Why start working abroad?
- Become aware of new cultures
- Learn to adjust to new situations
- Earn much better salaries
- Develop better communication skills
- Improved opportunities in career
Navigating the International Job Market: Where to Start
The process you need to go through to obtain a job abroad can be extensive, so you need to know how to go about it. That way, you can reduce the strain and also ensure that you satisfy all the requirements.
Before that, ask yourself some questions.
Decide the type of job you want
Before applying for a job, know what position you would like to work in, the sector it is in, and the skills you would want to acquire. Once you have clarity on that, knowing the job most suited for you is easy.
After that, you have to factor in the place you want to work in and how long would you intend to work there. In case you are not able to find a job immediately, consider taking up an interim job.
Which country would you like to work in?
Though a lot of countries offer job opportunities for skilled international professionals, you need to select the type of job you intend to work in and the country you desire to live in where you can get the desired job.
Before you apply to move to this country, get to know about its culture, know what is unique to this place, and befriend people online from this place through social media. This helps you schedule interviews with potential employers.
Update yourself with the events in your target country
Know what is happening in your target country where you would want to work by following industry trends. Keep yourself updated through that country’s media about the culture of the country and events taking place there. It will help you when you attend a job interview with an employer there.
Network extensively through social media
Make use of your social media connections to search for the job you are looking for overseas. By networking, you can find a job, connect with professionals, share your CV/resume with people following you, and create your persona online.
Improve your efforts by connecting extensively in the country where you want to work. For instance, your peers at school or workplaces can have useful information that they could share with you, allowing you to get a job abroad and also find accommodation in that place for you after you’ve got a job.
The other ways to get a job abroad in the countries in which you want to work are as follows.
- Attend job fairs. As it is here, you can meet with the representatives of a company you may want to work in
- Go through online job boards where a lot of employers post open positions online. Get access to the job boards of the specific country you want to work in.
- Apply for open positions by contacting the career pages of a company directly on its official website. The company’s career pages will have information that is updated on a regular basis rather than a job portal.
- Apply for intra-company transfers. Many large, multinational companies allow you to work abroad by transferring you to their branches there. In case you are working for such a company, consider getting in touch with your supervisor to know if there is an opportunity to work in your target country.
Apply for a work visa or permit
As certain employers will hire people who already have a work visa or permit, you need to initiate the process of applying for a work visa in the country you want to move to. If you are lucky, certain prospective employers are willing to sponsor you before you get a work visa or a permit from that country.
Contact the employer whom you are willing to work with to know if they can help you with those requirements. Websites of embassies or consulates in your target country will provide information about its labor laws.
Personalize your resume
You must personalize your resume to suit the job requirements you are applying for. Go through the job post and use the keywords wherever applicable in your resume. The keywords used on you your resume should suit the language of the country you are applying in. It would help if you could translate your resume into that country’s official language by taking the help of that country’s locals. Ensure that you follow the standards of the resume and meet their expectations.
Keep the length of the resume as per the country’s standards. When you submit your resume, it should not only satisfy the requirements of the job you are applying for but also be in accordance with the country’s cultural environment.
Submit the job application
After you are ready with all the data required for your resume, update it and get it read by your peers for any errors. Once you have done that, put a lot of thought into composing a cover letter and send it along with your job application.
Finally, await a response from the prospective employers.
If you want to assistance in navigating the international job market and don’t know where to start, contact Y-Axis, a premier overseas career consultancy, to get proper assistance and counselling.
HOW Y-AXIS CAN HELP YOU?
Thousands of professionals approach Y-Axis every year to help them realize their overseas career ambitions. Our suite of services includes:
- Resume Writing Services: Ensure your resume meets international standards and showcases your strengths
- LinkedIn Marketing: Improve your chances of getting discovered online by recruiters and companies with our LinkedIn marketing solutions
- Resume Marketing: Be present in your target country’s job market with our Resume Marketing services that apply for jobs on your behalf through overseas job boards, classifieds & job postings
- Providing job search services
With Y-Axis, you not only discover opportunities that are best suited for you but also get the tools and experience to help you with the highest chances of success. Talk to us today to begin your journey of working abroad.

Navigating the International Job Market: Where to Start
Posted on August 12, 2023