
The How-To Guide to Finding Your Dream Job Abroad

At one point or another, we all dream of working abroad. The thrill of living somewhere foreign, meeting people with customs and quirks different from your own, and earning and living on a currency that isn't the Philippine peso—it's all very exciting. In the last decade, travel has become cheaper and much more accessible to a wider demographic of people. What used to be an ambitious move that only the most ballsy people would make is now becoming a frontline option for many of us.
It's hard enough to realize and find your dream job here, what more doing it abroad? That's where you might be wrong. One just has to know where to look. If the only decision that you’ve made at the moment is that you are going to work abroad, then start saving for it already. For now, let's assume you already know where you want to go and we're going to figure out what you're going to do there and how to do it. Keep reading and soon enough, you might be booking a ticket to your next career adventure.
Ask yourself the hard questions

If we’re talking about dream jobs here, you probably have an inkling as to what kind of work you want to be doing. This narrows down the search considerably. What are you doing now? Is this something you want to pursue abroad? Are you looking for something completely different? Adrian Granzella Larssen of The Daily Muse put together a genius set of fill in the blank questions to ask yourself if you're looking for a dream career. This is likely to be information you are already aware of but seeing that information all together allows you to trace patterns and deduce what your dream career might be.
- If I could choose one friend to trade jobs with, I’d choose ____________, because ____________.
- I’ve always wondered what it would be like to do ____________. It’s interesting to me because ____________.
- If I had the right education or skill set, I’d definitely try ____________, because ____________.
- If I had to go back to school tomorrow, I’d major in ____________, because ____________.
- My co-workers and friends always say I’m great at ____________, because ____________.
"Ikigai" is a Japanese concept that means "reason for being" and is the result of deep pondering and self reflection. It sounds like a hippie concept, I know, but in this context, it's about finding your what and why.
- What will you do abroad?
- What will make you happy or purposeful?
- Why does that fulfil you?
Establish your entry point.

Be the very best that no one ever was.

Pack your bags and book that ticket.

Once you have an offer that is signed, sealed, and delivered, it's time to get cracking on the logistics. Visa. This probably takes the longest and as soon as you have an application in, inform your employer of the timeline you're working with. While waiting for your papers to process, work on the finer details. Is your work going to be in the city? How realistic is living there vs a little further where it's cheaper? Ask your recruiter for suggestions where to live. Better yet, make friends with them throughout the process so that they will invest time and effort in getting you there.
Do you understand French? Your job may be as an accounting associate but you do need to learn the language if you're going to do groceries while in Strasbourg or Quebec. If you don't have the money to take classes, try apps like Duolingo so that you can say more than "hello" and "thank you" in the language.
It takes a lot of elbow grease to find your place and footing in a different country but, once you hop on that plane, a sigh of relief will flood over you and it will be worth it. Bon voyage, jobseekers!