As a generalization, employers will not usually sponsor you for work visas and permits unless have either very senior experience and/or very specific skills that are in demand in the local market. This is because the process can be time-consuming, expensive and unnecessary for them, if they can find someone else in the local market with your skills. For this reason, you need to be realistic about what your target employer will be willing to negotiate with you. Where possible, try to obtain your own work visas and permits – this will make you more attractive to a potential employer.
2. Check That Local Employers Can Hire You
In some countries, foreigners/”aliens” cannot work in certain capacities. For example, Human Resource Manager and Lawyer positions may be reserved only for local employees. There is no use pounding doors for these jobs when local employers cannot legally hire you anyway. Having said that, you may not get these exact positions, but you can often score work more laterally in these fields. For example, an employer may take you on as a Human Resource Consultant or Legal Consultant, with different responsibilities than those of the local Human Resource Manager or Lawyer in their company.
3. Set Realistic Salary Expectations
A good education and/or a first world passport are not usually enough for an employer to pay you higher salary than that of a local staffer. If you are seeking a higher salary (an expatriate salary or otherwise) than a local staffer with similar skills, prepare your argument extremely well and try to research exactly what the local salaries are in your target country.
4. Follow Up Your Job Application With A Phone Call
If you are applying for jobs via recruitment agencies in your target country, it is likely that they are also receiving 100+ applications from local very-well qualified applicants. To get a local recruitment agency to take you seriously, you need to call them to follow up your job application. You need to convey to them that you: understand and would be an asset to the local market; are either in the country and/or are able to go quickly to that country to start work; and in most cases, explain your salary expectations. If you fail to do this, it is highly likely that the local recruitment agency will think you are ”too much trouble” and not a feasible option for them – so your application will be conveniently filed at the bottom of the job application pile.
5. Network As Much As Possible
It is absolutely true that in many cases, it is ‘who you know, not what you know’ that counts when landing a job in your new country. In addition to calling as many companies and relevant contacts as possible to land your dream job, it is important that you are not shy in attending as many networking events as possible (especially if you are already in your new country). You just never know who will hold the key to your next great overseas job.
Andrea is a Co-Founder of ExpatWomen.com. Andrea's professional background includes coordinating large national networks in two of Australia's largest government departments, plus work as an Executive Headhunter in an international consulting firm in Indonesia. She has provided the above tips for your general information and interest. Please remember that it is your responsibility to check the rules and regulations in your target country.
