Catch a Plane to Work

Like to see the world while building your CV? If you answered yes, an overseas posting could be the best move you ever make.

Grappling with chopsticks and learning the complicated Mandarin dialect are two minor challenges in a whirlwind expat experience for Australian PR professional Kaarin Lindsay-Dynon. Working as the Director of Communications for the soon-to-open Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, Kaarin is responsible for PR, marketing, advertising, branding and website communication of the luxury hotel.

While days are spent readying the hotel for its grand opening, Kaarin enjoys the electric pace of this cosmopolitan Asian city come nightfall. “I am constantly discovering new places and experiences,” says Kaarin, 32. “It’s a very exciting time for Beijing: with the Olympics a little over a year away the place is full of excitement and development. If ever there was a time to live in Beijing, it’s now.” Kaarin is one of a growing number of professional Australian women taking on the world and gaining valuable career development skills, while simultaneously satisfying their wanderlust.

“Working overseas is fantastic for the CV,” explains Olivia Ruello, General Manager of recruitment firm Staff it. “It demonstrates a willingness to go outside your comfort zone and broaden your experience.”

Some of the benefits of an overseas placement include the opportunity to expand your network in an increasingly interconnected corporate world, the chance to gain an understanding of different markets and the environment to learn new skills that can then be applied back home. Not to mention the financial incentives:- work in a tax-free zone like Dubai or an Asian country with lower costs of living and you can quickly save a sizeable house deposit that may seem impossible in Sydney or Melbourne. The good news, as reported by Ruello, is that Australians are highly sought in markets as diverse as the United States, Europe and throughout Asia. “It’s a well-known fact that Aussies enjoy a great reputation overseas,” she says. “We are considered to be hard-working, honest and down-to-earth.

There is always a market overseas for Australian teachers, nurses, accountants and lawyers.” Leonie Nichols has been enjoying the buzz of Los Angeles since moving recently to beautiful Bel Air. She was headhunted by a top American skincare company for her marketing expertise. The opportunity has set her up with an apartment, a car and the foundation from which to expand her private company Athlete for your Event.

“We supply elite sporting talent for guest speaking, entertainment and corporate experiences,” explains Leonie. “We have more than 100 athletes on our books ranging from Wallaby greats to fire dancers, tandem surfers and Olympic judo masters. The move here to LA has allowed me to expand my business into the US market.”

International expansion and the opportunity to network with global trendsetters are strong incentives to have a crack at an overseas work gig. Ruello advises candidates build a strong CV in Australia to ensure well-rounded experience before making the move. “Research! It’s impossible to know too much about the place you want to work in,” she says.

“The internet is a brilliant porthole to finding all the information you need.” Once you’ve narrowed down the country and region you’d like to work in, Ruello recommends calling recruitment agencies overseas for a chat. “Ask them about resume protocol and restructure your resume to the standards of your destination,” she says. “Find out which qualifications are most valued in your industry and research the legislation so you’ll know whether it’s possible to get a visa in your favoured destination.

” It’s always a good idea to keep your eyes open for information seminars that are put on by industry groups and international recruitment firms. Talk to people who have walked the path before you – there’s also someone who will be happy to provide inside advice and contacts. The last word goes to Leonie, now happily ensconced in sunny LA. “You have absolutely nothing to lose and you can always come back to Oz,” she says. “Just go for it if it feels right.”