The perks of working abroad

Nicholas Buxey explains why you should combine business with pleasure.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he UK job market sucks. As the highest-paying industries are flooded with eager graduates, many people with a firm grasp of languages find themselves working menial and low-paying jobs. But why are they staying here? In fact, why is anyone? After all, it’s perfectly possible to move abroad with only the basics, thanks to the overwhelming use of English worldwide. In fact, this could even be a boon in the right industry.

The employment prospects aren’t the only reason to decamp for different climes. Our nation is notoriously expensive, and many other countries have significantly lower living costs in multiple areas, making the prospect of a life abroad even more attractive. For example, in Italy, a bottle of decent wine will only set you back two euros, which is much less than you’d pay for a bottle of sewage here.

Although pursuing a career abroad can seem daunting, it’s not that hard

Although pursuing a career abroad can seem daunting, it’s not that hard. Careers sites exist there too, and word of mouth is regularly used to recruit. With translation apps that can turn a webpage into passable English at the click of a mouse, it’s become laughably easy. However, it goes without saying that pending on the size of the company, you might have to learn at least some of the language to secure a position. And the more you learn, the easier it’ll be to actually live there.

This isn’t to say that getting a job will always be easy 

This isn’t to say that getting a job will always be easy. In some countries, forms of nepotism are rife, and you could struggle to penetrate the complex relationships that exist. You’ll also need to budget for a good couple of months before you’re settled – think finding a place to live, setting up all the services you’ll require for a working life. Depending on where you go, be prepared to navigate a labyrinth of bureaucracy just to do all this, hence the generous time you should allow.

Furthermore, should you decide to come back, it’s easy to demonstrate your resourcefulness in single-handedly building a life for yourself. And it makes doing all the same in the UK seem like a breeze, as you’ll have managed to handle it all in a country with different traditions. Added to that, you’ll be an asset for any international company thanks to the experience you’ve had dealing with people from all over the world. It really could be the best decision you’ve ever made.