Learn Why Living Abroad Makes you More Employable
We’re always in a tug of war between having a career and traveling around the world right after we graduate. Living abroad presents you with many exciting challenges to solve. You may even work as a digital nomad while living abroad. If it’s your first time moving overseas, you may feel a tinge of fear about the uncertainty, but it’s normal. You’re off to a great adventure. The truth is, there are so many benefits to living abroad, and one of the biggest is that it makes you more employable. Here are the five best reasons why living abroad puts you on top of the hiring list.
Employers appreciate language skills
The biggest challenge when you move to a new country is the language barrier. If you’re able to break it by learning the language, you will soon be fluent and be able to converse with the locals. Congrats, now you have additional language skills in your bag! Of course, it takes time to learn, but that’s the challenge! And employers know this. Being fluent in another language is an asset in the working world. As the world is becoming more globalized, employers are looking for candidates who can speak an additional language. It will give you an edge over the other candidates during the hiring process.
Builds confidence and independence
Another reason why living abroad makes you more employable is that it boosts your confidence as you become more independent. When you live abroad, you’re essentially stepping out of your comfort zone. Furthermore, you’re also forced to adapt quickly to your surroundings. You can’t easily ask for help from your family to solve problems. As a digital nomad living abroad, you have to take the initiative and rise to the occasion.
If you think about it, the moment you go abroad, you’re setting up accommodation, bank accounts, phone lines, and even buying groceries. It may feel daunting at first, but these things are the ones that make you more independent. When you’re independent, you’re more confident. Hence, it is an advantage to you. It is because most companies require you to take the initiative to start and execute projects. Therefore, you will quickly adapt to the challenges.
Cultural awareness
Being mindful of cultures around you is why living abroad makes you more employable. When you’re in a foreign country, you’re exposing yourself to an array of lifestyles, customs, and belief systems. You will then realize all the misconceptions built around a specific culture. The process of accepting what is, and discarding what is not, allows you to be more respectable of many cultures and traditions. Ultimately, you will also become aware of your own culture and develop acceptance for it. Having cultural awareness makes you stand out as a potential employee. You will be able to understand work ethics and company cultures, and it gives you an advantage over other candidates.
Develop networking skills
Another reason why living abroad makes you more employable is because you will have excellent networking skills. When you’re in a new country, you are doing the groundwork of finding like-minded people, potential clients, and connecting with the locals. You’re exhausting all your current skills to improve your networking skills. You learn to become more resourceful. Since you won’t have much help, you will also learn the art of trial and error. You won’t be afraid to put yourself out there to get what you want. You win some, and you lose some. Similarly, your work environment consists of constant networking to bring in new business opportunities and to improve current business goals.
International job opportunities
Finally, one of the obvious reasons why living abroad makes you more employable is because of the job opportunities that will be at your disposal. All the skills that you collect from living abroad are transferable in any work environment. Plus, you will also have organizational, leadership, and communication skills. Employers love this. It means they have to spend less time training you and they’ll be more confident in giving you projects. You will also have more opportunities to work with international clients.
In conclusion, living abroad makes you more employable anywhere in the world. It will not only shape you as a well-rounded individual but also give you the best memories. Furthermore, most global companies are always seeking well-traveled individuals as they will have unique perspectives and an out-of-the-box approach to business solutions.