- MENU
- HOME
- SEARCH
- WORLD
- MAIN
- AFRICA
- ASIA
- BALKANS
- EUROPE
- LATIN AMERICA
- MIDDLE EAST
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Benelux
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Poland
- Russia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Taiwan
- Turkey
- USA
- BUSINESS
- WEALTH
- STOCKS
- TECH
- HEALTH
- LIFESTYLE
- ENTERTAINMENT
- SPORTS
- RSS
- iHaveNet.com: Career
By Michael Morella
Short-term posts can jump-start your career
If you think your job prospects look grim, then you might want to follow the example of thousands of younger workers -- and some older ones -- who are finding short-term work opportunities abroad. According to the career services office at the
Websites such as www.transitionsabroad.com and
www.goabroad.com offer travel guides and employment listings ranging from international business internships and teaching positions to nursing posts (if you have your certificate) and au pair situations. Placement agencies like InterExchange and the
Many jobs offer a modest salary or stipend and some (like au pair jobs) cover room, board, and airfare. The government-sponsored Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme pays English instructors 3.6 million yen (or about $44,000) a year.
Though 18-to-30-year-olds represent most of the work-abroad pool, some older adults are venturing forth to jump-start new careers, often by taking overseas volunteer posts, like building community schools or helping various humanitarian efforts. To find the best opportunity for yourself, experts offer a few tips.
Identify your goals.
Knowing where you want to go, what your financial or housing expectations are, and what you hope to gain from a work-abroad experience can make the whole process go more smoothly, says Katharine Brooks, director of Liberal Arts Career Services at the
But when unexpected opportunities pop up, be flexible. After he lost his job as an accountant in Kansas City, Mo., Titus Williams, now 30, accepted a teaching job in the former Soviet republic of Georgia because he believed it would give him valuable overseas work experience as he explores an interest in international relations.
Research, research.
Make sure you are clear on what your job responsibilities will be. In 2007, Dallas native Meg Dowdy, then 22, accepted a job as an English-language marketing assistant at a Buenos Aires dental office. She had earned her degree in Spanish from UT-Austin and had always dreamed of working in Argentina. Although Dowdy had communicated with her employer via video chats and E-mails, she was stunned on her first day when her new bosses gave her a handbook of dental procedures and told her to be ready to help operate the next day. Dowdy quit and later found a job in a bar. Now working toward her Ph.D. in Hispanic literature, she says that if you don't have the money to visit a potential employer, "get as much detail as possible" about job responsibilities "in as clear language as possible."
Tap your network.
If you've previously traveled or studied abroad, tap into that network to generate job leads, says Patrick Mullane, head of the career center at
Available at Amazon.com:
Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements
Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success
What's Next? Follow Your Passion and Find Your Dream Job
Interpersonal Edge: Breakthrough Tools for Talking to Anyone, Anywhere, about Anything
The Other 8 Hours: Maximize Your Free Time to Create New Wealth & Purpose
The Six-Day Financial Makeover: Transform Your Financial Life in Less Than a Week!
Careers - How to Find a Job Abroad
Article: Copyright ©. All rights reserved.