Working Abroad: Tips on Getting a Job Overseas

Living abroad to experience life in a different culture or work in a new country may be your dream but there’s more to either than meets the eye, albeit it is not as difficult as you might think it would be.

Technology has made it easier for more individuals nowadays to find jobs overseas, apply for them, and benefit from opportunities in other countries. The steps to applying for work abroad have been easier to comply with today.

Guidelines to Keep in Mind before Applying for an Overseas Job

• Keep your skills updated. An application for a job abroad entails practically the basic requirements of a local job. Employers look at skills to ensure that these meet the requirements of the job. Taking short courses, especially language classes, can give you an advantage over other applicants.
• Consider applying for a job with a foreign company that has an office in your country. Most large corporations have what are known as “satellite offices” in countries other than their own. A stint with one of these offices could lead to an assignment in the main office which is in the foreign country.
• Do research on the country of your choice and find out if the job vacancies there match the skills you have. Do research on the country itself and find out if its culture, traditions, government, etc. will not conflict with your own personal beliefs, principles, and values. Finding out if you will thrive in another country is best done prior to a job application.

The Next Steps

Assuming that you have complied with the basic guidelines above, you will then have to find out the particular requirements that the country you have chosen to work in will ask from you. You will have to call the embassy of your chosen country and ask their information officers for these requirements such as a visa, working permit, immunisations, working abroad travel insurance, medical certificates, and other relevant documents that the embassy specifies.

Other requirements may include work clearances from your previous employers, academic diplomas, and certifications for eligibility in your line of work such as a professional license. If you are able to comply with all of the requirements as per the embassy’s instructions and are approved for a job application, you should be prepared to take out a working abroad travel insurance policy to guarantee your cover for security and safety while employed at a company or organisation overseas, coordinate with your bank regarding remittances of your salary from your employer, and settle any loose ends that may need attention while you are abroad.