Accepting Jobs abroad - What do we need to know?

[Govind]

With the increase in outsourcing, many of our Quality professionals may opt to take Expat position in places like China, Rest of Asia and other countries. Since we have many international members in this forum, I thought,it would be good idea to exchange some thoughts.

What are the factors that need to be considered before taking up Expat positions?
I would say with my experience in the past-Expat positions 3 organizations..
Employment Conditions,
Employer reputation,
specific benefits not obviously known to foreigners until they land on a job,
Negotiations in USD,
language issues,
food Choice (religious reason) availability,
and many more.

I know many (including myself) who have regretted for taking an Expat position without fully knowing the constraints.
Even if you have not taken position abroad, what would you consider before taking up any?
Let us use this thread to “brain dump” all you know about taking Expat positions. Someday this will be useful to us.

Thanks,
Govind.

[baubin - 2004]

It seems that you may have an intention to work abroad. As a Chinese, i encourage you to work in China. Maybe the modern China is quite different from that old imagine in your eyes.

If you want to know about China, I would like to give you some good ideas.

[Manoj Mathur]

Mr. Govind,

It is really intresting to note all you told. Can you please eloberate more.

And Baubin please tell us How China is reacting and accepting Quality Systems. Is it only for piece of paper or is it carry lot of meaning.What about ISO 14001 there?

[engjane]

Although I didn’t cross the pond to follow a job, naturally, once we settled in Canada, I wanted to work and it made sense to look for a job in “what I do”!
Luckily the world of automotive manufacturing is fairly global in its skill and experience requirements so my personal skills were quickly recognised, credited and I landed myself a job that I am fairly happy with.

However, I do have a list of things to consider:
1) Qualifications…they probably mean jack in another country so finding out about the equivalent in the land you hope to be in would help. I had to get my degree transcribed for the Canadian government so I now have a grade point average aswell as a UK degree classification.
2) Culture is a big thing. You need to know what it acceptable and what isnt. Obviously you will be given some leeway for being new but it makes a good impression if you know what the norm is.
3) Benefits. Do you get any, especially health. What service do you get without having benefits from an employer.
4) Weather vs location vs pay vs employer expectations. If you work somewhere with extreme weather, it normally costs more to deal with the conditions and it may have an effect on your ability to get to work. I am not looking forward to my first winter in Canada with a job…..dark all the time, cold, snow to shovel constantly, dog to walk regardless of weather as you have to get to work….it’ll be interesting that’s for sure.

I cant think of any other BIG things just now although I do want to just comment on cultural differences again.
If you consider that I have moved from the UK to Canada, two countries very closely linked and both in the Caucasian Western world, you would imagine (initially) that the differences in lifestyle and culture would be minimal.
However, its quite amazing how different the two countries are and when you are thousands of miles from home, small things can be big issues.
You have to be prepared to deal with all these changes aswell as the stresses that a new job brings. If you can find an employer who understands some of these issues (maybe someone else is ex-pat in the company too?), it will be of benefit to you.

[J Oliphant]

I find the idea interesting and risky. a lot of different question/concerns come to mind.
Who pays/arranges for the interview?
What language abilities /cultural experiences are normally required?
Who pays for relocation – which I must imagine would be thousands USD, for a small family?
How are issues of learning a new language resolved? Is it normal to begin an a new position with little skill in the native language OR is the person expected to become fluent soon after he begins the new position?
How many jobs are truly over there (given the expense of moving)?
How do you translate an American standard of living to an asian economy?

I’ve often heard it said that Americans earn enormous amounts of money relative to the global average. Does a quality position abroad normally bring a similar standard of living- or does an ‘expat’ have to readjust his expectations for a different standard of community services.

Lastly, why would a company bring over an American, whom has such high standards for pay when they could train and pay a local a fraction of the cost?

Perhaps this last rational, means you must be an exceptionally competent worker (experience / management) to be considered for an expat position?

This thread is very interesting- I hope to we can get recruiters, expats, and locals to comment.
Consider me an American with his whole career in front of him, asking – if our positions move to china/other growing industrial countries; what would it take to follow them?

Jay

PS. If you don’t know, outsourcing manufacturing jobs has become a intense issue in American politics. Many Americans seem to fear that asian countries will eventually dominate in manufacturing jobs – and that American manufacturing jobs will be sparse and difficult to get. As more Americans worry, I’d imagine that interest in becoming an expat will grow. To those that encourage Americans to consider moving questions of standard of living and the money to move will dominate.

[baubin - 2004]

In Reply to Parent Post by Manoj Mathur

Mr. Govind,

It is really intresting to note all you told. Can you please eloberate more.

And Baubin please tell us How China is reacting and accepting Quality Systems. Is it only for piece of paper or is it carry lot of meaning.What about ISO 14001 there?

Now, due to the request from customers, more and more small & medium size companies are intending to be certified by the third party organization. Howerver, some of them are just for a piece of paper, others do want to manage the company well visa the QMS.

For the big state owned and overseas companies, they surely emphasize the effectiveness of the QMS.

THe importance of ISO14001 is only recognized by the government and big companies or certain companies in special field, i.g. the chemical. Now in most of the Cinese economic developing zones, it will become the requirement by the government that should be done in the next 2-3 years.

By the way, i am working in a Japanese company, we run a very effective QMS.

[Govind]

In Reply to Parent Post by baubin

It seems that you may have an intention to work abroad. As a Chinese, i encourage you to work in China. Maybe the modern China is quite different from that old imagine in your eyes.

If you want to know about China, I would like to give you some good ideas.

Baubin,
Thanks for the invitation to come and work in China. I started the thread for the benefit of anyone who opts to take any expat position abroad. China is fact developing. I visited last year for business purpose. Shangai and Shenzhen has lots of industries and local Chinese mentioned that the Job opportunities are plenty.

Please provide ideas to all of us in the sense, what we need to know before taking up a job in China? See my 1st posting. I have list of items that I think we should know. Any more? Any different?

Govind.

[Govind]

In Reply to Parent Post by Manoj Mathur

Mr. Govind, It is really intresting to note all you told. Can you please eloberate more.

Manoj,
Many of us take up jobs overseas mainly because the salary and benefits are attractive. Once we land up there, we see issues that will make us regret for the decision.
Example: Employers make you work for several hours/day and expect on call 24X7, Not sincere in honouring the contractual commitments, Employers not being ethical in their business, Highly qualified spouse cannot work because that government will not issue a Work visa to spouse, No international school for kids, etc and many more.

These are experiences of many people, who I happen to meet during business.

I just want to open up the conversations so that many professionals who plan to take jobs consider various factors and not just the attractive packages.

Govind.