What Are the Best Tips for Getting Management Jobs Overseas?

Obtaining management jobs overseas takes job skills as well as the willingness to move to another country and start life anew. Preparation for an overseas management job may include learning a second language, studying the country's business culture, and updating passports and other important paperwork. Candidates should be prepared to interview by phone or online if an in-person interview is not possible.

A resume should be restructured to highlight skill sets and management experience that work well with cross-cultural teams. For example, a candidate that supervised his or her domestic department as well as a temporary foreign team that came to work for a week should showcase the ability to supervise culturally different employees. Information about foreign language study should be placed near the top of the page to catch the recruiter's attention. The resume should be written in plain, easy-to-understand language because it may be read by others who are not fluent in the candidate's language. Better yet, the resume should be written in the language of the country in question.

Job sites that ask for money for management jobs overseas should be avoided. Internet job boards can be a good starting point for locating work overseas, but be careful of job postings that require the candidate to pay relocation fees. Regional government commerce sites sometimes list warnings about businesses found to be fraudulent.

If the job sought is in a country where another language is spoken, a candidate should know or learn that language. Management must be able to communicate with staff, and in the case of overseas employment, much of the staff is likely to come from local areas. The candidate who can fluently read, write, and speak the language usually has a better chance of obtaining management jobs overseas.

It can help to sign on with a local job recruiter. Many management jobs overseas come through professional job recruiting efforts. Working with a recruiter who lives and works in the country of interest can provide additional job leads. Management job-seekers should look for a recruiter with ties to the local business community.

Some countries have specific needs for management in select industries. Candidates should focus their energies on applying to nations where their experience is valued. For example, a nation that advertises heavily for IT managers is a good country for IT managers to target.

Paperwork needs to be prepared carefully and thoroughly. Passport expiration dates should be checked, and needed vaccinations and other necessary steps should be taken before a job offer is accepted. This gets the candidate ready to go, and leaves time to correct issues as they arise.