Working abroad : Before you make a decision

What are your objectives?

The clearer your objectives, the more likely you are to succeed. Ask yourself:

• why you want to work abroad and what you hope to achieve from the experience (e.g. if you want to improve your language skills, working as an au pair and living with a local family might help you achieve your goal better than teaching English and sharing a flat with other expats);
• where you want to go and what you want to do;
• how long you think you would like to spend abroad;
• how you will benefit both personally and in terms of your career.

Timescales and exit strategies

• Be realistic about the time it will take you to find and plan a job overseas. The process requires careful consideration, good organisation and determination.
• Consider that getting meaningful work experience for only a year may be difficult. Your year abroad may easily turn into two or three.
• What will you do when you come back to the UK? Is this your intention? If you plan on using your experience abroad to help get a job once you return, think about how you will market it. Your initiative in getting a job overseas, as well as your motivation in following it through and making it a success, will impress employers. The ability to communicate and work as part of a team with people from a broad range of cultural backgrounds is also an invaluable skill. Make sure these things are reflected in your CV.

Language and cultural issues

• Being a foreigner with English as a mother tongue can have its advantages, but be aware that many international firms may prefer to hire locals who speak the language. You should check how it will affect your employment chances if you are not competent in the necessary language.
• The type of work you are doing, your employer and the country you are in will all determine the level of language skills required. An IT job in a multinational organisation for example, may be possible with more limited language skills.
• Even if a high standard of the language is not required, you may want to demonstrate your cultural adaptability by learning it anyway. You will need to be prepared to devote time and effort to doing so. You may be able to take a course at your university, local institution or in your destination country. Research your options as costs can vary widely.
• Expect to experience ‘culture shock’ for the first few weeks or months in a new country. Prepare yourself mentally by researching the aspects of the culture you might find unusual or difficult. Read as much as you can and speak to other people who have moved to that country to live and work.
• However much you may think you know about your destination country, be prepared to adjust to cultural norms and behaviour, both socially and in the workplace.

Culture shock

• Your living and working environments may be predetermined by the type of job you are doing. If not, it is something you need to consider. For example, would you prefer to be surrounded by expats, so that you feel more at home? Or would you rather be surrounded by the local community, so that you get a real feel for the new culture? Before you go, check that you will be happy with the living arrangements as well as the work setting.

Family impact

• If you are travelling with family or a partner, consider how they will fit into the new environment and implications that working abroad may have for them, e.g. with their work or schooling. Even if friends and family are being left behind, your move will still have an impact on them. Consider how you will communicate with them while you are away and the possibility of visits.