duffman wrote:I was just wondering (preparing myself for the future here) how you guys managed to find expat jobs ? was it pure luck that you landed in the right company and got offered a job overseas and jumped at the chance ? or did you guys look for jobs in companies that had business overseas and asked at the first chance to work overseas ?
For me it was the former, pure luck.
I joined a bank in their Operations dept, and worked my nuts off for 2 years (made sense, I was being paid by the hour!). So impressed were they it seems, that they eventually hired me, as permanent staff in Product Control (daily trading P+L, risk etc).
Around a year later, totally out of the blue they called me in and explained they had a problem in Tokyo [echoes of Nick Leeson!], and would I be willing to go there for 3 months,
ummm in two weeks time, to help sort it out? It all went from there. Back home, and maybe a year later, they offered me a permanent relo to Tokyo. And from Tokyo I got relo'd to SG (for a near-repeat of the 'urgent crisis' that took me to Tokyo in the first place.)
So now years later, my thoughts are:
- In London I could adequately do my job, and came to learn the nuts of bolts of the systems and numbers behind trading, and was willing to work major hours.
- That led to the first posting to JP, [and later back to JP, on to SG, and later still to NY].
- I'm sure I wasn't the first or best choice for those jobs, but many of those colleagues probably weren't interested in being posted abroad in the first place (full stop).
- At each step my track-record paved the way for my work visas. I.e. After the first 3 month stint in Tokyo, that created the justification for me to get the later work permit there, which later justified the permit for Singapore etc. I.e. it's important to note that, that to get work visas in most countries you have to demonstrate what 'specialist' skills/experience you have. For example in SG, an employer has to justify why they're hiring a foreigner rather than a local, what you bring, that can't be sourced locally. So keep that in mind, you need to have something to differentiate yourself versus the locals.
- The experience/skills learned on one posting, can alone justify further postings. You will see other expats/posters here, who once they've shown the willingness and ability to do an initial expat posting, then continue getting posted around.
- A side-thought that I've not seen discussed before. Being a successful ex-pat is a skill in itself, requiring flexibility, adaptability, and some kind of faith/judgement re: taking leaps into the dark. It is quite a valuable skill, or mindset, given the proportion of people would be unwilling to tread the expat path.
duffman wrote: Just curious as once i finish my degree i would love to work overseas (in basically any asian country) while i'm still young for an extended period of time + what sectors do you guys work in ? & and is there enough accounting/finance jobs overseas ? :/
Your test is going to be getting some experience back home, preferably in something that is highly desired/required out in this region. That seems to be when it falls into place. Don't underestimate a chance to get your 'foot in the door', an internship, an extended 'rescue mission' type business trip, and so on.
I hope that might give you a few ideas of one man's experience (apologies to those regulars who've heard my tales before
). Good luck to you, and remember: 'There is no such thing as luck: Luck is when preparation meets opportunity'.
whilst I'm still at Uni full-time but yeah I really appreciate your comments and feedback 
