If you are finding yourself becoming afflicted by the undeniable sensation of itchy feet, it’s time to make a change. In an ideal world, you’d take a sabbatical, travel the globe and then return to your professional role refreshed and reinvigorated having scratched that itch. However, the chances are that your employer won’t allow you to venture off to some far-flung destination on a whim and you need to plan your escape overseas a little more carefully. Using your career can be the ideal way of broadening your horizons. Take a look at how you can quench your wanderlust thirst and secure that dream job overseas.
Prepare For A New Culture
If you are planning to venture off to the glorious city of Buenos Aires, you need to make sure that you have conversational Spanish under your belt. There’s no point deciding to move to Argentina because you loved the vacation you spent there as a child and you think the climate will suit you, if you don’t make any efforts to learn the language. To immerse yourself in a culture, you need to understand the people. More importantly, most jobs will require at least a basic understanding of the native language and a willingness to learn.
Food, customs and living arrangements will be different wherever you travel to. Some destinations like the UAE or Dubai will make an effort to house expats together, so the culture shock isn’t too extreme. Be sensible and do your research before you sign any contract.
Qualifications
The idea of working overseas may have been part of your professional mindset for years, or it may be a more recent phenomenon. Either way, you can undertake qualification to enhance your employability. A course like the MSc International Accounting and Finance using distance learning means that you’re able to study while still in your current role. By adding an international element to your practice, you’re enhancing your resume for potential overseas employers. Competition for roles abroad can be fierce, and it’s vital that you are proactive to give yourself the edge over your rivals.
Take A Leap Of Faith
You may have no choice but to do all the prep you can, hand in your notice and book yourself on a flight to the country you want to live for the next couple of years. If you’re keen to work in Japan, you’ll need to be physically living in the country before you can even think about finding a job in Kyoto or Tokyo. Japanese legalities make the sponsorship of potential foreign employees nigh on impossible. However, the opportunities are there. You simply need to take a leap of faith, learn the Japanese language and commit to finding a role out there.
Many people talk about broadening their horizons and working overseas; fewer people actually do it. By following this advice, you could find your career trajectory taking a whole new and exciting international path.