Deciding to move to a new country is something that appeals to many of us. Whether we are unhappy at home, disappointed with how our home countries are run, or with the opportunities that they afford us, or simply looking for something new.
Sometimes traveling just isn’t enough, and we want to spend some time living in a different country that we’ve fallen in love with to soak up their culture and experience their way of life.
Traveling is fantastic, but it’s not the same as settling in somewhere and living day-to-day in a new place. When you travel to a new place on vacation, everything is special, and it’s all a treat. Living someone is completely different.
One of the main differences is that if you choose to live in a new country, you need to find work. When you’re on vacation, you’ve already earned enough to cover your trip so you can relax and spend your time how you want to. When you live somewhere, you need to work to sustain the quality of life you are used to.
However, finding work in a new country isn’t always easy, and there is a lot to think about. Here is everything you need to do, and some tips on securing a job in a new country.
Visas
The first thing you need to do is make sure you are legally allowed to work in a different country. This will depend on where you are going, how long for and how many hours you intend to work. Student visas for example often stipulate that you can only work for 25 hours a week.
Check out the list of requirements for your destination and circumstances online. It’s easier to do this if you already know where you are going and how much work you intend to take on. In most cases, a visa can be applied for before you travel. But, it’s not always necessary as you can often get one from the embassy when you arrive. Just make sure you double-check what you need to do before making any arrangements as you don’t want to risk breaking any immigration laws, here or abroad.
Housing
When you travel, it’s easy to stay in hostels or cheap hotels as you move around. When you are settling down somewhere and need to work, it’s important to find a nice comfortable home, in a suitable location. A place that you can make home, look after yourself and get some rest before a busy day at work. Look at rumahdijual.com/semarang/apartemen for some ideas of what affordable properties you may be able to find.
Speak to Your Current Employer
If you are happy with your current job, the first thing you should do is check to see if there is any possibility of working remotely, at least until you find something else. If your job is largely based online, this may be possible.
Another option is working online as a freelancer as it doesn’t really matter where you are. You could earn money as a freelance writer, selling stock photographs, as a web designer or engineer or as an online tutor. There are many options now most people are online. Think about what experience you’ve got, what you are good at and what you enjoy. Even if you don’t earn a lot, it could be enough to help you get by.
Learn Some Language
People all over the world speak some level of English, and this is probably enough to get by on most holidays. But, if you are aiming to get a job in another country, it’s imperative that you learn some of the language. That said, there’s no need to waste time learning everything straight away.
Learn how to inquire about work, to explain your situation and experience and anything that might come in handy in an interview.
Then, learn words and phrases relevant to your field of work. You can pick more up as you go. Apps and podcasts can be handy, and you should make sure you’ve got a translation app on your phone in case you get stuck.
Tailor Your CV
Traveling to another country and trying to find work says a lot about you as a person. You are adventurous, willing to take risks, tenacious and keen to learn new things. All of this needs to be on your CV along with any other key skills and relevant experience.
If you are applying in the mother tongue of your destination, you should make sure it’s properly translated before handing it in or sending it off.
Don’t just rely on running it through a translator as sometimes things lose their meaning or words get jumbled up and lost. Get a real person to proofread it for any translation errors.
Network
Just like at home, connecting with the right people can give you a great head start or even a foot in the door. Find businesses you’d like to work for and make contact. You could do this in person, or on social media.
However you do it, make sure you are confident and professional. A good first impression can get you noticed and remembered. Even if this doesn’t lead to work straight away, keep in touch, you never know what the future may bring.
Search Online
There are online job sites all over the world. If you are unsure of your new surroundings, it can be hard to find available jobs, as you don’t know what exists yet. Look at online job sites to see what’s out there in your new area. You don’t necessarily have to apply via the site; you could just use it to find an available job, before taking your CV in person or emailing a recruitment contact to find out more.
Don’t Worry
If you want to live abroad, go for it. Fully commit to the idea, find out what you need to do, and get on with it. Don’t stress too much about not having a job, as you may find that your experience and education at home gives you a huge advantage.
If at all possible, find a job before you leave. If you can’t, at least make sure you’ve got enough money put aside to last if you are unemployed for a while and pick up some freelance work or find other ways to earn money online to help.
This post has been contributed by Ryan Gatt, it may contain affiliate links.