If the dreary January weather is getting you down and you’ve been thinking of expanding your job search a little further afield, then provided you consider some of the basics, it could be one of the best career moves you ever make – even if it’s just on a short term basis. If it’s on your mind at the moment, these Basic Tips for Searching for a Job Abroad should help…

Plan and Research

Searching for a job abroad is not something that you could just start on a whim. You’ll need to spend a considerable amount of time undertaking research – both on the potential places that you could go as well as the types of jobs that you could potentially apply for. Facts and figures on everything from the cost of living through to job criteria have to be researched thoroughly. If you want your search and move to be a success, this should really go without saying.

The Legal Stuff matters

Every country will have its own stipulations and requirements that you will have to adhere to if you are going to be granted entry and secure employment. That might entail applying for a working visa or ensuring that you have sourced a job before you get there – they all have rules and they can’t be ignored. Remember too that in this instance, Google is your friend – there are a plethora of online resources outlining legal requirements for seeking employment overseas. On a more personal note, you could search for an ‘expat’ forum and read other people’s questions and the responses they receive, or even better, post your own queries.

Explore all the options

Just as when you are job searching at home, you can’t rely on looking in one place only for your dream job. Look for niche or localised job boards, check out if there are any recruitment agencies where you could register, identify the main employers in your chosen location and visit their websites, read the  online versions of the local papers and find out about any new opportunities which may be arising. Also, don’t omit your own network of contacts – mention to the right people that you are considering making the move abroad and who knows what connections or introductions that they could make for you.

Make yourself employable

You may find that in your preferred location, some skills are potentially more in demand than others. If you can either learn, develop or refresh those skills, you are giving yourself significant advantage in your job search. Whether it’s a technical skill or otherwise, it’s worthwhile spending some time before you go in making yourself as employable as possible for that particular location. It will be time well spent.

We hope that these Basic Tips for Searching for a Job Abroad will help if travel is on your mind this year. If it is…best of luck!