Advice to those wanting to work overseas
Tuesday, 6 February 2007
It can be quite flattering when you hear that your company wants you to move overseas. And most people will at least consider an opportunity to re-locate to another country and take up residence for a year or more. There is, however, much to consider before purchasing the airline tickets. Moving overseas is more than just organising bank accounts and property. Even if you are one of the lucky ones’ who go overseas with a complete expat package there are some serious issues which require deliberation.
Besides the numerous personal issues involved, and never underestimate the impact on family, a move overseas might not be the career enhancer we reflexively believe. Leaving behind a burgeoning career and all the networks you have developed can actually put you behind when the time comes to return. And the longer you stay away the harder it becomes to keep track of changes at the office back home. Indeed you could potentially come back to a complete sea change, to a company that no longer has any relation to what you left behind and may no longer see your skill set as a major requirement.
Large multi-nationals, usually in the FMCG and finance markets, have processes and systems in place that ensures overseas placements are only part of your overall career plan. Indeed spending a few years abroad on behalf of the company often puts you in a favourable position, especially if you have toiled and sweated at some distant outpost in the third world. Your welcome back in these situations is usually planned and the move back exceptionally seamless.
Most overseas deployments, however, are done with smaller organisations with traditionally less infrastructure. They are unable to expertly organise and support groups of expat employees. Not only does this mean fewer services on the ground in foreign countries, leaving you to find out about bank accounts, housing, transportation etc., but also less resources to ensure a career re-entry strategy. This means that you may be stuck overseas until the company can find a new slot for you or you come back to a position at a similar or lower level then you left.
The level of support you receive will often depend on the country of your move. There is a tendency to disregard moves to western, English speaking countries as a fairly easy process. As these places tend to also be more expensive, think London and New York, it is easy for a company to dismiss any placement there as an uncomplicated and straightforward. In fact these countries can be just as daunting a relocation prospect as any third world nation, ask anyone who has moved from the suburbs of Australia to inner London.
Even if the move is flawless, and they never are, getting integrated into networks that are local and established can be almost impossible. This is one of the main reasons why expat communities stay so close together. Not only do you have to deal with all the suspicions and jealousies that often accompany new starters but your new colleagues will know that you only have a year or two before you are gone. This is especially difficult if you are managing local personnel, who understand they will be breaking in a new manager in another 12-24 months.
All this does not mean that a placement overseas cannot be rewarding. The experiences you have will often provide dinner party fodder for years. Only returned expats could get away with decorating their dinning room in animal skins and spears. Even frequent travellers are seldom allowed the dubious privileged of turning their house ‘native’ without seeming a ponce.
As well as the social value the career and learning benefits can also be substantial, improving your cross-cultural communication techniques and developing your knowledge of foreign markets. Indeed many top executives have had some type of overseas placement in their career.
There is, however, a need to be cautious and consider all the factors. In terms of your career you need to ask yourself:
- Is there going to be a job waiting for you upon your return?
- What happens if there is a re-structure while you are away?
- Is this a career enhancement opportunity?
- What is the re-entry strategy?
- What happens if there is nothing available for me when I am ready to return?
- Am I financially able to come back without a job?
The romance and adventure of living in another country can be extremely alluring and indeed rewarding. It is important to ensure that before you head off, you have prepared for the return.
Doug Edmonds (doug_edmonds@yahoo.com.au)
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IT dangerMy mates who are accountants currently working oversers surely have no problem getting back into a local branch of their company (these are big four accounting firms). In fact they'll probably move up the ladder while they're overseas. The same can't be said for IT jobs. There are some big IT consulting firms (who shall remain anonymous), who transfer their staff anywhere in the world for short 1-2yr stints. While the culture shock may be a good thing, there are other issues such as leaving your family and stable network. Anon, 02/05/2007 07:53:14 AM
What about.....wanting to go overseas because Australia is a ****hole with a dying manufacturing industry, and half the smart people you worked with are overseas, and are earning good money with career prospects. In countries which actually make money from IT not lose it. In reality, Australia is a third world when it comes to I.T. D, 02/05/2007 03:27:35 PM
Don't be so negativeRather than the backwater jungle that the author seems to think typifies most overseas postings, the reality for most Australian IT workers going overseas would be a step up technology-wise. The comment about returning and finding your previous employer "may no longer see your skill set as a major requirement" should perhaps be rephrased as "may not yet see your [new] skill set as a major requirement." Certainly I'd consider the options before leaping, but negative-sounding "advice" like the above only encourages me to look at overseas opportunities more closely. It's like being a teenager and listening to a well-meaning but ultimately annoying older relative who's trying to tell you what to do with your life. Vaughan C., 02/05/2007 08:48:25 PM
skill setI'd be very surprised if on returning from overseas that my company would still see my skill-set as a major requirement. They seem to be embarking on a process of being completely independent of any skill-sets at all. They dont require skills, just service-providers at the lowest possible cost - most likely from overseas. This article seems to be from another age, a 1950's "Bewitched" style of employment. A strange world where your effort seemed to have some relationship to your success. If you want to go overseas, go there but dont expect a job when you get back. If you decide not to go overseas dont expect your job to still be there. Phil E Stein, 02/07/2007 05:08:05 PM
Kingdom far far awayAustralia is so far away from the real fast growing world that we have really no idea of the pace or the level of technology development happening even in the neighbourhood of Asia. Going overseas is a big change in having to work with and at a much higher level of expertise and a much larger market. Coming back to work here is not an option if you want the same level of challenges since the standards acceptable here are much lower than overseas. Ofcourse there is more money overseas (net savings not gross pay with conversion rates) and more competition, but one is judged based on skill sets and not how one looks or if one understands rugby or AFL. Overseas IT professionals who migrate here, typically start work at much lower level since they dont have "Australian" experience. In this world of globalisation, I wonder if we Australians here are serious about our participation and I fear that we overestimate our importance. We are a good place to live...thats it. I think in the future only the critical applications which require local presence will remain, all the other work will be outsourced. Nilima, 06/28/2007 04:09:08 PM
what about contracting?you forget IT CONTRACTING. Expat opportunities might be Gold for IT contractors... NOT everyone works for one company as a "permanent" **Hahaha** employee. You have no idea what you will find out there! Travel and see some of the world ! There is IT work EVERYWHERE ! Mike, 12/12/2008 03:42:16 PM
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