How to find work abroad?

Traveling to another country to find great job opportunities can be enriching for your career and, of course, very profitable? However, perhaps you do not decide to live this experience because you do not know how to look for work abroad. To overcome it, we can give you the answers you need!

In this article, we prepare a practical guide to help you get your ideal job in another country. You will also get to know experiences so that you can live the experience of studying and working abroad. Interested? Well, join us!

12 tips for successful job search abroad

Finding a job abroad implies meeting requirements, carrying out procedures and using strategies. We know it sounds like a mess, but don’t lose your cool. We have summarized all the information you need to go through this process successfully in 12 simple tips for finding a job in another country. So take note.

1. Choose your destination and find out more

Every great journey begins with gathering information and making decisions. So the first tip to know how to look for work abroad is to go directly to the internet to find out everything you can about the destinations you have your eye on.

Surely you have at least a couple in mind, so you must choose the country and city that best suits your profile, tastes and possibilities. Take into account growth prospects and salaries. And don’t forget to consider living costs, working conditions, access to public services and educational quality.

2. Define the work experience you want

Assuming that you have already chosen, or at least have a clearer idea, about what will be your destination to work, the next step is to define what kind of experience you want to live abroad. Do you intend to work a season to save and vacation? Are you interested in working and studying at the same time? Do you want to continue your professional career in another country?

These are the kinds of questions you should answer as candidly as possible. By doing so, you will be able to have clear and realistic goals for your trip. Remember that working abroad is an enriching experience and not a disaster that makes you lose money.

We suggest you list the types of jobs that interest you and define what you want to achieve by getting them abroad. Beyond the height of the position or the size of your objectives, what matters is to have them very clear. In this way, it will be easier for you to focus when looking for a job, without being distracted by offers that are only hooks.

3. Prepare your titles and diplomas

Once the basic decisions have been made, it is time for you to prepare your documents to see how to look for work abroad. Start with the most important ones:

• Your undergraduate degree (the most recent).
• Diplomas that certify your work skills.

In general, these are the ones that employers take into account when selecting candidates. However, keep in mind that the rules vary from country to country, so it is very likely that you will have to submit your degree to a validation process.

This means that an authorized institution in your destination country will determine what grade they are equivalent to in their educational system. Only in this way will the recruiter be sure that you have the required educational level.

Keep in mind that your documents will also have to be translated by a professional (sworn translator) when sending them. If you wait to do it until you reach the destination, you will lose time and spend more money. So it is advisable to do it before traveling.

4. Certify your language proficiency

As you collect your titles and diplomas, you are on your way to having what it takes to find a job in another country, but… do you already speak the local language? In this aspect, it is not enough to believe that you are bilingual, you must prove it with a certificate of international validity. And if you are trilingual, even better!

If you go to an English-speaking country, an advanced level of English is essential to practice your profession. Even nations where this language is not official accept foreign workers who are fluent in it and give them time to learn the local language.

Do you feel that you still need to take your language skills to the next level? Don’t worry! CatEight Course Application gives you access to excellent intensive, general and certificate preparation courses in some of the best countries like Australia or New Zealand to learn English abroad.

If your destination is Canada, one of the countries with the best job opportunities for foreigners, you will not only be able to improve your English, but also your French. Click, fill out the form and request your free online estimate!

5. Adapt your resume to the destination country

When wondering how to look for a job abroad, many people overlook the importance of having an attractive, formal and effective resume. In fact, not having it can become a big obstacle. So, get to work!

As a first step, take a tour of our article on how to make a resume. There you will find the basic notions and useful tips to start writing it. Secondly, you must take into account the style of the resume in the country you are traveling to.

Not everyone is used to the tomes of pages and pages that they taught us in school. In Anglo-Saxon countries, for example, they prefer brevity. In addition, employers usually ask that your CV not have a photo, as they seek to avoid discrimination.

• Register in online job boards

With your resume in hand, your translated title and your language certificate, you are ready to begin the process of looking for a job abroad. The most comfortable option is to do it from your computer by registering on job boards or search sites in the country of destination.

Internationally, two of the job search engines with the greatest presence are Indeed and Freelancer. Google their pages for your destination country. Meanwhile, there are popular local options, such as Gumtree in Australia, Seek in New Zealand, Infoempleo in Spain, and Jobs in Ireland.

The Canadian government offers a very good Job Bank service. Here you will not only find hundreds of offers and tools to build your CV. You can also use a useful job profile search engine for free, with information about requirements, prospects and salaries for each job.

7. Network on social networks

In the digitized world, a good online professional profile is worth as much as a resume, and sometimes more. This not only puts you in the sight of millions of businesses and companies, but also allows you to promote the effective practice of networking to get a job faster.

Traditionally, networking was done in face-to-face events. For job seekers, the main mission was to present an elevator pitch to potential employers. This is a brief oral presentation with the highlights of his career, goals and training.

Today, there is an almost essential social network for networking: LinkedIn. There you can establish contact with businessmen, colleagues, multinationals, institutions… in short, the entire working world at any time. In addition, there are several ways to interact with your contacts to get the most out of the relationship.

8. Look for offers and hand out requests on foot

Despite the importance of information technologies, take into account the old strategies when looking at how to look for work abroad. From America to Oceania, it is not unreliable to go for a walk to distribute copies of your CV where vacancies are advertised. So get up and move those legs!

Remember that in this way of applying for a job, the first impression is essential. So sharpen your persuasion skills to expose, in no more than a minute, what you are looking for and why you are ideal for the chosen position. Show yourself confident and formal, but friendly and without falling into arrogance.

9. Prepare your job interview

Of course, a great resume is useless if you’re not ready for the interview with the recruiter. In many cases, this is the step prior to signing a contract. However, there are those who stagnate due to being nervous or not knowing how to respond. Don’t let it happen to you!

You must be very clear that the objective of this meeting is to evaluate yourself as a professional and determine your aptitudes for the vacancy. In this way, be prepared to receive questions about the veracity of your CV and show a positive and honest attitude. Avoid “little lies”!

To practice, take a look at our tips for a job interview. Also, take a look at our article on questions in a job interview. The important thing is that you arrive at the crucial day confident of yourself and with your head held high.

10. Get the right visa

What happens once you get a job? Well, congratulations! Now, you need to make sure you get the right visa to have the work experience you want without problems.

Although it is impossible to make generalizations, we can affirm that in Australia, Canada, Spain, Ireland and New Zealand there are three types of visa that allow you to work:

• Work and Holiday Visa. This is the name of a program through which various nations allow foreigners to get full-time jobs, take language courses or training, and vacation. However, obtaining this visa is not always easy, as it is limited in issue and not available to all countries.
• Work visa. In general, countries award it to masters of trades or outstanding professionals in essential economic sectors. They give preference to applications from foreigners with studies and work experience in their territory.
• Student visa. This is the preferred option for thousands of travelers from different latitudes, as it allows them to study courses and get a part-time job. Therefore, it is ideal to gain knowledge, experience and money for maintenance, especially if it is your first living abroad.

Do not forget that to practice certain professions and trades abroad, such as medicine or construction, you must obtain permits in addition to the visa. Later, we will talk about visas and permits to work in five countries with great opportunities for foreigners.

11. Get a bank account and phone number

Although it is not a formal requirement, opening an account in a bank in your destination country makes it easier for you to enter the world of work. And it is that, in this way, your employer and you avoid the cumbersome system of paying in cash. In addition, your money will be safer and you will be able to access online banking services.

On the other hand, buying a chip for cell phone service from a local company is vital to maintaining communication. Although employers often contact you by email, it never hurts to give them your cell number.

12. Keep an open attitude to possibilities

Finding the ideal job to practice your trade or profession abroad is not an easy task. Many travelers, especially first-timers, realize that their job profile does not match the standards and requirements of their destination country. Therefore, it is almost impossible to get a work visa, let alone permanent residence.

That is why there are many who take a step back and evaluate their options before seeing how to look for work abroad directly. If this is your case, take a breath and don’t get discouraged. Remember that challenges make us grow! And we also have the solution.

Next we are going to tell you about the alternative of combining study and work abroad. This is a super attractive experience in several of the countries with the best quality of life. It all comes down to getting your student visa, which is generally easier to get than a work visa.

In addition, it allows you to progress step by step in your professional training until you reach the standards required by the country. And then yes…. you will be ready to get your ideal job. Keep reading to know more!

5 countries with the best opportunities to work as a foreigner

We have already told you about work and courses in Australia, Canada, Spain, Ireland and New Zealand. So, now, we are going to talk about the requirements, sectors with the most vacancies and employment conditions that you will find in each of these five top destinations. Surely at least one will encourage you to run through the suitcases to start your next great study and work experience.

Australia

With the student visa for Australia, you will have access to the excellent educational system of this country to take from English courses to postgraduate courses. Added to this is the possibility of working up to 20 hours a week during the school period. But, oh surprise!… on vacation you can work full time.

A strong economy, which is the largest in Oceania, means that working in Australia brings you closer to a high quality of life and good wages. And although the rent is more expensive compared to many countries in the Americas, salaries also rise. The minimum salary alone, which is common in unskilled positions, is $19.84 AUD.

As for the vacancies, there are many and well paid in the Business, Commerce and Sports sectors. Some are part of what the government considers skilled occupations. We recommend you review this list if you are considering how to look for work abroad.

Canada

Of our top 5, Canada is the country that puts the most effort into attracting international students and talent. Those who have passports from Chile, Spain and Mexico can enter the country with a simple permit, an Electronic Travel Authorization, which is obtained online in minutes.

Once they cross the border, they can start the process for a Student Permit, which gives them the chance to work part-time and study at the same time. And if you go with your partner, you can apply for an Open Work Permit so that you have access to a wider variety of full-time jobs.

Working in Canada is very lucrative both in trades and at a professional level. A welder, for example, can earn up to $20 CAD (Canadian dollars) per hour. Now, if we talk, for example, about a programmer, the salary can be up to $80 CAD per hour; that’s $12,800 CAD a month!

To learn more about the emigration process, you can take this complete guide to study and work in Canada on your mobile. If you decide on one of these experiences, you will be accompanied by a Student Advisor throughout your stay. You can ask him whatever you want about how to look for a job abroad.

Spain

The experience of working in Spain attracts thousands of young people year after year due to the country’s economic strength and high-level educational options. To access it, you can apply for a student visa, which allows you to take all kinds of courses and work under an internship agreement.

Another option is to get a work and residence visa. With it you can work as an employee or independently. In both cases, you must obtain authorization to reside in the Iberian country at the request of your employer or from a business.

How are the salaries in Spain? Well, that depends on the modality in which you work. Through a paid internship agreement, you will receive “study aid” ranging from $200 to $600 euros per month. On the other hand, as a foreign employee you are entitled to the Minimum Interprofessional Wage (SMI), which is $950 euros per month.

Ireland

Although Ireland is not in the spotlight of major tourist destinations, little by little it is becoming one of the favorite destinations for foreign workers. And it is that the opportunities are varied and have attractive pay. Professionals, for example, can earn an average of $3,700 euros per month.

Every year the Irish government updates a list of skilled jobs critical to the country’s growth. Among them are positions for programmers, healthcare personnel, sales representatives and engineers.

If you are thinking about how to look for work abroad and your profile matches one of those on the list, you can apply for a specialized worker permit. You also increase your chances of getting a permit as a general worker.

However, to work in Ireland as a student there are more facilities than in other European countries. To begin with, check if you need a visa to go to the country, as it is very likely that you do not.

If so, you can enter with your passport, enroll in a course and, if it lasts more than three months, request a student permit. This document also gives you the option to work up to 20 hours a week while taking classes.

New Zealand

To close, let’s go to the extreme of the southern hemisphere to see the possibilities offered by working in New Zealand. Believe it or not, this island country has a growing economy with attractive job offers.

Of course, those of the key economic sectors stand out, such as Finance and Personal Care. As in Australia, the cost of living in New Zealand is usually more expensive than in Latin America, and even in Spain.

However, this situation is compensated with good salaries. Thus, the minimum that any employer must pay you per hour is $18.90 NZD. This figure, of course, increases if you get a qualified job or as you gain experience.

The country of the kiwis is also characterized by offering facilities to foreigners. For example, the Fee Paying Student Visa allows you to stay in the country for the entire duration of your course and work up to 20 hours a week during the school period, and 40 on vacation.

Take a tour of this complete guide on studying and working in New Zealand to learn more about it. Surely you dare to take the leap to the other side of the world!

So you no longer have an excuse for not embarking on the journey that will change your life. Tell us how it went and keep an eye on what we publish for you in Experiencia Joven!