Blog #11: Adventures in Wonderland – My Professional Life in London!

I was fortunate to spend some time in Poland earlier this month for a series of client workshops where I met the brilliant team I’ve been working with on my project. This had me reflecting on my work experience moving abroad and prompted me to focus this month’s blog on my professional life in London.

The Looking Glass

Leaving home meant leaving my job as there weren’t any secondment opportunities available to me at the time. This pushed me to take an 'Alice in Wonderland' mentality and hold the 'Looking Glass' up to my CV which allowed me to ask myself:

1.     What am I good at?

2.     What are my weaknesses?

3.     What are my achievements?

4.     What lights my fire?

5.     What culture do I value in a company?

Critically reflecting on myself and experiences in this way was an incredibly valuable exercise that I would encourage you to do – not just when going for a promotion or changing companies – but on a regular basis to ensure you are progressing in the right direction for you.

As an aside, I would also recommend updating your CV every 6-12 months whether you intend to make a move or not. In this post-pandemic recovery phase the world is in, should there be a situation where change is chosen for you, you want to be well prepared to respond.

Adventures in Wonderland

Just shy of one year at North Highland , I am so grateful to be working for a company that truly values its people and where Change and Transformation are at the heart of what we do. I have been exploring the Life Sciences industry which I’m loving as I see my passions for innovation and technology collide to make health a priority globally amongst people and communities.

While both Australia and the United Kingdom speak English, workplace norms are different. I remember when I first started colleagues saying to me, “You right?” and I thought to myself, do I look like there’s something wrong? Turns out, this is a local greeting – just as us Aussies would say “how are you, mate.”

Settling in takes time

Settling in is never as easy as we would like – no matter how welcoming our team is or how planned we are. It took me longer than I expected to settle into my working life in London and Chat-GPT gave me the perfect title why: ‘Work-Life Harmony: Balancing Career and Life in a New Country’ (Chat-GPT, 2024). New job, new country, new outlook, new people. Looking at the past 12 months, I have been the 'new kid on the block' in practically every way!

“I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!” - The White Rabbit, Alice in Wonderland

We all know the above infamous words and, in the moment, we all wish it took a little less time to settle in and adapt to our surroundings. I came across a superb article by Charlotte Ashley-Roberts who states it can take up to 12-18 months to feel confident in your role for a multitude of factors: adapting to your commute and team culture, managing expectations, etc.

This month, I'm spilling the tea on a few things you can do to acclimatise to a new workplace environment:

• Set out an action plan for your first three months. What do you need to be successful? Who should you connect with? There are many books on this, I recommend The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins.
• Be curious and constantly ask questions.  
• Meet with as many people as you can. In your immediate team and outside of it. Spend time with your colleagues, get to know them and soak in their knowledge!
• Give yourself time to learn. Growth and comfort do not co-exist!
• First impressions really do count. Show-up as your authentic self and you will shine through!

I hope these insights resonate with those who may have moved abroad without a job or prove helpful to those considering a move. Please reach out if you have any questions or feedback.

Some additional resources that might help:

• The Mentor #47 Evaluation (Rob Thomas, 2024)
• Your First 100 Days In A New Job: Top Tips To Help You Settle In (Morgan McKinley, 2020)
• 5 signs you’re settling faster than you think? (The Muse, 2020)