To relocate or not to relocate, that’s the question…

Would you consider relocating for your career? For many, moving away from home is daunting enough, but moving to a different city or country can be downright terrifying – especially if it’s for an extended period of time. But for the brave few who opt in, the adventure is just about to begin…

Yesterday, my fellow blogger Luigi wrote about RB being a company without borders and how relocating is an important part of our company success story. Don’t get me wrong, I had my apprehensions about relocating from my hometown of Melbourne to Sydney for the RB Graduate Program. How would I be able to survive without my family? How would I meet friends? Where would I be able to find a decent cup of coffee in Sydney? Granted, home for me is only a quick plane trip away, but the reality is that I can’t catch up with friends and family as often as I’d like..

So why do it?

Sometimes, the reality is that you need to relocate because the job opportunities are simply not there in your own city. However, the professional experience and opportunities presented to you in being mobile is only the tip of the iceberg. I made it a personal goal to live in another city so, when I was offered a position on the RB Graduate program, it was like killing two birds with one stone!.

In 2006, I went to live in Tokyo, Japan as part of university student exchange. Things weren’t easy at the start; I had to deal with the culture shock of living in another country, assimilating into a culture that is so at odds with the West and the frustration of not being able to communicate in Japanese. But I managed to pull through, meet some great friends along the way and have some awesome experiences under my belt!

Bumping into a Geisha in Kyoto, Japan

How did I turn it around instead of just giving up and going home? I tried not to be scared of the unknown or prejudiced to something unusual or different, which is easier said than done! My living experience overseas was definitely the catalyst for wanting to move away from home for my first graduate job. You learn so much about survival, tolerance, dealing with people from different cultures and keeping calm under pressure – all of which are great skills to have both personally and professionally.

Catching up with RB Graduates outside of work…

It has been 16 months since arriving in Sydney and even though there have been some tough moments along the way, I wouldn’t change a thing because I’ve experienced so many more highs than lows. I’ve been able to embark on my chosen career path, explore Sydney with my tourist cap on, meet new friends and deal with the dilemmas of learning how to cook, juggle finances etc – all of which I would not have experienced if I had still been living at home.

We RB Grads work hard and play hard!

Here’s what other RB people, who have relocated internationally and work in the Australian business, have to say:

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“The Australian market is so different from New Zealand. I’ve really been able to gain a different perspective from working in a much larger market. If I had just stayed in one place, I wouldn’t have had so many learnings…” Katie, Assistant Brand Manager and fellow graduate.

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“Moving to Australia has been a great experience. The client structure and what you can do instore is so different from France. Career mobility is such a big thing in RB and I definitely wanted to take advantage of it. I’m glad that it’s not just PR fluff…it really happens!” Arnaud, Senior Brand Manager.

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So why not choose a company that takes you places? Visit the RB jobs website and apply now.