International Career

International experience

Working or studying abroad not only allows you to gain experience of new cultures and working practices  but also to develop a range of skills which are highly regarded by both  universities and prospective employers. If you have studied abroad or  have experience of traveling or working in a different country then  you’re on the right road to distinguishing yourself from the competition.  Working internationally impresses potential employers because it demonstrates  the employee’s initiative in finding a job abroad and shows that the  candidate has developed cross-cultural communication skills through  interacting with people from a different culture and in a different  language. It also proves that the candidate is flexible and open to  new ways of thinking and living, which encourages personal development  and resilience. Living abroad is a challenge and allows you to be more  independent than you ever thought possible. It is also an opportunity  to learn about yourself; you will develop a variety of skills and discover  talents and traits you didn’t know you had!

An international career is employment  in another country or a job that allows a great deal of overseas travel.  You may wish to work abroad to learn new skills or languages or to gain  experience of a new culture. It is possible that working overseas will  provide more job opportunities or a better salary, or you may be relocating  with your current employer, your family or are simply looking to change  your career.

The benefits of an international  career:

• Travelling overseas.
• Networking abroad.
• Utilizing and expanding your skills within an international environment, particularly your communication skills.
• Experiencing a new culture/way of life.
• Gaining insight into different working practices.

It’s never too early to start preparing  for an international career. The key to gaining relevant experience  is to immerse yourself in all things international – learning new  languages, school and university exchanges and volunteering abroad are  all ways of improving your CV and chances of finding a job abroad. 

As well as learning languages at school,  it might be worth investing in a night class, online course or a language  school course abroad because acquiring foreign language skills  increases opportunities in the job market. Moreover, if you are competent  in foreign languages then once you are working it’s likely that there  will be more opportunities to travel and that you will be involved in  more international projects too. Click here for more information about  studying a foreign language: http://www.ialc.org/. Also refer to our country profiles and the  language schools listed there!

It is also possible take part in a formal exchange program through your school, college or university whereby  you study in another country and (often) experience living with a local  family. Your careers adviser/tutor will be able to tell you more about  this and help with your application. Studying overseas is the  best way to gain in-depth knowledge of another country, its culture,  customs, people and language, and having international education experience  looks great on your CV. Yet, like further study, studying abroad often  requires a significant personal and financial commitment so it’s important  to think carefully about why you want to study overseas and what you  expect to gain from it. You should look at all of your options carefully  and assess the quality of programs available – course  titles, content, entry requirements and duration can vary and institutions  within a single country may have differing reputations and academic  standards. Visit our country profiles for information about education  structures and standards in specific countries.

There are various schemes and awards  available if you’re considering enrolling on a course overseas. They  vary from country to country and region to region and also in terms  of what they offer you but our country profiles provide you with more  detailed information. Your local High Commission and Ministry of Education  will also be able to help you with your research and application. Some  of the more well-known schemes are listed here:

• ERASMUS (European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) was introduced    to increase student mobility within Europe. The ERASMUS Program counts    towards the final degree and is open to a wide range of students, not    just those studying languages. Individual universities will be able    to tell you more about their participation in the ERASMUS scheme. For more information about the ERASMUS program generally click here: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-program/doc80_en.htm

• Global Xchange is a program run by the British Council, Voluntary Service Overseas, and    a number of local partners worldwide. Its purpose is to develop international volunteer exchanges and other global projects: http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-global-xchange.htm

• The Training and Work Experience scheme or TWES visa service allows organizations to recruit a non-EU    citizen and provide training towards a professional or specialist qualification,    or practical work experience, on the basis that the candidate will return    to the organization's office in their home country to utilize the experience gained while working in the UK: http://www.globalvisas.com/uk_immigration/training_and_work_experience.html

• The Open Society Institute (OSI) and SOROS Foundation Network is a private    foundation which works both locally and internationally to promote human    rights and economic, legal, and social reform: http://www.soros.org/

Once you feel prepared and are ready  to start your international career then many questions will naturally  come to mind. If you have no preference about where you want to live  then a good starting point is:

• Where you have friends/family.
• Where you speak the language.
• A country you’re familiar with.
• A country with vast opportunities in your sector.
• If you have a particular skill or area of expertise a country where this is most in demand.

Other important things to consider  before relocating abroad are:

• How will a move abroad affect your long-term career plans?
• Is it wise to relocate now or should you gain more experience at home first?
• Have you discussed moving abroad with family and friends? What do they think?
• Will you be able to cope with a change in culture? This includes things such as diet, climate, housing    and transport
• Will English be the primary language of your new country? Do you know enough to get by?
• Is it possible for your partner/children to relocate too? What does this move mean for them?
• If you own property what will you do with it? Rent it? Sell it?
• Is your salary likely to be the same? Can you survive on a lower salary?   

When starting a career abroad, be ready to deal with differences in management culture between your home  country and your new work environment as specific customs and ways of  working vary considerably. To read about the working culture in the  country you plan to move, please visit the "live" section  of our country profiles. 

Once the final decision of moving abroad  has been taken, finding a  full-time job overseas is the crucial last step. As mentioned  above, there are various resources available. Among them are:

• Entrypark’s job board – http://www.entrypark.com/jobs/.
• Your university's careers service – your university library will provide information about graduate  schemes and jobs and a career adviser can offer more specialist advice.
• National newspapers – typically, jobs are advertized in individual newspapers on specific days of the  week.
• Trade magazines – these normally advertize jobs for experienced professionals but can provide  you with useful information about developments within a particular industry.
• Contacts – as mentioned earlier, speak to family, friends, and colleagues and network as much as possible.
• Employment/recruitment agencies  – companies that match workers to jobs. Such agencies specialize in both full-time  and part-time work and can tailor the job search to your skills and  needs.
• Speculative applications – applications that you send even though there is no job being advertized.  In this case, you should target your letter and send it to the correct    person whose details you can find in directories and/or online.

 
Extracurricular activities

Other ways to stand out from the crowd  include participating in extracurricular activities, which are activities  you perform outside of the classroom/workplace, in your free time. These  are particularly important to employers as they not only reveal more  about your personality but also prove that you are driven, committed  and have developed strong social skills. Extracurricular activities  tend to be heavily promoted at high schools and are usually social or  sporty in nature, for example student governments and sports competitions.  Other examples include:

• Writing for the student newspaper/magazine.
• Learning a foreign language.
• Membership to a specific club, such as a drama club.
• University organizations – most universities have a huge array of organizations you can join, ranging    from religious clubs and political clubs to sports and arts clubs.