When she spied the security guards with sawed-off shotguns patrolling the grounds of her new workplace, Laura Marshall realized just how different her MBA summer internship was going to be from her classmates' stints at U.S. firms. "I landed a job consulting for a small construction company in Lima," she recalls, "and though I had done a ton of research about working in Peru, nothing could have fully prepared me for the day-to-day reality of how business gets conducted there." In Marshall's case, it meant dealing with an environment where poverty, economic uncertainty, and corruption force foreign managers to learn different rules about what it takes to succeed.
Though conditions vary greatly when one chooses to work abroad, exploring the alternatives for employment outside the United States invariably proves to be a rewarding experience. Whether it's a summer internship in South America or a full-time job in Japan, opting out of the traditional job hunt to track down the perfect overseas gig can be an adventure in its own right. Identifying foreign opportunities is often an exasperating process; there are cultural, language, and health issues to grapple with, and of course there's the pesky issue of securing the necessary visas and permits.
So if you've been thinking about working abroad, what steps can you take to ensure that you don't end up as an armchair traveler? We went right to the source-MBAs who succeeded in landing positions abroad and the career counselors who helped get them there. Situations varied drastically from person to person and country to country, but we received similar advice from almost everyone we spoke with:
Plan Ahead
As in any job-hunt process, it's critical to establish a timetable from the outset. Give yourself deadlines, leaving extra time for country research at the beginning and paperwork at the end.
If you seek full-time employment, your plan should also address your long-term career goals. As Jim Citrin, chairman of the Spencer Stuart Talent Network, a recruitment and career management consulting firm, notes: "In a globalizing world, international experience is surely a major positive in building a broad-based, balanced career. The trick, however, is not to get labeled as an 'international executive' and not be able to break into the mainstream of a company's strategy or power circle. So ideally it makes sense to lock in your next position after your international stint [before you go]."
Start Early
Stack the odds in your favor by getting a head start on the process. Count on all the normal aspects of a job hunt taking twice as long as they do at home. And once you have an offer, you'll have a whole host of new issues to deal with, such as securing visas and permits and finding housing.
Zone In
Narrow your focus more than you would if you were looking for a domestic job. The process will be much less daunting if you delineate the city, industry, job function, and wish list of companies you would want to work for early in the game.
If you're looking at multinational firms, be candid about your goals. Recent B-school grad Doug Dietrich recalls, "When I was interviewing with Alcoa, I explained to them the specific skills I was hoping to develop on the job. To accommodate these wishes, Alcoa sent me to Europe, where there was a lot of activity that would give me the opportunity to develop these tools. The company was willing to send me over because this kind of exchange helps break down regionalism between the different offices, and it really gave me some insight into the company's global activities."
Use Career Services
Many schools' career centers have programs in place to assist students who wish to work abroad. At American University's Kogod School of Business, for example, the career office has an internship coordinator whose sole responsibility is helping both MBAs and undergraduate business students find opportunities in other countries. Allison Anderson, director of Kogod's Graduate Career Services, says, "We also have relationships with companies who are interested in placing MBA students overseas." Even if your school doesn't offer dedicated resources to students eager to work abroad, career office counselors can help you keep your job hunt on track.
Try a Foreign Exchange
Business schools often have foreign exchange programs with schools abroad or will give credit for foreign exchange work. This is an excellent opportunity to test drive the experience of living in another country as well as to explore job opportunities at ground zero.
If studying abroad isn't right for you, take advantage of the international and exchange students on your own campus. Not only can they give you a good sense of what it's like to work in their home countries, but they can also be a great source of job leads and contacts.
Network, Network, Network
Comb your own personal network-and your school's alumni network-to locate other foreigners working in your target country. They went through the same process, and will often have timely advice, insight, and contacts unavailable to you through other channels.
Get the Scoop on Visas and Permits
Know what you need, since labor laws vary greatly from country to country. The best source of information on visas is the country's embassy in the U.S. Many embassies post relevant information on their Web sites. In addition, many countries have economic development or trade organizations whose mission is to facilitate country-to-country business exchange. Go to ChamberofCommerce.com for information on these organizations and the location of foreign embassies in the U.S.
Most employers will help you get the appropriate working papers if they offer you a position. By already knowing what you need and how long the paperwork will take, you'll be in a better position to discuss the issue with a potential recruiter. Many small companies don't have the resources to assist you in this process; in this case, your research may allow you to propose other avenues, such as working as a consultant. Some MBAs we spoke to took the risk and arranged to be paid under the table.
Also, if you don't have your passport yet, you'll want to get that ball rolling as soon as possible. Try the U.S. State Department's Web site, or PassportExpress.com.
Line Up Housing
If you are offered a position abroad, be prepared to go there early and secure housing-and in some cases, a housing permit. A good time to get the lay of the land is during the interview. Find out if your prospective employer offers housing or relocation assistance, and speak to employees about the process of finding a place to stay.
Be prepared to be flexible, but know your options. When Dietrich accepted a several-month assignment in Europe, his first address was a hotel. "The company was willing to let me stay in a hotel the whole time, but since I was going to be there for a while, I discussed finding and taking a corporate apartment instead, which the company was happy to let me do," he says.
Learn the Language
If you're not already conversant in the country's native tongue, begin learning it. Not speaking the language doesn't necessarily blackball you (though it can make things more difficult), but recruiters want to see that you are at least making an effort in this area. Take advantage of the language classes you can take for credit at many business schools.
Target Foreigner-Friendly Firms
The list of companies you focus on will be dictated by your own career goals, but in general, bigger companies are more likely to have processes in place to assist foreign workers. Big consulting companies and banks, in particular, are adept at helping foreigners clear the myriad hurdles involved in working abroad.
Don't overlook the obvious possibility of working in the foreign office of a U.S. company. Research which U.S. firms have a presence in your target country, and talk with company representatives about their foreign hiring and staffing practices.
As a word of caution, don't be too eager to take companies at face value. They may overstate their experience in hiring foreign nationals. Wherever possible, confirm companies' hiring practices by contacting a foreign employee inside the organization. These employees are your best source of information on what you can expect if you are offered a position there.
Job Hunt on the Ground
The old adage about being in the right place at the right time is especially true when you're looking to work abroad. Sujata Bhatia, a Wharton second-year who landed a full-time banking position in the U.K., comments, "Fly to the city if possible, and set up meetings to make your case while you are there. This was the single biggest factor behind my ability to get the job in London." Being on location gives you several advantages over the remote hunt. First, many local opportunities are not widely advertised abroad, so you may discover openings at local companies that don't have the resources to seek employees elsewhere. Second, companies generally view this as an indicator of an applicant's commitment to working in the country. It also gives foreign applicants the ability to compete on the same footing as local ones by interviewing face to face with the employer.
Get Your Story Straight
Because of the additional expense involved in hiring foreigners, companies want to know that they will get a return on their investment. If a foreign company learns that you are also considering domestic options, its recruiters may question your commitment to working abroad. If they perceive your eager attitude as little more than a yen to be a "tourist" for a year or so, they will be less inclined to take you seriously-and to put you on their payroll. You should be able to make a convincing case about your personal motivation to work abroad and your commitment to staying in that country.
Get a Clean Bill of Health
When planning to work abroad, particularly in developing nations, get all the appropriate immunizations and medications for travel. "We recommend that students check our Web site for information on immunizations and also for news about disease outbreaks around the globe," says Nicole Coffin, a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. It's also a good idea to leave copies of your health records and other identification documents with friends or family before you leave.
Keep Your Chin Up
As in any job hunt, there are likely to be disappointments along the way. But if you follow these steps and persevere, you can make your dream to work abroad a reality.
"You really take a risk when you decide to work abroad," says Marshall. "Everyone else in my class seemed to have their summer jobs already lined up, and I was still tracking down leads and making long-distance phone calls. But if it's the right thing for you, there's nothing else quite like it."
