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Resume and Job Interview
Whether you are looking for a job abroad
on your own or through a recruiter (in some cases, you have to go
through a recruiting agency), make sure that in addition to having
your resume and cover letter in English, you have them in a
language of your desired country and that they are written in
accordance with the commonly used standards of that country (in some
countries, you may be required to indicate your age, marital status and
sometimes even your driving experience). Even if you disagree with such
customs, it will be to your benefit to acknowledge and respect them.
After all, you will be living and working in that country, so you might
as well start getting used to its customs.
To translate your resume and
cover letter at a low cost, approach the department of foreign
languages at a university in your city. It is a customary practice for
these departments to employ full-time foreign graduate students
to teach foreign languages. These graduate students often work part-time
as interpreters/translators and multicultural consultants, using their
native language and first-hand knowledge of their country. They will be
happy to translate your resume and cover letter at a modest rate and
even provide you with advice in addition, just don't be shy to invite
them for lunch and ask questions. In fact this is one of the ways to
start making friends from your country of interest. For your reference,
fees for a professional interpreter range from $50 to $100 per hour (or
$0.20 to $0.40 per word - and that includes articles and prepositions);
there is often a minimum charge.
During a job interview with your
prospective employer or a recruiter representing your prospective
employer, we suggest that you do one thing differently from what
you would have normally done at a job interview in your country - ask
a lot of specific questions (have a list of them prepared in
advance).
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Employment Conditions
and Work Contract
You have just been accepted for this
assignment abroad that you wanted so badly. You have a job offer on
hands (you must have it on hands!) and feel overwhelmed with joy. You
may be so willing to go abroad that you overlook the importance of
asking a lot of specific questions.
Here is the list of what seems to be the
most important issues to know before signing a contract.
Make sure that
they are covered in your contract - your job
offer - in writing.
Do not sign a contract unless you are
absolutely sure that all of these issues are clear and satisfactory to you.
It may be very expensive and troublesome to back out later.
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Work Permit Issues
Employment authorization, or work permit,
is a complicated issue which varies from country to country.
Work permits are normally obtained by the
employer from the immigration authorities of the host country on behalf
of the foreign worker. In most countries a work permit is issued to
foreign workers to work for a particular employer in a specific
location. If you find another job while being overseas, your new
employer will need to arrange for a new employment authorization for
you. This can take a few months, in some cases. Make sure that your
contract, i.e. your job offer, specifies in writing all the details of
your employment authorization (duration, location, etc). Keep in
mind, however, that many employers prefer to hire people who already
have a work permit or are otherwise legally authorized to work for them.
You can apply for immigration to your
country of interest. This option, however, will not be available in
all countries. Many countries do not open their doors to foreign
immigrants. So make sure that you are well aware of the rules and
regulations concerning work visa and immigration in your desired
country. If you are accepted as a permanent immigrant to another
country, you will be able to change employment as you wish.
If you are going abroad a
spouse/partner, your partner's employer should be able to take care
of your employment authorization. Before going abroad, however, make
sure you clarify what kind of employment authorization your partners'
employer will be able to arrange for you, find out the limitations of
your employment authorization. This type of information should be
specified in your partners' contract. If it isn't, ask for it to be
included in a contract. It may very well be that your partners'
prospective employer simply forgot to include this information in the
contract. But do consider what will happen, for example, if you and your
partner break up while being abroad. Will you be able to stay in the
country or will you have to return home? Will you have the right to
apply for an extension individually? It is in your best interest to be
inquisitive.
For global information on work visa and
immigration, check out
this site.
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Language Issue
One of the most
important things to consider is the language issue. If you are going
to a country whose language you do not know, make sure that your contract
indicates whether you will be provided with an interpreter or whether you
are expected to learn the language on your own, in which case, make sure
to find out who is expected to cover the cost of your language training,
how long your training will be, etc. Think of your days off, will you have
access to an interpreter on these days as well?
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Pre-employment Agreement
In some cases you may be asked to
sign a pre-employment agreement which covers the period between
accepting the job offer while still in your country and taking up
employment in the host country. Be very specific about the kind of
position you are prepared to accept and the time period you are prepared
to wait before placement. If your pre-employment agreement does not cover
these issues, you may be pressured to accept the job you do not want or be
committed to one recruiter over a long period of time (and without being
found work).
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Job Requirements and Work
Conditions
Make sure you have carefully
studied the job
requirements and work conditions (hours, shift schedule,
overtime, etc.) of your contract. If you agree to be bound by a
contract and subsequently refuse or become unable to perform the job
duties, you risk dismissal. Pay attention, if there is a clause in your
contract that gives your employer the right to change the type of
position (or work hours) after you have started working. You don't
want to undertake a duty for which you are not competent and then find
yourself dismissed on the grounds of incompetent performance.
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Compensation, Benefits, Insurance, and Taxes
Find our what your contract says
about your compensation, in details. What type of salary will you
be paid (fixed or scaled), what benefits will you be entitled to, what
kind of insurance will cover you (health and disability - work and
non-work related), etc. It is also important to ask about taxes
(will you have to pay taxes of your host country in addition to paying
taxes of your own country? will they be deducted from your salary? at what
point? etc.).
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Cost and Type of Living Conditions
Find out about your
living conditions
in advance. If possible, ask for a picture. Make sure that you know, if
your contract has a clause about "shared" accommodations (it has to be
specified in writing what premises you may be expected to share - kitchen,
bathroom, bedroom - and with how many people. Needless to say, you need to
know whether you are expected to pay for your accommodations yourself or
your employer will cover these expenses. If your employer covers your
accommodation expenses, find out whether they will be subtracted from
your salary at any point or not. You don't want to be unpleasantly
surprised after you have signed your contract.
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Length of Your Contract and
Extension
Discuss the
length of your
contract and conditions for its extension. The commencement and
termination date should be clearly stated on the contract. If you are
offered a permanent employment in a host country, there may be no
termination date, and the termination date of your work permit will apply.
Employers or recruiters usually do not guarantee a renewal of your
contract, as it is difficult to predict the work requirements and
availability in advance. However, if a possibility of a renewal exists,
find out the details (will your salary be increased? will you need a new
work permit?).
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Vacations, Holidays and Sick
Leave
Pay attention to what your
contract says about annual leave, public holidays, sick leave, and
emergency or compassionate leave. These conditions vary greatly from
one country to country and from one employer to another.
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Terms to Terminate Contract Prematurely
And lastly, discuss the terms
on which you can terminate your agreement prematurely.
It can happen so that a change in the
employment is made with which you are unhappy, but which the terms of your
contract allow. If you decide to terminate your contract then, will you be
able to work in this country again?
Will your employer reimburse you for
your return airfare? Will you have to pay a penalty? Will you be given
references? Make sure you know exactly what happens, if you find yourself
in this position.
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Disciplinary
Procedures, Disputes and Dismissal
Find out if your contract
provides for the grievance, disciplinary and appeal procedures and what
they are. Is there a 'good behavior' clause? Make sure you know the
laws and cultural customs of the host country in this respect,
especially if you are going to a country of completely different cultural
beliefs, such as Saudi Arabia.
In most cases, when the
situation deteriorates to the stage of termination of contract, it is
often due to a prior lack of communication. Things may happen so
quickly that you may return home without having had the opportunity to
seek advice. There is virtually nothing that can be done to remedy the
situation at this stage. For example, if you are a nurse working on a
contract in Saudi Arabia and you leave the country without completing your
contract for any reason, you will not obtain a document commonly known as
a "letter of no objection" or "letter of release". This document, issued
by the employer, states that you have satisfactory completed your contract
and that they foresee no objection to your having employment there in the
future. Without this document it will be extremely difficult to get
another job there, if your passport shows that you have previously entered
the country to work.
The general advice in such
situation is not to panic and seek advice. For best results, seek
advice from a number of sources: from your colleagues, neighbors or your
Embassy/Consulate. Even though your Embassy/Consulate may bear no legal
association with your contract, they are usually helpful enough to provide
advice. If it happens so that they do not, ask them for a referral to
someone who will be able to consult you on the matter. Do not just quit
and leave in a hurry, take at least a couple of days to think and
investigate the matter.
Needless to say that
in all cases you would feel much more confident, if you have enough cash
to cover your expenses of returning home urgently and living without
income for at least three months afterwards.
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Final
Check List
Here is once again a list of the most
important things that your wok contract should cover:
Never sign a contract before you find
out specifics of each of these issues. If you need clarifications on
some of the issues or would like to propose changes to certain
conditions, do so before signing your contract. Do not be afraid of
suggesting changes. It is a normal procedure and your prospective
employer is used to it. Make sure that your prospective employer
updates the contract, so that your contract that you will have on hands
reflects the results of your final negotiations.
Do not leave to the country of your
prospective employment, if you do not have a signed contract on hands
(your employer must sign this contract as well).
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Links to Related Government
Websites
Information for U.S. Citizens
This is a link to a site
developed by the
United States
Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs for U.S. citizens
planning on working abroad.
Information
for Canadian Citizens
This is a link to a site developed by
the Public Works and Government Services
Canada (PWGSC) for Canadians wanting to work outside of Canada. Here you
will find information on government programs involving employment
opportunities abroad, such as Foreign Service Recruitment Campaign,
Canadian International Development Agency, Office of International
Partnership, etc.
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