Campus

What made you want to go on assignment?

The first reason was that my wife had an opportunity to have an international rotation, and so in speaking with my wife we decided to go ahead and do one. Also, one of my goals is to become a manager. I am from a small office in Austin, and I wanted to gain some managerial experience and do something a little bit different to challenge me.

What were your biggest concerns?

My biggest concern, as a deaf person, was whether there would be deaf services or resources available for me. Would there be an interpreter, because I am using American Sign Language, and in the UK they use British Sign Language, and it is different. So we actually had to look for an American Sign Language interpreter. The closest interpreter we could find was from Bristol. So that has made things a little bit challenging. We have had to organize our schedules, we have had to book the interpreters many, many months in advance, and in addition there was some difficulty with telephone work. These were the biggest challenges.

Were there any cultural challenges?

Sure, British culture is different to American culture. I have to wear a suit and tie to work, which I never had to do before. Secondly, the cars are different and you drive on the opposite side of the road. Thirdly, what I would call ‘soccer’ I now have to refer to as ‘football’. But these changes haven't been too difficult to get to grips with.

What do you think is the most important thing that has changed about you, as a result of global mobility?

I feel this opportunity will be a benefit to me because I am actually from a small office in Austin, and I work in the public sector area. We have maybe 15 people in our department, so I feel that I have a better chance of being promoted, and that is one of my goals: I want to become a manager. Also, in Manchester I am working with different people all the time. So I am learning to work in a different way with different members of the team.

How do you think the assignment will benefit you personally?

This opportunity is enabling me to learn more about business culture, and teaching me to be a bit more open-minded. Nothing is similar, America and Britain are different, and I think it is just a good experience to have for myself, because I am actually a country boy from the middle of Texas, so it is a nice change.

How did relocation work?

I moved in the middle of May with my wife. I brought my two Labradors as well. KPMG provided help with the home search, and that was very, very beneficial; really helpful. We were able to find a place to live, and we moved within two weeks. I wanted a place where I could have my dogs, and that worked out beautifully.

How did you work with your Performance Manager to arrange your assignment?

We talked everything through: what I had done in the US so far, what my goals were, and I let him know that I was interested in having a global mobility opportunity. I started talking to him about a year ago, and the process just started happening at that point.

How do you think KPMG will benefit from the assignment?

The UK will be benefiting from my presence here and my work here, in that the public sector in Manchester are using more of Vector for their financial set up and audits. I have had some experience with that from working in Austin, so I plan to use that skill and apply it here. I can help other team members and co-workers use it more and familiarize themselves with the Vector process.

What is the one key piece of advice you would give someone considering an assignment?

If someone was interested in having an international rotation, I would recommend they talk with their Performance Manager, and also with their Partner from their home office. Explain what you are interested in, what your goals are. And just go for it. If you are interested in being involved in that process, the right people will contact you quickly.

Has anything happened, either professionally or personally, that would not have happened if you had not made this move?

I was able to take the opportunity to go to Barcelona recently for a Bank Holiday. That was a nice perk, because the flight was close, it was small, the price was cheap. So I took advantage of that, and I am going to travel as much as I can across Europe while I am here.

In your own words, what does global mobility represent to you?

A challenge, experience, different culture and shock.

In your own words, describe how you feel, or how it feels to be an Assignee?

As a person involved in global mobility you are nervous, you are frustrated, but happy.

Has the assignment experience made you more confident?

Yes it has, because in the past three months I have met new people, and I have had to be confident in meeting people and challenging myself. I've had to move out of my comfort zone back home and into something new.