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Working abroad : Finding employers

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  1. Why do it?
  2. Before you make a deci…
  3. Where can I go?
  4. Types of work
  5. Finding employers
  6. Vacancies abroad
  7. Self-employment
  8. Checklist
  9. Contacts and resources

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  • Find a UK employer with overseas offices - many UK organisations have offices overseas e.g. banks, civil engineering companies, accounting firms, oil companies, solicitors, armed forces, civil service, etc. Check company websites to see if a specific company has overseas offices. However, you will need to be realistic. There are no guarantees that you will be able to work in an overseas office. There are likely to be more overseas opportunities once you have gained experience. Some companies only offer opportunities in particular destinations. Others may be happy to send you anywhere in the world.
  • UK and international companies that recruit worldwide - 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 (e.g. Unilever), civil and structural engineering companies (e.g. Mott McDonald and Balfour Beatty), the armed forces - who are involved in training large numbers of military and civilian staff overseas, civil service - many government departments offer both short-term and long-term postings overseas including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The main route for graduates is via the Civil Service Fast Stream, but other vacancies are advertised by the individual departments.
  • Overseas job postings - explore international job posting websites to learn about potential employers e.g. 4 International Careers & Jobs.
  • Use business directories - these can provide lists of potential employers e.g. Kompass, Europages.
  • Contact recruitment agencies -   See the 'vacancy sources' section of individual country profiles to find links to recruitment agencies in specific countries. 
  • Consult professional online journals, magazines and newspapers - these usually have a jobs section and may show which employers are active in your chosen country or area. Kidon Media-Link provides access to foreign newspapers.
  • Networking - contact people in your chosen career field who are working in overseas posts to learn more about how they got their job and to get advice. Let people in your company know about your interest in working abroad.
  • International students - international students graduating from British universities should note that UK-based international companies regularly recruit those interested in returning to work in their home countries.
 
 
 
AGCAS
Andrea Gregory, AGCAS
Date: 
April 2010
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