Expand your horizons: work abroad?

As a Careers Consultant, I have worked with a really wide range of people over the years. I have done a lot of work with university students and young adults, and despite the pandemic, I am pleased to report that many still want to live and work overseas.

Working abroad? How can I achieve this?

Let’s not deny it, money might be an issue, and of course both Covid and Brexit could potentially make things more difficult, depending upon where you would like to go. You should also consider your language skills; apps like Duolingo make it much easier to get familiar with a new language before you arrive in the country, although there is no substitute for speaking to the locals.

What are the benefits of working overseas?

The most common one that I hear is the chance to try something new, visit a new place and find a new way of life. The excellent EURES website mentions seven distinct benefits, including the chance to expand your network and develop an advantage over other job seekers.

Why would overseas experience give you an advantage in the job market?

Put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes: if I advertise a job, I have a lot of applications to look through! If you can mention your time working overseas and adapting to a new culture, that will give me confidence that you can come into my workplace and hit the ground running. Not to mention that you may have useful language skills and some good stories to tell!

How can I find out more?

The aforementioned EURES website offers a useful email bulletin, and websites such as Prospects offer good country guides for living and working overseas (this is primarily aimed at university students but the information should be accessible to all). The UK government website has some guidance to working in the European Union, following the UK’s departure from the EU.

My favourite website is Goinglobal, which is essentially a cross between a careers and jobs portal, and a Lonely Planet guide; however, this is subscription-based website, so for full acces you may want to check at your local library or through your careers service (especially if you are at university).

Don’t forget that you can always get in touch if you want to discuss your plans, or get support with researching and applying for overseas opportunities. You can find out more about our services by visiting our Pricing page.

[Cover photo by Nicolas from Pexels]