American accent in England

I am wondering, at the risk of sounding paranoid, if being American can be a hinderance when trying to find a job. I would imagine that in some cases, like perhaps being in a call center or even teaching young children in school that having an American accent, dialect, slang, grammar, etc. or whatever may not be "preferable." I dont have a heavy regional accent being from Western Pennsylvania (no, I don't speak Pittsburghese! ) but I wonder if being an American might close a few doors in the job market.

Am I just thinking too hard?? I tend to do that 

I hate to say it, and this is ONLY my experience talking here, but it may affect it. It has for me here in Northern Ireland. It's not even just the accent, but the fact that you are an American or any other nationality. Not everyone cares, but those that do make it their way to NOT hire you. I have had numerous letdowns with jobs I KNOW I should have gotten but because I wasn't from "here" made it a problem.

If you are going to be working as a teacher, I think you'll have more luck as teachers are always needed and your global experience may help. Keep your chin up and don't worry about these things because I am sure you'll be fine and find a place who wants to hire you for your talent not your background

It really depends on the job...or rather the person doing the hiring.  When I worked for the Deaf Society...no one cared that I spoke American...of course, it got confussing when I got the American and British signs mixed up...oops.

I worked for Universities Scotland doing press and parlimentary monitoring, and it was totally not an issue.  I just had to watch my "z"s and "u"s...

Those were both office jobs, and I did not think that my Americanism was a bad thing at all...in fact, I was not the only Yankee at either of those places.

My first year in Scotland, I was looking for casual labor...shops, cafes and the like.  I found it very difficult to find work at that point, and I sort of thought it might be an American thing...but it also could have been that I was using a temporary NIN...

The thing is I am not quite sure what I want to do yet. I will most likely take an interim job, whatever comes along first, until I find my "real" job. The thing is that I am considering getting certified to teach, but I suspect that teaching is a profession where being an American in the UK will not necessarily be an advantage. Maybe if I was teaching uni-level american political process or something, but I am thinking more along the lines of what we would consider middle school age kids (note to self: figure out UK school system  )
However as I said I am still uncertain. I am a political science major, international relations minor, with certificates in both global studies and Russian/East European studies. So its a rather specific degree, but one that will be hard to use!
I am just not going to be picky at first, and just see what feels right and what comes my way. Thanks for the input!

I've had the same experience as hauntedmansion--I've been rejected (or not heard anything from!) jobs that I KNOW I could do...jobs that I've already done in the past.  Part of me just tells myself that the job market is competitive, but I will admit to sometimes suspecting that being an American has been a mark against me.  I've talked (whined) to DH about it a lot, and he says that my qualifications perhaps aren't translating here...so we're gonna sit down and go over my CV and applications as I do them (I've been doing them by myself up to this point).

As for teaching, I don't think it's the accent that's the problem, but a lack of cultural experience.  I am a teacher, but I wouldn't consider teaching in the UK because I don't have the cultural background that my students would have.  Maybe I'm paranoid about it, but things are done differently here, and I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to connect with the kids the same way I did in the US (I'm talking about high school aged kids).

I am wondering, at the risk of sounding paranoid, if being American can be a hinderance when trying to find a job. I would imagine that in some cases, like perhaps being in a call center or even teaching young children in school that having an American accent, dialect, slang, grammar, etc. or whatever may not be "preferable." I dont have a heavy regional accent being from Western Pennsylvania (no, I don't speak Pittsburghese! ) but I wonder if being an American might close a few doors in the job market.

Am I just thinking too hard?? I tend to do that 

DING DING DING

Yeah.  I've had companies blatantly tell me, that even though i have the skills they want and the visa, they don't want an american in the role.  (of course in a little nicer tone.....but come ON......)   

As for teaching, I don't think it's the accent that's the problem, but a lack of cultural experience. I am a teacher, but I wouldn't consider teaching in the UK because I don't have the cultural background that my students would have. Maybe I'm paranoid about it, but things are done differently here, and I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to connect with the kids the same way I did in the US (I'm talking about high school aged kids).

Lola, don't sell yourself short on this. Setting aside what you would need to do to get qualified to teach in the UK (as I know nothing about it), I think that the right school would welcome your different view on the world especially at high school age. I have an American friend who did a one-year exchange program in the London area. She taught kids just a bit younger than high school. Yes, there were loads of differences but  she used them to learn rather than trying to overcome them or hide them.

She wasn't overly enamoured with the UK education system but admitted that she couldn't judge on one school alone. But she really valued the experience and so did the kids.

Just y 2p!

he says that my qualifications perhaps aren't translating here...

Does everyone know about NARIC?
www.naric.org.uk [nofollow]
"The UK NARIC is the national agency under contract to the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). We are the official source of information and advice on the comparability of international qualifications from over 180 countries worldwide with those in the UK"
It costs £30 I think, to get a statement of comparability, and would make things easier for employers - and as we all know employers don't like to have to think when looking at CVs.

I think any kind of predjudice on the basis of accent is extremely rare, at least in my experience.  The UK is so much more diverse than most of the US so I would wager that any kind of accent issues are much more unlikely here than back there. 

Most people I have had experience with have found that Americans are recieved very well here...we have a great work ethic reputation after all. 

I just want to state, for the record, that it is illegal for companies not to hire you because you're American (although it can be very difficult to prove).  If you strongly suspect that you have been rejected because you're American, then seek the help of your local Citizen's Advice Bureau.

[I've deleted the rest of my message cause I went off on a bit of a whinge - must try to be more cheerful!]

Ever notice that, while you always hear Americans talk about "those sexy British accents," you never hear a Brit talk about "those sexy American accents?" We must sound like cretins to them.

I don't remember encountering such a strong anti-American sentiment when I last visited...but then, that was years ago, before the whole Gulf War II thing, so maybe things have changed (or maybe I was just oblivious to it before).

Ever notice that, while you always hear Americans talk about "those sexy British accents," you never hear a Brit talk about "those sexy American accents?" We must sound like cretins to them.

You're just not hearing them! I get compliments on my accent all the time.

You're just not hearing them! I get compliments on my accent all the time.

I have also had several compliments on my accent.  Though of course you do find some people are very put of by the american tone or just americans, not in all case of course. 

I get compliments on my accent too.  Everyone from my doctor (it sounds creepy but I assure you it's not  ) to my tutor, she calls on me 'just to hear her nice accent' or last night, she told everyone that she was going to stand next to me so that she would hopefully pick up my accent.  The only problem is sometimes I have a hard time being understood and vice versa, especially here in Yorkshire.  You really don't think about modifying your speech,  I don't mutter or slur anyways, and the last thing I want to be is insulting someone's intellegence by talkinggggg.......slooowwww....

On the subject of jobs though, I was offered a receptionist job by a company here, so my accent or the fact that I would be using that accent to represent their company obviously wasn't an issue to them.   I can't imagine it would be a problem with anyone, if they say it is, I think they are just looking for an excuse.