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Getting started
IntroductionSun, sea, sand... exotic cuisine, great shopping, new languages and cultures... it's easy to see why so many students and graduates want to work overseas - and it can look great on a CV! The advent of cheaper air travel is making the world smaller and even the most far-flung reaches of the globe are now accessible - testified by the number of international students studying here at Edinburgh. Furthermore the newly enlarged European Union (27 member states) confers the automatic right for UK/EU nationals to work across most of Western and Central Europe without the need for a work permit. This section aims to help you explore the possibilities of working outside the UK, both in the EU and beyond, but before we progress onto countries and jobs it's important to pause for a moment and take a reality check...
Reality checkFirstly, what do we really mean by working abroad? As a student or graduate we may want a graduate-level job outside the UK, but how realistic is this? How will an Edinburgh degree be viewed overseas - particularly when UK graduates study shorter degrees and graduate far younger, often without much work experience - compared to overseas graduates? Perhaps even more importantly, is it actually possible?! The easiest way to answer this is to look at the results of the annual Destination of Leavers in Higher Education (DLHE) survey which each UK university compiles about its alumni, 6 months after graduation, on behalf of the government's Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). The figures are also analysed by AGCAS and produced in the annual What Do Graduates Do? Survey. They show that for the UK:
2005 Graduates: respondents working overseas = 1.7% For the University of Edinburgh:
2005 Graduates: respondents working overseas = 13.0% In other words, it is a small minority of graduates who go on to work overseas, but it is certainly possible.
Red tapeSecondly, having got used to the idea of working freely within the EU since the single market came into being in 1992, it's easy to assume that the whole world is now open. In fact this isn't the case. Most countries outside the EU will require British/EU nationals to have a visa for travel and work permit to take up a job. The degree of difficulty this entails ranges from a red-tape 'nuisance' to almost impossible! In essence it depends on:
Getting a jobOne of the most frequent ways of working abroad is through teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) which can be a great way to travel and earn money - in more than one country if desired. It offers opportunities in almost every country of the world, is flexible and can be a lot of fun! Although TEFL can be made into a long-term career (e.g. Director of Studies at a language school), it's seasonal nature and relatively low pay mean it is often a short-term or gap year option. Associated with this is voluntary work - particularly (though not necessarily) in developing countries. Voluntary TEFL projects are an option but there are many other opportunities, particularly if you have a skill such as social work, nursing, veterinary medicine etc. This can be a life-changing experience and certainly will teach you new skills and look great on a CV but it might not pay the bills! So, for those wishing to go into a longer-term, graduate position overseas and get paid, here are some options:
After the first couple of years spent in the UK undergoing training, becoming professionally qualified and gaining experience it can be possible to get a secondment or even transfer abroad. A good example of this are posts with the 'Big-4' accounting/professional service companies who have offices across the globe. Although a longer way to reach the overseas goal, this can be a more practical and successful method, particularly if your language skills aren't great.
The UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) employs around 6,000 staff recruited in the UK, divided between members of the Diplomatic Service and members of the Home Civil Service. Most Diplomatic Service staff work in overseas posts, in embassies, consulates and high-commissions. Recruitment is either through the annual Fast Stream competition held each September-November (for Policy Entrants) or through direct entry for other grades - posts are advertised on their website and in the national press.
As the world shrinks, more and more international organisations are formed to deal with cross-border political, security, economic or financial issues that are no longer confined to one country. Examples include: United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), OECD and international development banks. In the field of disaster relief/international development many Non Governmental Organisations (NGO's) recruit field workers for overseas assignments. What should be borne in mind is that most international organisations require specialists (often with experience) rather than recent graduates and may also have nationality requirements, so again it might be a goal for the future rather than an immediate option. You can find out more about international organisations here.
If waiting a while doesn't appeal and if you have good language skills then this may be a possibility. For some countries the Careers Service holds a graduate career directory and/or books on living and working there. Sometimes the Careers Service receives job advertisements for vacancies overseas which are published on SAGE. Over 500 different employers have posted overseas vacancies with us. Analysis of overseas jobs listed on the SAGE database (Autumn 2005-Autumn 2007)
Another key source of job vacancies, employer information and country data is the internet, allowing you access from the library, department or comfort of your home! We have organised the websites below to try and make it easier for you. This is a difficult task due to language restrictions and we are continually working to improve and update them.
General sites for working abroadSome questions to ask before accepting an overseas placement – top tips on what you need to think about before you start a job or placement abroad. 4 International Careers & Jobs – an international employment directory of world-wide job sites, including 2200 employment sites ranked by popularity in 190 countries. British Embassy Websites – site provides a comprehensive listing of British embassies overseas provided by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Corporate Information (Ci) – source for global corporate information on the leading companies in over 55 countries. Includes free snapshot reports on any of over 31,000 Companies which can be searched by name, sector, country etc. Escape Artist – a website for those who want to restart their lives abroad, it includes thousands of articles, contacts, resources, links and tools for finding overseas property, international employment, hidden enclaves, artist havens, unique destinations, offshore investments, and the requirements for living an international lifestyle. Expat Network – resource for expatriates living and working abroad. Includes a database of job vacancies and links to a directory of companies offering overseas employment. Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) – provides information and advice for UK citizens travelling or living abroad, including travel advice and consular services. Foreign Embassies in the UK – a list (by country, A-Z) of representatives in London of foreign states and Commonwealth countries – great to know where to go for your visas! FT 500 – annual survey of the top-performing companies around the world, including specific sections for different regions (Europe, USA, Japan, Asia-Pacific) and within these companies listed by sector. Global Yellow Pages directory – for whenever you need to find a plumber in Argentina or an engineer in Zambia. Links to the appropriate national yellow pages/equivalent guides for each country. Graduate Jobsearch Online (University of Strathclyde Careers Service) – online guide of evaluated resources to help graduates identify vacancies and opportunities in the UK and abroad. In particular it lists useful websites by country. Going Global - a user written website with information on working abroad, including country profiles and 'hot topics' from around the world. Kompass – leading international company, business and product directory; search by country, region, type of product - it includes details of 1.8m companies in 70 countries! Michigan State University’s globalEDGE™ – knowledge web-portal that connects international business professionals worldwide to a wealth of information, insights, and learning resources on global business activities. The site includes: Global Resources - more than 5,000 online resources; Country Insights - a wealth of information on all countries; Knowledge Room - latest issues in international business. Online Newspapers – world's largest source of online newspapers, listed by country/region. The Paperboy – includes links to many overseas newspapers, listed by country. Prospects – has country specific careers information for work and study in over 50 countries SCOTBIS is the Scottish Business Information Service at the National Library of Scotland. The service has information on international companies and industries as well as British. By visiting the library you can get the help of a subject specialist. There are also some resources available through the website. SCOTBIS is open to everyone. United World – production of specialist country reports, offered as supplements to the USA Today newspaper. The reports include social, political and economic perspectives which provide a useful background in researching a wide variety of overseas countries, if somewhat US-biased. An archive of reports (PDF format) is included. UK Trade & Investment – Government organisation which aims to help UK companies to export abroad. The site provides information on overseas countries and sectors. Working in Europe & Asia - presents up-to-the-minute analysis of the economic outlook in general, and also for specific sectors, for 22 countries across Europe. Find out, quickly and easily, which companies are most popular amongst students in each country, and link to their websites. Please note that content for Asia will be available early in 2010. World Chambers of Commerce Network – umbrella organisation for hundreds of national and regional chambers of commerce across the globe. Many of the chambers list individual company members (some using searchable databases) which could potentially put you in touch with overseas employers. World Reports – has been publishing country reports since 1996, and from November 2000 onwards, all World Reports can also be read on their web site.
Country-specific information
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