Some projects in certain countries pay a crazy amount for expat project managers. Would you leave family and friends to work overseas on a 2-year project if it meant earning twice as much? Saving Changes...
Bagavathy SomasundaramSenior Technical Lead| Customer Analytics India Pvt LtdBangalore, Karnataka, India
Based on our needs and priority. If we already put in a situation like that, we have to do it :) Saving Changes...
Iris MeinlBusiness Analyst, Senior PLM Consultant and Project Manager| Meinl Management Consulting DMCCDubai, United Arab Emirates
It depends on the location.
I am willing to work overseas in some countries. My family is also willing to join me in relocating to another country. Saving Changes...
Yes, that's why I said "some". Dubai, Qatar and Saudi still have very high rates. But I haven't worked there to date. Some of the regular contributors here have though, and they would be better placed to comment further :-)
Wow very interesting comments and views. Saving Changes...
Vivek BhatiaPrincipal| The Bhatia GroupOakland, Ca, United States
To those who say "yes", be very careful what you wish for, you just might get it.
I just, as in finished up early May, spent 18 months in a city 400 miles away, but same time zone and trivially easy flight. Flew every Sun night, returned Thu. 1x/6 weeks was WFH. I have 2 teenage daughters.
It seriously sucked. And I opted to rent an apartment there so I only flew with a tshirt, jeans, sandals, and backpack with my laptop.
I took it because I had an opportunity to do something huge. I was the head IT guy running a $70M project, and did far more than just IT stuff. I was a director on the biz side for many years, so I was able to guide that team too.
The money was very good, but the skills and the reference were absolutely phenomenal. It got me in the door for 1 CIO interview (made it to the final round, lost to a guy who had 3 prior CIO jobs), and approached for another. Declined the second one in favor of continuing with running my own boutique mgmt consultancy, but was nice to be asked.
I'm not going to do another travel job until both kids in college, so several years. But once that happens wife might pursue a job in Europe, i'll go into nationwide consulting, make 75% more. We'll meet up in either some european country or some US city. Do that for 3-5 years, then throttle way back and only do 500-700 billable hours/year, enough to not dip into savings but not so much that I dislike working. Saving Changes...
Michael DelaneyPartner| Delaney Management LLCWest Chester, Pa, United States
I do enjoy the overseas projects so would agree although the key would be what the project is about Saving Changes...
"There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot, but there are others who, with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun."
