Dear all, lately I was asked by different young professionals or fresh graduates how to find a project manager job abroad. I do not really know how to answer this question because I did not look for a job abroad and in the European job market we can move from a country to another quite easily.
I'd like to crowdsource some ideas from this community.
What would you recommend to a fresh graduate or young professional to find a job abroad? i suppose the origin country plays a role.
Are there some diploma or certifications to do?
some languages tests in some countries?
or some accreditations to have?
It really depends on the country, the industry, and the skills and how well the newcomer is able to fit in with the culture, native language and context of the locale they are in.
For example, in Canada, outside of very hot skills, it is pretty hard to land a job as a newcomer without a warm introduction to a hiring manager as there is a lot of emphasis place on "local experience". This is less of a concern in many parts of the U.S.
Certification doesn't really matter as in most regions there are more certified candidates than jobs. The lack of a PMP might be a barrier to getting to the 2nd stage of an interview process though...
Kiron Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Yasmina
what I saw working before Corona was young people going to countries in arrangements like travel & work (you get a 1 year visa and working permit). One guy I know started working for a house cleaning company and soon was promoted to team lead where he had to apply project management concepts.
The point is, as a young foreigner you have to show your practical usefulness (down to earth, hands-on attitude). Theoretical knowledge does not help getting or maintaining a job, but may help to climb up the ladder.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Yasmina
My experience is in line with Kiron’s. when I first came to Canada, it took me 8 months to find a job and I had solid experience, bachelors degree and other credentials but that all didn’t make a difference as almost every employer I applied for, was looking for Canadian Experience. This happened to me and I was physically present in Canada with a legal permanent residency status so you can imagine what would be the case for someone overseas with no legal working permit in Canada.
I also find employers here in Canada tend to be risk averse so they try to avoid hiring from overseas to minimize liability unless it was a scarce skill. This is unfortunate but that’s they reality of things.
In the US, as Kiron mentioned, those are less of a concern and I find the gulf region (KSA, Dubai and Qatar) more flexible as well.
Hope this helps.
RK Saving Changes...
Orthja EfingerLead Project Manager, Robotics| NuVasiveSan Diego, Ca, United States
For the US I can give you the following suggestions.
The way I got into the US, was to start working for a US headquartered company after graduating in Germany.
After working for them in Germany for a couple years, I mentioned my intentions of working abroad and we made it happen. The visa process can be quite lengthy.
The other option is to directly apply with an employer (in the US). If you get accepted, they will initiate the visa process (i.e. H1B). It might be tricky getting a job offer right out of college since companies are more likely to sponsor you with a visa if you have certain skills.
Last option would be to do a full year at a university in the US, which will then allow you to apply for a training visa which will allow you to work (for a year).
Hope this helps! Most important advise is to not give up!
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1 reply by Latha Thamma reddi
Apr 12, 2023 2:57 PM
Latha Thamma reddi
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Thanks for sharing, very useful
Saving Changes...
Ahmad JawadGeneral Manager, Technical Process & Governance| Robi Axiata LimitedDhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
I want to move to the GCC market from Bangladesh. Any advice for me? Saving Changes...
Latha Thamma reddiSr Product and Portfolio Management (Automation Innovation)| DXC TechnologyMckinney, Tx, United States
Sep 14, 2022 5:50 PM
Replying to Orthja Efinger
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For the US I can give you the following suggestions.
The way I got into the US, was to start working for a US headquartered company after graduating in Germany.
After working for them in Germany for a couple years, I mentioned my intentions of working abroad and we made it happen. The visa process can be quite lengthy.
The other option is to directly apply with an employer (in the US). If you get accepted, they will initiate the visa process (i.e. H1B). It might be tricky getting a job offer right out of college since companies are more likely to sponsor you with a visa if you have certain skills.
Last option would be to do a full year at a university in the US, which will then allow you to apply for a training visa which will allow you to work (for a year).
Hope this helps! Most important advise is to not give up!
Thanks for sharing, very useful Saving Changes...
Latha Thamma reddiSr Product and Portfolio Management (Automation Innovation)| DXC TechnologyMckinney, Tx, United States
Yasmin, It really depends on the country, domine & skills, work culture and team engagement and collaboration skills you have. Saving Changes...
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