Where to Find Jobs Abroad

According to some media sources the recession in the UK is officially over – this is based on manufacturing output improvements largely, as well as positive data from the City.  And according to HSBC’s economists, growth in the third quarter of 2009 could be as positive as 0.4%.

Well, excuse us if we don’t crack open the champagne and celebrate an end to the UK’s economic problems just yet, because has anyone who actually lives in Britain stated that they feel they’re out of the recession?  No.  In fact, in a survey by the Guardian into whether residents of the UK feel the nation’s out of recession yet, the overall response was a resounding ‘no way!’

There are no jobs available in the UK for the young and relatively inexperienced, there’s no positive movement in the housing market as the mortgage market is still disgustingly restricted by the greedy banks, and the overall feeling of economic doom remains as all Britons are so very well aware of the massive level of public debt the current government has saddled the country with for many generations to come.  So, in this article we’ll take a look at where to find jobs abroad – because if the UK isn’t where you want to be, you need to know where you can find work abroad.

According to Manpower, the world’s jobs markets are improving – and this is incredibly positive news for anyone who wants to go and live and work overseas.  In the recent past it has been just as hard for skilled individuals to find work abroad as it has at home as other nations’ recessions restricted the employment landscape.  But as the likes of Germany and France officially leave the recession behind, their jobs markets are improving.

So, if you want to find work overseas, you needn’t go much further afield than mainland Europe necessarily.  However, to find well paying work in either nation you need to be of graduate level with experience in the given sector in which you wish to work, and particularly in France, a good level of the local language will stand you in good stead too.  Mind you, no one said that getting a job abroad would be easy!

The Indian and Brazilian jobs markets are the most improved and most positive according to Manpower, and it’s in relatively ‘emerging’ markets such as these that younger would-be employees from the UK might like to look for employment prospects.  The so-called ‘lost generation’ of unemployed graduates in the UK who are all well educated but who lack the experience required by employers who really are only employing strategically and very carefully in Britain at best at the moment, need to find a market where they’re willing to take a chance on someone who looks good on paper, who interviews well but who perhaps lacks an ideal level of experience.  So, if this sounds like you, look to where employment is growing.  In nations like India those with marketing, sales and IT skills are in demand, and there is often a fast promotional opportunity for British graduates.

Elsewhere, markets to watch for an improvement in job prospects are the likes of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other Middle Eastern states where there are underlying fundamentals supporting an eventual improvement in the location’s prospects.  Furthermore the US is allegedly improving on a par with the UK, so may well offer some hope for would-be British expatriates seeking employment abroad in the medium-term.

In terms of which sectors to target – well, education and healthcare are certainly centres where there is always a certain level of demand.  And as the number of international schools around the world increases, those with good education-based qualifications could target this sector.  In the UK the utilities, public services and finance as well as business services sectors are increasing employment prospects – and this is likely a reflection of many other nations’ business sectors that are growing too.

Finally, in order to find work abroad you can use the services of online recruitment companies – the best ones tend to be those specialising in a sector or even a given nation.  Or you could consider alternative forms of job sourcing such as networking through forums and social networking sites with other expatriates living and working abroad who are best placed to tell you about new vacancies, or even taking time out and going overseas and actively looking for work whilst you’re on the ground so to speak.  It almost goes without saying, but in an environment such as this one, the more proactive you are, the better your prospects.