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Focus on Jobs Overseas

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JobMonkey.com
Volume VIII, Issue #33
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Welcome to the JobMonkey newsletter! Hopefully you enjoyed a wonderful three-day weekend. Now that you're back to work, are you wishing it was still the weekend? Are you longing for new horizons and broader opportunities? Or are you a college graduate looking to kick-start your job search during a rather inhospitable economic climate?

Whatever your personal situation may be, traveling abroad is an incomparable way to discover your true calling. Living life on the road certainly isn't for everyone. But if you have the spirit of adventure in your heart, then there's nothing stopping you from picking up -- and packing up. The best news is that you can do it quite literally on a shoestring. Read on to learn how.

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IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

1) Career Advisor: Setting Up Reference Pages
2) Spotlight: Top 10 Resources for Adventure Travelers
3) Around the Monkey: Travel, Volunteer and Work Abroad
4) JobMonkey Job Center: New Overseas Job Board

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CAREER ADVISOR: Setting Up Reference Pages
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by Amy Lindgren

So, you've written your resume, customized your cover letters and built a killer work portfolio. You've left nothing to chance when it comes to your job search paperwork. Except, that is, your reference page.

Reference page? Do people still do those? Oh yeah. No matter how bogus you think those are - or how bogus you think employers think they are - references can still make or break your job offer. After all, if most jobs are filled through networking, then it must matter to someone what others say about you.

When it comes to references, you have two tasks. First, you must identify people who would speak well of you, then you must contact them and request this favor. Never use someone for job references without first checking with them, as they may not think quickly on their feet. It's better for them to expect the call than to be surprised.

Along those lines, be sure to tell each reference which jobs you're using them for and what your related strengths are. This will help your people focus on the key points that will make the best impression when employers call.

Once you've contacted your references, your second task is to create a reference page to share with employers when the time is right. Generally speaking, that will be at the end of the first or second interview, but not in your initial mailing.

Format your reference page with the same header as your resume, then list each person, their contact information, and their professional relationship with you. For extra kick, try quoting something positive they've said about you, perhaps in a performance review.

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SPOTLIGHT: Top 10 Resources for Adventure Travelers
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Do you feel called by the open road? Whether it's a new job, a volunteer opportunity, or just good old fashion wanderlust propelling you to pack your bags, traveling abroad is a wonderful way to broaden your horizons. But what about your budget? International travel sounds like a costly endeavor…not one for broke college students or penny-pinching job seekers, right? Wrong!

For far less than you would spend to maintain your current lifestyle at home, you can travel, work and/or volunteer abroad. Check out these ten websites for inexpensive airfare, accommodations, volunteer opportunities, and more.

Cheap Airfare

1. WhichBudget
You probably already know about travel sites like Travelocity and Expedia. But if you really want rock bottom prices, check out WhichBudget. Just type in your origination and destination points to get a list of budget airlines that aren't typically indexed by the larger sites. A word to the wise: WhichBudget doesn't cover the entire globe, so you may need to piece together your own connecting flights. Even still, the initial legwork can result in savings of more than 80% over the fares you get quoted on the bigger search engines.

Free Accommodation

After long-haul airline tickets, the biggest budget eater for the adventure traveler is accommodation. The good news is that there are plenty of low- or no-cost options, including trading your caretaking services for free room.

2. WWOOF
Since 1971, WWOOF has helped link up travelers with free accommodations in exchange for their volunteering on organic farms. Volunteer/travelers typically receive food and accommodations for the labor -- as well as the opportunity to learn about organic lifestyles. WWOOF has contacts all over the world, including North & Central America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

3. Caretaker's Gazette
For a small annual fee ($30), the Gazette features listings of people around the world willing to give free rent (and sometimes meals) in exchange for your work. Jobs can range from house-sitting and pet-setting to farm work and maintenance. Sure, some of the jobs are far from glamorous, but you will be living (and maybe even eating) for free...and getting to meet some of the most colorful locals around!

4. HelpX
Similar to WWOOF, Help Exchange (HelpX) is an online listing of organic and non-organic farms, ranches, B&Bs and even sailing boats that welcome volunteers to work for them in exchange for food and accommodation. Volunteers often stay in the family home, where they are expected to contribute to general household chores above and beyond their volunteer work. Most HelpX placements are in Australia, New Zealand, Western Europe, and North America. Premier membership in HelpX costs 20 Euro.

5. CouchSurfing.org
If you'd rather not work for your accommodations -- or if you don't plan on staying in town for more than a few days -- you might want to check out Couch Surfing. A hospitality exchange, Couch Surfing has thousands of online listings of people around the world willing to host travelers for a night or two. Accommodations can vary from a spare bedroom to a futon in the living room. The site has safety checks in place, but travelers accept accommodations at their own risk.

Working Abroad

6. WorkPermit
Although some establishments might hire you to pour drinks without one, a work permit is typically your essential operating document for even the most entry-level type job. Work Permit is a great site for navigating the ins and outs of required work permits and other immigration regulations for nearly every country around the globe.

Volunteering Abroad

7. Cross Cultural Solutions
Founded in 1995, Cross Cultural Solutions places 4,000 volunteers every year in the fields of caregiving, teaching ESL, healthcare and community development. Volunteers are assigned to communities in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. For a complete listing of volunteer organizations (many of which offer a stipend to cover room and board for long-term volunteers), see JobMonkey's list of overseas volunteer programs.

General Resources

8. Professional Hobo
The travelog of a twenty-something financial planner turned "professional hobo," this blog has been chronicling Nora's adventures since 2007. That's when she started traveling around the world on a shoestring budget: She and her partner spend less than $20,000 a year. Most Americans spend at least double that just to live in the same place day-in and day-out!

9. Transitions Abroad
For almost three decades, Transitions Abroad has been the place to learn about living, working, studying and volunteering abroad. Now a comprehensive web portal, Transitions offers articles, planning tips, classified ads and more to help you navigate your adventure experience.

10. JobMonkey

Have you checked out our Work Abroad section yet? We cover everything from teaching English as a Second Language jobs to au pair jobs to resources for ex pats.

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AROUND THE MONKEY: Working, Volunteering & Traveling Abroad
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To learn more about the opportunities and challenges of traveling abroad, check out the JobMonkey blog. Here are four great posts to start with:

- Teaching English as a Second Language
- International Volunteer Jobs
- Volunteer Service Projects Are "IN"
- Volunteering Up Among College Grads

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JOB CENTER REPORT: Overseas Job Board
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If you're not quite ready to throw caution to the wind, you might prefer to line up a job before you book your flight to adventure abroad. A great place to start your job search is on our new Overseas Job Board. There are tons of promising opportunities for everyone from teachers to engineers to occupational therapists. Check it out today!

 

 

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