Gemma Peckham had always wanted to live in New York, and every year for five years she and her husband Kane Grose had applied for one of the 50,000 highly sought after green card visas that allow non-US residents to live and work there.
Their persistence paid off because last year, they won a visa through the lottery. Eight weeks ago the pair shifted their life to the Big Apple, and they have been able to take their work with them.
"A year after winning, and after a very lengthy application and interview process, we were on a flight to New York City to see what we could achieve here. I work in publishing and my husband is a writer and animator, industries that are very well represented in New York, so this city is a great fit for us," Gemma explains.Â
She has worked as an editor with Executive Media in Australia for almost eight years, responsible for editing numerous trade and consumer magazines, from concept through to delivery. Now, at Executive Media Global in New York, she is still editing Forge magazine for entrepreneurs. She's also working on a new magazine for the US market. "The aim is to establish Executive Media Global here, so that the company is represented on both sides of the world. It's a big ask, but it's a challenge I'm ready for."
One of the reasons Gemma wanted to move to New York was because there's so much opportunity in publishing there. "When I told Executive Media I was moving to New York, they saw the opportunity for us as a company to expand into a very strong market, which meant that I got to keep my job, and oversee the development of an office here. I'm very lucky in that respect."
Her advice for other people considering a similar move is to have a plan in place, so you know what you're trying to achieve, and have an idea of time frames you're working towards.
"Communication with your employer is vital, because you'll rarely be working the same hours. I work a little later in the day so that there's crossover with the office in Melbourne. That way, I can address anything that they need done right away, and I can also bring up any queries that have popped up during my working day. I also tend to check emails late at night, to see if there's anything urgent that's happened during the Australian work day."Â
Gemma says it's really important to make sure the place you want to move to is a good fit for the kind of work you do.
"If you're confident you can work in your chosen overseas location, just do it. Making a huge move like we have refreshes your mindset, resets your enthusiasm for your work, gives you new networks and insight into other markets, and challenges you professionally," says Gemma.
"Of course, you will need the support of an employer or, if you're a freelancer, you will need to ensure that your existing clients know that you're operating from a different location," she adds.Â
It's also important to understand business works quite differently in different countries. So try to get a feel for the market into which you're moving.
"The US isn't too difficult, given its many similarities to Australia, but obviously in other countries there will be bigger cultural differences to deal with, as well as language barriers and a range of other challenges to consider," she says.
One of the benefits of the move, says Gemma, has been a complete overhaul of her personal and work life. "That's not to say there was anything wrong with what I was doing, but I was in a situation where nothing was changing, and that's not an environment that's conducive to growth, either professionally or personally. Being in a completely new environment has made me push myself a lot further than I might have, had I stayed in Melbourne. New York is such a huge and friendly city that you meet new people every day, and everyone has some advice or wisdom to give you. Also, New Yorkers seem to really like Australians, which helps a lot."Â
There will always be drawbacks when making a major shift, and it's important to understand this is normal.
Says Gemma: "As with any change, lack of familiarity can be difficult. Sometimes you just want to feel like you know what you're doing and where you're going, and since I've only been here for a short time, that hasn't really happened yet. It can be incredibly exhausting having hundreds of new experiences every day, and feeling like you need to figure things out from scratch again. But I cope by looking around and reminding myself where I am – this is the opportunity of a lifetime, to be living and working in New York City, and it doesn't matter how hard it gets because I did it, which is something that not many people do."
0 comments
New User? Sign up