JAMES RICKARDS, 28, group brand manager L’Oréal Paris Skincare, moved to Melbourne in 2003
Tell me one thing that you wish you’d known before you relocated? “It rains in Melbourne. If we’re really honest, many of us Brits have an image of Australia shaped in some part by Paul Hogan and Steve Irwin. That means big, red sandy deserts and, more importantly, long hot summers. But the climate in Melbourne is closer to London than a tropical paradise.”
Whose idea was your move? “I approached the company. I’d always wanted to live and work abroad, and having spent nearly four years in London the time seemed right.”
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Why didn’t the company employ a local? “L’Oréal is an international company and frequently moves employees internationally. The immediate and long-term benefits to both the employee and the organisation in such a move are huge. The employee gains the opportunity to broaden his or her experience and hopefully grow in ability as a result, which in turn helps the organisation to achieve better results.”
How does office life differ? “People start drinking beer here at 5pm on a Friday and we have a barbecue out the back of the office. But otherwise, office life here is very similar to that in the UK.”
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Have you put on weight with all the BBQs and beer? “No, I’ve lost weight.”
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Do you hang out with Brits or Australians? “100 per cent Australians.”
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Have your working hours gone up or down? “In the UK I remember the average working week being about 50-55 hours. Here it’s probably closer to 50.”
What’s it like after hours? “The key difference between here and the UK is that you’re a lot more likely after work to meet your friends in a restaurant over dinner and a couple bottles of wine, rather than in a bar.”
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Have you stopped doing anything you enjoyed in the UK? “Travelling abroad. Here you’re so far from anywhere else in the world that you can’t do it, it’s just too expensive.”
Have you taken up any new hobbies? “Yes, tennis, running and swimming.”
Do you want to come home? “Yes, definitely — but not yet.”