HOW TO OVERCOME THE CULTURAL BARRIER WHEN APPLYING ABROAD?
Differences between the Expat and the Expat Partner
HERE ARE MY TOP 3 TIPS REGARDING CULTURAL BARRIERS AT THE WORKPLACE. YOU WILL FIND MORE INFORMATION IN MY COMPREHENSIVE EXPAT PARTNER CAREER GUIDE WHICH YOU WILL FIND HERE:
Let's connect on Social Media
Want some good vibes in your mail?
TIP 1: MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE
No matter where you are going you will most likely do not know many people and hardly anyone will know you. Try to make yourself as much visible as possible by signing up to as many job portals and networking events as possible. Put yourself out there and try a different version of presenting yourself and your skills to get a feeling how your own culture differs from your host culture and how to adopt.
TIP 2: MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR INTERNATIONALITY
The fact that you are coming from a specific country adds a new skill to your CV. You are fluent in that language and have a deep understanding of the culture and communication tactics as it’s your home country. Some Expat Partners don’t stress where they are coming from, but there is a particular strength in owning it and put it as a skill on your CV.
TIP 3: GET A FEELING FOR THE FOREIGN JOB MARKET
Nothing is as devastating as applying for hours and hours just to not hear back at all. Gather some information on the internet about the labor market situation and some industry insights. Most of all, try to speak with people that are actually working in the area you want to apply for and learn how they did it. In some cultures, networking is more important than others. Also, have a piece of knowledge about how hard it is for locals to land a job will give you some peace of mind to start with!
Overcoming the cultural barrier is a HUGE topic, and there are many different approaches to tackle it. If you want to find out more about this, check out my career guide for Expat Partners to prepare yourself for that great adventure of living and working abroad.
Thanks for sharing the love and stopping by
Share this article with a friend and share the love:
You also might like:
Becoming a teacher abroad – Andrea’ story
In this expat partner role model story Andrea shares her approach to become a certified teacher for German as a foreign language during her time in Japan. A profession that she is now continuing after moving back to Germany.
My problem with Coaching
An open and honest clarification about the coaching profession and my attitude towards it.
Do’s and Don’ts on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is THE essential social media platform when you want to change career paths. I know Instagram is more fun but LinkedIn is a way better time investment. In this blog post, I share the 4 Do’s and Don’ts I when it comes to your activity on LinkedIn. Let’s get right into it.
The 1-year repatriation milestone: A personal reflection & tips
My phone remembered me that we left our apartment in Chicago exactly one year ago. After a typical Covid Weekend (meaning you are only able to recharge your batteries to 60%) I want to take the time to reflect on this past year and how my expatriate experience helped me navigate through this year.
The complexity of being an International Career Couple
I recently had the pleasure of talking to Jannie Aasted Skov-Hansen and Paul Vanderbroeck about their new book “The International Career Couple Handbook”. Reading the title alone, you will get a good sense of what the book is all about and it is a great additional resource when planning your adventures abroad. So as it is just a perfect fit for the SharetheLove audience and I really enjoyed reading it I want to tell you more about it in this blog post. I will introduce you to the definition of International Career Couples and explain to you why this book is very helpful even when you are currently NOT in a Dual-Career relationship right now.
Role Model Story: Preparing against all odds
Another episode of the expat partner role model series about the identity crisis after losing your career and creating a new path forward. Farsana was born in Afghanistan and emigrated to Germany as a child. moved to Azerbaijan, then to Lebanon and shifted her career as a lawyer online.
3 Responses
Hi Kate!
Very useful post, as always!
May I ask where did you find the statistics about that 20% jobless expat partners?
I also write on a blog (in spanish) about living abroad and I was searching that kind of data. Unfortunately I couldn’t find it. It would be very interesting if you could provide me some source.
Thank you and schöne Grüße! 😉
Absolutely! I just sent you an email with some sources. Hope that helps. <3 Greetings from Chicago
Wow Kate! Your mail was really useful!! Thank you very much!! 😊