to receive a disappointing phone call upon arrival.
The job application process is already quite stressful – finding the right match, navigating the application stages, and preparing for in-person interviews, all while competing against many others seeking careers in a post-COVID world.
For TikToker Ángela Soto, from Spain, there was the added challenge of being invited for an interview in the UK.
In a recent video posted on her channel, Soto discusses how she applied for a job online, initially targeting a position in Madrid.
She notes that the company also advertised roles in other locations like London, Holland, and Sweden.
A few days after applying, she received an email with several questions, one of which asked: “Do you have a visa or residence to work in the UK?”
Soto responded no, explaining she doesn’t have one, and she also clarified her situation in her cover letter, stating she holds a Spanish passport and ID card without a UK visa.
Despite some confusion in sending the email correctly, Soto says her application was eventually forwarded to human resources directly from the careers site. She was contacted via phone two days later to confirm which role she was interested in—sales assistant, cashier, or clerk. Another phone call followed, during which Soto was invited to an interview, despite her reiterating she lived in Spain.
It might be obvious where this story is headed…
Soto informed them she would arrange a flight and update them the next day, setting a date and time for the interview, despite the high travel costs.
Unfortunately, shortly after arriving in London, Soto got another call.
She explains: “Just when I’m in London they tell me they can’t hire me because I have no residence.”
“[…] I cannot be given a visa and I cannot be given I don’t know what. And that I can’t because I don’t have a UK passport.”
Soto mentioned she had turned down two other job offers to prioritize this interview, and she was left with the expenses for the flights.
Her story quickly attracted attention, with many people commenting on the situation.
One TikToker remarked: [Translation] “But obviously you cannot work without a visa or work permit.”
Another countered: “When it is a country that does not belong to the EU, you should look for offers that specify that they offer sponsorship…but you are absolutely right, they have to read your CV before anything else.”
“With Brexit it is more difficult to work in the UK, what I don’t understand is why they make you go when they already knew what documents you had,” a third commenter wrote.