“To be or not to be…” – that is what Hamlet was asking himself in William Shakespeare´s play. And what is foreigner asking when he/she is starting career abroad? Oh boy – thousand questions and sometimes even to be or not to be…
All networks created until now stayed in the home country. All patterns how to find a job shattered into a thousand pieces and aren´t valid anymore. There is a thick black line behind all the preparation for the future career until now and blank list in front.
The universal key code for every foreigner starting career abroad is to Step Out of the Line. But it is not enough. What else to do?
1) Go and meet people! Remember kids in a kindergarten. How are they creating new relations? Easily! Only, we, adults are full of prejudices, building walls in front of others, loosing interests in creating new interpersonal relations and getting all in all lazier. Why? Unfortunately or luckily foreigners cannot afford such a luxury. All the networks stayed in the home country and it is time to build up new connections. You can start by visiting language and other courses. “What hobbies do you have?” Find where you can continue practicing them
2) Be active – double or triple the energy and effort in everything what you are doing, especially in job hunting. People tend to decrease their activeness and increase the whines as “It is hard to find a job!”, “I can´t, I am not able, etc…” Here people remember very well kindergarten times.
3) Remember: “Who is not searching is not finding”. Then search, apply, ask for possibilities, call, write email, visit the companies, share your experiences with friends and again search, apply, ask for possibilities, call, write email, visit the companies, share your experiences with friends and again, again, again…
4) WHAT, WHERE, HOW? Those are the questions you must have a clear answers. To succeed in the future, needs inventory of the past. WHAT skills, knowledge, hobbies, character traits and expectations do you have? WHERE do you want, you are able or you could use them? Business areas, job positions, companies. HOW? The hardest question to find an answer. Every strategy is unique. Put yourself fully into finding YOUR answer. Brainstorm with your family or friends. Look at the situation from different angles and sights.
5) At latest: Be strong! Job hunting is a full-time job under the pressure. Be ready for those hard times. Don´t allow rejections to disturb you. Simple possibility isn´t your job, yet. Don´t get excited and then frustrated when only one of the possibilities would not work out.
I hope it is not even necessary to mention that the probability of getting job from the ´public post´ is low enough to understand that it is unwise waste of time to participate in those competitions.
In Czech we say:
“Luck does not walk over mountains but over people”
Good luck to all of you!
ISG Finland Ltd. - A Career Partners International Firm 