A letter from one of our accountants - from South Africa to Newcastle, Australia!

 

Sometimes in work you receive emails that brighten up your day.

 

We assisted Annelo make the move from South Africa to Newcastle, Australia and we were delighted  when we received an email from her telling us about her experience. Annelo has very generously offered to share this story for any other any other people who might be considering making an international move.



 

 

 

 

 

From all of us here at Think Global Recruitment we would like to thank Annelo for this lovely update and wish her and Wessel the best of luck with their new life in Australia!

 

 

Don's Story: Old MacDonald has a farm- one man's life-changing move to Zambia

 

Don MacDonald, a man we assisted to move over 15 years ago, initially set out to live and work in Zambia on a two year contract, but after six months of living and working in Lusaka, his family decided that they were enjoying it so much that they wanted to stay. Recently we caught up with him to see how he has been getting on. Don thanks our Managing Director, Abigail, and Think Global Recruitment, (who he jokes are entirely to blame!). He says his experience exceeded his expectations far more than he could ever have expected.  He has lived in Lusaka ever since, working and running his charity 'Old MacDonald’s Farm'  with his wife Christine. 

So how exactly did Don discover the opportunity to work in Zambia?

“I was working in the Scottish government’s finance department when I came across a Think Global Recruitment advert for opportunities in Africa that would end up changing my life forever"

“During my lunch hour one day I rang up Abigail. In a quick turnaround between meeting Abigail at Christmas and by the first week of January, I had  been offered an interview in London with Deloitte where was offered a role in Lusaka”.

What is Don doing now?

Don is now working as the Managing Director of the airline service company, Zega Limited. Before working for Zega he discovered first hand just how many opportunities there are whilst working abroad.

“About eighteen months into my two year contract I was doing an insolvency review on Zambian Airways and found it had some problems. Three months later the chairman of the airline joked with me and said 'why don’t you try running it?' and that’s how I became the chief executive of a national airline!”

 

 Don grew the airline over the next four years, turning it around from making a loss to making a profit, which was a particular standout moment in his fascinating career.

“Having visited and being exposed to Africa before allowed us to settle in pretty quickly, especially due to it being an English speaking country with a lot of English people”. Don had no concerns before making his international move. “Everything that you might need could be found in the capital city and with great international schools for both of my daughters we had no problems”.

So what does Don think are the advantages of moving overseas?

“The opportunity to advance your career quickly. Within a short space of time, I became the CEO of an airline and you can move faster up the ladder than back home. And of course, the weather is so much better over here”.

What advice would Don give to accountants that are thinking about working overseas?

“Go for it! I’m glad every day I did it. You only live once and it is definitely worth going for. There are huge benefits to the experience and it's important to remember you don't have to commit life where ever you go."

During his fifteen years in Zambia, Don and his wife looked to give back to the community which embraced them so warmly, which is when they decided to start up Old MacDonald's Farm.

Old MacDonald’s Farm

 

One day back in 2001, Don and Christine began helping street kids, inviting them in every Sunday for a shower, a home cooked meal and to get some clean clothes. Noticing that there we so many street kids in the local community, they felt something needed to be done to help. Little did they know that their family would extend when an ill young boy became a permanent part of their family and soon enrolled in the nearby school. Old MacDonald’s Farm was born and has since combined several projects on the same site, allowing the opportunity to house more kids in Old MacDonald’s Children’s Home; educating them on lots of matters from conservation farming methods to providing schooling from the on-site school. Over the years their family has been growing and growing with the addition of more young boys staying with them and at one point they had 40 extra children!

After listening to Don's story it's hard not to be impressed by all that he has achieved. All of us here at Think Global Recruitment would like to wish him the very best for future and that the next 15 years are just as interesting!

 If you would like to find out more about the work of Old MacDonald’s Farm you can visit their website here: http://www.omfzambia.com

 

Amy & Adam's Story: A couple's new life abroad

 

Hearing about couples making their dream move abroad to start an exciting new life together is always fantastic for us to hear about. We helped Amy and Adam, two accountants, move from Leeds to Darwin a year ago. Our Managing Director recently caught up with them to find out how they’ve been settling in.

Trying new things

Both have fully embraced their new home soaking up the sporty culture by joining the local ‘soccer’ (as they call it!) team.  Amy only starting to play after moving there having been instantly attracted to the chilled out Australian way of life spending time playing a few games of soccer and having a few beers. They’ve both taken full advantage of the great sporting scene by learning to play basketball too. 

What about social circles?

Arriving together to a new country as a couple means you’re not going to be alone, but it’s easier to get by with a little help from friends so how did Amy and Adam find it? “It was really easy due to the huge numbers of expats, you’re all in the same boat, settling in to a new culture”. As well as meeting people through work and making use of the wide range of activities and extracurriculars on offer, they have also been indulging in the world renowned social Ozzy BBQ.

On the path to success

"Australia’s transient society, allows more opportunities for career progression which is great and being given TOIL (time off in lieu) means you have time to explore the country. The firm is very generous especially when you hit your targets and that extra cash comes in handy for planning visits home". 

How does the future look?

Both are happily based in their company and in the next two years will be able to get permanent residency. Before too long they can become fully integrated into their new found home. 

Surely there must there must be some downsides...

“Accommodation might cost a bit more but people in general are less materialistic so you can adjust to make those changes”. They miss the traditional English pubs and log fires. Christmas being warm doesn’t go down too well either, but they can always take full use of the time off in lieu and bonuses to jet back home for a white Christmas. 

Amy and Adam seem to have found their feet in Darwin. It definitely sounds like they have made a great decision by moving. 

If this story has inspired you then share it and help those who may be considering making the move abroad. To hear more case studies and find out about job opportunities please email pmcloughlin@thinkgr.com

What do international employers look for in Millennial Accountants?

Our Managing Director, Abigail Stevens, has just returned from a business trip spanning across the globe, finding out what some of the biggest international employers are looking for in Millennial accountants.  

With so many studies carried out on Millennials in the workplace it becomes easy to get lost in the information and miss out on a crucial point- what their bosses want! KPMG’s recent survey of business students in 23 countries revealed that 80% anticipated working  in 3-6 countries during their career. As Managing Director of an international recruitment agency, I thought I’d assist this generation of expectant travelers by sharing my knowledge of the key issues that stand out for international employers.

 

I have just got back from a 7 week business trip that has spanned across three continents with meetings in London, Dubai, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. In each of these destinations I’ve been able to discuss the international job market with some of the biggest global accountancy, financial services and industry and commerce organisations. A number of those I met were accountants that we have assisted over the years who have now become Partners, Senior Management and Directors in their organisations, their stories feature regularly on this blog. 

So what were the key features that stood out for international employers looking at the millennial job market?

 

They don’t just want number crunchers

They want applicants that look for solutions and that are able to see beyond numbers to work out how to address the potential risks and increase the commercial opportunities.

 

Desirable experience

 

 In addition to external audit, data analytics and cyber security experience are becoming quite valuable. Experience in forensic accounting, risk, IT audit and internal audit are also popular with employers.

 

The ability to build rapport

The accounting industry is becoming more and more service driven, the ability to build rapport with clients is now seen as an essential skill. This is also reflected in internal accounting roles where interaction with other areas of the business is important.

 

Chartered Accountant Qualifications

Qualifications from one of the reciprocal Chartered Accountancy bodies in Scotland, Ireland, South Africa, Canada, England & Wales or Australia & New Zealand remain the most highly sought after.

             Current state of the Global Market

London

The market has become quite saturated with accountants with fiercely increased competition.

Australia & New Zealand

Markets in Australia and New Zealand are starting to open up again after being hit late on by the global recession. Firms are still unsurprisingly cautious, but there was a lot of positive signs and there are big improvements expected this year.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is seeking more accountants with a technical background or Mandarin speakers due to its close ties with China. 

Dubai

Dubai currently has a real push on hiring European accountants to diversify their workforce. 

So what to do with this information?

It would be wise to find out what your options are and explore the current international opportunities available to you. It’s only then that you can make an informed choice on your future. Our services are free for accountants to use and enable you to get ahead of the curve by kick-starting your international career.

Abigail Stevens has been in the recruitment industry for twenty years. She founded Think Global Recruitment sixteen years ago which has since become one of the longest running international accountancy recruitment companies.

To find out more information phone: +44 (0) 131 260 5850 or email mail@thinkgr.com

 

 

Natalie’s Story - I didn’t realise how stressed I was at home until I moved here...

Natalie moved from South Africa to BDO in Auckland with assistance from Think Global Recruitment eight years ago and has been there ever since. She is now the National Head of Technical for BDO in New Zealand. This is her story.

I wanted to leave South Africa, there were so many armed robberies that it was just a matter of time before something happened to me. I attended Think Global Recruitment’s Accountancy World Wide event where I had the chance to explore different country options and find out where I could work. For me, the choice was fairly easy.  I didn’t want to learn a new language, limiting the scope in Europe, UK & Canada seemed too cold and Australia just wasn’t that appealing. My family had moved to New Zealand and I had already been there on holiday and fell in love with the country. After talking to a Think Global Recruitment consultant, we were able to find a Technical Associate role based in Auckland.

Working for BDO

The big difference in New Zealand was the client base. They had much smaller sized clients to KPMG in South Africa. This meant that they didn’t have as many technical staff and therefore didn’t possess the same amount of knowledge. There was lots to learn, moving from SA GAAP to IFRS, but there were a few similarities too. It took about two years to get up to speed and required a lot of self-thought and thorough training. You’re trusted with more responsibility earlier on than you would have in South Africa. I’ve gone from one of many in a technical department to running one! Our specialism is quite unique and in short supply around the world.

Many entities in New Zealand no longer need to follow IFRS. The reporting standard has changed recently so many companies fall below the requirement to file accounts.  Only around 5% of businesses are required to file. Software companies are becoming the bigger competitors for clients. We liaise very closely with BDO in Australia as we count as part of their team. The Technical Department is much bigger over there, so there’s about 20 or 30 staff we can call on when needed. I arrived in New Zealand as a Senior Manager and have progressed up to the National Head of Technical, running the department, sitting within the National Office.

The Social Side 

"In the summer you aim to finish work by 5pm and then you can go down to the beach for a few hours."

The mentality here is to work hard but also ensure you get the right work/life balance. In the summer you aim to finish work by 5pm and then you can go down to the beach for a few hours. Everyone really encourages you to have an outdoor life. I met my ‘Pommy’ husband here. I'm not sure I achieve the outdoor life as much as I should, but I am married to a computer nerd.

 

At BDO, people go out of their way to welcome you and show you the ropes. There’s a social club that hosts activities throughout the year and you always have a team meeting once a month which gives you a chance to catch up with other colleagues. You are welcomed as a Kiwi, that is until your team is playing the All Blacks, and if you lose you are sure to hear all about it!

 

"You are welcomed as a Kiwi, that is until your team is playing the All Blacks"

 

Our firm is very multicultural. The office is full of expats, and expats love to socialise. Most of the younger staff are Kiwis but when you reach the qualified level there are more international employees.

I’ve managed to visit a few of the Pacific Islands but there’s definitely more I want to see. We have international training in Kuala Lumpur every year and have been on other trips to Hong Kong as well as lots of places in Australia including Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.

 

Comparing South Africa to New Zealand

 

Don’t expect it to be the same, it’s not going to be. People are different, the history is different, culture is different, but that’s good. I miss my friends of course but in terms of my family, my mum and dad emigrated over here two years ago.  I miss the food but luckily there’s a great South African butchers close to where I work. I didn’t realise how stressed I was at home until I moved here. When you are there it is the norm to worry about your security, your job, your commute etc. In contrast, so often here I have accidently left the door open and nothing happens. You can walk down the street without a care in the world. I can honestly say I’ve not ever felt homesick. I was lucky enough to have had two overseas secondments to the US and UK. This helped me get used to being away from home and being open to experiencing new things.

  

My Advice
 

Sort out your job before you arrive

The benefit of using Think Global Recruitment is that you have a job set up before you move. Others I know have moved and tried to find a job, which is extremely difficult. It also means that they have very different expectations as they haven’t been through an informative process.

 

 

Do your homework
 

  Do your homework on the country and the firm as things will undoubtedly be different. I was surprised at how things are viewed here. A large part is due to the size of the country, the company sizes and the general outlook on life. If you think it will be the same you will struggle. If you come from a big city firm you may feel that you know best, but that won’t go down well with Kiwis.  

 

 

Be prepared for a change
 

Being prepared isn't just referring to the work but also for the smaller details, like paying your bills. Try to move a field you know as there is enough life learning to do to keep you busy. If you go into a business you are expected to know about local accounting and legislations so try to come prepared with knowledge on this.

 

 

Know what you want to achieve
 

Decide for yourself if this is a long term or short term move and what it is you want to achieve. You need those goals cemented in your mind before you come over. For the first couple of years you are going to be focused on finding your feet and becoming a new person, but never lose sight of your goals. 


If this story has inspired you then share it and help those who may be considering making the move abroad. To hear more case studies and find out about job opportunities please email pmcloughlin@thinkgr.com

Dorota's Story - My role has allowed me to travel to Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, UK and New Zealand!

Think Global Recruitment assisted Dorota to move from South Africa to Macquarie Bank in Sydney where she was promoted within two years to Internal Audit Manager. Our Managing Director, Abigail Stevens, recently caught up with her to find out how her career has been since. This is her story.

Around the time I completed my training with EY there was a mass exodus of people leaving South Africa to move to London. I was going to go too but then the opportunity came up to attend Think Global Recruitment’s Accountancy Worldwide event. I had always thought that I would be living in the UK but that event encouraged me to consider other options. It was the first time I’d heard about Macquarie, so after the presentation I went home and did my research and discovered that they had a good reputation.

I naturally had the fear of moving to a new country, combined with the fact that I was doing it my own. I was worried about the cultural challenges and that I might find it hard to understand the way that people spoke. Altogether it took me a couple of years to properly settle in. Unless you know people it can be tricky but it does also depend on where you go. If you join a big institutional bank people would usually just go to work and that’s it, but if you are working for a company that’s more retail facing, they tend to have more active social circles.

Macquarie Bank

I started out as an Internal Auditor at Macquarie Bank in Sydney. Whilst I was working there I learnt a lot about Risk Management and decided that it was the area that I was most interested in. There was a very competitive and ambitious work culture, If I’d decided to stay in practice the situation would have definitely been a lot easier.

BNP Paribas

After two and a half years l decided it was time to leave Macquarie. I felt done with Audit and went searching for a job with new opportunities. I managed to find one with one of France’s biggest banks, BNP Paribas.  I was involved within the three lines of defence: Internal Audit, Operational Risk and Risk Management.  Working there allowed me to get exposure to Risk Management but from a back office prospective. I had the best of both worlds, working for a big brand but in a small office environment.

CommSec

“My role has allowed me to travel to Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, UK and New Zealand.”

 I left BNP after fifteen months when the opportunity came up to work for CommSec (Commonwealth Securities), where I have been for the last three years. CommSec is a large stockbroking firm that works with Commonwealth, Australia’s biggest bank. I work in line one Risk Management as a Risk Senior Manager. My role is all about helping businesses succeed and ensuring they do things the right way. I work with a friendly group of people, something which I now really appreciate.

My role has allowed me to travel to Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, UK and New Zealand.  With these trips you could be away for around three weeks at a time, so you’re able to get a proper feel for the countries that you visit. I’ve also taken advantage of my location, travelling around Australia, Bali, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Thailand and Indonesia. My favourite places so far have been Tonga and the Great Barrier Reef.

My Advice

Anyone thinking about making a move should do it. Don’t be put off by the idea of living away from home. Time passes so quickly and before you realise it you’ve been away for seven and a half years. I have learnt so much and have been exposed to many more opportunities. Most importantly, I found out what was available and through that was able to make a decision about what I wanted to do. In South Africa Risk Management has only just started, so I would not have been able to have gained this experience.

“Most importantly, I found out what was available and through that was able to make a decision about what I wanted to do.”

 Anyone that moves abroad will be guaranteed to have great experiences that will shape your life. It’s easier to put off idea of moving and get stuck in one way of thinking, but if you want to be a good accountant you have get out there and find out how different economies work. It’s important to remember that it’s not always about the first place you go, the experience at Macquarie was great but it wasn’t what I wanted to do. However it led to me getting the job I wanted and now I’m happy and settled.

Sydney and South Africa

To any South Africans who may be thinking the countries are identical, they’re not. The tax system and the job specifics are different.  It’s not South Africa 2.0 so it’s important to have an open mindset and then go for it. The sense of humour is certainly different, South Africans are more direct whilst Australians can be quite sarcastic. The thing I miss about home the most is my friends but there are South African expat communities all over Australia which makes it easier.

Australia and South Africa share similar climates. As a nation they have a very outdoorsy way of life, with a big focus on activities like running and swimming. This is great for encouraging a healthy lifestyle and I’ve really embraced it, swimming in the mornings and doing Zumba after work. The move has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

If this story has inspired you then share it and help those who may be considering making the move abroad. To hear more case studies and find out about job opportunities please email pmcloughlin@thinkgr.com

Sun, Sea and Jobs for Accountants - Part One

Our Managing Director, Abigail Stevens, has been away for the past month taking Think Global Recruitment on the international road, seeking out the best opportunities for our accountants. In this blog she visits London and Sydney to kick-start her global tour.

 

London’s Calling

 

On the 1st March I caught my first flight from Edinburgh to a location known famously as the City.  It was there that I met with the very knowledgeable and charismatic leader, Anne Swaine of APSCo. APSCo is the UK recruitment industries trade body of which I have just been appointed the Scottish Forum Chair. The organisation was hosting an international forum for consultancies with an interest in setting up offices overseas or recruiting internationally. These forums provide the expert advice and connections which are utilised to enhance the number of vacancies available for our accountants. After that I was off to Australia!

 

From Jetlag to Business

 

As soon as my flight touched down in Sydney, I began my busy schedule of meeting firms interested in hiring international accountants. Due to the economic downturn in the market businesses were unsurprisingly cautious, however, the market definitely is picking up in a number of areas post-recession.  

 

One of the contacts I met that is now seeking other accountants to join his firm had been helped by Think Global Recruitment, making the move from UK to Sydney, as a recently qualified accountant. Craig, who is still at the same firm today, has been a Partner there for a number years. Yet another success story for a British accountant building an international career overseas and a Life Improved!

 

Whilst in Sydney, I had the fortunate experience of meeting two more women with whom we assisted to make their first move to Australia and have done exceedingly well in their careers since! The first,  Chantal, moved over from South Africa with PKF and after just under four years with the firm, moved into the financial service sector.  She has since worked her way up to be a Senior Director with NASDAQ.  Her story can be read here. The second, Dorota, moved over from South Africa as a recently qualified auditor into an Internal Audit role with Macquarie Bank.  After just under three years she moved on to another two organisations to end up in her current role as a Senior Risk Manager. Her story will be in our next blog post so watch this space!

 

Social Networking

 

Through my contacts in the Scottish Government, I was lucky enough to receive an invitation to a charity luncheon ran by David Bocklehurst OEM of Reuters Charity. The charity arranges events for big businesses across the city to network, whilst donating the profits to a variety of Australian Charities.  The event was to present the chosen charities with cheques which amounted to a total of $1.5 million! The luncheon provided an excellent opportunity to talk with a number of high-profile individuals from some of the top global organisations.

 

My final engagement in Sydney was to go to an Australian British Chamber of Commerce's Whisky  Tasting event.  The chosen Bladnoch distillery could not have been more cross-continental, with the distillery being based in Scotland but wholly owned by an Australian company. The event was a great occasion to foster new business relationships and promote the Think Global Recruitment brand. I was also fortunate enough to win the door prize that had been donated by Whisky Live of a very special Islay Single Malt that was a one off special label and only five people in the world know which distillery it was from! It was the perfect way to end my stay in this beautiful city.

 

 

 

What's Been Going On at Think Global Recruitment?

Abigail is on Tour!

Our Managing Director Abigail is back on the road again, taking her wealth of knowledge (20 years in the industry!) with her. She has been forging new partnerships with businesses and expanding the Think Global Recruitment network across the globe with visits to London, Dubai, Australia and New Zealand.

"The main purpose of the trip is to strengthen our relationships with some of the world's biggest accountancy firms to ensure that we deliver the best opportunities for our accountants." - Abigail

Abigail has also been catching up with some of the accountants that we placed as far back as ten years ago! As one of the world's longest running specialist recruitment agencies, we find it important to stay in contact with our accountants to find out how their move has improved their lives. We will be posting some of those people's stories in future blog posts so make sure to keep an eye out!

If you're a chartered accountant in Australia or New Zealand and would like to discuss your options about moving abroad you can get in contact with Abigail by emailing astevens@thinkgr.com. 






Think Global Recruitment says Happy 10th Birthday to Edinburgh University's eClub!

Our Operations Director, Cramond, was delighted to attend a morning’s seminar at the eClub Start-up Festival last week.

  “There was a fantastic turnout and it was great to see and hear from all those involved including  the legend that is Pete Irvine who is responsible, for amongst other things, the best travel guide book ever written, Scotland the Best!(new edition out next month)” - Cramond

Peter Irvine’s company, Unique Event’s, was responsible for organising all of the punk, mod and new wave bands in Edinburgh in the late 70s and 1980s via Regular Music (thanks for all the memories!). The seminar also had, among other eminent speakers, Simon from Frisky Yoghurt, Scotland’s original frozen yogurt brand, and Alan Mahon from Social Bite who served George Clooney as the main course at the Scottish Business Awards event last year.

 People Searching for a Land Down Under

Jill, Henrica and Peter all got a chance to attend Down Under Live in Glasgow to talk to people wanting to make the big move to Australia and New Zealand. From families to graduates, the sheer range and numbers of all those drawn south of the equator is a trend that does not seem to be slowing down. 

"It's a Saturday morning and it's raining really heavily outside, you would of thought it would put people off but there seems to be a really big appetite for working overseas, especially in Australia and New Zealand!" - Peter

 The event had stalls to assist with all the essentials of moving abroad and featured some useful talks on the visa processes, job markets and costs of living. There was also events held in Birmingham and London.

Are you an accountant that we have helped over the years? If so, please get in contact with Peter at pmcloughlin@thinkgr.com to share your story for other accountants who may be considering making the move abroad.  

Great increase in demand for global accountants! - says specialist recruitment director

 

Think Global Recruitment’s Managing Director, Abigail Stevens, has successfully assisted accountants to secure international careers for 20 years.  Having set up Think Global Recruitment almost 16 years ago, she analyses the current state of the global job market.

Movement in any job market, but especially the accountancy sector, is always a good gauge on how the economy is doing.  The great news is that we have definitely seen a large increase in the need to hire in 2015, not quite to the extent of pre worldwide recession 2007, but certainly the best we have seen since then. As 2016 gets underway, it’s worth noticing just how international professional accountants are this year. We have witnessed unprecedented numbers of candidates enter the UK from a wide-range of countries across the world. 

What’s happening in the UK Job Market?
 

"They have realised there are just not enough recently qualified accountants and junior managers"

As firms come out of the recession feeling stronger and ready for growth, they have realised there are just not enough recently qualified accountants and junior managers available on the local market to support the increased demand on the sector.  In the last few months we have assisted the Top 6 CA firms to hire accountants from Ireland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Latvia, Czech Republic, Canada, Cyprus, Tanzania, Ukrainian, Romania, Lithuania, Brazil, Argentina, Mauritius, the Philippines and Malaysia over the last year.

Think Global Recruitment has assisted firms in the UK to fill around 200 vacancies in the last 12 months with professionally qualified accountants from locations as far away as The Philippines and as close to home as Ireland.  These accountants have filled a much needed skills gap and enabled our clients to prosper.  The UK market has certainly kept us busy for the last couple of years.

 

 

The table above shows a broad-based rise in demand in the UK for permanent staff in December, accountancy & finance jobs are rated third. (Source: Markit report)

 

What about outside the UK?
 

Well there has certainly been movement there.  We have assisted accountants from Britain and other countries across the globe to secure permanent jobs in locations such as Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, The Caribbean, Germany, France, Switzerland, Asia and the Middle East.  It certainly feels like the world has opened up again to accountants seeking global experience.

There are however, still some locations that have not opened up again, post-recession, to bringing accountants in yet.   America, whilst being one of the highest on people’s lists, still remains the hardest to get into.   There has been a huge decrease in the number of visas available for skilled migrants and its lottery type system leads to very low odds and difficult terms in getting one. Canada has also increased its restrictions on entry making the process more complicated. Australia, New Zealand and Middle East have been recruiting, but the numbers are lower in comparison with the pre-recession years.

Future predictions? 
 

"There will be a worldwide shortage of qualified accountants for the next two or three years"
 

Well if the 2000/2001 dip in the economy is anything to learn from, there will be a worldwide shortage of qualified accountants for the next two or three years.  This will result in a considerable increase in movement in this sector across all the global hotspots. So if you're an international accountant you won't be out of work anytime soon!

Jason's Story: A professional accountancy qualification is a passport to working anywhere!

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.

 

 

If this story has inspired you then please share it and help those who may be considering making the move abroad. For any further enquiries please contact pmcloughlin@thinkgr.com