The allure of working overseas has never been lost on Australians. An international stint has become a rite of passage thanks to a nomadic streak seemingly present in those born Down Under. Hordes of Australians have flooded to cities big and small around the globe for decades, particularly in the US where now flat whites aplenty have infiltrated the bright lights of Manhattan.
But transferring your success locally to abroad is no small feat. Below, BD talks to a handful of media expats about the trials and tribulations of cracking the American market.
Small fish, big pond
You may feel as though you have outgrown the Australian market, but that doesn’t mean you’re ready for what America has up its sleeve. Says Jasmine Garnsworthy, who works for the likes of Sporteluxe and Stylecaster among others, everything is bigger in America: “Things just operate on a different scale over here. Teams are bigger. Budgets are more generous. The talent you interview is more impressive.” Freelancer Kelli Armstrong agrees, commenting: “Volume, budgets, staffing – it’s endless. There are plenty of opportunities here [in America] but even more competition!”
There are a myriad of hurdles facing those new to America – from visas to years of career experience that mean little to American employers. An understanding that you will have to work harder and prove yourself more than you would in Oz is essential says Armstrong. “It’s competitive for a start. I’d worked hard to build a profile in the industry in Australia, but here I am a nobody. People don’t care what you’ve done if you don’t have some US experience.”
But the best way to offset this says Maddie Moore, who jumped from an editor role to digital sales at NBCUniversal, is to stick to your personal vision and chip away at it. “The key to cracking the overseas market is working hard and being true to what you want out of a career overseas! In the digital media industry, when you move somewhere like New York in which the opportunities are seemingly endless, you can get lost in the Australian bubble and lose what makes your experience relevant (or special) in the American market. In my experience, cracking that said market was having confidence in what I could offer, working my ass off to speak to that confidence, and opening my eyes to learning new practices and accepting new opportunities when they were presented.”
Also beneficial? A valid visa. Says Armstrong: “And then there is the visa thing. The E3 makes it a lot easier but people have to be willing to hire you and sponsor you.” Being aware of your visa requirements, as well as the kind of demands they will place on an employer, are essential to removing potential hurdles that may stand in your way.
The social network
The saying ‘it’s who you know not what you know’ that often rings true in Oz is even more relevant further afield. Armstrong believes the key to finding success in the US is: “Networking! Honestly, it’s often who you know. The thing about the US is that they love to connect! No one here will try to talk you out of an idea or tell you you can’t do something. Instead they’re full of encouragement and offer to connect you with their cousin’s girlfriend’s aunt if they think that might get you somewhere. And… they actually follow through. I’ve gained many new clients this way.”
Explains Moore: “What really surprised me was the lesson that no matter if you are in a smaller country-wide industry (Australia) or a huge one (US), the importance of networking and maintaining connections is still just as relevant.” Continues Moore, “Our industry is very much about talent and individual knowledge, but in many ways, it is all about who you know! The fact that this was exactly the same in the United States surprised me, as I put that concept down to working in a smaller market previously. It was hard for me to originally find a job (it took two-three months) as I only had a small group of connections here – and just like in Australia, this is a hard industry to get a foot in the door!”
For Garnsworthy, working for a brand already renowned in the US helped her break into the market. “Working for an international brand, POPSUGAR, with a strong presence in the US certainly helped when applying for roles in NYC.” She also believes it helps to be familiar with the city you wish to work in: “I also think you need to commit and be visiting or living in the city you want to live when applying for roles. It's no good sending your resume from halfway across the planet hoping someone will take your application seriously.”
Culture clash
It’s said that Americans live to work, while Australians work to live. Those gunning on a career in the US should be aware of potentially greater expectations from employers. Says Armstrong: “Everything here is on a much larger scale, the hours are often longer, holidays less and, again, it’s very competitive. One thing I’ve noticed working here is that once people are at work, that’s all they do all day. I haven’t noticed much water cooler gossip or even going out for a lunch break!” But for Garnsworthy, the work-life balance in the US isn’t a far cry from Australian shores. “People warned me that New Yorkers worked hard and I'd have no balance living here, but I think that's simply the publishing industry no matter where you live, and [I] didn't notice a shift from my life in Sydney.”
Instead, she believes a key difference lies in the respect for particular work-related values. “There are also major cultural differences between Americans and Australians at the office. I've never considered myself to be the quiet person on a team, but I certainly appeared this way at first next to my assertive New York colleagues. I quickly learned that most of the professionally successful people in this city have an opinion and aren't afraid to share it (loudly!) with their managers or team mates.”
Image: @jasminegarnsworthy
Newsletter image: @katiaiervasi
