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job vacancies abroad
UK and international companies with overseas officesGetting a job with a UK company that has offices overseas may be one way of securing work in another country. There is no doubt that Britain invests huge amounts of money abroad and has commercial and cultural ties with all parts of the world. As new markets open up, opportunities are appearing in different countries; China and India in particular are big growth areas. Some large organisations often have a number of offices overseas and are tending to centralise their operations, with one location acting as the headquarters for the whole of Europe. You should not assume however, that securing a job with a company that has offices abroad automatically means you get to work in one of the foreign locations. You will need to be realistic about when you will get that overseas posting. The majority of organisations will not contemplate sending a member of staff to represent them abroad unless they are satisfied with levels of competence and can see evidence of the other qualities needed to succeed in the new posting. It is normal to spend two or three years working in an organisation in this country before being transferred to one of the offices overseas. There are likely to be many more opportunities available once you have gained experience - it is more common for staff at middle and senior level to travel abroad on a regular basis. There are, however, some exceptions. Organisations/employers with international operations in such areas as civil engineering and accountancy sometimes have a policy of sending newly recruited staff overseas to gain experience, often for two or three-year postings. International studentsFor international students graduating from British universities, it is worth noting that UK-based international companies regularly recruit those who are interested in making their careers in their home countries. back to top UK and international companies recruiting worldwideThere are a variety of companies with offices overseas but examples include: - investment banks/merchant banks/retail banks, e.g. Morgan Stanley and HSBC;
- solicitors with international divisions, e.g. Baker & Mackenzie;
- accountancy firms, particularly those with a consultancy arm, e.g. KPMG;
- oil companies, e.g. Shell, Esso and BP;
- companies specialising in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), e.g. Unilever;
- civil and structural engineering companies, e.g. Mott McDonald and Balfour Beatty.
Non-commercial organisationsThe following also recruit worldwide: No choice over destinationSome graduates are happy to accept jobs which include the opportunity to work abroad, even when they have no choice over where they may be posted. Working in the armed forces, the Diplomatic Service, for airlines or the travel industry are all examples of where the destinations of overseas work may be out of your control. You should consider whether you would be happy in being sent anywhere in the world or if you would want to choose your destination yourself, when deciding on what job to go for. back to top Contacts for overseas employersIf you decide to research into potential overseas employers yourself and make direct applications, you may discover that it is difficult to find which organisations operate in each country. The following contacts and resources, however, should be of use: - Country specific information provides information on sources of vacancies and other useful contacts and resources for over 50 countries.
- UK Trade & Investment helps British firms interested in investing overseas and has a team of international trade advisers located in offices around the UK.
- EURES - European Job Mobility Portal, has a huge database of jobs from over 30 European countries. There is the opportunity to register your CV and receive email alerts for new jobs matching your profile.
- Agencies such as Expertise in Labour Mobility, offer useful information on the job market and recruitment practices in various countries.
- Eurograduate - the European Career Guide, lists vacancies in Europe and worldwide.
- Europages is an online directory with links to companies in Europe.
- Jobs Abroad provides a database of job vacancies around the world.
- Kompass is a very useful online business directory, which can be searched by country.
- International Job Online, produced by the University of London, has vacancies and careers information aimed particularly at international students and graduates seeking work overseas after graduation.
- Professional online journals, magazines and newspapers usually have a jobs section. Look at these to see which employers are active in your chosen country or area.
- There are a number of recruitment agencies involved in cross-border employment that organise fairs and events aimed at African, Asian and European students and graduates.
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