Media Strategy Lead
New Zealand (originally from Hungary)
This conversation was originally published in 2018 as part of the original Careering Conversations series.
We've lightly edited it for readability while preserving the original conversation and advice, and added an update on what Ivett has been doing since we first spoke.
Leaving behind an established career isn't something many people choose to do, especially when that career is thriving. But after building a successful career in Hungary and becoming a four-time EFFIE Award-winning media strategist, Ivett Lengyel realised she wanted something different. Life had become predictable, and she craved a new challenge. So she made a bold decision: she moved to New Zealand, as far from home as she could, knowing it would force her to fully commit to building a new life.
Like many of the women we've spoken to, Ivett didn't have her career mapped out while she was at school. She knew she wanted to continue studying, but exactly where that would lead remained unclear.
Her first qualification was in midwifery before she went on to study Media Relations, combining university with practical work experience in a media agency. That combination of learning and doing proved invaluable, allowing her to bring real-world examples into her studies while developing her professional skills at the same time.
Most people would have stopped there, but not Ivett.
Driven by a genuine love of learning, she later completed a degree in Horticultural Engineering while continuing to work full-time in media. It was a significant commitment that required sacrificing much of her social life, but it was also deeply personal. The qualification honoured her late grandfather, who had been a barrel maker, and unexpectedly became one of the most valuable assets she brought with her to New Zealand.
Starting over wasn't easy.
Although Ivett had years of professional experience, her English wasn't yet at the level employers expected. Rather than seeing that as a barrier, she took the opportunities available, working in hospitality while improving her language skills and building local experience. Within a relatively short time, she secured a marketing management role and went on to win a New Zealand Direct Marketing Award. From there, she went on to be promoted to Media Strategy Lead at a well-known electronics brand, a similar level of seniority to the role she’d held back in Hungary, proof that experience, resilience and determination travel well.
For Ivett, learning has never been limited to formal qualifications. It's about staying curious, exposing yourself to different cultures and remaining open to new experiences. The one thing she wishes she'd done differently is learn more languages when she was younger. She believes languages don't just help you communicate—they open doors to different ways of thinking and understanding the world.
Moving countries also changed her perspective on success.
Rather than measuring success through awards or career progression alone, Ivett came to value experiences, growth and the confidence that comes from knowing you can adapt. Starting again in a new country reminded her that careers are rarely defined by a single qualification or job title. They're built through the skills, relationships and resilience we develop along the way.
Ivett’s willingness to embrace uncertainty came through clearly. Leaving behind a successful career to start again takes courage, but it also demonstrates something many of us underestimate: the confidence that comes from trusting your own ability to figure things out.
Since we first spoke
Update coming soon.
What Ivett taught us
Reinvention doesn't erase everything you've achieved—it builds on it. Every skill you develop, every culture you experience and every challenge you overcome becomes part of the foundation for whatever comes next. Sometimes the bravest career decision isn't climbing higher—it's having the courage to begin again.
