Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your career is to work abroad. Doing this can launch your international career and open opportunities you may not have in your home country. It’s also a great experience, allowing you to immerse in a different culture and experience a new way of life. Your language skills will improve, and so will your cross-cultural experiences and other soft skills, making you a better all-round individual. If you have an opportunity to work abroad, grab it! However, you must do a few things first before you head off. 

1. Research the company and the country

Before you send out job applications or even accept any job offers, do some thorough research about each company you’re interested in. Ensure that you understand their mission statements, vision, values, and work culture so you can juxtapose them with your goals and values. Making money and trying new experiences are great, but you’ll enjoy a better working experience in a company with values matching yours. It’s also advisable the research the country you’ll be living in. Understand its economy, cost, and standard of living, politics, history, customs, and society. That will help you align your expectations and motivations with the reality of working in a foreign country. 

2. Learn all you can about the necessary work permits and visas

You may have an opportunity to work outside, but a few things can stand in your way and possibly crush your dreams if you don’t prepare for them. Visas and work permits are two of these important things. Your ability to work abroad will ultimately hinge on your work permit or visa, regardless of your qualifications or how badly your foreign future employer wants your services. So, do your best to learn all you can about these two, including other papers or documents you’ll need to legally work in a foreign country. Also, factor in how much time and money you’ll need to obtain these documents and who can help you fast-track the process legally. Speaking of legal requirements, you can find out how an apostille can help with the certification of all your documents so you don’t run into legal problems in a foreign country. 

3. Find out the amount of paid leave you’re entitled to

Not many people consider this, but it’s important to find out how many paid leave periods and holidays you’ll have before accepting any job offer from a foreign country. Doing this will make planning your home visits a lot easier. Also, different locations have different regulations regarding holidays and rest periods, and the last thing you need is to be stuck with a company far from home without any idea how soon you’ll be able to visit home or get some much-needed rest. But don’t just think about how much time you’ll get off; consider when. Many businesses in Italy, for example, allow their employees to take almost the entirety month of August off due to extremely high temperatures. Other places like the US offer 10 days of paid holidays yearly, while you may get as much as 30 days off in Germany, spreading across the year. 

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