You
can land just about any job abroad that you can in the United
States; the secret is to go there . While a few lucky souls move with
a U.S. contract in hand -- including attractive expatriate benefits
-- most of us go without any guarantee of work on the other side.
The payoffs are worth the gamble. More than likely you will peg in
at a higher responsibility level with greater mobility than with
your job at home. This doesn't necessarily translate into higher
earnings, but no monetary benefits include development of language
and cross-cultural skills and a global perception.
We are frequently amazed at the positions our friends hold and the
activity stemming from their work. The people we know are no
different from the people we studied with in college, except that
they made the decision to work abroad. The professional community
abroad is smaller, the contacts are at higher levels, and things
just seem to happen.
Admittedly, the transcontinental jump is a challenge. Pulling up
roots, convincing your family to accept a move to a foreign country,
then sacrificing part of your savings for airfare and the job hunt
is a tough decision. But through adaptability and determination,
most of us succeed in making the transition.
Typical Work Arrangements
Work abroad falls into one of three categories: 1) US contract, paid
in dollars by a US company, usually with expatriate benefits; 2)
national contract, paid in local currency as a resident of the
country; and 3)self-employed and freelance.
US Contract
The most desirable situation is to work as a US contracted employee.
The company will usually pay for your move and perhaps even include
airfare home for the holidays. It may also subsidize rent, buy
household appliances, pay foreign taxes, arrange working papers, and
provide other expat benefits. Sometimes the most important aspect of
the arrangement is payment in dollars, which adds stability in
countries with shaky currencies.
National Contract
Working as a national in a foreign country means being paid in the
local currency and in line with similar positions there. In
developing countries this usually translates to much less than you
would receive in the US for similar work; however, the cost of
living is usually lower. In developed countries compensation is
usually comparable with similar work in the US, but the entry
barriers are likely to be higher because of a ready supply of
nationals with similar education levels and the difficulty of
obtaining a work visa.
Self-Employed/Freelance
The self-employed either start a business in the foreign country or
freelance as consultants, journalists, and models. Many have at
least a few years of experience in their field and begin generating
income immediately.
Targeting Your Country
The first step is picking a deadline six to 12 months down the road
to make the move if the stateside search doesn't produce results. In
this time you can collect a lot of useful information that will help
you choose your target country. Equally important tasks include
making contacts in the target country, improving your language
skills, and saving money.
Begin with the region that interests you, then narrow down the
countries by available opportunities. You can glean macro-economic
information from the international sections of periodicals like Business
Week and the Wall Street Journal. As with all secondary
research, your web browser and local librarian are your best
friends. Personal interests can be as important as macroeconomics.
The Search From Home
Interestingly enough, you use the same tools and strategies in an
international job search that you would use in a regular job search,
the most of important of which is getting the word of your interest
out through your personal contacts.
Let's say you've picked Seoul, South Korea as your prospective
destination. If in every social occasion you mention offhandedly,
"I'm hoping to make a job move to Korea in about six
months," you will be amazed at the references you get. The
contacts may range from a friend to show you around the city, a
prospective host to stay with upon arrival (this is a huge benefit),
or perhaps even an employer.
If the referenced person seems worthwhile, you should send a cover
letter and resume informing her/him of your goals and requesting an
informational interview. If that person doesn't feel responsible for
giving you the job, the meeting will probably be more productive.
Internships
Real jobs, including jobs abroad, frequently start with internships.
One popular avenue to overseas employment is to look up companies
that have operations in the target country and send resumes to their
personnel departments. However, the likelihood of this even leading
to an interview is small. It is worthwhile, though, to learn all you
can about business activity in your target country and to bring
along a list of companies to contact upon arrival.
Another route is to take a job in any capacity with a multinational
corporation in the US and try to work your way into an international
slot from the inside. Many large companies fill overseas positions
from within the organization, but there is no guarantee you will be
moved abroad.
Making the Move
Few people land a job without first going to their target country,
usually on a tourist visa. Working papers are arranged once a job is
found. Before you fly into town with nothing more than a couple of
suitcases, some savings, and gutsy ambition, try to talk to enough
people to know the cost of sustaining a two- to three-month job
hunt. Your budget should include round-trip airfare, initial hotel
costs, rent, food, transport, and health insurance.
The first priority is to avoid an expensive hotel stay. Ideally,
before leaving you will have lined up a personal contact with whom
you can stay for a few days. If not, the first task at hand is to
find a place to unpack your suitcases at a monthly rather than daily
rate. The English language newspapers often have classified ads from
people looking for roommates. You'll of course want to check the
want ads as well.
As much as you may want to "go local" immediately and
completely immerse yourself in the new culture, meeting other experts
is helpful. Look for the watering holes and gyms where they
congregate and start the personal networking immediately. This is
the most likely way to find a place to live and a job.
Finding the Job
The most efficient on-site job search follows a two-pronged
strategy: The first prong is the direct route of targeting the firms
in your area of interest and leaving resumes with decision makers
contacted in an earlier phone call. The second prong is the informal
one of letting as many people as possible know that you are looking
for work and are eager to get to it. You should be well practiced at
this because you did it in the US when you started your search from
home.
The American Chamber of Commerce sometimes has a bulletin board of
companies that have contacted them looking for bilingual personnel.
The member companies themselves are good targets. Starting out on a
student visa in the foreign country is another option for gaining a
longer-term legal status. A few manage to transform the study
experience into a job experience.
Working for Yourself
The self-employed -- entrepreneurs, journalists, consultants, models
-- follow much the same route as those looking for national
contracts. Most are freelancers who live from assignment to
assignment and struggle until their business base is established.
Their previous experience in what they do usually helps them beat
down the learning curve a bit. Stubborn determination remains the
biggest asset.
Remember that if you are self-employed you have the added challenge
of setting up an office. That means wrestling with business taxes,
lawyers, and accountants-the same as for entrepreneurs at home, but
more difficult in a foreign environment.
The possibility of working overseas is not a pipe dream. In fact,
with the globalization of the world's economies, US employers are in
a position to benefit from professionals with cross-cultural
experience.
Foreign Entry Requirements
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of
Consular Affairs
Summarizes foreign entry requirements to all countries for U.S.
citizens traveling on tourism or business. Includes visas,
identification requirements, immunizations, required medical tests,
international travel restrictions, and fees. |
