For many people, working overseas is the dream. The chance to travel, and get paid for doing so, can be a major part of job satisfaction and open up a world of opportunities.
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To stand the best chance of finding work abroad, you’re going to need some useful skills behind you. Having the right skills and experience is important to stay ahead of the competition, which comes from a broader pool when you’re trying for opportunities overseas.
Interested in working overseas? Here are some useful tips that can help you to secure work abroad.
Learn new language skills
Having good language skills is vital for securing work abroad. If you’re hoping to move to a country where English isn’t the primary language, then it’s worth learning the local language to help you get ahead. While you can take classes to improve your language skills, it’s also possible to learn a language online using tools like Duolingo. Immerse yourself in it and practice writing as well as spoken skills so that you stand the best chance of being accepted for the roles that you apply for.
Choose careers that are in demand
The great thing about finding work abroad is that you can benefit from having skills that are in demand in certain countries, even if they’re common in your home country. Some countries like Australia, have a list of skilled occupations that are needed by the country, that make it easier to get accepted for visas and so on. See if your skills are already in demand, or work towards gaining skills and qualifications that could help you to fit the bill.
Work for international companies
If you want to seek opportunities to work overseas, then working for an international company could be your best chance of achieving it. Global companies will often post vacancy details for posts in all of its locations, and as you’re already working for the company – you could stand a better chance of succeeding. Speak to your HR representative to find out more about the sort of opportunities that exist overseas, or have a meeting with your manager to discuss your future development plans.
Add to your qualifications
The continued study can be beneficial for your career, and by working on achieving further qualifications, you can make yourself a very attractive candidate for positions at home and abroad. IT is an area where having the right skills is essential, so you might want to consider IT training to help you further your career. If you work in business, it doesn’t hurt to have a masters under your belt in a specialized area. Thanks to the internet, it’s now even easier to achieve further qualifications, with distance learning and flexible study becoming more popular as workers try to upskill. Working to achieve a supply chain management degree online can help you to develop skills in a vital business area that can be put to use both home and overseas. Your employer might be able to fund your studies if they benefit the business, so it’s worth enquiring about the different opportunities that exist.
Freelance
Some jobs allow you to work anywhere, so if you’re committed to working abroad, then you might want to consider going freelance. There are some amazing jobs that will allow you to work anywhere, including copywriting, translations, social media marketing and even trading. It’s worth building up your skills and client base at home before you venture overseas, but finding the right career could help you to enjoy travel and experience different cultures that working at home can’t provide. You can get started by freelancing alongside your current job to help you find out if it’s the right move for you.
Take a risk
Sometimes, the best way to achieve something is to simply take the leap. By moving to a new country, you’ll enter fight or flight mode, where you’ll feel much more pressured to find a job or risk having to go back home. Being in your preferred country could make it easier to find opportunities, attend interviews and so on. Provided you’ve got enough money to see you through your first few months in the country, this could be a risk worth taking to find work in a place that you love or can see a future.
Finding work abroad might seem difficult at first, but in areas like technology where this is a big global demand for skilled workers – it could be easier than you think. Get your resume in the best shape possible and turn your dreams of working overseas into a reality.
