You who is reading this at the moment is probably dying to move abroad. It matters not whatever reasons keep you desiring to move overseas. Most commonly, you, like many others wish to work, study, adventure or acquire a new citizenship. You are so much in order with such longing because the world is fast becoming a global village.
As an immigrant, what is most important thing in a new country is earning a living. You do not want to be in a new place and become so desperate. So as a matter of priority, you need to find some source of income. Getting a job becomes an utmost priority. But remember that getting a job requires a particular skills-set and knowledge about that industry.
Entering a foreign job market
Immediately after moving to a new country, the focus quickly shifts to getting opportunities to kick-off life. I bet you, once you arrive at your dream destination, it will only take a few weeks and the savings you had will begin to diminish. All the fantasies you may have had about this country quickly faes away and its now time that the rubbe meets the road; job search proper begings!
Welcome our newcomes but you have to help our economy grow; that is the unwritten rule in almost every country of the world. You are not going to come and sit back as other people contribute their fair share to a country they consider home.
Some people mistakenly think that they can enter countries that have the social welfare system and joyride on taxes paid by other diligent workers. Bad news, you will not find it easy if you don’t move fast in getting your skills set in order and seeking out job opportunities. The crux of the matter is that is that without working, you soon become desperate and unable to meet your daily needs.
There is no guarantee that having practised in particular work at home means you will enter the job at the same level abroad.
Those who have migrated and lived in new locations will tell you that it is largely a matter of beginning on a clean sheet. It is like starting life all over again from scratch….with all the hassles that come with it.
For any person moving and intending to live in a developed country, it is necessary to sharpen the skills that match the labour market there. While in some countries office jobs are considered the most lucrative and everyone jostles for them, this many are not the case in your new destination.
Entry level jobs for an immigrant
Although variably, people moving to new countries to work, unless on a pre-negotiated work permit have to accept the struggle to fit in. Assuming you are leaving your professional work in your own country, it may not be possible to get a similar job at the destination.
As an immigrant, you have to consciously resolve certain things in the mind to accept the situation in the new environment. First, know that the job market is somehow unique and expectations may be different. Second, be ready to start at any point and learn step by step. Three, do not import the perceptions given about certain jobs at home.
Relevant Job skills for an expatriate
Industries are evolving and firms are today more focused on results as well as tangible project outcomes. Although theoretical knowledge has its place in the industrial environments, the job market today appreciates efficiency, goals and deliveries.
As someone who has been trained on idealization and probably theoretical issues, it is important to adopt such into delivering real results. Too much theory without practical output may be an antidote to your successful entry into a new job market.
Don’t be surprised to see a professor very busy with farm management and operations including operating farm machinery or handling livestock. In societies where education has been structured in such a way to not only result in white-collar jobs, graduates readily get into hands-on jobs.
If anyone asks me, I recommend that as someone planning to move to a new destination, you ought to have demonstrable practical abilities. Just choose one field, whether it is ICT, computers, machine operations, writing and communication and excel in it.
In most cases, employers will be less focused on asking fluffy questions as to what you know. Instead, they will be more intrigued with whatever you can do. Yes, it is good to know something but it takes a lot of diligence to transform that knowledge into real results expected by the firm.
Practical abilities for integration into a new job market
It obviously takes some time before one can fully get into a job market. Before then, it is necessary to get involved in seemingly low-level jobs which may not be in your field yet earn some income. You will find that the labour market organization in most of the countries is such that each job is protected and workers enjoy conducive labour standards.
As a starting point, learn skills in modelling, programming, software development, computer systems, machine operations, artificial intelligence, data analysis, project management, monitoring and evaluation et cetera. These are areas that are largely SMART. At the end of it, the employer will be impressed with the particular results.
The mastery of theory is good but no employer would like to be inundated with a lot of theory which less translates into profits of actual welfare improvement. At the back of your mind, you understand that each employer is interested in profits and economy….the knowledge you have is only as good as it contributes to the two.
A step by step rising in a job as an immigrant
There is a great value of patience before one can fully get to the desired level of job satisfaction in a new country. Although this may not be misunderstood to mean that everyone has to wait longer, it is often the case that rising to that level requires time.
As you perform your duties and handle tasks assigned to you diligently without complaining, employers will be keen to identify it. Even if the employer does not quickly notice your industry, they will do so in the long run. Better still, the company clients may just approach and decide to engage you privately.
In whichever job that you take, it is important to be very active in making contacts, learning more and just studying the operations of the industry. As you will fast realize, your first job is not necessarily to result in jobs satisfaction but only to give an opportunity for learning how things work in that host country.
Getting referrals in a new country
It may not be so easy to penetrate a new job market without having reputable firms or individuals to endorse your abilities. So, in everything you do and wherever you work, just create a good rapport. The people who know you will come in handy to provide referrals.
When you apply for a new job, just cite referrals whom you are very sure to give a positive comment about your abilities. Although you may not have brushed shoulders the wrong way with past employers, some may be characteristically callous. Be very careful about who you point out as your referees.
Importance of working abroad
There are very many direct benefits that come with working as a foreigner including good salaries and acquisition of new skills. However, it also demonstrates to future employers that you are highly adaptable, more culturally aware and able to cope with new expectations at work.
The soft skills and technical experience acquired when working as a foreigner goes a long way in shaping your ability to get employed by a multinational. Assumably, working in a new country shows a measurable level of resilience and openness to explore new opportunities. These are just the things that employers today look for in their new recruits.
