Working Across the Pond Tips to Excel in Your Job in England

Working Across the Pond Tips to Excel in Your Job in EnglandWorking Across the Pond Tips to Excel in Your Job in EnglandWhether youre seeking new experiences and cultures, want to add some unique skills to your portfolio or are looking for work in a fun, new environment, working abroad can be a valuable experience.A good choice for Americans who want to work abroad in a professional capacity is to choose an English-speaking country. But even when a countrys native language is English there are still cultural differences to navigate. Today well examine tips for making the most of your work life in England.Learn the CultureDave, an American who heads up the eBusiness unit of Citibank in England, suggests that Americans seeking jobs in England learn to be extremely self-aware and humble. First observe British culture rather than trying to make a name straight away, he said.Alex ODonnell, a British citizen who now works as an engineer for GoPro in California, said, Accents change every 3 0 to 40 miles in the U.K. We sometimes have to translate between each other. An American coming to work in England will arrive thinking that he knows how to speak English, but the accents will be so thick hell have trouble understanding them.ODonnell says that British people are used to being asked to repeat themselves and will generally slow their speech down if they think theyre listener is having trouble understanding them.I think the worst cultural mistake an American can make is simply to be arrogant or myopic, Dave said. Ive heard industry speakers come to the U.K. from America and present only on U.S. brands and cities. To engage with Brits or other Europeans, Americans should demonstrate a broader, global awareness outside the U.S.Socialize AppropriatelyClaire Richardson is a native British citizen who worked at Citibank as a digital marketing manager. She advises Americans, Understand the British sense of humor. People will banter with you in the office about where you are from, but it is just lighthearted fun.Dave encourages Americans working in England to embrace the culture. Americans should get out and travel, he said. Dont just stay in London.Brits work hard, but they also socialize outside of work, especially if you work in London.When transitioning to his job in the U.S., ODonnell said that he had to adjust his vocabulary. It might all be English, but its very different. Brits have different levels of politeness. We say please and thank you more even if we dont mean it.ODonnell said that requests are a lot more subtle among the British. We hint at what we want doing and youre meant to pick up on the hint and do it, he said. In California you have to ask for something to be done or tell people to do it.ODonnell offered this example of the less direct approach regarding requests. In England someone might say, Oh, Id love a cup of tea, and someone would go get her some tea. In the U.S. you would have to say, Could you please make me a cup of tea? Learn to RelaxDave notes that socializing plays a bigger role in British work environments than in many American workplaces. He said, A mistake Americans make is in not valuing the importance of participating in after-work team drinks with colleagues. Part of embracing the British work culture may mean going to the pub at lunchtime and having an alcoholic drink or two.According to ODonnell, Americans are workaholics compared to Brits. It depends on where you are, but youre perceived as a grabber if you skip breaks or stay late. If youre an hourly employee, people assume trying to get extra overtime. If youre on salary, youre just seen as an overachiever.Watch Your VolumeRichardson said that Brits are not as loud as most Americans and often are perceived as more reserved. Richardson said, Some meetings will be very quiet, with people listening as opposed to asking lots of questions.Americans arevery chatty and will open up a conversation with anyone. British people wont do this and w ill wait to be spoken to most of the time if you dont know them.Dave added, A loud, bold American presence may be valued in the States, but does not generally go over well in the U.K. I remember my first day at my first U.K. job I was asked to attend a 10-person meeting in a conference room. I honestly couldnt hear a word anyone was sayingit was like the Twilight Zone.Defy StereotypesBritish people have strong views of Americans, but theyre mostly based on what Hollywood has presented. Unless you happen to work with Americans, you only encounter the tourists, said ODonnell.Dave said, Brits are much, much more reserved and tactful than Americans. Americans who come to the U.K. and do not adapt to the British style are perceived as crass, loud, stereotypical Americans. There is also a certain animated speaking style in the U.S. that Brits abhor. This is the exaggerated, overly cheery style you might hear used on dial-in conference call recordings or on late-night U.S. infomercials.Dav e added, Ive met two kinds of Americans over the years those that fully embrace U.K. culture, enjoy assimilating and become trans-Atlantic and others who hold tightly to their American-ness, not assimilating into British culture. The first group stays years and years. The second return home after a few.Learn about getting a job in other English-speaking countriesAustralia