Working abroad can be a great option, especially if you’re having a hard time finding a job in your home country. However, there are both pros and cons to working abroad – getting an international job isn’t for everyone. If this option interests you, but you want to stay in the United States (or your home country, whatever that may be), why not instead consider a virtual job? Virtual jobs allow you to work from home or from a local office, but you’ll work with clients or customers from around the work.

Let’s take a look at some of the virtual job options you have if you want to work in a global position without leaving your country of origin:

Working as a Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants are like administrative assistants, but you’ll work purely through phone and email, performing tasks such as checking and answering emails, updating spreadsheets, building websites, and scheduling meetings. Virtual assistants can work for a single client or they can work part-time for multiple clients. In this career, being a self-starter is a must, and you must also be extremely organized. Keep in mind that if you work with international clients, you’ll be dealing with people from lots of different time zones, so this is a good options for those who want to work a traditional 9-to-5 job, but don’t necessarily want to work between the hours of 9 and 5.

Working as a Writer

Freelance writers don’t necessarily need to live and work in the same location as their clients. If you’re interested in working as a writer, it helps to specialize in one kind of writing, such as blogging, search engine optimization writing, or ebook writing. You can also pick a specific niche, such as parenting or technology, as a way to specialize your services as a writer. One of the best things about being a freelance writer is that you can make your own schedule, which allows you to have flexibility to also care for a family or enjoy a social life, but you also must be extremely disciplined, making sure to set aside enough time to work during the day.

Working as a Social Media Consultant

Social media consultants work with businesses to leverage their social media marketing. You could help with anything from gaining a following on Facebook to using Twitter correctly to reach more customers to uploading how-to videos on YouTube. Social media is a n extremely important part of the marketing campaign for most businesses, and great social media efforts are also imperative for quality customer service. Social media is global, so it doesn’t matter where you live to work in this field.

Working as a Teacher

If you love to teach but don’t necessarily want to work as an international ESL teacher or religious teacher/missionary, you can still tutor students from around the world as an online tutor or online school teacher. Working at an online school is not much different from working with students face-to-face, though there are some specific challenges depending on the subject you teach. Typically, at an online school, you’ll have a smaller class size, which allows you to do more one-on-one work with each student, and one of the biggest advantages is that you won’t have to manage a classroom if you work online.

Working in Online Banking

Online banking is an industry that is growing every year, with more and more people seeing the advantages of monitoring their accounts online and paying bills through paperless bill. Working for an online bank is more of a traditional office environment – few online bank employees work from home like freelance writers or online teachers. However, instead of helping bank customers in a face-to-face situation, you will be responding to problems or requests via email and phone. Online banks are often international, so it could benefit you to know at least one foreign language if you want to work for one.

From becoming an ESL teacher overseas to moving to a foreign branch of a company where you already work, there are tons of job options in other countries that you can consider if you want to start working abroad. This career path has both advantages and disadvantages, no matter which new country you’re considering calling home. Let’s take a look at a few of the pros and cons of working overseas so you can decide if this is a good option for you.

Pros of Working Abroad

• Depending on your industry, there might be more options in foreign cities, meaning that you’re more likely to get hired.
• If you move to a place where cost of living is extremely low, but continue to work for a U.S.-based office, you could put a lot of money in the bank.
• Working abroad gives you the ability to see the world.
• Many companies offer incentives to employees who are willing to move overseas, such as free housing or annual bonuses.
• Moving overseas is the best way to learn a second language, and having this skill looks great on your resume when you’re job hunting in the future.
• You might be able to find a location with awesome weather (depending on your preferences) – it’s like you’re always on vacation!
• Working abroad makes it easier to become a citizen or otherwise legally stay in a country where you want to live.
• Companies often offer management positions to employees who go overseas, while if you stay in the U.S., you might be third or fourth (or fifth or…) behind others who are qualified for the promotion as well.

Cons of Working Abroad

• It’s expensive to move to another country if you take your belongings with you (or store them back home). Not every company offers to pay for relocation.
• It can be a hassle to go through the paperwork of moving to another country legally.
• If you’re moving to a new country, you might not know anyone or even know the native language. It can also be jarring to adjust to a new culture.
• If you feel homesick, it’s harder to visit friends and family if you’re coming from another country. In many cases, you’ll also be on a different sleep schedule than your loved ones, making it difficult to stay in touch.
• It will be harder for your family to adjust to new schools or find a new job.
• Taxes are often higher in foreign countries – though you may still pay in the U.S. instead of in your country of residence, depending on how long you live there.
• You could miss out on a promotion at your home office if you’re busy working overseas.
• Living conditions aren’t great in every country – it depends on where you live.

As you can see, there is a lot to consider before you pack your bags for the ESL teaching job in Japan or contract position at your company’s Germany office. Talk it through with your spouse, parents, or friends before you rush into the decision to make sure this really is the best move for your career and your life.

A full-time job that pays well is the dream of many. But the reality of a lot of us, especially in this job market, is that we have to piece together a number of part-time or even full-time jobs.

If you are looking for some quick ways to earn a little extra money online, here are some quick and straight-forward suggestions.

Take Online Surveys – paying anywhere from $1 to $50 per survey and more, online surveys were once the purview of online scammers, but have not become a respectable and stream-lined way for marketers to tap into the social conscience of today’s “connected” generation. Start with well-known reputable companies, such as Pinecone Research, and be sure to avoid any outfit that asks for your bank account details. Another tip-off that the site is spam? A questionnaire that takes you longer than 3-5 minutes to complete.

Sell stuff on eBay or Craigslist – With the holiday season right around the corner, you may be looking for quick ways to earn a little extra pocket money to buy presents for your loved ones. Why not dump the clothes and gadgets you no longer use? Ebay has a thriving 2^nd hand market and setting up your own store is quick and easy. All you need is a paypal account and you’re ready to go. For more information on being an eBay seller, check out this post on How to Sell on Ebay.

Take on some freelance writing jobs. You don’t need to be Hemingway to earn a living from freelance writing, but you do need a good turn of phrase, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate well — with your readers and your boss. Some writers find their gigs on Craigslist; others turn to bidding sites. Some even like to take fate into their own hands by writing a blog.

Become a video game programmer. Not only do most gamers work online, you can even get your video game degree online. Totally seamless tradition! Learn more about getting your start in the gaming profession from this article on How to Be a Video Game Programmer.

Whether you’re in Montana or Mozambique, one of the best parts of working online is that you can literally do it anywhere that you have a computer and a high speed Internet connection. Learn more about how to work online from abroad in this post on Freelance Travel Writing.

As someone who’s attention is nearly completely on U.S. jobs and employers, something interesting was brought to my attention: Employers in other countries expect different things from applicants.

A good friend of mine, Graham Tappenden, recently sent me his book, How to Write a German CV to review for my personal website, but I wanted to mention the book here for JobMonkey readers as well since it may be relevant to your job search. In the United States, we’re taught to present resumes/CVs in a certain way, but if you’re attempting to get a job in Germany (or any other foreign country), your application may look messy or incomplete.


Some things to keep in mind:

• Although many countries have hiring laws that rival those in the United States, in some countries, you’re expected to include information about you parents, marital status, and children.
• Employers in many countries expect you to include a headshot-style picture with your application.
• Because educational terms vary from country to country, if you’re applying for a job overseas, you may confuse potential employers by listing your educational information in the way it is traditionally done in the United States.

For those of your interested in a job in Germany, I can’t recommend How to Write a German CV enough – it’s a clear step-by-step guide that is easy to follow, and you also have the additional option of purchasing a personal CV review from Graham when you’re done. If you’re applying to jobs in other countries, take some time to research what employers expect from you. Sending your U.S. resume isn’t going to get you an interview in most countries.

One of the main points that we always touch when considering the pros and cons of working or volunteering abroad is the idea of culture shock (link relates to Eastern Europe issues). Imagine that you are in a new country where you:

• Don’t speak the language
• Don’t have access to a network of friends or family
• Can’t get home to see your family frequently

This means, you are likely going to run into some odd situations. For example, in Chile (and other South American countries) you have to weigh and pay for your food and bread at different sections around the supermarket, before you checkout. This might seem like a minor detail, but imagine that you are new in town and just want to get some groceries, and when you go to pay, everyone is yelling and pointing…this can be disheartening to say the least. This is culture shock.

Often it is the little norms that you might not know, or the nuances of everyday life that can keep people from adjusting fully to a new culture or country, rather than the bigger things that one might expect. You might get used to being the tallest or blondest person in the room before you get used to how taxis work, or what proper subway etiquette is…all of these things take a lot of negotiation, and most of all, a willingness to make mistakes.

To avoid culture shock, you need to have an open-ness about looking silly, or sounding silly from the beginning. Focus on learning how to perform daily tasks, or get from point A to point B before you try to master these things. Learn how to ask questions, and how to really listen to the answers. Culture shock can be just as good as it is challenging, as long as you keep an open mind.

An article on today’s ABC News on Campus section tackled the ongoing trend for students who, facing a recession and limited job market upon college graduation, are looking for alternatives to the traditional U.S. job market, and more and more they are looking for these alternatives abroad.

According to the article, India, China and the Middle East are the top choices out there for people looking to get into American businesses abroad – most of the companies hiring are actually U.S. based companies who are expanding into new markets.

This is an alternative that many people don’t think about when they are looking to gain employment abroad – most people think first of things like the Peace Corps or teaching English abroad. But with international markets not necessarily mimicking the U.S. recession, opportunities for people in business and marketing abound.

What kind of international  jobs in business are available to recent graduates?

For those with degrees in Business Administration, so smaller companies that might deal in a seemingly mundane industry (like scrap metal in China, in the ABC News article)  need energetic salesman who are willing to travel all over the world on behalf of the company. If you are someone who has been bitten by the travel bug, loves people and feels comfortable with change, this kind of position might be for you. There is no silver bullet to getting this type of job, and you’ll probably have to broaden some of your usual search terms, but the benefits might seriously outweigh the extra time that you put into the job search process. Sales jobs overseas are often posted on Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com.

Human Resources is another potentially lucrative industry when looking to find jobs abroad as a recent college graduate. Well, maybe not an industry in it’s own right, but definitely a subset of many business management jobs abroad. The appeal of hiring an English-speaking HR assistant or executive for many international companies is that it allows them to reach out to  people in many parts of the world for recruiting purposes. Of course, a support job like HR will likely require that you speak the language of the country in which you are working, in addition to English.

When you are thinking about jobs abroad, you should make sure that you do some thinking “outside the box”. You might consider taking a job on the business or administrative side of a popular industry, such as oil and mining. A large amount of the world’s oil production comes from countries outside of the U.S., and there are many oil jobs in Europe and the Middle East that are off of the oil rig itself. This includes areas like human resources, logistics and other entry-level operations jobs for recent graduates.

You might also want to consider travel and tourism jobs abroad if you have a business administration degree.

While you many not have focused on hotel or restaurant management in your undergraduate studies, most of the skill that you learned will be transferable to the tourism industry, and most major hotel chains offer extensive executive training programs for recent graduates looking to join the ever growing international tourism market. A great place to look for tourism jobs is the Middle East or China, which are becoming hot spots for international business travel, and are being developed somewhat rapidly.  These hotel and resort jobs abroad are looking for people who can handle finances, sales, public relations and marketing.

Again, if you are worried about the current job market as you prepare to graduate from college, start to think creatively about your options around the world. You’d be surprise at the level of positions available to people who are willing to travel and are ready for adventure. And these jobs can offer great business and management experience for your next job, whether it is in the U.S., or abroad.

Usually when we are focusing on work abroad, cruise ships don’t come to mind But few other industries can give you the opportunity to see such a large part of the world while doing what you love. There are all kinds of jobs on cruise ships, from food service to entertainment. Many people who love playing and instrument or singing can find success working the cruise ship circuit as part of the house band or other entertainer.

• Cruise ship entertainment jobs can be very competitive, so you should treat each one as an audition for any other job in the entertainment industry. Collect all of your materials, photographs and resumes to create a professional package to submit for your cruise ship job.
• Most cruise ship jobs are contract-based, so your job could last for varying lengths of time – and you might not always know this in advance.
• Pay varies quite a bit for cruise ship entertainment job. If you are pursuing a job on a cruise ship because you are interested in traveling abroad, consider accepting free passage about the ship in exchange for your services. On some vessels, you may only perform once every few days, and you’ll have access to the whole ship’s amenities in addition to the ports of call.

The benefits and drawbacks of working on a cruise ship will vary depending on why you have taken your cruise ship job. For entertainers who are looking to work overseas (literally), the amount of pay may not be as important as the travel opportunities. You may choose to work on a cruise ship that goes to a particular part of the world. Of course, you cannot always be so particular about where you go on your cruise ship job, but you can put in your time in the beginning of your career as a cruise ship worker until you are established enough to request specific journeys.

One cruise ship job that is very cool and unique (and perfect for art lovers) cruise ship job that many people may not know about: cruise ship art auctioneer (or dealer). These art specialists live and work on cruise ships as representatives for art companies. In these cases, you usually aren’t working for the cruise line itself, but for a stateside gallery that holds art auctions for the cruise ship patrons. There are a few major auction houses that specialize in this type of work, as well as some smaller galleries that might be local to major US ports.

Becoming an art dealer on a cruise ship is much like becoming an art dealer anywhere: you should have a comprehensive knowledge of works of art, thrive in a fast paced environment, and have some comfort with selling and closing deals.

The difference on a cruise ship might be your ability to develop some relationships with potential customers during some of the longer journeys, as well being a self-starter who will work alone and largely on commission.

Something to be aware of is that art auctions are a somewhat controversial topic for many cruise shippers. This is because the value of art itself can be somewhat controversial. It is always best to look for reputable agencies to work with in any job, and this is especially true for art dealers and auctioneers working on cruise ships. You will want to be able to take pride in your work, and know that you are an honest professional. One thing to remember when you work in a somewhat-solitary environment like a cruise ship is that what you do is a reflection of yourself, in addition to a reflection on the company for which you are working.

To find out more about working on a cruise ship, please visit the Cruise Ship Jobs section of JobMonkey, which has information about jobs both in the states and abroad!

The first few months living and working in a foreign country can be daunting for a number of reasons, including language barriers, access to friends and not feeling part of your new community right away. It can feel especially strange to not be familiar with the names and faces on the news – politicians, celebrities, even local personalities. So how do you keep up with the news while you are living abroad?

There are a large number of resources available online that help you to do just that. The trick is to find reliable sources of news, translated into your language and written for an expat audience.

• Expatica is a great website for expats living in Belgium, Germany, Moscow, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Spain and the United Kingdom. Not only to they provide resources for finding health insurances, housing and even banking they also provide a news feed of country-specific news stories in English. These stories are a great primer for someone starting a new job abroad, because they run the gamut from political news, movies reviews, restaurant recommendations and culture pieces.
• Facebook might seem like an unlikely “new source” and I’m certainly not looking to promote it as such. However, Facebook does have a group or fan page for just about anything. While you may not be comfortable reaching out to strangers in the “Expats working in finance in Luxembourg” group, you can join and take a look at what people are talking about, what news articles they are posting, etc. just to get a sense of what some parts of the community care about.
• Asia Times is a great source for news, period. But their in-depth coverage of Asia news is especially good, especially economic and political news. Get ready for long articles with tons of information about Japan, China, Korea, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
• The Blogosphere is just like Facebook (and Twitter for that matter) in that there is a blog about anything and everything, which can be especially helpful for expats that might not be living close to a physical community or people in similar situations. Often blogs and their comments help to build an online community that is more focused than Facebook, if slightly less private. Since so many blogs focus are born out of a trip or life change that is out of the ordinary. So blogs tend to pop up quite a bit in the expat community. It can take a while to sift through personal blogs to find something useful, but once you find a blog that you love, check out the blog roll. Blogs tend to have a lot of overlap with readership, and you might start to see some familiar names with whom you can connect and learn more about your new home country.

These are just a few places to start. Don’t discount some more local news sources, like the local grocer or patrons at the corner cafe. You’d be surprised at home many people in non-English speaking countries would love to tell a new person about all of wonders of their community, or might just want to practice English skills. If you are in a country where you speak the language, striking up a conversation about local news can be even easier.

Welcome to the first News Round-up! I hope that you had a great time enjoying the end of summer. Some interesting articles about living and working abroad have come through my inbox, so I’ve decided to start some periodic news and blog roundups to show you who is talking about work and volunteer abroad news.

Here are a few links from the past week to keep you in the know!

• Are you concerned about moving abroad to only learn less money than you would at home? This article lists the 10 ten places to work abroad for the money. While the salaries are relative to those in the United Kingdom, you can still get a sense of what kind of careers abroad translate if you live in the United States, Canada or Australia where the exchange rate is similar. (Shelter Offshore)
• Another plug for living and working in Russia: Apparently expatriates living in Moscow are among the wealthiest in the world. Thirty-five per cent earn more than $250,000 per year. What’s the bad news? It’s not exactly easy to find a job. “The opportunity at the junior and middle level of management has been all but eliminated and foreigners are largely now only hired for these jobs if they know how to live in Russia, speak the language and do not present large relocation costs,” the article says. (Business News Europe)
• If you’ve been thinking about taking a job abroad (specifically a teaching job) and need a little help understanding the pros and cons of living and working abroad, check out Farnoosh Torabi’s breakdown of all things making the move to living abroad, including some information about how to use a teaching job in Asia to transition into another overseas career. (CBS MoneyWatch)
• Do we have Mother Teresa to thank for “voluntourism”? Are all volunteer abroad trips actually based on missionary work? The Christian Science Monitor seems to think so. “Mother Teresa’s program was a precursor to VolunTourism,” says David Clemmons, founder of voluntourism.org, by e-mail. “There was no grand, long-term commitment… In this way, Mother Teresa was ahead of her time.” (Christian Science Monitor)
• Even more tips for getting started working abroad, especially how to turn from a volunteer to a full-time paid employee abroad. This article provides a great listing of “Paid Volunteer” opportunities like the Peace Corps, United Nations Volunteers and Doctors without Borders. (Transitions Abroad Magazine)
• I really love this U.S. News and World Report article about a couple who weren’t ready to retire, but who decided to move abroad and start their own business as if they were. This is a great alternative work-abroad story that we don’t normally hear much about, and it is especially interesting given the current economy. This is a great, quick read if you have an entrepreneurial spirit. “We had fun kicking around ideas for businesses we might both enjoy,” Ann says. “And the better we got to know the island, the more niches we saw that needed filling,” says the couple. It doesn’t get much more entrepreneurial than that! (U.S. News and World Report)

If you’ve seen anything interesting in the news that might be useful for people who are thinking about working and volunteering abroad, please feel free to leave it in the comments!

Inspired by a recent New York Times article “Advice on Using Your Credit Card While Traveling Abroad“, I thought I’d take a break from volunteer abroad or work abroad-specific posts and focus on some things about living abroad that are a little more general – like how to make sure your credit cards don’t get frozen.

I’m sure this has happened to you (as it has to me): You are out-of-town buying souvenirs and going out o eat and then the next thing you know, the credit card company has become convinced that your card is stolen and you can’t use it.

While it’s great to know that credit card companies are looking out for us (which is something you don’t read about every day), it can be frustrating to lose the use of a credit card, especially when you are in a foreign country and trying to settle in. Even if the company is aware that you are going to be living in another country, weekend trips to neighboring cities could also spark suspicion.

While it could seem like a hassle, the best way to avoid any credit or bank card issues is to call your banks and credit card issuers and give them the dates that you plan on traveling abroad. That way, when the red flags go up as you are buying toothpaste in London, there will be a note on your account telling the, not to automatically freeze you out of your account. You might still get phone calls asking you if your card has been stolen, and asking you verify charges, but at least you won’t lose your purchasing power.

One thing I learned from the article that anyone going abroad should be aware of are the different types of credit cards that are accepted in Europe and Asia. Newer cards in these areas use a different technology (which always requires a PIN) than we do here in the U.S., and you could have trouble using your card once you get there. This is especially important if you are planning to work or volunteer abroad for a short-term job or project and won’t be transferring your money to a local bank.

So what do we do about all of this? After calling your bank and/or credit card company to tell them that you will be out of the country for a while, you should add these credit card issues to your list of things to ask your host organization (or better yet, your host family if you have one). They are the ones who have the most up-to-date knowledge of any credit card issues that might exist for expats living and working abroad.