Career opportunities abroad p1 - Military Transition - Military Times EDGE

Oh, what a difference a year makes.

A year ago, young people were graduating from college and nabbing top jobs in all sectors of the economy.

But now the story is very different. College graduates are willing to accept thousands less in pay just to land a job anywhere.

One option they may not have considered is working overseas. Diane Morgan, director of London Business School, says that while the international job markets are not robust, many are better than the U.S. job scene.

“While the number of jobs for graduates is down in the United Kingdom as well, there is much more of a culture of temporary or part-time or contract work,” Morgan says. “Those jobs can help people get the experience they want. And it’s very common to take a ‘gap year,’ where graduates may tend bar or something until they find a job they want. So someone from the U.S. could move here and just take what they can get for a while.”

Further, Morgan says young workers from the U.S. may find some international experience can really pay off in the future, because U.S. employers “really like people who take risks and get international experience.”

“Even if you’re applying for a job overseas, they’re going to be looking at how relevant you are. You might be required to speak the [native] language well, or maybe have second-generation ties to someone in the country,” she says. “But any employer is going to want to know why you want to work outside the U.S. and what you can bring to the job.”

Morgan recommends that a young person wanting to work overseas should first understand the local culture. “Go to the Internet and find a local newspaper written in English by expatriates who live there,” she says. “And use your university’s career placement center or alumni relations to help you make connections with those in other countries.”

Finally, Morgan says that leaving the U.S. to get a job is a great opportunity to get experience that will benefit you professionally and personally. “It will really open your eyes to what business is like outside the U.S., and expose you to lots of different cultures and people,” she says. “That’s invaluable.”

— Anita Bruzzese