Working Overseas

By Sabina Livia

An increasing number of people choose to relocate and work in a foreign country every single day. Variations due to politics, weather, and supply and demand often form the basis behind the decision to migrate. For others, it’s simply the desire for change and the need to explore different countries and cultures.

However, the process of landing a suitable job abroad is, in itself, a messy experience that requires significant knowledge to ensure a good outcome. Some of the factors that affect this process include policies of both the country of origin and of the country of destination, experience and background of the prospector, and the industry in question. Regardless the factors of influence, there are many resources and programmes available that can help you gain a good job overseas.

Currently, evolving work practices such as telecommuting create possibilities for people who would like to relocate and work in other countries. Through technology such as the Internet and a wide range of software products that ease communication, the number of telecommuters globally has risen and is projected to keep rising. Such opportunities are very attractive to the modern worker who utilizes migration for work and recreation.

Steps to working abroad

For anyone planning on migrating, working abroad, or working travel it is important that they have the steps to achieving clear in mind. It has been noted that one sure way of easing the process may be by first getting a job while in your home country. If you are engaged within a company that has international operations this is definitely a plus and could be a good option. Where this is not possible, it is wise to consider existing government programmes that allow you to be placed abroad. In countries such as New Zealand, there are many programmes in place that ensure individuals can work beyond the nation’s borders.

However, if you are unable to find work prior to travel, getting the relevant visa is essential to ensuring your trip is not needlessly unpleasant. It is often the case that basic visas will allow you the freedom to travel but inhibit your ability to find work. Research what visa options are available to you and the rules in place for working holiday or temporary work visas. You may want to take time to learn the language or the culture of the people in the country you plan to visit. Understanding culture can help newcomers find work easier in a new country. As a newcomer, you may want to consider volunteering as this has the potential to open up doors through meeting people.

What opportunities exist around the world?

As you continue to ponder on migration let’s consider some opportunities that exist for individuals preparing to spread their wings and explore distant lands. Thanks to technology and telecommuting, there are opportunities that can support work and travel. One such profession is writing for online companies where individuals may be required to prepare short customer pieces on a wide range of subjects. For example, a good cook may opt to write articles on recipes or the benefits of various spices on overall health and nutrition. If you have an interest in finance, contacting financial magazines and contributing input could be one way to go about this process. Similarly, people with a talent for photography have a major advantage as they can travel and sell their material to newspapers around the world.

Another option for individuals considering travel and work is the opportunity for teaching English as a second language. TEFL (Teaching English as a foreign language) is one of the certifications available that gives individuals credibility to teach the language in a wide range of locations scattered around the world. It has been reported that finding work of this nature is much easier in some countries than others, so individuals considering this option may want to visit the company website and look at available locations. Reportedly, the majority of openings are in Asia and China. For most of these jobs, the requirements are a TESL, TEFL, or TESOL certification, which can be attained without too much hassle.

For registered nurses interested in travel or working overseas, travel-nursing jobs provide a good opportunity to relocate. In many cases, the jobs offer decent pay, terms and accommodation to the successful applicants.  Exploration of websites that cater for international nursing jobs or health care positions can provide immense amounts of information.

Seasonal work in many countries (particularly those offering working holiday or temporary work visas) is an ideal option.  From fruit picking, waitressing, jobs in hotels and resorts, holiday camps, conservation parks, ranches and farms through to ski field jobs and summer camp positions. These jobs often make for a fun and social experience and many do not require experience, which can be an advantage for many.

Working at sea can also be an attractive option for many. From luxury cruise liners to chartered yachts – there are vessels of all shapes and sizes that offer a variety of positions. Cruise liners are like floating holiday resorts needing people to do all sorts of jobs including (but not limited to): accountants, maintenance workers, stewards, housekeeping staff, hairdressers, and nurses, bartenders, waiters, beauty therapists, photographers, musicians and dancers.

There are many sites on the web dedicated to Au Pair and Nanny jobs around the world, which could prove a perfect fit for travellers with childcare experience or qualifications.

Each season a number of ski resort jobs are offered in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Canada, USA and Japan – the jobs range from instructors, guides, maintenance staff, resort managers, hotel or chalet staff, bartenders, chefs, waiting staff. Again, there are many sites on the web dedicated to finding jobs in the snow. Also, see International Wanderers job listings.

Another job category that supports an easy migration is that of working as a travel agent or tour guide. Travel agents typically cater for connecting passengers with airlines, hotels, cruises, among other services. Prior experience with booking procedures and knowledge of a particular region or continent are all a prospective agent requires to get a job in a foreign country.

International job websites

Other than the few short-listed possibilities mentioned in the previous section, interested candidates are best advised to consider using the many international job placement web sites that are available today (including the one on this site  – see here). Technology has aided a number of efficient service providers in joining the job placement market. On many sites, these services are free and can play a major role in helping you secure that job. Many job sites come with a search engine that will allow a prospector to select both the job category and country or region of interest. By using these channels it is much easier for you to find meaningful work overseas to help with migration to greener pastures.

Learning about life overseas

Once you have decided on which country you are interested in travelling to and have started making applications for jobs and completing relevant documentation, you can start to learn about where you are heading and how to make the most of your journey. Once again, the internet is a great place to begin – to learn about different cultures and experiences that abound overseas. You can choose to visit websites where people from all over the world share their work and volunteer experiences. Such sites can help you gain useful insights on how to tackle the process. Among the viable options, include companies focused on making use of the gap year or gap month. They provide opportunities that can be useful in ensuring you have worked during your break. Other perspectives that can be useful to read are those from people (many run blog sites) who have taken career breaks to explore the various opportunities around the world. In addition to these, many websites offer information for seniors, families and student groups interested in travelling and working abroad. With this information, the process of relocation is likely to be much easier and rewarding for the “international wanderer” in us all.