How to Find a Job Internationally By: Dakotta J.K. Alex
As global commerce emerges, and flights to other countries take as long as sitting in Los Angeles rush hour traffic, more and more young people are considering the idea of working abroad. A major factor prohibiting people to look for jobs in the international market is the uneasiness of immigration rules abroad but mainly the inability of securing a position. Here are some tips and suggestions which can help you in getting to the other side of the pond: Research the job market: It is important to carry out a thorough research of the job market. For example if one is interested in getting a job in the UK, it becomes imperative to carry out a thorough analysis of the job market. Find out whether there is a requirement for your skill set. Also, a country may require more manual laborers than white-collar workers. In such a case, it will be futile for you to go to that country armed with a degree in software engineering. Acceptance of skills: Make sure that the skill set possessed by you is recognized in the country where you are trying to seek employment. For example, non-EU doctors seeking jobs in UK should pass preliminary British tests like PLAB. Hence, if a US doctor is planning to seek job in the UK, it will be beneficial if he/she is aware of the nature of the test and prepares accordingly. Check out organizations like Skill Clear ( http://www.skillclear.co.uk/ ) which specialize in giving you a free skills audit to see if your skills are in demand and marketable enough to obtain a visa. Recognition of the degree: The degree possessed by you should be recognized in the country where you are trying to seek employment. For instance, the CFA degree is offered in India and the USA. However, each is different from the other in terms of the institute offering them etc. Hence, one must make sure that the degree obtained in India is recognized in the USA. Assessment: Answer basic questions like why you want to pursue an international career. Would you be comfortable working in an alien environment? Do you want to settle abroad permanently, etc.? Try to visit the embassies and the consulates of the country where you wish to work. They can provide you information about the rules and information about migration and rules regarding employment etc. You can find your local embassy here ( http://www.embassyworld.com/ ). Job sites: Online job sites are one of the best resources available for locating international jobs. Many of these sites categorize the jobs according to country, experience, industry, date of posting etc. This makes the task of the job seeker easier. Job sites also provide visitors with the option of specifying the criteria for searching a job. Job sites like Monster have a very wide international database that can be used to locate a job. Resources like The Riley Guide ( http://www.rileyguide.com/internat.html ) keep a well-maintained site. Alumni networks: Almost all the major colleges and schools across the globe have their own alumni association. Making a connection with ex-students can give you an idea about how to search the market for international jobs. Members of the alumni associations are also in a position to give you advice on what necessities are required for bagging an international job. Sometimes, they might give you a lead that can be successfully pursued and result in getting an international job. Many times, exstudents themselves are in an influential position and can turn out to be extremely useful contacts.