Working Abroad

Many people dream of finding a job abroad. Working abroad is an exciting way of broadening your horizons, meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. The first thing you need to decide on is which country you would like to work in. Next, you need to decide which region, as this could affect the type of work that you will be doing. For example, if you choose France, you might want to work in a tourist bar on the south coast or as a ski instructor in the mountains.

If you are working within the EU then the amount of paperwork you need to complete will be minimal, but for other countries you may require a visa or work permit. You should contact the embassy of your intended destination and find out what paperwork you will need to live and work within the country. Most embassies have a website, so this should be fairly straightforward.

Your next step depends on what you are looking for. If you are only interested in casual work then it may be sufficient to simply go to the country and start looking around for work. If you are looking within the EU you can use job centres in your destination country and if you are in receipt of unemployment benefit you may be able to continue receiving it for a while. The European Commission also has its own portal called 'Eures', which allows you to search for jobs across Europe. Alternatively, if you are serious about an overseas career and see it as part of your long-term professional development, then you will want to research more carefully what is available. Prospects.ac.uk is a careers service aimed at graduates and the site has profiles on over 50 countries where graduates can study or work. If you have friends or family living in your destination country you should contact them, as they may be able to help you find accommodation and work. You should also remember that even if you have a job lined up before you go, there will be initial expenses that need to be covered.

Looking for jobs abroad can be done via the Internet and sites such as Reed carry international as well as UK jobs. There are also employment agencies that specialise in international jobs or you could even access agencies in the country to which you intend to go. Employers, wherever they are located, are more discriminating than ever, so If you are looking for more than a holiday job or work experience, you will need to have good qualifications, professional experience, the right personal qualities and language and communication skills.