If you’re the kind of person who loves to travel and explore new destinations, you may have toyed with the possibility of working overseas long or short term at some point in your life. If you’ve decided to take the plunge and go for it, here are some tips that will help you get it right:
Choose a destination that suits you
There’s no point moving to a country that has an oversaturated IT industry if you work in IT or a place that is only admitting people who do the work you do if they have a spouse visa extension when you do not even have a spouse in the country! So, before you decide to pack up and leave everything behind dso your research and identify locations that have work available for you, which pay well, and where you are likely to be able to work for as long as you want/need to. This may narrow your options somewhat, but you should still be able to find an interesting place to work if you’re determined to go.
Find a job first
It’s great to be spontaneous, but unless you have money to burn and the country you’re visiting has no visa requirements, it’s sensible to secure a job role before you fly off for pastures new. Most countries actually require that you have a job lined up before they will extend you a working visa anyway, so it’s pointless doing otherwise.
Try to save
Before you move abroad for work, try to save as much money as you can. Why? Because although some employers cover relocation costs, many do not, and not only that, but you may find that you need to buy a lot of new clothing, furniture and the like to better suit the climate you’re moving to, as well as things like rental deposits, all of which can add up. You can move on a shoestring, but it’s always better to have a buffer.
Research the culture
If you want to work successfully in another country, then you absolutely need to know as much as possible about the culture you will be moving to, and a few weeks holiday there will not give you all the information you need, so read up, network with people from that culture, and hopefully, you can avoid offending your new workmates and slot right into the working culture at your new place of employment.
Know your rights
It’s also a good idea to research employment rights in the country you are moving to, specifically for immigrants to that country, so you know what to expect, and so you can avoid being exploited by employers who may use your foreignness against you in terms of fairness.
Learn the lingo
Learning to speak the language may be difficult, but if you want to be able to work effectively, especially if you are moving to an area that does not have a lot of English speakers, it is a must!
Enjoy your new life wherever it may be!
