So, you’ve finally bagged that dream job overseas. Your contract has been sorted out and the weeks are approaching for you to pack up and ship out. Moving overseas, especially for work, can be a very exciting time in your life. New experiences, people, a possible a new language and discovering a completely new city can be amazing.
Related:5 Things To Consider When Working Abroad
But what about the stress that comes with it? There is a lot to sort out when you are relocating and it can quickly become a stressful time. That said, being organized and planning ahead can make it one hundred times easier.
If you're planning on working abroad, be sure to check out these five steps to manage your relocation stress-free.
1. Make A List & Talk To Expats
It sounds boring, but it’s one of the best pieces of advice that you can take. Until you actually start getting ready to go, you probably won’t realize how much there actually is to do. And you will realize that this becomes list-worthy very soon. Talk to friends who have been in the same situation or expats you know. There are also a large number of expat forums online, which can assist with meeting expats. They will be able tell you everything that should be on that list.
2. Get All Of Your Paperwork Sorted Before Departure
Even if your company is looking after your paperwork for you, make sure you know exactly what they are organizing and what you need to organize. Having to organize paperwork in a foreign country can be one of the worst experiences of travelling and you really don’t want to deal with this when you are starting a new job. Some of the most common paperwork you need to be on top of are:
Up to date passports
A signed work contract
Appropriate working visa for yourself
Visas for your family
International Drivers license
Travel insurance
Lease agreements
3. Research Accommodation Before You Leave
If you’re lucky, your company may be providing you accommodation for your entire contract. However, that is not always the case. Often, a company will put you up for a few weeks in a serviced hotel and then give you an accommodation allowance for something more permanent. Make sure you organize your permanent accommodation before you go. There are many relocation professionals and websites that can help you with this and you will appreciate the extra time as it can take a lot longer than you think.
4. Ship Your Goods In Advance
If you have a shipping allowance, be sure to research exactly what that entails. If your are only covered for sea freight, it will take up to three months for your possessions to arrive, so you will need to organize this well in advance.
5. Store Your Possessions Properly & Organize For Your Return
Even though something like a three year contract seems a long time, you need to be ready to return at some stage. Be sure that you store your possessions appropriately so that they are accessible and undamaged on your return. Work out someone you can stay with when you come back for visits too as this is the last thing you need to stress about!
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.
