Job hunting abroad can provide both new opportunities and new adventures but there can be some hurdles to overcome when doing so. Preparation is crucial as well as a realistic view of what to expect when looking for work abroad.

Getting a work permit is often the first obstacle to address. Most countries will require you to have a residence permit upon your arrival. If you came to work, your residency permit is likely to be granted on the basis of you having a solid job offer and an appropriate work permit.

In most western countries, work permits are issued for skilled and educated labour. It can be much more difficult to get a work permit without academic qualifications and significant work experience.

In today’s world, having solid cultural knowledge of the culture you are to being joining is pivotal in your success both personally and professionally when relocating. Things such knowing the language can be crucial in a finding work as you may be expected to be proficient to specific level or may have certain exams to take in order to be eligible for particular roles. It is a good idea to seek professional training regarding the country you are moving to or to consult specific cultural guides that are dedicated to dealing with the issues you may face.

Some professions require re-certification of your qualifications upon arrival. This is often the case for medical professionals, lawyers, psychologists and the like. Be sure to find out in advance if this is the case for you and what is involved in process. For some countries you may be able to take the exam before you relocate.

When beginning your job hunt, prepare your CV in advance and a cover letter accurately translated into the local language. Include a recent photo. It is also likely that you will need to have your educational qualifications and credentials translated to the local language. Be aware that some documents may require certification by a notary.

When attending a job interview, be sure to get advice from a local person, preferably a job agent, as to what you are likely to be asked, the level of knowledge you are expected to have regarding the recruiting company, your communication style, body language, dress style and the paperwork you will be expected to have to hand.

Take a deep breath! Finding the perfect job abroad can take between six to twelve months! Experts often consider searching for a job to be a full time job in itself! A relocation agent could be immensely helpful in this matter but it’s important to be realistic about the time frame you are likely to experience.

Good luck!

Rhona Hart is the author of the forthcoming book ‘Preparing for your Move Abroad. Relocating, Settling in, and Managing Culture Shock’.

The challenges of international move

Truth to be told – there are many.

The following presents some points to consider when thinking about and preparing to move abroad with a family and young children. 

When you relocate, your family becomes a hub.  An expatriate family often has no extended family or community around them for support. It is the role of the adults to look to one another for the support that usually comes from extended family, friends and community. When that support is absent, the well being of both the adults and children can quickly decline, and loneliness can set in. The risk for the relocating family is that they may become dysfunctional. When family members are able to support each other during the initial period of relocation, then family ties bring the family even closer together, and enable them to quickly form new networks and build new relationships to support them.

Separation is an experience that dominates the life of expatriate families. However, separation from an extended community and family is only one of the types of separation that expat families may encounter.

Separation of family members from each other is often the most pressing issue. Travel demands on relocating employees are often high.  Business requirements, hosting or entertainment may regularly involve both parents, leaving children under the supervision of unfamiliar babysitters or nannies. It is therefore crucial to prepare for this in advance and to take time to find the right person to take care of your children.

Intergenerational differences in cultural orientation is also a potential issue confronting the expatriate/immigrant family. By moving abroad we separate from the ‘homeland’ and the comforts of living in a familiar culture. Relocating families, especially those who relocate for several years, may experience a dynamic that is common among immigrants; intergenerational differences in cultural orientation. First-generation expatriates bring with them their original cultural heritage, and tend to maintain their home-national identities. Their children, who have been raised abroad, however, are bi-cultural. They are influenced by multiple cultural traditions; that of their parents’ and of the local culture. They may well reject their parents’ national orientation, and adopt the local culture. Awareness of this phenomenon and offering cultural and language classes to children with the aim of maintaining their heritage and connections, can be very helpful in shrinking the intergenerational gap.

However integrated or acculturated an expatriate family may become, it is likely to stand out from the host society in various ways.  As a consequence, family members also face the pressure of high performance standards. It is not uncommon to hear expatriate/immigrant parents say “Be careful how you act, you are an ambassador for your country.” It is therefore important to provide private spaces where family members can be authentic, where they can be themselves, and practice their own cultural traditions and family customs away from the public eye.

The sponsoring organisation plays a significant role in the life of the relocating family. In fact, it often forms the basis of the expatriate family’s identity. “What does your father / husband do?” is one of the first questions children and spouses are typically asked. The answer places the newcomer in the expatriate network, and ranks them in the expatriate hierarchy. It is therefore important for the organisation to cultivate their ties with the expatriate’s family members, and to create a support system for them.

While moving abroad as a family can present significant challenges, preparing yourself and your family by knowing what to expect and how to handle any obstacles can make your move a much easier one for everyone involved.

Dr Rona Hart is the author of the forthcoming book ‘PREPARING FOR YOUR MOVE ABROAD: Relocating, Settling in, and Managing Culture Shock’ which can be found in our Guide section.

When it comes to relocation, learning the language of the new country as part of your preparation can be a practical and rewarding undertaking, putting you at a real advantage from the moment you set foot within your adopted culture.

Integration

When moving to a new country, one of the biggest concerns is how easy it will be to integrate. While there are many factors that come into play, speaking the language of the target country can help significantly. Showing that you are willing to learn an entirely new language give the impression of being willing to fully embrace the new culture.  This level of effort can be extremely flattering to the residents of the new country and help endear yourself to them from the get-go.

Learning a new language is a superb way to show steadfast commitment to the host country as well respect for it.

Business

Further benefits come with speaking the second language in your place of work. Regardless of whether the ‘Lingua Franca’ at work is English, the majority of staff members won’t be. Being able to speak their language will benefit you both professionally and socially. After work drinks, for example, will be far more enjoyable when you can understand and join in with the anecdotes and jokes without having to wait for someone to explain them to you.

Using a host country’s own language at work can also do well to increase your chances of moving up in the company. A lack of foreign knowledge when working abroad can often be crippling to professional progress.

Children

Integrating into a new country can be hard for children. The more you can improve a child’s chance of making new friends and transitioning smoothly into a new school, the more successful the relocation will be. There is also evidence to suggest that children who learn a second language perform better academically.

Children are often able to acquire a second language much faster than adults so they are actually at an advantage in this respect.

Dr Rhona Hart, an accomplished relocation trainer and counsellor, specialising in professionals and their families moving abroad has some great advice on helping children to learn a second language.

Travelling

One of the most exciting parts of moving to a new country is the exploration of your new surroundings. Whilst English might get you by, speaking the native tongue will make the experience an easier and potentially more enjoyable one.

Learning a language is about more than just being able to converse in it. It’s about fully immersing yourself in that target culture. With language learning comes a level of understanding that can be hard to attain by alternative methods. Though it is a large investment of time and often money, it is worth serious consideration when moving to a new country.

What is Culture Shock?

When talking about relocation, Culture Shock describes understanding, appreciating and adjusting to a host culture.

There can be many differing levels of Culture Shock associated with relocating, ranging from simple, expected changes like different accents, languages, TV, radio and weather, to less anticipated changes, like alternative world views, social expectations and business etiquette. Knowing what to expect and preparing both physically and mentally for it can make your entrance into a new culture an enthralling one.

Culture Shock is described by experts as having four distinct phases:

Honeymoon/Excitement Phase – The difference between the familiar and the unknown is perceived in a positive light. Changes in lifestyle and surroundings are exciting and fun.

Withdrawal/Negotiation Phase – As time goes on, the differences become more noticeable and inescapable. The reality of being very far from home sets in and can cause some anxiety and frustration.

Adjustment Phase – The nuances of the host culture become more ‘normal’ and less intimidating or intrusive.

Mastery/Enthusiasm Phase – The host culture is now a comfortable and happy place to live in. Any anxiety and frustration has gone and the new culture can be enjoyed and truly appreciated.

These stages can vary in duration and severity so it is important to be aware of the effects they can have on the success of relocation.

What can you do to prepare?

Learn – Educate yourself and everyone involved about the host country. This can be done by both personal and professional means by using the internet, books on customs and culture and relocation seminars.

Be realistic and look to the future – Remember that Culture Shock is normal and almost everyone goes through it when relocating. Stay positive and open-minded. Set goals to work towards and track progress with.

Training/Seminars – Seek the advice of experts. It can prove incredibly beneficial to get help from professionals in the area of relocation issues.

Relocating is a huge step and when done the right way with thorough preparation, it can be one of the most exciting experiences you’ll have. Do your research, plan, and enjoy what will be a wonderfully memorable life experience for all involved.

Demonstrating respect for a culture (and indeed, a country,) is of utmost importance when building and maintaining a happy and successful call centre team.

When training a call centre team it is usually expected that the local greeting is (learnt and) used to get both parties off on the right footing. This show of respect is easy to do and is extremely effective. It makes every level of a call centre feel appreciated and involved. It encourages a team to want to learn more about the foreign cultures they are dealing with rather than merely having to know more about it just for their job. Good cultural training can have brilliant and far-reaching effects for a business, so it’s well worth taking the time to do it right.

When training at a call centre in a foreign country, it can be very easy to focus solely on getting the team manning the phones to understand their target audience. After all, that’s the main goal – to get the best customer service from the workforce. As a result, cultural training can sometimes focus only on encouraging employees to understand things like slang, social norms, current affairs and even accents of the people they will be taking calls from. This is definitely an incredibly important aspect of cultural training and will most certainly provide a good call centre, but it may not be the best it can be.

How it works both ways

There’s more to running a successful call centre team than just getting employees to understand the customs and culture of the people they will be speaking to on a daily basis.  A call centre works best and is more productive, like any other business, when the workforce is content. It helps to know that there is a mutual appreciation and respect, both for, and from, the cultures they are dealing with on the phone and therefore training staff to be able to obtain this is invaluable.

CultureSmart!Consulting trainer Martin Hall comments:

‘That’s why cultural training is so important as it helps people connect at a human level. Once you have connected it is then harder to treat someone in an anonymous manner and you can move to a new level.

For example, understanding the differences -that some cultures respect and expect communication to be indirect while others believe the exact opposite.  This is easy to state but difficult to learn, as we have automatic cultural defaults that are hard to override. What is the epitome of politeness in one, is the height of rudeness in another, and triggers that default response!  As in all communication it’s the little issues that arouse most offence.  We can however be trained to recognise these defaults, in ourselves first and then in others. 

Having learnt to recognise them, we can be trained to read them in their context and react accordingly.’

Investing time in really exploring the host culture in business can pay dividends both in the short and long term.

How can I help my children learn a second language when we relocate?

This is a question I am often asked by anxious parents.

Well, there are several things that you can do to facilitate second language acquisition in your children.

Speak your first language at home.

It is important for you to be comfortable with your children, and not to communicate in a language where neither of you can express yourselves freely. This is why I suggest that you speak your first language at home.  It is important for you to understand that children actually learn a second language more easily if they have a strong foundation in their mother tongue. I also recommend that your children continue their language learning in your native tongue in parallel to learning the second language.

Lead by example.

It is important that you become a good role model for your children to emulate when learning the host language. Communicate to them through your words and actions that you think learning the language is important and that you are making the effort – and that you expect them to put the same effort into their language learning.

Mistakes are allowed.

Remember that when learning a new language – you will make mistakes. This is just a normal part of the learning process. Sorry – there are no short cuts! So show your kids that you are willing to accept that you will make mistakes in the process of learning.

The ‘silent’ period.

Most children go through a ‘silent period’ when they learn a new language – a time when they will not speak the language, but they are silently absorbing it. This may last as long as six months to 18 months. Be patient and supportive. Your children are experiencing a huge learning curve that may well be very frustrating for them. Some children are embarrassed to make mistakes and wait until they can speak in complete, perfect sentences before their silent period is over.

Look for ways your child can practice the language in private. It feels less risky to speak in small groups or to one person.

Children learn languages faster than adults.

Don’t get upset if your children begin to speak among themselves or answer you in the second language. Again – it is just natural for them to do that. They may also have another upsetting habit -  correcting your language! Children often learn the second language more quickly than adults, and will be proud to show you what they have learned.

Remember that your children are actually learning two languages at once. As a result they are likely to be slower at speaking and reading than their friends who are monolingual. Do not panic. They are doing something more difficult. The reward will be knowing two languages and having a deeper understanding of the function of language.

Be realistic.

It takes three to seven years to become fluent in a second language. Your child may be speaking competently within six months to a year, but to function fully in school (or for you, in your adult life), it is likely to take much longer.

Older children may take longer than younger children to learn a new language. This is simply because the type of learning they have to master is much more complex, and they have more years of learning to catch up. They also have more subjects to learn in addition to the language. Additionally, older children tend to be more self aware and more shy or anxious about speaking a second language in front of other people.

Motivation is key.

Acknowledge that there is an emotional aspect to learning a second language. If your child is motivated and the language learning is presented to him or her in positive terms – your child will make quicker progress than if he or she is dragged behind to this new country, and is pressurised or criticised as to how quickly he/she is learning the language.
Dr Rona Hart

Dr Rona Hart is an expert in the psychology of change. She has made a career out of empowering people and helping them transform their lives, by shifting unproductive thoughts and behaviours into successful patterns that allow them to generate the outcomes they want to have in their lives.

Partaking in presentations to your new, culturally diverse, business associates may be quite daunting as you are bound to encounter cultural differences in communication.

Issues in intercultural communication can be more wide spread then the obvious language barriers. Presenting to a different culture may also be difficult due to unfamiliar customs.

We have put together a few tips to help you best plan for presenting to an international audience.

Training

To become successful at cross cultural communication, you must first understand the customs of the people you are presenting to.

Cross cultural training will help you identify and practice ways to best respect the different customs, beliefs and behaviours of your new audience, enabling you to hone your cultural intelligence and give you the tools needed to present clearly and effectively to a cross cultural audience.

Pace yourself and pause

If you are presenting to an audience in their second or even third language, it is best to take things slowly. Some speakers fear that this will patronise their audience, but this is rarely the case. It gives them time to understand and digest what you are saying and makes your presentation clear and precise.

Pay attention to body language and facial expressions

By observing the reactions of your audience, in both facial expressions and body language, you will be able to identify how well your presentation is being received.

If you feel as though something isn’t working as you had planned, try something different, you may need to slow down or explain a point in a different way.

You must remember that there are many cultural differences in communication, including the way people listen and respond. People from some cultures consider it rude to say that they don’t understand, and will therefore sit through your presentation with a blank expression, so be sure to observe your audience and address them where necessary.

Also, remember to enjoy your presentation! This will affect your overall performance as an audience always responds best to a presenter who is visibly enjoying themselves. This, coupled with our other tips, should allow you to enter your cross cultural presentation with comfort and confidence.

So what is cultural awareness?

There is no official definition for this term, but cultural awareness refers to the ability to take one’s self out of the normal way of thinking and experiencing, to appreciate and learn the different cultural values and customs of a foreign country. What may be normal and acceptable to us, may be unusual or unacceptable in another culture. When we are communicating with people from a different culture we need to be aware of their beliefs and customs, and respect them.

Why is cultural awareness important for international business success?

International businesses should always handle overseas dealings with cultural sensitivity to avoid offence to foreign business colleagues, clients or suppliers. Being culturally aware will also avoid the expense of miscommunications.  All in all, becoming culturally aware will allow your business to handle international relations with respect and understanding, resulting in effective cross cultural management and successful business dealings.

How do I make my team more culturally aware?

Cultural awareness training, also known as cross cultural training, allows your employees the chance to learn and understand the varied customs and cultures of the country you are looking to do business in.  Experienced trainers can come to the comfort of your own offices to teach employees in a familiar and relaxed environment.

International business dealings can be challenging, but with the support of cross cultural training your team will improve their cultural awareness, helping your company to be successful further afield.

If unprepared, employees could suffer from ‘culture shock’. Culture shock is the difficulty people have adjusting to a new culture that differs markedly from their own. This could then affect their performance on the work in hand, as they struggle to deal with their new surroundings.

Cross-cultural training covers many ways in which culture shock can be avoided, in interactive, face to face seminars.  Some of the tips covered in depth within these seminars include…

Arrive at the destination with an open mind. You have to prepare yourself for change as you adjust to your new surroundings, culture and ways of life. Change is always easier with an open mind, do not judge straight away, be patient. You must arrive with a willingness to observe, listen and learn.

Be open to networking. You may not speak the language, but how will you learn if you don’t surround yourself with it? Make an effort to learn some key phrases before you leave and use these in your day to day errands and in the office. Challenge yourself, networking won’t just help you pick up the native tongue, and it will allow you to form new connections and friendships, making you feel more secure in unfamiliar surroundings.

Prepare, prepare, prepare. Researching your new destination’s culture and customs before you set off will leave you in good stead once you arrive.  Reading culture guides will give you an insight into the behaviours and customs of the people you are about integrate with, and will give you a head start, as you prepare for life in your new, unfamiliar, culture.

Cross-cultural training seminars will offer your employees all the tips and knowledge they need, to prepare themselves for their new challenge within their new cultural surroundings.

Although selling across cultures has become more accessible, it does not come without its barriers and challenges.

With each culture comes a new set of rules and etiquettes and with that, varying questions.

Do they have different customs that I am unaware of? Do they prefer to be contacted and addressed differently? How do I greet them?

These queries, and many more like them, need to be answered in order to correctly communicate with different cultures without offending people and therefore avoiding negatively affecting your business dealings.

Cross cultural training is the most effective way to answer these queries before you enter into business with different cultures.

It is a great way to learn all you need to know about the customs of the culture that you are going to be dealing with.

This type of training can be tailored to your companies needs depending on the culture you are entering. It is a fantastic opportunity to get all the staff who are involved in the project, to learn and practice in a group together, supporting each other in learning new, exciting and essential skills.

Addressing and preparing for cultural differences is a vital business tool if your company is looking to move into a foreign market. The amount of challenges may seem daunting, but with help from cross cultural training, these fears can be resolved, and the benefits of moving into business within foreign cultures will be achieved without cultural obstacles.