Think Global Recruitment helped David make the move from Zimbabwe to Perth, Australia in 2007 where he still lives today managing his own accountancy business. We recently caught up with him to find out about his experience and any advice he would offer to others.
How did you feel before the move?
“At that stage, it was really just a fear of the unknown. I’d never lived away from home so I didn’t know how it would turn out. I had it in my head that I was just going to make the move overseas and see how it goes. I knew that it was going to be unchartered territory”.
How long did it take to settle in?
“It took six months to a year to really settle in. You find yourself calling home frequently at the start. You then get to experience the new culture, new people and meet new friends.”
With multicultural societies like Perth, you have such a vast range of nationalities. There is such an acceptance of cultures that makes it very easy to fit in quickly”.
So with so many cities in Australia, why did you choose to settle in Perth?
“I’ve been to visit other places like Sydney and Melbourne but I’ve found that those cities are too busy for me. I really enjoy the lifestyle here and have built up a good client base for my business.”
And what about the professional experience?
“Having had previous Big Four experience it was building upon what I had learnt already. I was working with clients in oil and gas, the work was demanding but it did meet expectations. The professional ethics on the work side lived up to expectations”.
And the biggest benefit?
“Career progression- The sky is the limit depending on what someone wants to do. If someone wants to start their own business in the future, it would be really worth doing!
Even if somebody wanted to go into commerce, the companies here are bigger and you can get exposure to their main head offices”.
Advice to other accountants think of making the move?
“If someone isn’t sure, give it six months and see how it goes. If it doesn’t work there’s no harm in trying, it’s definitely worth it. I would really encourage people to go out there and see how they get on”.
How did Think Global Recruitment assist you?
“A mate of mine gave me your contact details and when I called up the lady she asked me which country I want to go to, I said, ‘Australia, then Canada and maybe the US’. A few days later she comes back and says ‘I’ve got an opportunity for a Big Four firm in Australia, and then she talked me through the process. She was really good and when I got the job she helped with the onboarding process. Even a few months later she called up just to check how I was doing and sent me a Think Global souvenir”.
What would you say are the advantages of applying for a job through Think Global Recruitment?
“The guidance that you give, the preparation…you would ring up before the interview, after the interview, finding out how it has gone and following up with it with the employer as well. Highly recommended.”
It’s fantastic for us hearing people’s stories after we have worked with them. From all of us at Think Global Recruitment would wish like to wish Dave and his family the very best for the future!
Please get in touch with us here if you would like to discuss moving overseas with one of our advisors.
