Working in New York
Discussion
I'd seize the opportunity. I'm in Detroit, got sent out and then decided to stay.
I think the key to a happy existance is having a good relocation company work with you to find housing. For example - if you were bringing somebody in to work in the City of London, you might advise them that their option was a bedsit in Chelsea, a flat in Battersea, a house in Hemel Hempstead.
In the same way you might find that when working in Manhattan a commute works best from a.n.other place. Speak to a wide variety of people and gauge the sort of areas they are.
I was looking at a transfer to Chicago a year ago - I gauged the quality of area by the quality of shops in the local malls and the proximity of BMW and Mercedes dealers. It is actually quite a good sign.
Overall I would go for it, if you don't you'll be kicking youself in years to come.
I think the key to a happy existance is having a good relocation company work with you to find housing. For example - if you were bringing somebody in to work in the City of London, you might advise them that their option was a bedsit in Chelsea, a flat in Battersea, a house in Hemel Hempstead.
In the same way you might find that when working in Manhattan a commute works best from a.n.other place. Speak to a wide variety of people and gauge the sort of areas they are.
I was looking at a transfer to Chicago a year ago - I gauged the quality of area by the quality of shops in the local malls and the proximity of BMW and Mercedes dealers. It is actually quite a good sign.
Overall I would go for it, if you don't you'll be kicking youself in years to come.
Have some friends who moved over about a year ago. They are married with 3 kids (so some of the below may not be relevant to you!).
They live in Brooklyn and he works near Times Square.
He loves it - finds the work even more intense than in the UK but more rewarding - was finding it a bit of a silo mentality in the UK (Banking).
Wife feels very left out, on her own a lot & difficult to get to know the US mums (or is that mom's...) - but pace of life and things to do much better than in London.
Biggest turn off is that the 2 older kids (5 & 3) are picking up really strong US accents & terminology -this may be your thing - certainly not theirs!!!
Think that if you fancy the opportunity to work in a big city and have a chance then go for it - and its probably a good choice. A change like this is nearly always a good experience and you'll only end up regretting it if you're already thinking of it and don't see it through.
BUT ... When I decided I wanted a change/secondment abroad I ended up going to Papua New Guinea - so maybe don't listen to advice I give!!!
They live in Brooklyn and he works near Times Square.
He loves it - finds the work even more intense than in the UK but more rewarding - was finding it a bit of a silo mentality in the UK (Banking).
Wife feels very left out, on her own a lot & difficult to get to know the US mums (or is that mom's...) - but pace of life and things to do much better than in London.
Biggest turn off is that the 2 older kids (5 & 3) are picking up really strong US accents & terminology -this may be your thing - certainly not theirs!!!
Think that if you fancy the opportunity to work in a big city and have a chance then go for it - and its probably a good choice. A change like this is nearly always a good experience and you'll only end up regretting it if you're already thinking of it and don't see it through.
BUT ... When I decided I wanted a change/secondment abroad I ended up going to Papua New Guinea - so maybe don't listen to advice I give!!!
In short, YES.
I have one my stint in Manhattan and still regularly go on business there. Great place and you will have lots of fun. Also, it's only a secondment, so what's 6-12 months out of your working life??
If you do go, and upon your return, please refrain from saying "Awesome" in all your sentence, and high-fiving your mates on any opportunity,....
Edited to say:
Jan is bloody cold, so take your thermals!
>> Edited by Tomt on Tuesday 6th September 23:32
I have one my stint in Manhattan and still regularly go on business there. Great place and you will have lots of fun. Also, it's only a secondment, so what's 6-12 months out of your working life??
If you do go, and upon your return, please refrain from saying "Awesome" in all your sentence, and high-fiving your mates on any opportunity,....
Edited to say:
Jan is bloody cold, so take your thermals!
>> Edited by Tomt on Tuesday 6th September 23:32
Cheers guys,
Nice to hear most people enjoying themselves out there. A lot of the people I work closely with thought I was a bit mad, but they are all very middle Englanders and don't really like American culture for more than a few days at a time.
Having said that, I work for a very large American media corp, and whilst the culture here is very London, it's also quite American already, so I'm not sure how they can justify their views.
I'll be dotting the i's and crossing the t's today then!
Nice to hear most people enjoying themselves out there. A lot of the people I work closely with thought I was a bit mad, but they are all very middle Englanders and don't really like American culture for more than a few days at a time.
Having said that, I work for a very large American media corp, and whilst the culture here is very London, it's also quite American already, so I'm not sure how they can justify their views.
I'll be dotting the i's and crossing the t's today then!
i moved out to new York State not long ago! I love it. great countryside, great weather, great people, and petrol is cheap! I'm not sure I would want to live in new York itself, as I think the crowds would trun me into a raving psychopath! Its nice and country-like where I am! Trees, trees, and more trees! My cat like it like that, and I have to go where he likes, no choice! I get scratched otherwise! (It cost me more to move the cat here than myself!).
As for the 3 and 5 year olds picking up an accent, and some lingo, what did they expect??Its 'not the parents thing' well maybe they should have thought of that before they moved! Sheesh!
As for the 3 and 5 year olds picking up an accent, and some lingo, what did they expect??Its 'not the parents thing' well maybe they should have thought of that before they moved! Sheesh!
I am generally of the view that any chance you take to go on secondment overseas should be jumped at. It broadens your world view (even if in America) and gives you a different perspective on a lot of things.
I went to Moscow for a year and pretty much hated it (not Moscow or the Russians, but the work and attitude to it) but I am still very glad that I did do it and would do something similar again if offered.
I went to Moscow for a year and pretty much hated it (not Moscow or the Russians, but the work and attitude to it) but I am still very glad that I did do it and would do something similar again if offered.
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