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April 14, 2011
A Job Abroad?
 “See the world! Go to exotic locations! It’s an exciting adventure, like a vacation all the time! Or not,” Dr. Robin Moriarty, Managing Director of Kimberly-Clark, Hong Kong, tells PINK.
Though research shows an international assignment can skyrocket a career, “the truth is, international assignments are incredibly amazing and difficult, and they’re not for everyone,” she says.
Even with the family in tow, the situation “can stress a marriage, especially when the trailing spouse is the husband, not the wife,” Moriarty explains.
Finding schools for children and dealing with loneliness if you’re single are also factors to consider.
Moriarty suggests asking yourself questions like, are you doing it just for the money? Can you live without creature comforts? Are your relationships stable? Are you a generally flexible person?
She, and others, say it’s important to be truly interested in different cultures and prepared to live without a daily Starbucks, company car or usual meal choices.
Think you’re ready? Experts say the next steps are to become familiar with customs, flesh out the details with the company you work for and research the surrounding area for shopping, food and office locations.
Bonus PINK Link: Find out more about how international assignments may be the passport to a better career.
By Caroline Cox
"No journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us,
it goes an equal distance into the world within." Lillian Smith
 
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Comments
Like the Huffington Post for career women!!!
Love this. Keep it coming. I really enjoy receiving my Little PINK Book daily enote. It's like HUFFINGTON POST FOR CAREER WOMEN!
Thank you!
Working abroad
I had the incredible opportunity of working in Europe for 2 years. I loved the country that was my new home, and I would go back there and work in a millisecond. The experience opened my mind, made mre more worldly, taught me so much about the business of my company and business in general, and helped me to see my country from the outside, which was revelatory.
It isn't easy, though. No matter how prepared you think you are, there is still a lot you just didn't know would happen. For me, many of those things became what I loved most about my life abroad. And there are days when you just say, "I want to go home", but if you are lucky, those days are few and far between. You do have to fight the perception that you are perpetually on vacation. It's just not true. I worked longer hours there than I did in the US because I had to manage to three major time zones, not just the one of the home country.
What I will dispute is the statement that an international assignment will "skyrocket a career". I am not sure that this is always true. When I returned from my assignment, I took on the expatriate program in my company. What I learned was that we lost nearly two thirds of the people that we sent on assignments. More than half of those people were downsized. We surveyed our expatriates past and present, and we found that, while a vast majority felt that their assignment was a good experience and provided them with personal and professional growth, more than half felt that it did not affect their career. The only area where it seemed to be a stepping stone upward was in sales.
My own experience was similar. My international assignment was more of a career limiting experience than career skyrocket. That being said, I still feel that my experience was a high point of my professional career...and my personal life as well.
Working abroad
I lived and worked abroad at the manager level. It was a fantastic life experience. We grew from cultural expansion and exposure.
On a business front, you need to establish expectations. For me as a manager, the work was not particularly new or more challenging. The growth was in work style, pace and culture to get things done. It proved to be a bit painful as they were not as results focused.
Importantly, when someone takes an international assignment, it is not easy to make adjustments on the duration of the role. It is also highly unlikely that you'll be recruited to another position back in the US. Thus, realize that this is a longer commitment to your firm.
Dwain
working abroad
This is exactly what I am looking for. How do you get an assignment abroad? I am looking for a networking avenue to a career somewhere on this planet. Any suggestions?
Thank you,
Sharon Fischer
Work for a Global Company
For me, I've been travelling only for a year now. My first assignment was 6 months in Brasil and now I'm heading to San Francisco. Being from Canada this is truly an amazing experience. Your best bet, if you desire to still feel financially secure, would be to work for a Global Company that places people across the world (at their other locations).
Working Abroad
I have been living and working abroad for almost 24 years now - 19 years in Italy and almost 4 years now in the south of France. From NYC, I moved to Italy alone with no job, little money and no language skills. I needed a change from the NY rat race so took the plunge. It has been the best decision I have ever made in my life.
Of course there are times that I feel insecure when I start to worry about finances, retirement, illness etc. but my life is so rich in all other aspects that I feel I am way ahead of the game.
I would highly recommend coming ALONE if you can. I agree with the article about the possible problems of towing a husband along. It could be a disaster unless he is a very special and open minded person.
Good luck to all of you!
Deborah
www.espritseminars.com