Work Abroad Wednesday

10 Working Abroad Tips

1) The first thing you need to do is decide where you want to go and work! This may sound very obvious – but aside from picking a random nation to land in and bestow your skills upon, there is actually a little more thought that needs to go into picking a location.

2) Then pick the region or even town or city that you want to base yourself in. For example, you’ve just finished studying French at university and you want to go to France for the summer and work. Well, do you want to head for the south coast and work in a tourist bar, do you want to end up in Paris working as an au pair.

3) With a nation and a location in mind you have to think about getting a work permit or residency visa – if you’re an EU national and you’re going to work in another EU country then you will not have to worry so much about this side of things. It’s likely that you will have to register your presence in the nation with the local police station of immigration office – but for those going further afield or for Aussies, Americans or Kiwis heading for Europe, there is paperwork to be completed. Contact the nearest embassy to you of the country you want to travel to and work in. Embassies are usually in capital cities and they often have a strong web presence as well which can at least give you a basic grounding in the paperwork you will need to complete to be allowed to work abroad.

4) With the country, the city and the paperwork sorted it’s time to think about actually working abroad and the capacity in which you are hoping to be employed. If you’re simply seeking casual work and you don’t mind what you do, it can be sufficient to just arrive and go from bar to bar, farm to farm or shop to shop asking for a job.

5) Looking for jobs abroad can be done via the Internet – you can contact employment agencies local to the country or even town you’re hoping to head for, you can contact agencies specialising in international recruitment, you can contact agencies specialising in recruiting for the work you’re hoping to secure.

6) Another top tip is thinking about whether you know people who live abroad. If you do, are they in locations that you might like to work in? If so this can be a great way in for you to get acclimatised to living and working abroad. Think about the useful people you know and consider targeting them for advice and assistance with your plans to work overseas – you’ll be surprised how happy people are to help when you show an interest in their lives and their nation.

7) If you want to travel and work abroad, consider getting a qualification or gaining skills in an area of employment that is portable. One of the favourite choices for those hoping to live all over the world and work is TEFL – or teaching English as a foreign language. The best, most recognised courses are those that are accredited by the Cambridge examinations board – steer clear of distance learning or Internet based courses as you will gain no practical experience and employers will not give your resume a second glance.

8) If you have a particular skill or area of expertise and you’re not sure where in the world you want to work abroad, try and find out where your skills or areas of expertise are most in demand.

9) Think about the financial aspect of moving abroad very seriously. Even if you have a job lined up for when you arrive or you intend to bum around and don’t care if you earn all that much, you will have an initial outlay at least for accommodation.

10) And finally – even before you go and certainly when you’re on the road travelling overseas, remember to network actively! It’s not what you know in life but who you know! When it comes to getting on in life, you can never have too many useful contacts.

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