Career Next Steps: Leveraging Your Career Through International Work Experience

Friday, November 22, 2019

Accelerated Personal and Professional Growth

As the pace of change continues to increase around the world, companies need to become nimble in the way they transform their operations and address customer needs to survive and thrive in this new “VUCA” world. At the individual level, personal agility is the new name of the game for those people looking advance their level of career success.

Consulting firms, recruitment experts and large global organizations agree that one of the best ways to increase your personal agility and leverage your career more quickly is to work in another area of the world. In fact, research has shown that over 60% of employers view applicants who have travelled, worked or studied abroad more favourably in the recruitment and selection process.

So, what is it about international work experience that makes it such a valuable part of a resume and since you will do the work and take that leap of faith, what’s in it for you personally?

Professional	Personal
Often compensation is significantly higher	You will better understand other cultures, viewpoints and value systems.
Improved emotional and cultural understanding	You will meet new people and expand your network
Increased leadership potential and stretch opportunities	Your personal confidence will grow
Learn new working styles, tools and techniques to solve problems	You will experience different ecological, cultural and economic systems
Increased personal adaptability and agility	You will often learn/improve language skills

Not All Rainbows and Butterflies

Working abroad isn’t for everyone. Some comments from people who have experienced working internationally:

Family and friends can often be a long distance away, so if you aren’t travelling with someone you may be lonely at times,
Colleagues in your host country may not be as friendly/eager to get to know you, and
The standard of living may be different/lower than your country of origin and requires that you adjust.

Do Your Research

If you choose to pursue an opportunity to expand your skills and experience by working abroad, there are some good questions to ask before signing the contract.

Do you require sponsorship from your employer and are there work VISA’s or other permits that you need to have prior to starting work?
Are you willing to learn the language?
If you are moving with your current employer, will they be able to provide you an opportunity when you return to your home country?