You may be a young working adult who, after 2 or 3 years of work experience, discover that you are in the wrong job. Look back at your school days for clues and indications.

• What were your achievements in school? Which subjects did you enjoy most and excel in? Which subjects did you dislike? Why?
• What types of activities did you enjoy most in school? What role did you usually play in a team project? Did you work best alone or in a team?
• Did you enjoy a changing environment or prefer a structured one?
• Do you work best with numbers, words or pictures?

The above will give you valuable clues to finding the right field to move into.

Things to consider when making up your mind to relocate abroad

• How would a move abroad affect your long-term career aspirations?
• Is now a good time to relocate or should you wait until you become more established within your field?
• Have you considered the views of others close to you?
• You will be away from your family and friends for a prolonged period. It is possible your partner will also have to relocate, perhaps you have children - you will have to find new schools etc.
• If you currently rent your home you will have to see your lease through to its end, if you own a house will you sell it or rent it?
• Language - It is possible that English will not be the primary language of the country you are moving to. Do you know enough to get by?
• Will your wage be paid into an account in the UK or will you have to open an account in your country of temporary residence?
• Will you enjoy living within the culture of the country you are moving to? Such things as dietary habits, climate, housing, media, and local customs will all be different from what you are used to.

How to find a job abroad

There are several ways to get work abroad, some more difficult to achieve than others.

The ease at which you will find work is dependent upon which country you hope to move to, the type of work you are looking for, and what skills you can offer.

Get a transfer abroad with a company/organisation in your home country.

Many companies now have offices around the world and one of the easiest ways for employees to work abroad is to get a transfer with one of these companies.

Make enquiries with your firm to find out where they have other offices, or if you are currently job seeking target your applications to multinational firms.

Find work with a foreign company

Start with a search on the Internet, through job boards, such as JobSeekAsia.com.

If you have skills that are in demand in the countries you seek to relocate to then you have an advantage.

You will be looked upon particularly favourably if you have Engineering or IT skills.

If you speak the language of the country you are looking to relocate to you can visit job sites within that countries domain.

Visit your local library, there are many books on how to go about finding work abroad.

Read English language newspapers from the country you are looking to locate to, they possibly have appointments advertised.

If you can afford to and have the time it is recommended that you visit the country you are interested in working in. This may be the first time that you have been to the country and there is a chance that it is not as you imagined.

It is advisable that you see what life is like in the country before you move there as you may not actually like it.

Take lots of copies of your CV with you and resort to pasting them to telegraph poles if all else fails.

Make contacts while you are there, speak to expatriates of your own country as they may be able to give you some tips on finding work.

Contact your national embassy and explain what you are trying to do, try to establish contact with local trade organisations.

Take a copy of the local business telephone directory so you can continue your cold calling when you are back home.

It will not be easy and finding work abroad can take a lot of time, if you have your heart set on it do not give up.

Work for an expatriate owned foreign company

In this case language barriers will not be such a problem.

It is possible that you have contacts within the firm who can help set you up.

Work in an industry that offers lots of scope for travel

One of the safest options is to find work in your home country within an industry that offers lots of opportunities to travel.

The Armed forces, Diplomatic corp., Leisure and Tourism will all potentially lead to a placement abroad.

If you have language skills and show a particular desire to work overseas then you will be given preference.

Visas and immigration laws

To work for an extended period in a country of which you are a non resident you usually require a work visa.

This can prove to be difficult in some countries and you may only be granted access if you already have a job waiting for you, or if you have specific skills that that country is looking for.

To get a visa contact the embassy of the country you want to move to within your own country.

Check the employment figures of the country you hope to move to as they can provide an indication as to how easy it will be to get a work permit.

Tailoring your CV to different countries

Employers in different countries essentially all look for the same qualities in their applicants, however a country may have their own unique conventions when it comes to CV writing.

For further details see the article 'Tailoring your CV for different countries'.

Generally though make sure your CV and covering letter are clear enough for a national in your targeted country to understand who you are and what you want.

Your must show that you have an understanding of the country and industry sector within that country so that people feel that you can contribute immediately.

Holiday work

There is lots of scope for finding seasonal work in foreign countries, you could be picking grapes in the south of France, shearing sheep on a ranch in Australia or instructing skiing in north America.

This work is only for a short period, and you have to work hard for very little money, but if you are with a couple of friends and are not stuck out in the wilderness it can be lots of fun.

Studying abroad

It is possible to go to another country on a student exchange programme for a year of your degree, or to undertake your entire degree abroad.

The Internet provides one of the best resources to find out about placements, so do your research.

In conclusion, is working abroad a realistic option?

The answer is an unequivocal yes, however relocating abroad can be very expensive depending on where you move to.

People who move abroad do not generally come out financially better off than before they left their home country.

It is relatively simple getting casual work but earning a comparable wage to that which you earned at home is far more difficult unless you have specific skills that are in short supply within your target country.

Finding work abroad can be a long process but one that is definitely worth pursuing, do not give up, when you have your job your experiences abroad will stay with you for the rest of your life.