climbing the international career ladder and seeing the world

Today's post is written by first-time wannabe/employee guest writer Eileen Archer. Working abroad is such a current topic - thanks for charing Eileen!

Oftentimes, it’s difficult to see anyone other than an English teacher living abroad and doing what they love. It doesn’t necessarily have to be this profession. You just have to be well-prepared for the move. After a good few years of teaching in private academies abroad (yes I fit the stereotypical English Teacher) I changed my life around. I became a Writer for magazine articles and online publications, and have more ambitions aside, that involve more travelling. 

I used my experience in teaching English and new-found grammar ability to hone other skills, and gradually made a parallel move - a successful one at that. So for all of you in the same boat as me a few years ago, or even just with the thought of moving abroad and changing or developing your profession to change you and your life in some way, it’s much easier than you think. Remember, that first step on the ladder is your pathway to other greatness, and a way to see the world while you achieve that.

Widen your scope

You really need to take on more work, not just to make yourself invincible in the workplace but to increase your skillset. This is where you will become THE person the company will want to send abroad.

I was a Teacher of certain levels and certain classes. I soon changed that. I didn’t want to stay teaching the same bunch of kids for what felt like forever. So I taught adults and exam classes the following year. The year after that, I was able to get an even better job in a better academy.

Qualifications

Skills and practical ability and knowledge are all great. However, in this day and age, only a piece of paper, along with the ability of course, will make potential employers sit up and take notice. So whenever your boss offers you the chance to do some official training, jump on the idea. For example, if you really want to go international then learning a language might be a good idea.

I became an examiner as well as a teacher. My boss at the time gave me the opportunity to do this and other than adding to my skillset, it also brings me in some very good money on the side.

Looking up

It’s easy to get stuck in the same boring job for years, we all do it or have done it to some extent. The key is to remember your passion at all times: moving abroad and developing your career. Make sure that when your boss asks who would like to take on a project that involves travelling, that your hand is up first. Even if your future career plans don’t involve this current company, always make sure you have the travel experience that prospective employers will be looking for.

CV Sending

Before you send that top notch CV and covering letter, you have to remember that if you’re applying to live abroad, that you follow their rules when doing so. You’ll also need to remember to show your knowledge of other cultures and experience of living abroad. Employers will be impressed by this.

The way I first applied for jobs abroad was different to the way I do it now. The country I was working for required a photo attached to the CV. I had never heard of that before. My covering letter is now also dramatically different: I now know that a successful application includes your awareness of cultures and adaptability to living in another country.  I wish I knew all of this back then!

Do you have anything to add about having a career abroad?

Bio: Eileen Archer is currently a resident blogger and a chief writer at EssayPlanet.org. After obtaining a Masters in English language she decided to dedicate her time to creative writing as well as providing assistance to students. She spends her free time reading, writing poetry and studying for a PhD in an art-related field. 

improving your career prospects while travelling

I'm very excited to feature a new guest writer, Ruth Hinds, all the way from the UK. More and more young professionals trade full-time positions for freelance agreements, allowing them to travel and juggle multiple roles at a time. Let's have a look at Ruth's top tips for travelling while keeping your career on track.

Travelling is something that many people aspire to do, and for a few lucky ones, it can become a reality. While you’re away though, how will you ensure that you continue to improve your career prospects? It can be a serious concern, and it’s certainly something that you should consider before you pack your suitcase and fly off to sunnier climes.

Take a look at these tips to point you in the right direction.

Seek out temporary jobs that will build your skills

Unless you’ve had a recent lottery win or you’ve done some very savvy saving, you probably need to work while you’re on the road. Traditional jobs for travellers include bar work and low-level roles, but lots of other opportunities are available if you’re willing to seek them out. If you think you’ll be looking for IT jobs in Cambridge when you return home, there’s no reason why you can’t search for similar temporary positions during your time away.

Write a blog about your experiences

Having a blog is a brilliant way to boost your career prospects. It shows off your writing skills, and it also shows dedication and initiative. No one is forcing you to write a blog, and as all bloggers know, it can be a difficult task to come up with fresh and exciting ideas for new posts. While you’re away, make a point of updating your blog each and every week. It’s a great way to document your memories, as well as having something to show off to future potential employers.

Consider freelancing on the move

Freelancing has become really popular in recent years, and the good news is that it’s remarkably easy to do while you’re travelling. Consider your skillset and think about what services you could offer on a flexible basis. It could be copywriting, admin, graphic design, and anything else in between. If you manage to secure some regular work that you can do on the move with just an internet connection, you can build a reliable income stream to fund your adventures, while also keeping your foot in the door of employment.

Learn some language skills

In the global business world, language skills are always valuable. Though you can learn a lot from books and tapes, there is nothing quite like immersing yourself in another country and picking up the language as you go along. It gives you the opportunity to practice every day, and it’s a fantastic addition to any CV.

With some forward planning and a bit of ambition, you could find that travelling actually improves your chances of finding work once you return home. How do you improve your CV while you’re exploring the world?

This article was brought to you by Ruth Hinds on behalf of AllTheTopBananas. ATTB allows you to search for and browse through UK jobs in one place, from engineer jobs to IT jobs. You can also upload your CV to increase your chances of being headhunted.

interview with a career enthusiast

I have a good friend, Liezl McLean, who is currently the editor of the SA Career Focus Magazine - I have always wanted to do a quick interview with her for my blog. I love the mag because it's great guide for youngsters who need to make informed career choices. Each addition features a variety of career options and includes interviews with people who are in those roles at the moment. So let's hear it from a lady who deals with all types of careers on a daily basis.

How did you come to be a magazine editor?

After undertaking loads of odd travel jobs before studying (such as working at an assembly line in a Smarties factory, waitressing with a crazy chef, changing nappies at a nursery school in London and doing some grape picking in Bordeaux), I was finally ready for a more ‘serious’ job. I love the media industry and believe it plays a vital role in our country.

What are the things you love about your job?

I constantly get to meet the most weird and interesting people! You never know who you’ll be interviewing next and every person is worth a feature! I also love the fact that one never stops learning in this industry – you constantly have to read up about whatever topic you’re going to write about next, whether it’s politics, sport or lifestyle.

And the not-so-glamorous parts?

Late night editing to meet deadlines. The result: a coffee addiction. (Think I need to go for counseling)

After featuring so many different job profiles in the magazine, what are your top 5 career tips for young professionals?

• Find out what you ENJOY doing.
• Choose a career that utilises your natural strengths – the job will come naturally.
• Make sure you have some self-knowledge - this includes an understanding of your interests, abilities and personality.
• Sharpen up your career knowledge. In other words, know what the job is really like. Do a job shadow or speak to someone in the industry who knows the daily activities.
• It’s not all about the money.

There you have it - great tips from someone who's tried out some interesting jobs herself and eventually chosen one that is just right for her.  Have you checked out this magazine before? I wish I had a career guide like this when I was still in high school!! 

top 10 tips for being a rock star employee

We talk about this all the time - there are so many things you can do to improve your performance and engagement at work. And regardless of who you work for, the same characteristics are praised and desired by all employers.

So instead of over-complicating things, here are my top 10 tips (and posts I wrote about them) for wannabe AMAZING employees:

1. Be on time
2. Be nice
3. Be teachable
4. Keep your promises
5. Respect everyone
6. Build your personal brand
7. Do your homework
8. Do more than the bare minimum
9. Take ownership of your job
10. Smile and wave - enjoy the ride!

Starting with the basics is always the best way to reach the top, so be sure to identify and try out a few at a time. What would your short list look like?

maintaining a healthy work-life balance

Guys and girls, you know that I am passionate about maintaining a balanced lifestyle ☺. I am always thinking of new ways to prevent myself from becoming a work-a-holic. I enjoyed reading what others have to say on the topic, so I selected a few great links to keep you balanced this week:

• Strive for work-life integration, not balance (Fast Company)
• 7 Tips to manage your work-life balance (Get-It-Done Guy)
• Work/life balance - a tightrope for entrepreneurs (the Innovation Rainforest)
• 10 Ways to manage your time better (Classy Career Girl)
• Work/life balance in the home office (Diversity Journal)
• Don't forget the beach: the value of vacations (Movin' on Up)

Do you ever feel like your job is trying to swallow you whole!? No more! I hope these tips have been helpful!!

Enjoy your Monday and have a fabulous week!

how blogging has boosted my career

I wish I had started this career blog earlier. For years I have been reading other popular career blogs in order to stay current and stretch my knowledge. There were always so many handy tips to choose form, that if I read one post per week it made a difference in my performance and/or personal brand at work. 

But then I remembered that I enjoyed writing just as much as reading, I always have.

Many of my friends know that I work in HR and love asking me career related questions, and having a group of employees to service means I can see and hear first-hand what people are frustrated with in their careers. I always aim to help or advise, and so it hit me:  If I can help one person, why can't I help many? 

And then I just started! I asked a motivating mentor of mine for a few blogging tips and she allowed me to feature a guest post on her blog. I have loved every moment since! And even though it hasn't been that long, it has given my career a subtle (but powerful) boost in a few ways:

• Confidence - When someone gives positive feedback or I see someone sharing a post from my blog I know that the content is relevant and that people can relate. It's great to know that the things I am sharing are worth reading. Sharing your thoughts and getting people's feedback is a great way to measure your own progress.
• Snowball effect - Because I am more confident of my career knowledge and influence, it comes across when I network with other professionals. I get questions and interviews with people I would never have connected with otherwise.
• Career ownership - I no longer just have a day-job, I am an HR Professional with a Career Coaching blog on the side. I hold the steering wheel for this part of my career and I can decide the route I want to take with this project, whether it be speaking engagements or individual coaching sessions. So many new things are possible now...

My blog is still pretty new, so even though it hasn't landed me a new job at Forbes, I have discovered a whole community of career bloggers and I consider them all to be peers and mentors. Most of all, it adds a creative/fun aspect to my career that wasn't there before and I love every minute of it!

soundtrack to success

I don’t know about you but I tend to have a song in the back of my mind while I'm working. Sometimes I pick one up from the radio or TV, or I hear someone humming a tune and BAM! it’s stuck in my head J. But other times someone at work does something (either good or bad) to trigger a song in my mind and these have providied me with a few giggles!

So I thought it would be fun hearing from some readers what their work-related theme songs are. Here are a few nominations from Wannabe|Employee readers:

• I believe I can fly (R Kelly) ¯ “Because positive self-talk at work is never a bad idea J”
• River deep, mountain high (Celine Dion) ¯ "This pops up in my head when my boss expects me to move mountains for him and I wonder why I’m doing this job”
• Take a chance on me (ABBA) ¯ “I always think of this song when I’m hoping for a promotion!”
• Another day in paradise (Phil Collins) ¯ “When I walk into our office filled with frowns and no hope of a smile from anyone this song tends to pop into my mind”
• A beautiful mess (Jason Mraz) ¯ “The moment I realise I've made a big mistake in my work”
• Every little thing she does is magic (The Police) ¯ “I always think of this when my boss claims she is the one who came up with the bright solution to a problem when I know it was one of our team members”
• The only way out is through (Alanis Morissette) ¯ “For obvious reasons!”
• You're simply the best (Tina Turner) ¯ "When my manager gives me the afternoon off"
• I need a hero! (Bonnie Tyler) ¯ “There are days when I just don’t see how I’ll make it through my mountains of work on  time, but when I think of this song I can laugh a little and then bite down to get it done!”
• Viva la Vida (Coldplay) ¯ “The song just gets my blood pumping every morning and it makes me feel like I can take over the world”
• What’s love got to do with it (Tina Turner) ¯ “When I remind myself that I don’t need to like my boss in order to do a good job”

Thanks so much for your feedback! You guys are very original! For those of you who missed the poll on twitter, any other nominations?