How to manage an expat career

Do you want to work abroad? Here are a few ways that will help you if you are looking to grow your expatriate career.

Identify your bright spots
Sure you’ve worked 15 years in finance or sales, but this doesn’t mean anything to a manager in a foreign country looking for a new team member. Clearly state your transferable skills in your CV. Remember that years of experience back home often equates to ‘zero’ experience in the local market.

Unless you have years of local market experience you will need to clearly show which skills will make you successful in your new career. These success skills are your bright spots. Make sure they shine in your CV.

Demonstrate your value
The best way to show your worth to an expat firm is to focus on your achievements. Nothing speaks better than what you did well in the past. Remember your achievements need to answer three main points:

What was done?
For whom?
What was the result? (Figures speak better than words, use % or $ )

Make a list of your achievements, use them as a guide, they will help you define a credible expat career objective and also script the conversation during your interview.

Develop a strong personal brand
Now that you have a good idea of your value, the cultural context and what the main challenges are in the field you chose, make sure you position yourself for expat career success. Developing a strong personal brand will enhance your chances to be noticed or recognized for your unique attributes and achievements.

Learn to deal with doubt
Nothing will come out as planned especially not an international career. Get used to it. You can plan to work abroad to the smallest detail, and it will not happen that way. I always ask the same question when I meet a new client ‘tell me how you got where you are’. The most interesting and successful expat professionals answer ‘it’s a long story.’ There is no plan.

Instead of planning, learn to deal with doubt in your life. Acquire skills to live with that little voice which wakes you up at 3am wondering if you will get a promotion/job abroad. The best tool to deal with doubt comes from judging situations and finding opportunities when they arise. Become a great decision maker rather than a planner.

Learn the language
Once you have set your sights on a specific country, start learning the language – well at least the basics. You do not have to be fluent but being able to shop at the local store and get directions, are a must. You will be overwhelmed during the first weeks of your arrival, learning the local language as well as local customs and cultural dos and don’ts will go a long way in decreasing this stress.

Choose wisely
Just because the posting is in a foreign country it does not mean the rules go out the window. A lot of times these days we are pressured into find the perfect career abroad, defined as the job you would do even if you didn’t get paid. This is insane.

Looking for jobs abroad with this mindset means you will look for a long time. It is totally impossible to simply do ‘what you love’. Rather focus on doing what you are. Do something that caters to your bright spots.

Expat-Daily.com » Career Advice