Migrants tell their story...
Alison Usher,
Sales & Marketing Executive
Sales & Marketing Executive
A Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing Executive, Alison Usher sought a change to working in the United Kingdom. In July 1998 she embarked on a life in New Zealand
With a Kiwi boyfriend, Alison's choice of New Zealand as a migration destination was never in question. Although she had visited New Zealand twenty-five years ago whilst on holiday with her parents, she couldn't recall very much about the country.
Whilst she had enjoyed an enviable career track record in the United Kingdom with a number of major blue chip companies, the prospect of a better quality of life provided a strong motive in prompting her decision to emigrate. As she explained, 'I couldn't envisage driving around London for the next ten years. In any event, now is a good time for me to leave the United Kingdom as I've been able to sell all of my consolidated experiences in the United Kingdom which is a very dynamic (pharmaceutical) market.' Roche (her New Zealand employer) were very attracted by this varied experience and have created a position around her, involving both sales (helping her hospital reps obtain contracts) and marketing (utilising her considerable product management experience). In the United Kingdom this role would be done by two people.
Whilst she had a Kiwi boyfriend, Alison was not eligible to apply for a Residence Visa under a de facto Family Category. She needed to apply under the General Skills Category, facing two difficulties. First, she needed a job offer (5 points) and secondly, she only had three months to find a job and lodge her residence application before losing two points for her age. She turned to Taylor & Associates for help because we ere able to deliver a complete package, assisting with sourcing an offer of employment and the correct presentation of her Permanent Residence application and comprehensiveness of the service as explained at her personal consultation left her in no doubt she had enlisted the right help.
'I had enough confidence within myself and the team involved both in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. I was determined to make it work and knew that if everyone worked hard we would succeed. Early conversations with my Jobsearch consultant, who advised that I needed to get over to New Zealand served as the catalyst. I needed this guidance as I was sitting around waiting to be spoon-fed and it's not like that. You've got to be proactive yourself. I knew my market value and was confident interviews would follow. Why should an employer commit to seeing someone before they are in New Zealand? It's not being realistic.
The first week in New Zealand was a bit flat but in the three weeks, TAYLOR & Associates arranged interviews with five of the top Pharmaceutical companies, three of which asked me back for a second interview.' With all three companies keen on employing her services, she chose Roche because their timing was all-important and they were prepared to move quickly to aid her residence application.
How does her salary compare with her last one in the United Kingdom? 'You must not compare simply by using the current exchange rate or I'd be earning over 0,000 a year, but I've been offered a very good salary (which is to be reviewed within three to six months once I've shown what I can do), a company car and an annual bonus.'
Is she happy with the service received? 'Absolutely, I couldn't have accomplished everything by myself.' And the fee she paid? 'A drop in the ocean considering what was at stake. An offer of employment means you emigrate with peace of mind. Through TAYLOR & Associates I have my residence visa, an excellent job, and they even supplied me with a free flight to New Zealand as part of the deal!! What more can I say?'
With a Kiwi boyfriend, Alison's choice of New Zealand as a migration destination was never in question. Although she had visited New Zealand twenty-five years ago whilst on holiday with her parents, she couldn't recall very much about the country.
Whilst she had enjoyed an enviable career track record in the United Kingdom with a number of major blue chip companies, the prospect of a better quality of life provided a strong motive in prompting her decision to emigrate. As she explained, 'I couldn't envisage driving around London for the next ten years. In any event, now is a good time for me to leave the United Kingdom as I've been able to sell all of my consolidated experiences in the United Kingdom which is a very dynamic (pharmaceutical) market.' Roche (her New Zealand employer) were very attracted by this varied experience and have created a position around her, involving both sales (helping her hospital reps obtain contracts) and marketing (utilising her considerable product management experience). In the United Kingdom this role would be done by two people.
Whilst she had a Kiwi boyfriend, Alison was not eligible to apply for a Residence Visa under a de facto Family Category. She needed to apply under the General Skills Category, facing two difficulties. First, she needed a job offer (5 points) and secondly, she only had three months to find a job and lodge her residence application before losing two points for her age. She turned to Taylor & Associates for help because we ere able to deliver a complete package, assisting with sourcing an offer of employment and the correct presentation of her Permanent Residence application and comprehensiveness of the service as explained at her personal consultation left her in no doubt she had enlisted the right help.
'I had enough confidence within myself and the team involved both in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. I was determined to make it work and knew that if everyone worked hard we would succeed. Early conversations with my Jobsearch consultant, who advised that I needed to get over to New Zealand served as the catalyst. I needed this guidance as I was sitting around waiting to be spoon-fed and it's not like that. You've got to be proactive yourself. I knew my market value and was confident interviews would follow. Why should an employer commit to seeing someone before they are in New Zealand? It's not being realistic.
The first week in New Zealand was a bit flat but in the three weeks, TAYLOR & Associates arranged interviews with five of the top Pharmaceutical companies, three of which asked me back for a second interview.' With all three companies keen on employing her services, she chose Roche because their timing was all-important and they were prepared to move quickly to aid her residence application.
How does her salary compare with her last one in the United Kingdom? 'You must not compare simply by using the current exchange rate or I'd be earning over 0,000 a year, but I've been offered a very good salary (which is to be reviewed within three to six months once I've shown what I can do), a company car and an annual bonus.'
Is she happy with the service received? 'Absolutely, I couldn't have accomplished everything by myself.' And the fee she paid? 'A drop in the ocean considering what was at stake. An offer of employment means you emigrate with peace of mind. Through TAYLOR & Associates I have my residence visa, an excellent job, and they even supplied me with a free flight to New Zealand as part of the deal!! What more can I say?'
