Can
I set up my first overseas job before I go?
Or should I
go there to job hunt?
Which way
works best?
The author
likes to set up his jobs before moving to a country. Only
once in my career have I gone to a country, done
interviews, and selected the job I wanted - before
actually moving there.
While moving first and lining up a job once there, has
its appeal - I, personally, am not that confident in new
countries or new situations.
If
you know the country you'd like to move to well - and
have the financial ability - it probably would work best
for you to go there first. If you don't know the
country and language well, it probably is better to line
up your job from your home country.
Why
do some people advocate going there first?
On
the scene you can meet people that work at the company or school
you are considering, see if the housing is decent, meet
your employer, and see if things are as stated.
Accepting a job from overseas makes these things
difficult.
Also, some employers prefer to hire people on the
scene. They don't really know for sure if an overseas
hire is going to show up or not. If you are already
there, obviously the odds are much better that you will
be there for work on Monday morning.
Visa Problems
BUT - many countries require that you apply for your work visa
from outside that country. Tourist visas (what you
usually get
when you arrive) are often - maybe usually - not
convertible to work visas. So, even if you do line up a
job, you may still need to leave the country and go to
a neighboring country to get the correct visa. This is
an additional expense that you will need to consider.
Travel, hotel, and visa expenses can add up.
Local Hiring
Some employers prefer to hire locally, but this varies
greatly by country. Be aware though that some
companies may actually penalize you for applying
locally. Some "Local Hire" contracts will not
include airfare, housing, education expenses for
children and other benefits that will be built into the
overseas contract. These issues are important to
sort out before you go. The preferences will often
vary by country, profession and employer.
