Jason attended an event we held in Dublin and before long he was on his way to work for PwC in Sydney. It was there that he met his wife and got introduced to a fantastic new city. Jason who is now Deputy Director Corporate Finance and Operations for University of Newcastle, Australia, allowed us to catch up with him to hear how his move benefited his career.
Why did you originally decide to move overseas?
“I attended the Think Global Recruitment event in Dublin and heard about opportunities in Australia and began to think about that as a location. I was invited to Birmingham where the Big Four pitched to a room full of recently qualified accountants. That led to an interview with PwC Sydney and then I got the job! I felt I wanted to break out of my comfort zone and move abroad whilst I was still young.”
What was the biggest benefit of moving?
“I found Sydney to be a fantastic city. Along the way, I met a lady from Singapore who was also working for PwC Sydney and we are now married! Professionally, I have done better than I would have had I stayed in Ireland. There is so much to do socially and I love living in a city with a big ‘wow’ factor. There is a strong Irish ex-pat community, and I’ve had lots of visitors, so have never felt very homesick.”
Did you feel that your move improved your standard of living?
“Money was not that big a motivator for my move, but I’ve enjoyed the lifestyle it has afforded me. There was a ‘living-away-from-home’ allowance and lots of tax breaks. The outdoor life improved my standard of living too – the culture was initially unfamiliar, but once I got used to it, I loved it!”
What were the highlights of your location?
“Sydney is a beautiful city, with amazing beaches, stunning weather, a lovely outdoor, healthy attitude and very sport-orientated. As a city, it is easy to get around and I was always proud to show it off.”
What location are you in now?
“After 5 years I moved to Newcastle, north of Sydney with PwC. My contract as a foreign employee had been extended and extended and I wanted to put down roots and get Australian citizenship. I thought this was best done out of a main city and somewhere a little similar to Cork, where I am from. Newcastle has 180,000 inhabitants and is a major port, similar to Cork. I had met my now-wife by this point and wanted to buy a house for us both, which I have done in Newcastle.”
What, in your opinion, are the advantages of working overseas in terms of gaining future employment?
“In my opinion, overseas working is virtually mandatory to achieve progression in the Big Four. It is essential for learning new skills and bringing new knowledge back to use in future work. It demonstrates the ability to be tenacious, self-reliant, to work with a number of very different people in diverse cultures.”
What advice would you offer to accountants thinking about working overseas?
“DO IT! For several years! It shows global companies that professionals are also global in outlook, have a 5-year plan and stick to it. A professional accountancy qualification is a passport to working anywhere!”
How did Think Global Recruitment assist you in securing your job overseas?
“Think Global Recruitment is a truly global company and the contacts you have are unrivalled. The event that you held in Dublin initially gave excellent information and the Birmingham event was, at the time, really novel. Having the Big Four pitch to us candidates was great and a nice change from candidates just having to convince employers.”
What are the advantages of applying for a job through Think Global Recruitment?
“The events allowed me to hear all of my options and I would not have thought of Australia had it not been for your consultants. I was given good, honest advice and what I wanted was the most important thing. The international contacts, the knowledge of the consultants, the willingness to listen and support – all of these things made you stand out. I have recommended you to people over the years so I’m a huge fan of Think Global Recruitment!”
We would like to thank Jason for sharing his story and wish him all the best of luck for the future!
Please get in touch with us here if you would like to discuss moving overseas with one of our advisors.
