The seven main benefits of living and working abroad
Many people see the benefits of working abroad solely in terms of higher wages and better living standards. But gaining international experience can be far more rewarding than people think.
More self-confidence
Starting a new life abroad brings its own challenges: You have to find accommodation, deal with a lot of administrative matters, pay your bills and find your way around using public transport. But the satisfaction you get once you have all this figured out, is worth it all. Knowing that you can find your way in a job in a totally unfamiliar environment gives you the self-confidence you need to tackle other challenges in life. This is especially important when you don’t have much experience living alone yet.
New life skills
When you move abroad, all support often falls away. At such times, gaps become visible in your knowledge and ability that you had not noticed before. For instance, you might come to realise that you don’t know how to prepare your favourite meal or how to stay on top of your monthly budget. By living abroad, we learn new skills out of necessity, and that helps us become more independent.
A new outlook on life
Moving abroad offers you a new, valuable perspective on life, whether you come from a small village or the big city. Confronting the mentality and life views of other cultures can help you broaden and enrich your own worldview and define your personal values. This is much more difficult when you have never been outside your own local community.
Better communication skills
When you move abroad, you need to build new social and professional networks. This can be tricky, especially if you are shy or do not have a good command of the local language. However, it is the best way to improve your communication skills. This skill is not only important in everyday life, but is also considered valuable by employers.
Better knowledge of foreign languages
No matter how many language classes you take or how much you practise with language apps on your smartphone – the best way to improve your language skills is to live in the country where the language is spoken. Taking a “language bath” is a great opportunity to sharpen your listening and speaking skills.
Advantage over other job seekers
International work experience always looks great on your CV. It shows adaptability, motivation and determination, and these are three skills that employers and recruiters value highly. Moreover, having international experience immediately gives you an edge over other candidates who have never worked abroad.
Expand your professional network
Working abroad is a great opportunity to expand your professional network. The power of a strong professional network should not be underestimated. Many vacancies are not published publicly, but are filled by word of mouth and through professional networks. So be sure to engage with your new colleagues and build a good professional relationship with them. You never know who might offer you a new job.
Article from: euroc.ec.europa.eu