Five Strategies for Working Abroad
Working in a foreign country is the best way to learn about a culture and really immerse yourself in its customs. It’s the best way to learn a language, and it allows you to meet a lot of people in different contexts. These experiences lend themselves to helping you become more adaptable, and the more versatile you are, the better traveler you will become. The extra cash will also help you extend your travels and help you cover more ground for more extended periods without having to head back to your home court.
However, to be successful at having an excellent overseas work experience, it’s going to take some planning to find better jobs. This allows you to work out the issues regarding language barriers, work permits, or visa requirements. If you just show up, you're likely to find a lower-paying job and be limited to seasonal work, teaching a language in a non-traditional setting, or trading your labor for room and board.
English is the universal language; therefore, there are many more opportunities for English speakers, although there are opportunities for people who speak other languages as well.
There are many resources online for finding jobs teaching languages worldwide.
If you’re an English-speaking traveler, you can apply in your home country for a visa to work on a work holiday assignment in English speaking countries. These visas are valid for about a year, and you can't work in one place for more than six months at a time. These are good for people taking time off from school or between jobs.
These jobs are usually in the service industry and are not often very well paid, but they are enough to support you and help you save money to keep traveling. I’ve met people who travel for a few months, then work a few months in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or England. They save up some money, then go for another few months. They can go back and forth for years and years making a life of working and traveling for the rest of their lives.
If you are a professional, these jobs take even more planning and time to land as you have to meet the visa, language, and professional requirements for the country where you are trying to work. For these jobs, it is recommended to go with an agency that can place you much faster and help you navigate the requirements more rapidly. If you happen to be a healthcare professional, this is an even easier road to travel.
Five Strategies for Working Abroad: the most important thing is to implement these strategies from your home country before you travel, not when you get there.
- Invest time looking for jobs.
- Learn about the requirements for the countries where you want to work.
- Contact expats and friends.
- Apply online through agencies and employment websites.
- Have your credentials ready.