So you want to work in a foreign country

If you are interested in foreign careers, you should begin preparing fairly early in your college career. Obtaining an overseas job typically requires:

• a strong proficiency in a skill set that necessitates hiring a foreigner,
• cultural adaptability and understanding,
• and basic language skills needed to complete the job.

If you know you want to work overseas, begin making languages and international coursework a priority as early as possible in your college career. Learning fundamental languages like Spanish and French is always useful. If you know you have a deep interest in a specific area of the globe, such as Russia, China, or the Middle East, you should begin to take basic language courses accordingly.

Preparing to live in an international environment means more than just learning the language. It also means learning customs and culture. To become comfortable in an international environment, begin by joining a university intercultural group like a foreign language club, international club, or country specific group. By spending time with people from different countries in a social setting, you will become more relaxed and confident and able to learn about the different cultures around you.

Another valuable experience is participating in a structured foreign academic experience. There are many universities and organizations that offer semesters abroad, summer cultural and linguistic experiences, and short term tours of different countries. These experiences, while expensive will help you become comfortable with foreign travel and the experience of being immersed in a foreign language. If you are thinking about graduate school, consider getting your degree at a university in the foreign country in which you have interest. You are more likely to make contacts and learn the nuances of the culture if you are immersed.

Once you have finished school and are ready to do some career seeking, it’s important to do some research to understand what working in your given location means. Each country has different laws and customs about careers and job hunting. In some countries, you will have to have a specific visa to be considered for a job. You may have to prove that you are uniquely suited for a given job and are not taking work away from a citizen of the country. To avoid these hassles, you can apply to American based companies with foreign offices who will handle most of these issues for you.

Resumes and interviews are also different for each country. For example, in many Asian countries it is still commonplace to submit your photo with your resume. In Australia, however, it is not only frowned on, but it is illegal for an employer to request one. Doing some research is of paramount importance if you want to successfully job hunt overseas.

The brevity of a resume is predominantly an American phenomenon. Americans want to get the 411 and move on to the next candidate as soon as possible. Internationally, recruiters prefer the longer CVs to the truncated resume (See post: What is a CV and why do I need one?). A CV in this case should be between three and eight pages and will detail the things that you have done that make you most suitable to a job.

This love of length is combined with a love of formality. While I discourage familiarity, humor and casualness across the board, it is essential to avoid them when writing and interviewing overseas. Remember the importance of formality and hierarchy.

There are a lot of pieces of information that are illegal to share in the United States that will be required information in other parts of the world. Information about your marital status, age, gender, religion, and nationality are not acceptable here, but will be expected in many countries. It behooves you as the candidate to find out ahead of time what the expectations of your chosen country are so that you can provide the appropriate information.

When applying internationally you should include a section of your CV that address key issues relating you your being a foreign candidate. These might include visa status, language proficiency, and any specific training or experiences that are relevant to your living in a foreign environment. Remember that if you list a language on your resume, you will most likely be expected to be able to interview in that language. If you are only slightly knowledgeable of a language, don’t overstate your abilities.

Your first interviews with an overseas recruiter will most likely be through phone, email, or video conferencing. This means you need to be on your toes. You should be ready if the phone rings, check your email regularly throughout the day, and be prepared to receive calls and emails at unusual times due to the time differences. Also prepare your roommates. It can be disconcerting to receive a call in Dutch if you don’t speak the language. Make sure your roommates know that you are applying for positions overseas and prep them for how to act professionally if someone foreign calls.