Expats working in New York City often arrive ready to run in the most daunting rat race of them all at full sprint. As the largest regional city economy in the country and the most impressive financial centre in the world, it's certainly easy to glamorise the opportunity to be part of Manhattan's wheels and cogs, but expats should also be prepared to walk into a business environment that's defined by cut throat competition, high stress and long hours.

The city acts as a headquarters to huge international companies and home to major branches of foreign industry, many of them listed as top global Fortune 500 organisations. 

At its heart, the financial, healthcare, real estate and insurance sectors build the block-like foundations of NYC's economy, and secondary industries like publishing, manufacturing, information technology, and trade help drive the beast forward.

The big apple, as its affectionately referred to, is also often pegged as a global creative hub, and many expats who are up-and-coming in the art world aspire to one day be working in New York City.

Business culture varies in New York. If you’re an expat working for a large corporation, expect long hours, a lot of responsibility, and pressure to work and make decisions quickly. Depending on your industry, you may compete directly with your colleagues to work on the best and most lucrative accounts.

New York offers one of the highest cost of living rates in the United States, so international employers may offer additional assistance. That being said, if you're an expat who's been lucky enough to be teased abroad by a lucrative expat package in the financial sector you'll most likely be earning one of the top salaries in the world; even in lieu of the dark shadow the recent recession cast across this industry.

It follows that maintaining a low-paying job will make life difficult in the “Big Smoke”, and will certainly be the cause of unnecessary stress. As an expat moving to New York for a work opportunity be sure to negotiate a sizeable salary package.