Vancouver vs London

If you’re moving from London to Vancouver for work, ditch your tie and leave that look.

You won’t need to learn a new language or take a crash course in Vancouver business etiquette, but you will definitely need to relax and put some of those big city habits behind you.

Eat, meet and greet

Vancouver is a laid-back city and, in general, there is less long-hour work culture driven than in London.

Going to a bar for a hen or birthday celebration is standard practice, but you won’t find many people taking the usual after-work look that is so prevalent in London.

However, lunch is a bit more extravagant with more people eating out rather than sitting at your desk with the ubiquitous sandwich. But think of a sushi bar, cafe, or restaurant rather than a beer pub lunch.

If you want to have a one-on-one business meeting, head to a coffee shop. There is almost one on every corner of Vancouver.

Career development

If you haven’t already done so, your CV should be called CV. It is common practice to leave the accent out of the e.

When looking for work, don’t rely solely on online job postings and newspapers. Informal networking will be an important part of your professional life, so start your research before you arrive. Networking groups in Vancouver are available to everyone from tech professionals and small business entrepreneurs to immigrant engineers and human resource specialists.

If you don’t have a job ready and want to immerse yourself in the community, consider volunteering. Volunteer work is much more common in Canada and many organizations need more than fundraisers.

It’s a great way to meet people, get that “Canadian experience” employers keep talking about, and keep your skills sharp. Volunteer work looks good on your resume, too.

It doesn’t have to be traditional charity work. There may be a conference or event related to your area of ​​work or expertise. Sign up to help behind the scenes and you’ll get free access to speakers, seminars, and more.

Idiom

French may be an official language, but you won’t hear it much in Vancouver. However, you will have to make minor adjustments to your spoken and written English if you don’t want to become the butt of jokes.

Canadian English

If writing is an important part of your job, brush up on Canadian English, which is a mix of British and American English. Like the British, they write color, work, center, and meter. But they enthusiastically follow Americans when they want to organize, sympathize, and prioritize.

Canadians follow Americans and write tire, but prefer the British spelling of travel, counseling, and check.

There is no obvious set pattern, so set your spell checker to Canadian English to avoid mistakes.

Accent

In terms of spoken English, slow down when you start speaking. Your colleagues will try to make sense of the accent, and they may miss the first half of what you say. After a few months, the pace of your speech will likely change, although you will still have a recognizable English, Scottish, and Welsh accent.

Be prepared to be mistaken for a South African, a Kiwi, or an Australian. To the American ear apparently everything sounds the same.

Wear

Here it is much more informal and there is much less suit. Even men who wear suits often don’t bother wearing the tie. Get ready to rock a classy yet casual look.

Colloquialisms

Don’t use the word pants if you don’t want to be a source of fun. And if a colleague says “your pants look nice,” don’t blush. They do not refer to your underwear, but to your pants, jeans, etc. Also avoid the word jumper if you don’t want any teasing looks. The term sweater is the best alternative.

Talk about the water cooler

Nobody will be interested in the Premiership, the World Cup or the European Championship. If you start talking about football, they will assume you are talking about the NFL or worse, the CFL, not football.

Save your football talk for your friends in the UK or your fellow expats. In Vancouver, it’s all about hockey, and keep in mind that it’s hockey and not ice hockey. Vancouver is full of rabid Canuck fans (that’s the Vancouver Canucks for you) who can get particularly hysterical if the team makes the play-offs in the spring.

Good to know

You’ll get a lot more paychecks, although you may be making less money since most places pay wages twice a month.

The right to annual leave is less generous than in the UK, but many companies will be willing to negotiate the right they advertise.

Easter Monday is not a legal holiday in British Columbia, so you may need to get used to a 3-day Easter weekend.

As a Brit, you won’t be an exotic creature in the Vancouver office, but you will have to get used to subtle changes in work culture to make sure you fit in perfectly.