How difficult is it to find a job in the UK?

[csaba]

Hello,

Could someone tell me that, generally, how difficult it is for someone living outside the EU to find a job in the UK?
I'm still a student but I have only 1 exam left, so I'll probably get my BSc in Computer science in January. I have 2 years of experience and mainly specialized in Java (JSP, servlets, Swing...), though I know HTML, Javascript, Ajax...

OK so as a student I wanted to test this and have applied to about 50 jobs where they didn't say that you need a work permit, and I was more or less suited for the job. Of course I told them I didn't have a degree yet. Out of those I got 3 responses: one where I had two interviews over the phone and haven't got a response since; one where the job was actually based in France, and one where I had actually got the job but it was in Budapest (!) so I refused.

I guess this question is frequently asked on this forum, but what are my prospects? Do I even stand a chance? I cannot do person-to-person interviews since I'm not in the UK, so I can only speak through phone. I cannot really go to the UK and live there while searching for jobs, as the money I worked for a year here would be spent in a month if I lived there.

I talked to a guy who lives in London now, and he says first he worked for a UK-based firm for two years in my country, after which he got an offer to move to the UK. He says it's not possible to get a job without actually being in the UK.

I've looked into jobs in Ireland and they have been much more responsive and I think I'd have greater chance there, but I'd really like to live in the UK.

Thanks for any response,
Csaba