Living Abroad : Articles - Finding A Job Overseas


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FINDING a JOB OVERSEAS By Ruth Halcomb

To many, the idea of living and working overseas evokes images of glamour and excitement. But the dream can quickly turn into a nightmare if not approached in a realistic way.

U.S. citizens are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to working in Europe. Citizens of EU countries can move freely from country to country, and most employers in EU countries are obligated to hire EU citizens before giving consideration to others. In many parts of the world, especially where unemployment rates are high, preference is given to local citizens, and in some countries, foreign residents are not permitted to hold jobs.

Your odds are greatly enhanced, however, if you work for a company with operations overseas. Or, if you can qualify for hard-to-fill positions in fields such as nursing and various scientific and technical specialties. More openings exist, too, for those willing to go to the world's danger spots.

Know Your Motivation
You'll be asked countless times why you want to work abroad. Your first step is defining "why" for yourself. Why does working in a different country appeal to you? What draws you to a particular country?

Mere dissatisfaction isn't enough. Have you been plotting an international career while getting your education? Have you spent time studying or working in your target country? Do you speak the language? Are your parents or grandparents from there? Are you familiar with the economy and business climate? A strong connection to the part of the world where you want to go is a big asset.

It's also important to see working overseas as a building block in your over-all career. You'll benefit more from an overseas experience if you know how this experience dovetails with your long-term goals. Also, you'll appear more valuable to future employers if you can demonstrate how your career goals coincide with the career paths their company offers.

Career plans change, of course. If you're the sort of individual likely to succeed to abroad, you're open to new opportunities and able to change direction. Perhaps you've already had several careers. Showing that you are focused will help you get the job you want; being flexible will help you cope once you get there.

Resume or CV
A resume geared to employment in the U.S. probably isn't adequate. A resume conveys an idea of the applicant's qualifications and background in a nutshell. A curriculum vitae or CV, which is used in most foreign countries, includes more detailed information about your education and experience.

Whatever you do, get rid of jargon not easily understood outside the U.S., and purge all spelling and grammatical errors. If you aren't confident about writing your own resume or CV, get professional help. For examples of each, see www.quintcareers.com/resres.html and http://jobsearch.about.com/od/cvsamples/ Or see http://jobsearch.about.com/od/sampleresumes/l/blsampleindex.htm

Contacts...Contacts...Contacts
You've posted your CV on the Internet, sent it out to dozens of companies and nothing is happening. What's wrong?

What you know isn't nearly as important as whom you know and who knows you. Networking with influential people from international companies and from foreign countries is invaluable.

If you're in a small town or a small company, your best move may be to a different job or a new city where you'll make the contacts to help you launch an international career.

Consider, too, that contacts from your past - from pervious jobs and from college - can be helpful. Foreign students you once knew may now be in important position in their home country.

Individual contacts probably won't offer you a dream job, and it often isn't appropriate to ask such a favor. What you can ask for is advice, and this may lead to other contacts. Keep expanding your network and the possibilities keep increasing.

Go Now...Job Hunt Once There?
There are many advantages to lining up a position before you leave home. If you're sent overseas by a large company, your employer will probably help with transporting your possessions and with housing as well offering a salary comparable with what you'd receive in the U.S.

Maybe you're not among the lucky ones to be "sent" abroad, but you're still adventuresome enough to go. Should you take a job in a different field or at a lower level just to get a foothold in the country where you want to be?

More than a few working expats started out with the Peace Corps, an internship, a volunteer position with a nonprofit or a job teaching English. This enabled them to make contact with a local company or an international company where they moved into a different type of position.

Some go abroad with no job, but this isn't for the faint of heart. Before deciding on this course of action, find out what your living costs will be while job-hunting. Also investigate the legal requirements for working in your target country; you may be required to come home to apply for the visa or working papers.

It's risky to go chasing something that may or may not pan out. Can you afford being away from your career for a time? Can your spouse or other family members tolerate upheaval in their lives?

When you start an international job hunt, you're embarking on an enterprise with many unknowns. If this scares you or the family you hope to take along, take time to re-consider. If facing unknowns stimulates you and bolsters your confidence, this might be for you.

Ruth Halcomb is the founder of Network for Living Abroad and editor of Updates from liveabroad.com. She is also the author of Women Making It, Patterns and Profiles of Success and other books, and writes about business and career issues for various magazines.

Resources See our Links to Job Resources and Business Abroad, also our Classified listings, International Jobs.

Also see

Avoid Overseas Jobs Scams - Useful information from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and from the Better Business Bureau.- http://overseasdigest.com/scams.htm/
The Global Citizen: A Guide to Creating an International Life and Career, by Elizabeth Kruempelmann
International Jobs Directory: A Guide to over 1001 Employers by Ronald L. Krannich, Phd. and Caryl Rae Krannich, Ph.D.
International Jobs: Where They Are and How to Get Them, Sixth Edition by Nina Segal and Eric Kocher
International Job Finder: Where the Jobs Are Worldwide by Daniel Lauber
Work Worldwide: International Career Strategies for the Adventurous Job Seeker by Nancy Mueller
Work Your Way Around the World by Susan Griffith