Tamer Zeki made an unusual move after constant rejections
A British man who submitted applications for “1,000 jobs” across the UK without landing a single offer said he found work ‘easily’ in a country that’s a two-hour flight from the UK. Tamer Zeki, 29, has relocated to a tiny Austrian village home to just 400 residents.
He made the leap to his girlfriend Anna Haselboeck’s hometown after exhausting his options trying to break into data analytics in London. In stark contrast to his UK experience, the couple found securing employment in Austria remarkably straightforward, with Anna landing a position after just three interviews and managing to arrange one for Tamer as well.
Though the remote Lower Austrian village – which boasts only one road and a solitary restaurant – can feel isolating at times, Tamer is thoroughly enjoying his new role. The financial benefits are substantial too, with weekly living costs slashed by up to 50% and a three-bedroom flat costing half what a one-bed would set him back in London.
Tamer, who works as a digital orthodontic technician, explained: “I was trying to get into the data analytics field; I was applying for job after job. I must have applied for 1,000 jobs in London and only had four interviews.
“At the same time, Anna was looking for jobs in Austria and in about three weeks she’d had three interviews and a job offer. Anna was chatting to her family dentist about our situation and he told her he had a job for both of us.
“I thought ‘let’s go for it’ and that’s how I ended up in Austria. I moved to Anna’s hometown in Lower Austria. It’s so remote that there are only 400 inhabitants.
“It’s been a really good experience for me, I love my work, I love the nature and the silence. I love being able to live with Anna.
“But it can get very lonely and isolating. Even when you go outside for a walk, you don’t see anyone.”
Anna said: “I find it so crazy how competitive the UK job market is. It was so easy for me to find a job in Austria and there would be only two to three applicants for each job. When Tam was applying for jobs in the UK, there would be 5,000 applicants.”
Following a three-month stint studying data analytics, Tamer began his job hunt in the sector. Yet despite submitting 1,000 applications, he drew a blank.
Meanwhile, Anna was seeking opportunities in Austria, which sits just over two hours by plane from London, and within three weeks had landed three interviews and a job offer. During a routine appointment with her family dentist, Anna struck up a conversation about their mutual job search.
“He told her he had a job for both of us at the health centre, as the clinic was expanding,” Tamer explained.
The pair had been maintaining a long-distance relationship while travelling the globe together, so this job prospect presented the perfect chance to finally share a home.
“We were a bit unsure how things were going to work out long term, with me being in England and her being in Austria,” Tamer admitted. “Anna was going to come to England at one point, but after Brexit, it was so hard to get a visa. It was much easier for me to get a visa for Austria, especially as I already had a job lined up.”
Tamer relocated to Lower Austria in April 2025, making his home in a tiny village of just 400 residents where Anna was raised. Nestled within a forest, the settlement boasts a single road and one restaurant – run by Anna’s parents.
While her parents reside above the eatery, they also own a nearby property which they’ve made available to Anna and Tamer at a discounted rate. The couple have also explored rental options closer to work, discovering that a three-bedroom flat costs around £800 monthly – a stark contrast to the £1,300 one-bedroom properties Tamer had been viewing in London.
Their grocery bills have also shrunk considerably, with weekly shopping coming to £50 compared to the £100 Tamer used to spend in the capital. That said, any trip to the cinema or a coffee shop requires a 25-minute drive, meaning their leisure time is largely spent on countryside walks or watching football at home.
Tamer now works as a digital orthodontic technician, whilst Anna is employed as an office manager at the same health centre. The remote village is worlds apart from Tamer’s native London, though his previous travels to isolated destinations have helped him adjust.
Still, he confessed that the solitude can sometimes feel overwhelming, particularly during walks when they encounter no other people.
“I miss my family and I miss my cat”, he admitted. “My sister just had kids and I’d love to be around them more, as an uncle.”
Tamer also highlighted the challenge of the language barrier since relocating to Austria, explaining that he often resorts to sign language when communicating with workmates.
“I must have done four or five months of lessons, and I’m not really making a breakthrough”, he said.
Nevertheless, despite these hurdles, Tamer and Anna are content with their life in their secluded home, and Tamer intends to extend his visa when it expires. The couple document their journey on @tamandanna.
