Most of us already fantasized about moving abroad at least once in our lifetime. The vision of endless opportunities, different landscapes and new challenges seem to have a hold on the ambitious, adrenaline-junkie adventurer layer of our society. In the 21st century, more and more people have the means to make these dreams happen, either by leaving everything behind or not cutting ties completely, just opening a new chapter.

Dóra has been working for IseeQ since 2019 as the manager of our business unit, responsible for generating business leads and building our non-tech portfolio. Besides being one of our most successful colleagues, she’s now a team leader and board member as well. In the past 3 months (from November 2021 to February 2022) she supported our company from Toronto, Ontario Canada, and is also planning to move back soon. This temporary relocation has resulted in countless valuable lessons and experiences, so here’s an interview summarizing some of them.

Starting from the beginning, how did the idea of relocation come to you?

“My motivations consisted of both personal and professional aspects. As the pandemic hit, we were forced to work from home for safety purposes. IseeQ managed to make the most out of the situation, produce the same or even better KPIs and function effectively in a remote setting. As regulations started to lift, we decided to keep the choice of returning to the office open for all of our colleagues. The hybrid setup just seemed to be working amazingly for us, and there was a possibility to do our jobs from our chosen location at all times. I have family living in Canada, so I started thinking about visiting them for some time, as it was always a huge adventure as a kid as well. I asked the management if I’d be able to work from abroad, they said yes, so I just started planning my 3 month-long trip!”

What were the conditions of the management regarding your work?

“That the move wouldn’t have a negative impact on my work. I had to make sure that despite the time-zone differences I could be present at meetings, effectively lead my team and keep up with the same workload as I had at home. I had be available for all of our clients when they needed me during the day, and make sure my colleagues receive all the support they needed to do their jobs.”

How did you make it all possible?

“We established new, digital routines before I even landed in Canada. We used Discord, Google Meet, Telegram, Whatsapp and everything else to make the communication as frequent as possible, but I had to have my laptop at hand at all times, because telephone bills were quite expensive. I made sure to check in at regular intervals, have professional and casual conversations as well.”

What are the particular benefits you were expecting from your trip?

“There’s really tremendous potential in such a trip. English skills, however often practiced, tend to decline in time at work, if not used in every day, random situations as well. I was sure my vocabulary would improve, and it definitely did. Also, it’s no secret that IseeQ is aiming for global expansion, and I loved to establish connections with possible business partners on a different continent. I targeted some interesting companies, we will see if I had any luck.”

What were the most difficult parts of working from a different country?

“The first thing that comes to my mind are time-zone differences. When I landed, I didn’t even adjust to local time, as I had to wake up at 4 AM every day to be available. This was 3-4 hours before sunrise, so working in dark was quite the challenge. Before I traveled, I preferred working from an office majority of the time, because it made me stick to my schedule more effectively, and I simply could focus on my tasks better if I was dressed up and present there for the sole purpose of doing my job. In Toronto, I only worked from home. The switch was also not easy, but I had a really nice setup. With a big desk and a huge window overlooking the garden, the atmosphere was more than inspiring, so I got used to it pretty early on. I also didn’t feel the need to go anywhere because of the crazy cold and snowstorms.”

Are there any positive effects the new remote routine caused?

“I learned that structured days result in a more relaxed mind, healthier lifestyle and increased productivity. I had all my activities planned ahead of time, as most of them were tied to digital appointments. This made it easier for me to organize my free time as well, sports, reading and sightseeing all had a defined slot. This eliminated the stress one experiences before sleep, as I always knew I was fully prepared for what was coming the next day, and didn’t have any overdue tasks due to random occurrences during the day.”

Did you gain any new perspectives while working remotely from another continent?

“I think I learned to value personal relationships and meetings even more. I was alone a lot, and being a really social person this was quite new to me. However, it allowed me to reflect on my life from a distance and re-evaluate what I wanted to integrate into it from the things that were normal abroad. Obviously, I missed my family, friends and team, but having to pay constant attention to planning to see each other eventually had a positive impact on our relationships.”

While working remotely from abroad, did you evolve as a leader too?

“I definitely gained confidence and resilience. I had to learn to trust my gut on many matters I was not able to attend to personally, I also had to bear full responsibility as a unit manager. It was stressing at first, but transparent communication and the incredible trust I enjoyed from IseeQ has made it significantly easier.”

Your team grew while you were away. What was that experience like?

“Currently our business unit consists of 3 recruiters including me, but it was only 2 when I left. I was quite anxious about hiring a new colleague while not being able to be present, conduct in-person interviews as that used to be my practice. However, having the maximum trust in all of my colleagues at home helped me to make the perfect decision, and our team is functioning amazingly well ever since. I think the whole process would have been any different in terms of the outcome if I were home.”

Do you have any closing thoughts?

“I am extremely grateful for IseeQ and my incredible team for the trust they put in me. The attention and freedom we enjoy is unmatched, and I’m grateful for every opportunity. This whole experience has changed my life in all the positive ways, I can’t wait to return to Canada already!”