Traveling abroad has crossed the mind of almost everyone. Some even dream of working abroad. After all, working abroad brings a lot of benefits to the table, both financial and experience-wise. If you are a young professional having apprehensions about working abroad, this may well be your sign to take the plunge.
Below are some reasons why working abroad might be good for you. Think well and think hard, as the experience can be life-changing.
Pick Up a New Language
Oftentimes, people learn a new language through hobbies and other interests. Take Japan’s anime or Korea’s K-pop culture as examples. Through these internationally popular phenomena, people become interested and invested in learning the songs or phrases in Japanese or Korean. They also grow to love the culture enough to want to learn the language.
What better way to hone language skills than to go there and learn from the native speakers? Of course, hobbies and interests are not the only reason a person would want to work abroad and learn a new language. Linguistic competence can give one a boost in their career, whichever field they may be in.
Build Your Network
Working abroad will give you an opportunity to meet many people from different walks of life. You get to open yourself to many possibilities, and meeting fellow professionals internationally will give you a wider network. You can gain professional experience across Europe and build your network of vendors, fellow professionals, manufacturers, and even clients throughout your career abroad.
It’s great to build a global network while young. For one, it gives you a leg up over others whose network mostly consists of people within their area. Also, if you decide to start your own company, you will have gained a network that can help you in your pursuit.
Expose Yourself to Different Cultures
Cultures are among the most interesting parts of a global society. Each country has different cultures, and there are multiple subcultures within a country too. There are countless variations of beliefs, customs, and cultural habits that you will encounter. This will hone your cultural awareness and intelligence. Experiencing a culture different from yours first-hand will widen your perspective on life, teach you many practical things, and maybe even introduce you to new cuisine.
But perhaps the most important lesson you will learn is being able to better relate with people from different cultures. You would have experience adjusting to a drastically different background from yours. By exposing yourself to the world, you gain a better understanding of humans in general. It will carry over with how you interact with people, becoming more sympathetic and understanding.
Level Up Your Financial Situation
Of course, one of the most common reasons you’ll find why people work abroad is to better their financial situation. It’s not too rare to hear of a Filipino sending a balikbayan box from the UK to the Philippines or Turkish workers employed in Germany. Working in a country with higher currency exchange is a fast way to earn money, especially if the said country requires your skills. Many countries often lack manual laborers and other skilled workers, making them popular countries to work in. You will be away from your friends and family, and maybe even miss your country’s cuisine, but it will all be worth it if it means being able to provide better for them.
Learn New Skills and Make Your CV Look Good
You can only learn so much in your own country. Going outside of your comfort zone and challenging yourself is the best way to learn new skills — and it pads up your resume. By working overseas, you receive the opportunity to learn new techniques and ways to solve problems. You’ll develop different perspectives on how you traditionally approach things, even if it’s the same industry you’re working for.
As mentioned before, working overseas gives you an advantage when job hunting, even in your home country. Many employers are looking for job seekers with a wide experience, and working overseas is an indication of experience, skill, and working with others. The effects are two-fold: actual skill increase and reputational increase as well.
It can be quite nerve-wracking to venture to a foreign place to work. You have to consider a lot of factors before deciding to push through. But as they say, you’ll never know unless you try it. Countless opportunities open up when you allow yourself to go through different environments, cultures, and people. You can broaden your knowledge and expose yourself to several things that can improve you.
