Meet Team USA - Annabel Nangle

Annabel Nangle joined QCS Staffing in 2017 as a Delivery Executive, moving into the role of Managing Consultant after gaining skills and knowledge from our award-winning training. Annabel relocated from the UK to North Carolina in March 2023.

 We spoke to her to see how she has found relocating and the benefits of being in the States.

Why were you up for relocating to the USA?

I wanted to try something new and was excited by the opportunity and adventure that comes with living in a new country. The clients and candidates I work with are all USA-based, so the opportunity to work collaboratively with them on the same time zone and to get to visit them in person was too good to pass up on.

What excited you most about the opportunity?

Exploring a new country and culture. I'd never lived outside of the UK, so that was what excited me the most.

What’s exciting about the Life Science industry in North Carolina?

Where we are based in North Carolina the Life Science industry is flourishing and there is sustained growth and investment. The area is an established hub for biotech and pharmaceutical investment however it is now entering a phase of unprecedented expansion unlike Boston for example, where they’re saturated with biotech and pharma investment, the Research Triangle Park offers abundant space to build large-scale manufacturing facilities. Also, due to the local universities; University of North Carolina, Duke University and North Carolina State University there are also a lot of research and clinical-based companies that are exploring novel drugs to cure life-threatening illnesses. The potential for development and growth here is truly promising!

   What are the benefits of being in the USA? 

I have to emphasize the advantage of working in the same time zone as my clients and candidates, it facilitates a more seamless collaboration. The ability to meet clients in person within a few hours has transformed client relationships from exchanges into lasting partnerships. I have also noticed a significant improvement in building a network of candidates, thanks to monthly networking events and the valuable insights shared by industry professionals.

On a personal note, I value the geographical diversity North Carolina offers. With beaches and mountains just a couple of hours away, I have discovered so many opportunities for exploration within the state. Additionally, I love the ease with which I can now travel across the United States, a perfect example being my recent weekend trip to Denver.

It's been 6 months since you relocated, how has it been? How have you adjusted to US life?

I am starting to morph into an American, Adam pulled me up on something I said in the accent the other day. So I’d say I have adjusted really well.

   What have been your highlights?

Business trips and finally meeting some of my contractors in the flesh after working with them for years and only seeing them on Teams calls has been a top highlight! 

A personal highlight has been sharing my love of North Carolina with my friends and family so they can see for themselves how much there is to do here and for them to experience how amazing it is! And of course travelling across the country and visiting New York, Miami, Charleston and South Carolina too.

What’s been challenging about kicking off Team USA stateside?

I think it's just maintaining the company culture because we're a small office. We want to make sure we still live by our values and integrate the new team members into that but whilst understanding that there may be cultural differences and adapting to them. I know in the UK, HQ held a summer party for the team and their family and we did something on a smaller scale here with the team and their families, which was a great opportunity to get to know each other even better, family is really important to everyone.

What do you miss the most about the UK?

Cadbury’s Chocolate, I dream about. And when I came back to the UK, I brought back a big bag of mini dairy milk to share with the USA office. We did some taste tests against Hershey's. Any time my family or friends visit I put a request in for them to bring me back a supply of Cadbury’s. And I of course miss my family and my dog.

What does the future hold for Team USA?

More growth, both internally and externally. I think the focus is building up our own robust US hub, reducing dependence on the UK office and capitalizing on the opportunities the American market has to offer. I’m excited to see what the future holds for Team USA.

If you would like to join our team in the USA and grow your staffing career speak with our talent team today or check out our live vacancies.