International Careers Leads and Advice for Jobs Abroad
As big companies and an ever-growing number of small businesses are going global, qualified workers can expect to find interesting careers abroad. For any worker, job experience abroad is a special professional opportunity. Not only can having worked abroad increase chances of finding work in one's home country, it is always a lifelong memory as well as an avenue for personal growth. Generally, an international job will be compensated at a higher level than comparable work at home. This does not necessarily translate into a high-income opportunity as living abroad can be expensive, especially when own accommodation has to be paid for or when no daily living expenses are part of the recruitment deal. Finding the right job, one that is both personally and professionally rewarding can be difficult. Luckily there are many good job search sites on the Internet that are tailored to finding an international career.
Before deciding if you are serious about looking for an international job and making a significant change in your life, you must decide how "independent" you are planning to be. Are you looking for a short-term assignment or internship, or seeking a longer-term position with relocation to a posting abroad for a few years? Are you looking in the private sector, or are you thinking about working for international relief or development agencies? Often you will be asked to submit your CV to a database; especially consulting firms ask for this. While it is good to have your CV in "the system' you should go about selectively in posting/submitting your CV. Many databases are little more than CV graveyards; so don't expect quick results from being accepted in a database. Perhaps most importantly, you should decide early on, if you are planning to look for an expatriate position with a firm or agency, or whether you plan to work abroad solo" as a freelancer/consultant. If you are thinking about consulting, you will need to have a "business-world" mindset: expect plenty of marketing and proposal writing before you land a "good" job.
This much being said, here are several web sites to get you started on your search. They can "show you the jobs" but also they offer plenty of information that shows you "how to" work abroad successfully.
A great place for getting started is the Escape Artist (http://www.escapeartist.com).This website shows you how to restart your life abroad. With thousands of articles, contacts, resources, links and tools for finding overseas employment, it can help you get some orientation.If you have already narrowed down where you want to work, Going Global can provide you with very useful information on working in one of the 23 countries they currently cover. The firm also provides professional services that can give you the "hirability edge" you may need to land that special job. Check them out at http://www.goinglobal.com
The Global Career Center is an international career services company with foreign and domestic jobs. They also specialize in international resume writing services and video work permit processing (http://www.globalcareercenter.com).
On the not-for-profit side The International Career Employment Center sets out to identify and describe international career positions with employers in all sectors of the job market, around the world (http://www.internationaljobs.org).
A very good and up-to-date international job web site is operated by DevnetJobs. It is designed as a Gateway to International Development and Environment Jobs, and offers a good mix of opportunities (http://www.devnetjobs.org).
If you happen to be a human resource professional, then this site is for you. Or rather, it is an article with a very long list of HR related job boards (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/6207/91363).
If you are indeed considering the business approach to working abroad, then you will find valuable advice from the world of solo entrepreneurs. WorkingSolo will help you assess, if you have enough of the needed common qualities shared by independent workers, that give them an advantage in working on their own (http://www.workingsolo.com).
No matter what approach you take to finding work abroad, you will discover that there is plenty of advice readily available and although opportunities in your specific field of work may not abound, just like everywhere else up and down cycles occur and you may one day virtually bump into several good openings at once.
Finally, if you are specifically interested in vacancies with international organizations, NGOs and public sector agencies, I myself provide related advisory services and you may want to ask for an initial assessment of what leads and "unexpected" vacancies are actually out there, possibly for you. You will find this service at
Finding an international job, while not always easy may not be such a remote possibility, with a little help and luck. Do remember, once you have that job offer and are on your way to new frontiers, we are all ambassadors of where we come from. Be your best and do you best, you can make a difference for yourself and others!
Additional AdviceThis is a text from the book, 200 Letters For Job Hunters. While the topics can be read individually, do spend some time browsing through them to get a sound overview.http://www.careerlab.com/letters/default.htm
The German Foreign Affairs Office operates a very comprehensive and well-structured job search service for international positions. Although the site is in German, it is more than worth examining, as it allows for searches according to multiple criteria such as organization, country or city location, level of employment as well as specialization. Available at:http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/www/de/aamt/stellengesuche/stellen_extern
Interviewing for an International JobYou want to work overseas. You've spent a lot of time preparing. You have researched hundreds of possibilities and sent your rsum and a covering letter to a multitude of organizations. You have been in contact with a number of potential employers and, finally, you've been invited to an interview for a specific job.
The interview is the most critical point in your job search. It is here that an employer assesses your suitability for overseas employment, based on their criteria. How closely do you match the employer's ideal profile? Do you have the qualifications? Do you and the company share similar management styles? Will you present a good company image abroad? Will you survive culture shock?Useful advice and tips are available at this URL:http://www.workingoverseas.com/sample.htm
CV & Resume Distribution, Cover letter, resume & CV tipshttp://www.jobera.com/
