Seven Important Steps to take before applying for an overseas job

For any job applicant, working overseas not only boosts the scope of a better salary package, but holds the potential to catapult his career in the long term as well; particularly as regards to senior positions sought after. As more and more firms across the globe are looking for professionals with international experience apart from a vital global perspective on top of excellent skills to assist them to compete, the opportunity lane is fast widening. However, before looking for an overseas job the applicant is best advised to maintain certain discipline for a hazardless progress.

The ideal job

It is not a surprising sight people stumbling from one job to another, as if with almost no plan in place. If one might get lucky and land on his feet, most of the time the happy go lucky approach to job hunting would not work. Moreover, such an attitude is likely to see the applicant in a series of jobs that he hardly enjoys in the slightest.

The first step to finding the perfect job must be determining which job it should be. It is sensible to think this over carefully to prevent the applicant from stressing too much on a job not right for him. An interests test can help him find out what his specific personal career interests are. This could be followed by a personality test that could help in figuring out more about his personality. Then of course, going through a career choice test is also very useful in this process.

Where to find the ideal position?

The first and perhaps most challenging task in applying for a job abroad could be finding the ideal position to apply for. This could be found to be confusing since no clear-cut model for finding work abroad or no website that lists every job open to the applicant around the world is available.

Here the client may find networking a key solution. The many social and business online media such as Facebook and LinkedIn are better spots to begin mingling with CEOs and startups. The job fairs available around can be googled out for finding the ideal overseas job fair suiting the aspirant. Native companies that have offices around the globe could be a more viable target compared to applying straight through an intended overseas company. Job search engines available online also can be useful here. The endless study and intern abroad options out there for students should also be considered.

Thorough research

A serious research process is very important as in any job hunt. Time is taken to learn about the economic, political and cultural composition and stability of each country considered as well as the effect the proposed job would have on the person’s work-life balance and career can prove to be highly significant as regards to the final results.

Cautious researching of the visas and work-permits is also essential, and better the earlier. Researching a foreign market is significant. The applicant needs to understand the cultural nuances of the country he wishes to migrate to besides its employment regulations and language requirements. For example, China appreciates an 80- to 90-hours per week working pattern while most of the Middle East countries have Sunday through Thursday as work days with weekends falling on Friday and Saturday.

Applying for it impressively

Once the ideal position is sorted out, the next step ahead for the applicant is sending an application suiting his destination country. For instance, a resume is curriculum vitae in England while it is CV in France. After deciding what employers to pursue in the chosen country, the applicant should prepare an application, which would stand unique. The demand for the skills possessed by the applicant in the particular market as well as the best way to make him look preferable to a potential recruiter must be stressed upon. It is noteworthy that there is a significant consistency in the basic set of skills sought by the recruiters. The majority of companies across the world want strong communicators that have analytical ability, apart from the skills to manage people well showing their leadership potential. Being honest about the applicant’s oral as well as written business language skills is also advised.

The visa process is important

Visas and work permits, part of the mandatory clearance process of an overseas emigrant is expected to take time besides calling for a bit of money as well as a lot of information obtainment on the behalf of the applicant is involved. The applicant will be asked to submit information on medical and police records and even more. The applicant must have a passport, obviously, and be prepared to visit the embassy for an interview. It is also important that he is aware of every part of the visa process and the correct forms to be filled out even before job hunting.

Preparation for the interview

Even after a successful interview, the applicant is better advised to do more research to stave off nasty surprises. The applicant here needs to investigate the acceptable culture of his target country.

The initial interview of the applicant may be conducted over the phone. Even if a meeting between the interviewer and the applicant in person is not the case, dressing for the interview, standing up when speaking so that the voice is strong and finally a pleasing smile, all goes well for the prospects of the applicant. The confidence of the applicant will have to conduct even without any visual cues. A good demonstration of flexibility and capacity of the applicant to adapt to fresh and strange environments is always a trump card.

The practicalities should be considered

Finally, consideration of the practicalities would ensure that the applicant is personally as well as psychologically prepared for the move. Even if he is going to a country where the same language is spoken, he is likely to encounter differences in daily life. Tackling this ideally will call for flexibility, patience and a little bit of humour sense. Rushing hastily to judgments or making invidious comparisons about the fresh culture would more often than not, land the applicant in serious problems.