Careers Hub | Working abroad, yay or nay?

As a recruitment company, we see a lot of resumes pass through our desks with overseas experience. If you have ever thought about taking time to work abroad and wondered how it might impact your career, here are our thoughts on the subject.

Will it harm my career prospects when I come home?

No! We see the overseas experience as a twofold benefit.  One, if it’s in the right industry, it gives you the right experience just as a domestic role would; two, it gives you something extra, and above everyone else, it tells us that you took a risk and it paid off.

Do employers specifically look for abroad experience?

Specifically, no, it is unlikely that an employer is only going to look at someone with overseas experience, but it will certainly help you stand out! It gives you something to talk about and, more than anything shows an element of courage in your personality to your employer.

How do I sell my time away?

This is an important part of making your time overseas an asset to you. It is all about how you sell your work. If you sell your time abroad to an employer as a holiday where you had some form of employment, that will not be of any benefit to you, rather, it tells the employer that you enjoy travelling for long periods of time. You should sell your time away as a career challenge, where you took on a new role and showed resilience in a new place with new people. If you show your employer, you can take on challenges, and working abroad was an example of this, your time away will be a huge asset. Sell the soft skills, your confidence and networking skills.

What should I know before I consider working abroad?

We have a lot of staff here at Pulse Recruitment that comes from other countries, here is their advice on what you should know.

• It isn’t always easy. You’re in a new place, with new people, and some days will be hard, but you have to remember what you are achieving every day.
• Know your visas! Make sure you educate yourself on what you can and can’t do, and make sure you let any potential employer know the status of your visa.
• Know the company’s processes in the country you’re considering. Know if it will be days or weeks before you are hired!
• Do some cultural research, know the place and country you’re visiting, and know the hot spots and the bad spots, so you aren’t caught out.

Is it really worth it to leave everything to work abroad?

I asked this question to every abroad worker in the office, the resounding answer was yes, it is 100% worth it! New life experiences!