There are many benefits associated with spending time working abroad such as broadening cultural horizons, gaining invaluable cross-cultural skills and experience, enjoying new and exciting challenges and meeting, working with, socializing and dealing with a very broad range of people. Such skills assist many professionals with the overall advancement of their careers as they prove that they are dynamic, adventurous and able to cope in demanding situations.
Expatriate overseas jobs favoured by those seeking a short term sojourn or sabbatical include teaching – especially teaching English as a foreign language – as well as working for various non-governmental organisations or charities. But for those seeking a financially more rewarding time abroad there are opportunities worth exploring in the financial services, tourism and IT industries for example. This article examines overseas job options available to expatriates.
Many graduates fresh from their university studies have the option of joining various teaching groups overseas and specialising in the teaching of English as a foreign language in countries such as Japan, China and Egypt for example. Other options for graduates looking for expatriate jobs overseas include joining charities working abroad or non-government organisations who deal with the provision of aid and assistance in impoverished countries.
Usually the careers officers at universities have a list of organisations that recruit for such positions – alternatively graduates can begin with a search of internet sites such as Graduate Prospects, the Graduate Recruitment Bureau or The Big Choice.
For professionals in a given industry there may be options to take a sabbatical overseas with a similar institution to the one they currently work in or to relocate overseas with the company for which they already work. In the financial services industry for example there are often sales jobs available all over the world.
Those who have a specific desire to find employment in a given location such as Dubai or Saudi Arabia for example, where local wages are earned tax free, can find companies who list jobs for the given country such as Jobs in Dubai.com or the Leslie Corporation who specialise in placing North American expatriates into IT jobs in the Middle East.
Expatriates who have a specific skill, a second language and who are flexible and adaptable will always find it easiest to relocate to work abroad. There is a wealth of country specific as well as industry specific advice available online in forums and on specific expatriate overseas jobs websites and Amazon even have a range of living and working abroad books for those researching their options before they commit to a new job and a new life overseas.
