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n the
Search for a Job
or
search
for work abroad,
people face many
challenges –
locating
opportunities,
obtaining work
permits and even
just getting
started. Knowing
what kind of
opportunities
you want to
pursue (full
time, summer,
etc.) as well as
which country
and even
organization are
of interest
helps as you
begin the
process. This
document is
meant to provide
you with
additional
information that
should aid you
in your
international
job
search
or
job searches
and
Job Costing
Where to begin?
job wanted
The most
effective place
to begin is the
Internet. A
variety of
governmental and
private sites
provide the
job
seeker with many
choices. The
Internet offers
an idea about
what is
available
overseas. The
World Wide Web
is also a place
for researching
companies and
posting
resumes
in order to find
the perfect
jobs
overseas for
you.
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An alternative to
this "packaged" deal is to do as
much initial research as you can
at home prior to departure, then
begin exploring local job
possibilities upon arrival.
There are plenty of great travel
and career guides that provide
leads specific to the foreign
land of interest to you. Job
boards at youth hostels,
universities, or cafes, or
listings in local newspapers
also serve as potential starting
points for your search.
Just like job-hunting at home,
landing a job becomes easier
when you meet your prospective
employer face-to-face. You'll
find that walking in to a place
where you really want to work
and asking for a job is by far
the most effective method of
landing a job overseas. Many
employers may not want to deal
with someone who is ten thousand
miles away. When you physically
make your presence and your
goals known, you begin to seem
like a real possibility.
A word of advice: Find out as
much as you can about the
country you'll be traveling to
before you leave. Again the
Internet and libraries serve as
great starting points. Talk to
others who have worked abroad -
the information they share with
you will be invaluable.
Do be prepared, though: landing
a job overseas often takes
months of preparation, but the
hard work you put into preparing
for your journey will give you
the confidence to find and land
a job on any soil.
What are the
Most Sought
After Skills?
What do
international
employers really
look for in
employees and
what skills will
be needed by
professionals to
perform
successfully in
the global
marketplace?
What
international
employers seek
in prospective
employees?.The
following areas
of required
knowledge and
skills:
Domain
knowledge, or
knowledge in
one's academic
discipline.
Colleges in the
U.S. are
presently
preparing their
graduates well
in domain
knowledge,
although
employers
expressed
concern that
increasingly
greater demands
and higher
standards may
soon result in
inadequately
prepared
graduates.
The three most
important skills
were cognitive
skills, social
skills, and
"personal
traits."
Problem-solving
ability,
decision-making,
and knowing how
to learn are
highly prized
generic skills.
Social skills
were described
as the ability
to work
effectively in
group settings,
particularly
with diverse
populations.
Personal traits
mentioned
frequently
included
flexibility,
adaptability,
and the capacity
to be
innovative.
Employers often
mentioned that
colleges do not
adequately
address this
type of skill
development.
What do I need
to
Work
Overseas?
All countries
(including the
U.S.) require
special
permission for
foreigners to
either work or
reside for long
periods of time.
Short-term
tourists
sometimes do not
need a visa and
student visas
are granted
relatively
easily. Most
employers, who
are subject to
heavy fines if
they hire
illegally, will
not offer a job
to a foreigner
who does not
already possess
a work permit.
This is where
Catch 22 comes
into play. Catch
22 says that you
won’t be able to
get the visa
unless you apply
for it outside
of the country
in which you are
looking for a
job. Work
exchange
programs are one
of the few legal
ways around this
Catch 22.
What types of
Work Abroad
Programs are
there?
Numerous special
programs offer
placements in
specific jobs
(paid or unpaid)
along with a
work permit, or
they assist you
in procuring a
short-term work
permit and help
with a
job
search once
overseas. Work
abroad programs
are limited in
duration,
lasting from two
weeks for
short-term
volunteer
programs, to a
summer or six
months, or as
long as one or
two years for
programs for
teaching abroad
or long-term
volunteering
such as the
Peace Corps.
There are four
types of work
abroad programs.
-
International
Internships:
Internships
offer the
most direct
connection
to
international
careers.
Available in
a wide range
of locations
and
disciplines,
internships
are equaled
in this
respect only
by volunteer
options.
Internships
for academic
credit are
plentiful
(they charge
tuition);
paid
internships
are rare.
"International"
internships
may be
located
abroad or in
the U.S.
with
international
organizations.
Typical
duration is
one
semester.
-
Short-term
Paid
Work
Abroad:
Typical jobs
include
restaurant
work,
temping,
childcare
and farm
work, though
enterprising
students may
find work of
a
professional
nature.
-
Volunteering
Abroad:
Volunteers
usually work
and live
together
with
ordinary
local
citizens.
Types of
work range
from
archaeology
digs to
social
services in
locations
worldwide.
Volunteering
is excellent
career
preparation
for those
interested
in working
in
developing
countries or
careers with
non-governmental
organizations.
-
Teaching
Abroad:
Teaching
English as a
Foreign
Language (TEFL
or ESL) is
one of the
most
accessible
options for
long-term
work abroad.
A college
degree is
required for
most
programs.
Jobs are
typically in
Asia or
Eastern
Europe (few
such jobs
are
available in
Western
Europe for
Americans).
Do not forget
that these are
just programs
that may help in
your search for
a job overseas.
There are
numerous
opportunities
not associated
with these
special
programs,
ranging from
hospitality to
work in the
technical field
to restaurant
work. Basically,
any job that you
can find in the
United States
can be found
overseas.
Having an idea
of what to
expect in any
given country,
as well as
keeping an open
mind once you
arrive, will
make your
transition that
much easier.
Whether the job
you are
interested in is
in the technical
field, in
education, or in
the
hospitality
industry, you
can find one
abroad. You just
have to know
where to look.
Overseas
employers are
directly looking
for employees
and you can find
these. The best
way to find
these jobs is to
search the world
wide web. The
internet holds
many
opportunities
that are just
waiting to be
taken advantage
of. There are a
wide variety of
fields open to
all workers. |