Posted on

How to find a job abroad

earth jobsThe decision is clear: you want to go abroad and work abroad definitely, build up a new life in a very different country far away from your home town. But how to find a job abroad? In this article you find tips about how to find a job abroad.

 

You know the country and people habits and culture of your desired country, you already know where you want to go, the only thing missing is a job so that your dream can actually become a reality.
The same is true of course if you accompany your partner, who has been sent on expatriation. You do not want to sit there on the couch, but also be professionally active.
 

Well, how to find a job abroad?

First of all, you should check your qualifications:

  • Is there a place for your skills and your competences in the country? Or maybe you have to get further training? For instance on language skills. Find out whether you can, for example, do an intensive language course.
  • What is the economic situation? Which profiles are demanded in the country?
  • Should you apply only once you arrived in the country or would it be better to send your applications in advance?

There are many organizations that offer help on these topics. These are, for example, Internet forums where global mobility professionals or expats already share their experiences, but also local job agencies might provide initial guidance and advice, sometimes even financial support.

Keys when you prepare your application file for finding a job abroad

When you prepare your application file you should adapt to local requirements. Each country has its own rules and preferences, regarding the length and overall design of the CV and motivation letter (with or without photo, concise or detailed, one page or more pages)
Once you have your CV and motivation letter ready, you can start the search. The easiest is to apply to offers on the internet on global job markets or local newspapers, employment agencies or recruiters. You can also buy company lists at the chambers of commerce.

Also contact companies directly you would like to work for and ask them if they have got any jobs available in your field: consider country specific requirements for your application.
The latest local networks are also extremely valuable, which can be expat networks or colleagues or the employer of your partner, or simply the local sports club. Never underestimate social networks on the Internet, such as Xing, Viadeo, LinkedIn and Facebook. Networks shorten and facilitate many ways! Ultimately the job in your dreamland is always a matter of luck, but – and this is before anything else – of patience and confidence. Stay in control even during long dry spells in mind: You have a dream and therefore the motivation is for potential employers at least as important as a professional qualification.

In our article, we gave you essentials questions you would need to look at befor taking a decision. If you are still unsure whether your idea is feasible or not, you can take an expat coach. Even a one- to two-hour conversation with an experienced expatriate coach can help you to clear away doubts.

 

 

Contact me for more information

© Franck Boston – Fotolia.com © ZenExpat’ Publications 2012

Posted on

School search during your expatriation

Finding a appropriate school during expatriation can be tricky. In this article you find some advice to for searching a school for your kids and pro and cons of local and international school.

 
Moving to another country as a family means a lot of changes for everyone, especially for the children. In order to make this time of change as easy as possible, it is always a good idea, to start planning the future life of your kids as early and thoroughly as possible. Finding the right school is crucial. This will help your children to get used to the new environment.

 
We’ve collected the most important points you should consider when searching for a school. First of all and quite obviously, you should think about where you’re gonna live with your family and where to find the next school from your future house.
As soon as you know, which country, region, city is your target, you will have to get all the information available on the schooling system. Normally you get them at the local Town Hall – or online.
The choice of the school might have a certain impact on where you’re gonna move with your family. Once you know, whether you want to live in a city or chose the countryside, you can start your school  search. It’s always recommended to have you school chosen before moving.

Usually there are three schooling-options during Expatriation:

1. The international school
2. The foreign-language-school (e.g. a german oder english school in France)
3. The local school

In the big cities you often have the opportunity to send your kids to an international school. This option is especially advantageous, when only moving for a limited period of time, as children will have contact with a educational system that is similar to that in their country of origin. However, costs for these schools might be considerably high, but sometimes your employer will step in for you and take at least some of the costs.

Secondly, you have schools in your mother tongue. There your child will be educated largely in its own language. Also, the educational system of the school might be similar to identical to that of your country of origin.
A local school offers the advantage of getting into close contact with the culture of your new home country. A second language will be easily learned by your child and the costs of education are normally lower than at international schools, at least as long as you don’t choose a private school.

The choice of your school might largely depends on the time you and your family are going to stay abroad. You might also have to answer certain questions. Will your child (or children) have enough time to learn the new language? Do you want all your children to visit the same school? Do the school cover all ages? What, if not? Which degree do you finally want for your children?
Therefore, the most important thing before moving is to get all the necessary information on schools and the educational system in your destinatary country. Talk to other expats and expat parents, before making your choice, make up your mind.
Below you find an short overview of the different schools in Germany, USA, England and France.

 
DEUTSCHLAND
USA
ENGLAND
FRANCE
Kindergarten
Nursery Schools / Kindergartens
  
Maternelle
Grundschule
Primary School
Junior School
École Primaire
Hauptschule
Realschule
Gymnasium
Middle School
High School
Senior School
 
Collège
Lycée
 

© ZenExpat’ Publications 2012

 

Posted on

Working abroad a guarantee for a better life? Fed up with bad weather?

 
 
EmigrateYour colleagues are getting on your nerves and your fellow countrymen even more so? Is working abroad a guarantee for a better life? ZenExpat’ gives essential questions you would need to look at before deciding going abroad.

A lot of people have decided to leave the country for above mentioned reasons in order to start a new life somewhere in the distance! What looks at first glance to be the easiest way to get rid of your past life, after a short reset of the own life, the idea turns frequently out to real mess.

Many hang at the first hurdle and the dream of working abroad ends faster than many had thought. It still sounds so easy, but it must constantly reminded: to emigrate and work abroad is something completely different than the last holiday in Spain, Norway or Canada.
Going and working abroad on a permanent basis is something completely different! In past you layed on the Costa del Sol in the beautiful sun, now you need to go through a hill of formes in an overcrowded stuffy office! A veritable paperwork war! Cancellations, registration, entry fees! At the beach you felt stress-free, now you seem to be on another planet.
Settling to a new country takes time. According to Black and Mendenhall, we will go through various stages until we get adapted to a foreign culture. If you want to emigrate, work abroad then, you must first of all clarify some very basic things.

Questions you should ask yourself before going abroad

First of all, the personal situation should be considered. Family members who depend on you? The situation of you partner  and your  children.
Please also consider the health conditions of you and your family.
And then very important: What do you do there? Of course, practical and technical issues,  social security and tax issues should be considered too. Already too many immigrants have suffered with their lofty ideas and have financially over-estimated their situation.
Clarify just in time questions about your property? House, car? A move from Europe to the U.S. means a significant cost, for instance. For a family this can be up to 15 000 EUR. You should have savings of at least 6 months, in the event that you do not find a job immediately. Not to forget, the administrative costs.
Of course, it should also be kept in mind that you are in a completely new social environment : you have to invent entirely new, which, fact seems at first an adventure, is in the long run quite stressful. New friendships have to be established, some new hobbies to be found. Everything is new: new culture, people, habits, language (intensive preparation required).
Emigration is a real project, which should be well prepared. The preparation time should be at least 6-12 months. With the right preparation, your dream of living and working in your dream country can easily become a reality. You do not want to forget any important issues?
 

In our article we gave you essentials questions you would need to look at before taking a decision. If you are still unsure whether your idea is feasible or not, you can take an expat coach. Even a one- to two-hour conversation with an experienced expatriate coach can help you to clear away doubts.

Contact me for more information
 

Published on August 6th, 2012 © lassedesignen – Fotolia.com © ZenExpat’ Publications 2012