How To Look For A Job Across The World. Want to work where you studied abroad? Or maybe travel a bit after you graduate? If you want to work outside your home country, you can. You just need to figure out where — and how — to look. Let’s take a closer look.
Working and studying abroad are among some of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have. New places, new sights and sounds, new cultures, new food await! Also, many new professional experiences lie in wait.
Just as the study abroad process requires a bit of legwork, so does working abroad, but you can do it. If you want to stay where you are studying abroad or find a job abroad after you graduate, take a look at these strategies.
1. Find a student job before graduating
Find a job locally if your visa permits it and you are currently overseas. Start early with your cultural education (see #3). For instance, the “Right to Disconnect” statute in France states that you are not required to check your email after business hours. Discover the fika, or Swedish coffee break, in Sweden. Some workplaces are more formal, with breaks at nine and three for what we call ‘water cooler discussions’.
You will discover that meetings in India frequently begin 15 minutes later than scheduled, and you will encounter Japan’s “Radio Taiso,” a 15-minute health break. While Icelandic parents are granted a three-month parental leave, Argentines air kiss each other.
By getting a job as a student, you will give yourself a leg up on the cultural norms and expectations of working in a different country.
2. Look for a summer internship after graduation.
Another excellent way to experience the international working world is through a summer internship. Internships abroad will offer you the chance to become fully immersed in the local culture and will allow you to try out a certain vocation in a particular location.
Internships abroad help expand your global network, which is essential for success, particularly if you know that working overseas appeals to you. Knowing a variety of individuals in a variety of jobs in a variety of settings is beneficial.
Additionally, you will distinguish yourself by establishing a reputation for being a professional risk-taker with a sense of adventure and a strong sense of commitment.
3. Learn the local job search culture.
In addition to learning the local customs about working around the world, you will also learn the culture of cover letters, resumes, emailing, and interviewing.
You’ll find out if you may apply sporadically or just in response to employment offers. You’ll discover how and when to follow up, as well as if your cover letter should highlight your job background or your personality.
You will also figure out how you should behave during your interview, whether it’s a formal or more relaxed event.
Titles, for instance, are significant in Germany. When applying, insist applying, and utilize them properly in your interview.
In Japan, you will discover that understanding how the hierarchy works is critical to your success. In the US and Canada, the hierarchy may be more relaxed.
The more you know about how to apply to jobs abroad, the better off you will be.
4. Master the language
In some places, this matters more than others. If you want a high-level job in another country, though, it helps to learn at least some of the language.
Learn the language if you want to work in a big city like New York, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Madrid, London, Rome, Tokyo, Beijing, Sydney, Delhi, or anywhere else in the world. This shows that you are respectful of where you are and where you want to be, in addition to your language proficiency.
Learn French and Arabic if you wish to work for an NGO of any kind. You’ll be able to find employment almost everywhere in the Middle East or Africa.
If you want to be in Asia, at a minimum, learn Chinese.
Immersion is worthwhile, especially before you go. If you are unable to do so, enrol in lessons when you arrive, even if your principal employment is in a language you are already familiar with.
Display some decency. We promise you’ll get it back.
