My risky career move in my 20s
Leaving the safety of New Zealand to live and work in Denmark in my 20s may have been challenging, but it taught me a number of valuable career and life lessons. When I arrived in Scandinavia, I couldn’t speak a word of Danish and I only knew one person (who would eventually become my first husband). Although I didn’t need the money at that stage, I needed a job for my sanity (there was no Netflix back then – TV didn’t even air for the whole day)!
Løkken, Denmark
Finding a job without speaking the language
The main challenge I faced was finding a job where my lack of language skills wouldn’t be a barrier. In New Zealand, I worked as a secretary. However, this wouldn’t be possible without understanding Danish, so I decided to utilise my previous experience working in a factory.
I learned about a factory that hired foreigners and found out how to say,
“My name is Rachel, do you have any work?”
I turned up, got the job, and was given a piece of paper informing me of my start date, which I had to have translated.
Sometimes all you need to do is show up.
My first day working abroad
On my first day at the factory, I was shown how to make the magnets (that were applied to the front of fridges) without any understanding of the language. The silver lining to this language barrier was that there were no distractions, so I quickly became the fastest employee, and managed to get good bonuses. I also stayed out of office politics and earned a good reputation.
What’s holding you back from getting ahead?
I stayed at the factory for a year. And while that year was challenging, and I felt very lonely at times, I kept going, knowing it would get easier. Even though I didn’t particularly want to work at the factory, I wanted to work, and I made the best of it. Slowly, I learned a little of the language and local customs through my work, eating out, and even watching TV shows. I also took a couple of courses which proved very helpful.
Rethinking my career strategy
Fredericia, Denmark
Eventually I learned enough Danish to move back into secretarial work, and applied for several jobs. However, I didn’t receive any responses. After a while, I realised I needed to market my point of difference. Compared to other applicants, having English as my first language made me less desirable. But this same fact was seen as a strength rather than a weakness in some jobs.
I rethought my application strategy and started applying for jobs looking for English speakers. My new career strategy paid off, and I received two job offers: one at the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a records clerk and one as an administrator at Elsevier, a Dutch scientific and medical publishing company. I took the role at Elsevier, as it would enable me to utilise more of my skills.
In this role, I worked in the nuclear physics department, organising studies for peer review. I used my first ever laptop (an 8kg one with a screen that only fitted six lines of type) and early iterations of the internet.
I learned about quality management and worked on my first database. I met renowned physicist and author Stephen Hawking and even attended a party with Queen Margrethe II of Denmark! I learned how to be resourceful and how to embrace new opportunities. And I realised I could do anything if I put my mind to it.
How to make a risky career move work for you
While travelling for work is mostly off the cards right now due to the pandemic, the lessons from my risky career move can be applied to any career move:
There are many ways to get a job – you just have to think outside the box.
Sometimes you have to go backwards before you can move forward.
Don’t be afraid to take risks – they may lead to other opportunities.
Taking a job doesn’t mean you will be stuck doing that role forever – it may just be a stepping stone, a means to an end or a survival strategy.
Marketing your unique skills or strengths will always lead to more significant opportunities.
You’ve got to have something you want, not something you want to avoid. Trying to avoid something is not nearly as motivating as wanting something; in fact, it’s more hard work.
The other important lesson I learned was to always have a plan B. I had an open-ended ticket home, which gave me a sense of security, knowing that I had a safety net if anything went wrong. Having an escape plan can help take the pressure off and enable you to take more career risks.
Final thoughts on taking a chance
If you are looking to make a change in your career, ask yourself these three questions:
· What unique, marketable skills do I have?
· What would I do if I wasn’t afraid of taking a risk?
· What could my next career move be if I thought outside the box?
In the end, I lived in Denmark for four years, before cycling around the world for two more years. But that’s another story.
More about Rachel Hill…
