Gravity Meets Sarah Kate, Junior Project Manager from Ireland

We sat down to speak to Junior Project Manager, Sarah Kate. She moved to London two years ago for a new job, after spending time studying in China. We spoke about community, work and advice for those who have recently moved to London.

What does community mean to you?

Community to me is a support network. Knowing your neighbours and being able to relate and connect to others. Even something as little as a smile and someone asking about your day can make all the difference to your happiness in a new city.

What are you currently working on?

I am a junior project manager for a fintech company, working in London for the last two years. I work on mainly IT-based projects, currently developing a new POS system for a national store network.

How to become a Project Manager? The first steps. 

• Start off by knowing what job titles to search for. Assistant or junior project management roles are the best place to start with 0-2 years’ experience needed. Recruiters and LinkedIn are the best places to find out about them.
• Look at doing courses like a PMP course or a PRINCE2 Foundation course.
• Speak to other project managers to network and find your way in.

Advice on moving to London? 

1. London is a big place, getting around is the most difficult part. Download City Mapper. Thank me later!
2. Going to classes was something that really helped me. I enrolled in a night course to develop my Mandarin and regularly went to exercise classes. When you have moved to a new city for a job, it can be easy to not make enough time for yourself. Having something scheduled each week was really helpful, gave me structure and introduced me to new people.
3. There are so many great resources out there with free events and the latest art exhibitions. Time Out is the obvious one for this.

What to do in London? My three favourite things to do in London.  

1. Food. Food. Food. Especially in food markets. The ones you will regularly catch me at are Spitalfields, Brick Lane Market on a Sunday and Borough Market.
2. London is such a great city for walks. Each park has its own characteristics to explore.
3. I love to shop and go stop off at a few cafes along the way. My favourite place for this is Oxford St, Carnaby St and Covent Garden.

How do you take care of your mental health in London?  

Exercise is core to keeping my mind healthy. I joined sports teams, which allowed me to find an Irish community in another City. There are a lot of different specialised sports groups, aiming to make those from outside of London feel at home. I am not a professional football player by any means so joining was quite daunting, but you just need to throw yourself into it.

Community Vs serviced apartment 

When I first moved to London my work placed me in a serviced apartment which made it hard to make new friends. Having a community-led living space would have meant I would have been with like-minded professional people open to socialising. Especially if you are only in London for a certain amount of time, living within a community would allow you to get much more out of London by making connections and exploring the local area. I wish I knew about the Gravity community earlier!