Hello Melbourne, Goodbye Wellington

Today is the 4 month anniversary of me having arrived in the bustling metropolis of Melbourne. In fact, Melbourne consistently ranks as one of the best/most liveable cities in the world. Not exactly a difficult choice, confirmed by the fact that it feels like the last 4 months have just flown by.

So, how did it all happen? Simply put, I was offered a job that was too good to refuse. So I didn't. The profession I work in traditionally has movement, with experienced lawyers at the 2-5 year mark often moving overseas to bigger and brighter places. Australian lawyers, for example, head off to London, Dubai, Hong Kong, etc. Naturally, the drought sees lawyers having to be sourced elsewhere, especially in times of demand and economic growth like now. Recruiters and firms are poaching wherever they can. So against this backdrop, lawyers in large, national firms receive phone calls on a regular basis tempting them overseas. For me, I started getting calls in March last year, as frequently as every 2-3 weeks. Initially flattering, it quickly became tedious and disruptive. Many of the destinations sounded glamorous and exotic - Hong Kong, London, Moscow, Australia, Dubai - but were tempered by the fact that I simply didn't feel ready to move so far, so soon.

Then came one August Friday, which I distinctly remember as I was having a corporate team lunch and couldn't very well have the ensuing conversation within earshot! This time it was Melbourne, who had of course recently hosted the Commonwealth Games. The dreary Wellington winter, some ongoing frustration at work, and a personal issue or two all combined so that when I was asked "Have you ever thought about working in Melbourne?", I uttered the life-changing word "Yes".

The following Monday, I had three top tier Australian firms wanting interviews; by the end of the week, another four or five. The following week was full of interviews - both the phone and the video conference took some getting used to - and it was at the end of that week that a handful of firms decided they wished to progress matters and see me in person. So they flew me over, and within four or so weeks of that first phone call, I set foot on Australian soil for a week of interviews. And by the end of that week, I had letters of offer and a decision to make! I have never seen the wheels of bureaucracy move so fast.

The most difficult part of anything like this is to always resign. It was easily the hardest part of the process, but once it has been done it really does feel like a weight is lifted off your shoulders. And so once that was done, I bided out my remaining time, packed my bags and made ready to leave the fair shores of New Zealand, like the other 649 Kiwis who leave every week for Australia (amazing, isn't it?).

And now here I am, in a brand new city, having a grand old time, doing work I really do enjoy, with a great team at a top firm, getting paid more and enjoying much much better weather. Isn't that how life should be? Well, almost...