Moving abroad can be a great way to change or boost your career
The reasons for moving abroad are numerous: to follow your spouse, the quest for new horizons, the desire to discover a new country, to learn a new language, among others. Of course, everyone has a personal motivation. However, it is also an excellent occasion to fill a void in your life or to reassess your career and professional orientation. Many expats move to a foreign country without the guarantee of a secured job, and they often do so voluntarily. Indeed, a fresh start is an ideal moment to rethink your professional career, set new goals, and objectively assess your skills. Many expats will thus discover or rediscover new passions, which will definitely give rise to new career pathways.
Many also will become entrepreneurs in their host countries, relying on their knowledge and professional know-how to get into successful businesses which may not have necessarily taken off in their country of origin. For example, a restaurant chef can become an instant success abroad if his/her cuisine is much valued there. Likewise, an expert in tourism and holiday destination offers can sell custom-made travel packages from their host country to their country of origin or neighboring countries. The sky is the limit.
All age-groups are concerned
Nowadays, being a digital nomad is a trend among young professionals. Many leave the jobs they got after their studies and to which they don't have any particular attachment. There are also those in their thirties who, after spending a few decades looking for a stable job and a company that recognizes their worth, suddenly decide to drop everything and move abroad to bring new perspectives to their careers and life. But there is more to that! Older people, like those in their fifties, are also open to a change in career. These professionals, who have spent 20, 30, or even 40 years in the same company or sector, have also succumbed to the desire for a complete career transition. Here also, moving abroad gives them an unexpected opportunity to set new objectives and to retrain for a new job. It shows that it's never too late to start again!
What are the most sought-after skills worldwide?
When choosing to move abroad for a career change, you must be aware that certain competencies are much more sought-after than others. Whether activities are highly technical or more general, many companies – across all sectors – consider expats as a means to explore new professional activities or as a source to expand their workforce. Some businesses will even visit targeted countries in order to recruit the locals with desired profiles there. So let's have a look at some of the most sought-after skills that potential expats should have when seeking a career transition.
First and foremost is the language proficiency. If your mother tongue differs from the host country's, it can be a definite advantage. It can undoubtedly open many doors in various job sectors. Are you an educator or a teacher? Whatever your mother tongue, or if you know another language or have some desired linguistic competencies, chances are you will thrive in that sector abroad.
Do you possess specific know-how and expertise inherent to your home country? This experience can also be much sought-after, depending on the country or region you have relocated to. Sectors like the food industry, arts, craft trades, or the garment and textile industries can offer many opportunities.
When it comes to skills and know-how, expats are well-equipped with the knowledge necessary for market studies relevant to their home countries, like their economic, political, social, or cultural systems. These competencies are much needed in the commercial and financial sectors, for example.
Expertise in networking among expat communities is another much sought-after competency by companies. Expats, whether professionally or personally, meet many people. They can thus interact easily and maintain excellent interpersonal skills with different people, irrespective of their origin or profession.
Soft skills are also much in demand among expats. They should be easy-going, adaptable and flexible, and organized. These qualities come very quickly to you when you are an expat. The sometimes cumbersome administrative procedures, efforts made to adapt to the new country, its climate, culture, and the somewhat tricky language all help develop these particular skills. Being autonomous and highly motivated are other skills that expats learn to acquire and to develop. These are very much appreciated by recruiters and businesses. Indeed, most businesses seek new employees who can rapidly immerse himself or themselves in a new professional activity without having to be mentored for an extended period of time.
Lastly, your open-mindedness and your flexibility will make you very popular in the professional world. These soft skills are of great help when it comes to adapting to a new task or to a new client.
Are you ready to take the leap?
Making a career transition when moving abroad can be very challenging and time-consuming. First, study the living conditions in the country you wish to settle in (cost of living, healthcare expenditures, accommodation, leisure, among others). Also, study the job market and the work opportunities for people with and without experience.
If you are planning to resume your studies or to change jobs, learn about the opportunities for training and development, find out whether they are accessible to foreigners, and what the conditions are attached, and find out whether it is better to enroll before your departure or once you have settled in the host country.
Are expats are allowed to indulge in a particular sector or activity in their host country? If so, are there any specific conditions related to those professional activities? Do you need any particular visas? This is very important, especially if you are pretty in the dark regarding your future at the time of departure.
A career transition and a move overseas are two closely related personal choices that will open up new avenues for you. Whether you are going abroad for only a few months or a more extended period, your vision of the world and your life will help you reshape your career and rethink your priorities. So, are you ready to go for it?
