The whole reason I started this blog was to publicly answer the question I have been asked for many years, “Judson, how do you get to travel so much?” The answer to that is varied and complicated if you want it to be. On one side, it is as simple as saying that I just packed my bag and went for it, but of course, there is a lot of planning that goes into making the plans that lead to a successful experience abroad.
I don’t regret any of my moves abroad, but not all of them have worked out as hoped. For many years, Europe seemed to be a black box as an American trying to work there. I tried many things and even made a failed attempt to move to England in 2009.
Moving abroad as a student is relatively easy. Perhaps even getting an internship or a very entry-level job under the right conditions could be managed without too much difficulty. But what about those who have long-since graduated and are not willing to take a pay cut?
They say that beggars can’t be choosers, and I will confess that some sacrifices might be necessary. Still, with a good strategy and a lot of motivation, I believe that anyone can find a way to make a successful move abroad and land a satisfying and rewarding job in the process.
Recommended reading: The Secret to all my Success
I have now been working for more than four years in Germany. A lot of people have started to ask, “Judson, what tips do you have for now to find work in Germany as an immigrant?” So I thought it was about time that I write down my observations about how you, too, can make a successful move to Europe. Moreover, I believe that this advice is relevant regardless of where you are from and what country you would like to relocate to.
While reading this, keep in mind that many avenues can lead to a successful move abroad. Maybe you have a heritage claim, are very skilled in your discipline, married to a person from that country, and so forth. The following insights are limited to my recent observations, but I think you will see the logic behind my claims.
If you spot a flaw in my thinking or would like to offer additional ideas, please leave a comment below.
Disclaimer: The opportunity that brought me to Germany was in-part thanks to a friend giving me an inside recommendation at trivago. That friend was a classmate back in my 2000-01 Rotary Youth Exchange year in Oldenburg, Germany, and so yes, my successful move to Germany is yet another “who you know” situation. That said, what I offer below are more general tips and insights, which I believe will be useful to anyone looking for a job abroad.
Your greatest asset: native language and market knowledge
There are smart and talented people with relevant job experience all over the world. Why would a company hire you and take on the headache of immigration visa sponsorship when they could hire someone from down the street? After all, many immigration laws are designed to protect citizens’ opportunities to work. A company with a job opening has to prove that there are no available applicants already in the country who can do the job you are applying to. Therefore they are considering a foreign applicant.
There are three reasons why a company might be allowed to hire an immigrant:
- You work in a field in high demand, and there is a shortage of qualified local applicants; many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) jobs are in this category.
- You are genuinely an expert in your field and bring a level of thought-leadership in the industry to the company which can not be found in the country. Maybe you wrote a book or gave a TED Talk with millions of views on the topic of the role to which you are applying.
- You have native-level fluency in your native language and, as a native of your country, you understand the culture, business, and people to a degree which a non-native person simply can not.
You may very well qualify under point 1 or 2 of this list, but that will apply to a smaller number of people. If 1 and 2 apply to you, you probably also don’t need to read this article (not that it hurts!) because you already have a fast and direct path into your dream job abroad. Point 3 was how I made my current move to Germany. Thus, I argue that your greatest asset is your native language and market knowledge of your home country.
What companies desire your skills?
This is the critical part. This insight, which I only recently became conscious of, is probably the single most crucial part of finding a job abroad, and it is very simple. It would be best if you were looking for companies that meet these two criteria:
- Are based in the country where you want to move
- Do business in the country where you are from
It’s that simple. But let me explain the logic here. Let’s say you are American, and you want to work in Germany. American companies with offices in Germany (think: Facebook, Google, Amazon, IBM, Nike, Ford) built those offices because they needed local market knowledge in Germany. They already have plenty of American-based resources. So working for one of these companies in Germany might be more tricky.
Now consider the large German-based companies which do business in America (think: trivago, Bayer, BMW, Adidas, Puma). They are headquartered in Germany, and they seek experts in the markets where they operate. Sure, many of those companies will have offices worldwide to service this need, but HQ also needs some people to be present and offer insight into the various markets around the world in which they operate. This is where you come in. Look for these companies, check out their open roles, and see what might be a good fit.
Pro Tip: do a job search on LinkedIn for the keyword “English” and then add filters for “location = Germany” and “job type = full-time.” The results will be available jobs that require English in Germany! Some of them will say, “requires excellent English and German,” but a lot of the time, native English is so needed that they will still consider you. This is your target list of companies.
What kind of roles should you apply to?
You may or may not find that the career path you are currently on or would like to be on falls inside the permitters of what you are likely to get a visa for. Just the same, there are ways to leverage your experience, whatever it is, to land you a first job abroad. Since we are talking about companies with international reach, they will have several departments requiring the market knowledge and language skills to which only a native can deliver. Here are a few examples:
- Sales
- Marketing
- Media buying
- Content marketing
- Business development
- UX and other copywriting
- SOX compliance (for publicly traded companies)
- Legal and paralegal work, including proofreading of legal documents
If none of that sounds like a long-term passion for you, ask yourself, “would an international experience in one of these fields serve me well later in my career for what I want to do?” If so, then why not give it a try? You might find your way into that coveted visa, and you will gain valuable experience while getting your foot in the door. This is just the beginning.
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But I don’t want to be in sales or marketing
Me either! But the fact is, getting a visa is hard. Once you have a work permit, reside in the country, and are at the company, life gets a lot easier. In many circumstances, you can change roles internally at the company (which is what I did at trivago). My first job was as the North American spokesperson for trivago’s B2B products. I had native English, and despite having no industry knowledge, I had market expertise because I know how to speak with and present to Americans.
After one year, I shifted into the role I really wanted: software product management. I most likely would not have received a visa as a product manager because there are many experienced product managers in Germany. But now there was an additional argument to give to the visa authorities: “Judson understands the American user, hotelier, and has an intimate knowledge of how our business operates, thus making him an ideal product manager which we could not find in another local applicant.”
See how that worked? It is the ole’ bait and switch! But seriously, it was a good strategy for my long-term goals, and yes, I learned a lot and had a lot of fun in that one year as a spokesperson.
Some additional suggestions
Who you know can play a significant role here. Reach out to your network, figure out who works for a company based abroad or knows someone who does, and ask for an introduction.
Set up informational interviews to ask the question, “if I were to apply to a role in your country or at your company, what skills, experience, and knowledge, would you find most attractive?
Google phrases similar to “English speaking jobs in __” and “English speaking companies in __” to find articles that cover this topic.
Join networks such as InterNations, CouchSurfing, LinkedIn Premium, XING (German LinkedIn), Rotary, and anything else with a focus on international networking.
If moving to Germany is your goal then sites like HowToGermany.com and LifeInDuesseldorf.com are great resources. I am pretty sure every country and major city has similar sites.
Facebook Groups exist for every topic you can imagine. Look around for ones with titles like “Expats in Germany,” or “Expats in Duesseldorf,” and even “English speakers of __.”
How did it go?
Give this a try, look around LinkedIn, and let me know what you discover and how it went by leaving a comment below. Do you have other advice to offer? Please share that here as well, and good luck, you can do it!
