Gloomy British weather getting you down? We spoke to Darain Faraz at LinkedIn to get his top tips on how to get a dream job abroad
Your summer holiday memories of lounging in the sun are well and truly over, the weather here in the UK is miserable at best and you're dying for a change. Sound familiar? Well, it looks like you're not alone.
'On 1st September last year, we saw a 62% increase in members updating their LinkedIn profiles compared with the week before, and we're expecting to see the same thing this year,' says Darain Faraz, Communications Manager at LinkedIn. Many of us come back from our travels dreaming of exploring the world, and taking a job abroad can boost your career as well as satisfy your wanderlust.'
'Thousands of UK professionals moved abroad to work last year; we found the top destination for Brits on LinkedIn was the bright lights of New York, followed by Sydney, Paris and Melbourne.'
If you want to make the leap and take your career global (and have even considered a career change at 30 and the voluntary redundancy options already), here are Darain's top tips for landing a job overseas: 1. Be visible Social networks have made it simple to connect with people around the world, so make the most of it.
Imagine you're a boutique. Your online profile is your shop window and needs to show people exactly why they should buy into you. Don’t just treat it as an online CV; get people’s attention by uploading specific examples of your work and ask current and previous colleagues for recommendations.
2. Show off your skills You may have spent years becoming an expert in your role, but employers overseas will want to know that you can adapt to the market in their country too.
Highlight transferrable skills such as budgeting, IT skills and relationship building, and emphasise any work you've done on global projects or instances when you’ve collaborated with professionals other countries. Showing that you're genuinely interested in the destination you'd like to move to can also help to convince employers you’re serious about fitting in.
3. Do some internal investigation
If your company has offices abroad, consider applying for an internal transfer. Building a strong network within your company can really help with this, as you'll need the backing of senior management to be put forward.
4. Think multinational If you don't know where to start when looking for potential employers abroad, it's worth exploring opportunities at international firms.
We found that the top ten employers of UK professionals abroad on LinkedIn were those that already have a presence in this country; Ernst & Young topped the list of ten, which also included IBM, PwC, HSBC and Shell. Following companies online can be a great way to keep up to date with their news and spot any vacancies that arise.
5. Ramp up your research It's likely that a potential employer will want to know why you're set on relocating. As well as talking about wanting to see the world, you should show that you understand the company and the way the sector works in that country.
Joining groups on LinkedIn is a great way to get the inside scoop on what the industry landscape is like abroad and using your existing connections to find people who have already worked out there can be a priceless source of advice.