There are five paths open to those pursuing global careers, says Katia Vlachos, seasoned expat and author of A Great Move. Find out which path you’re most likely to gravitate towards and what you should think about at every stage of making an international move
Living and working abroad will expand both your professional and personal horizons. It will boost your career and transform you as a person. If you are considering a global career and want to make the most of it, there are strategies you need to keep in mind. Even if you are already leading an expat life, these strategies will help you avoid potential pitfalls and focus your energy on the areas that are critical for you to thrive.
As you embark on your global journey, there are five paths you can take. These paths will determine the strategies and skills that will help you thrive. You also may decide to switch paths as your career evolves and it’s important to understand the implications.
The traditional expat vs. non-traditional arrangements
The first path is to be a traditional expat.This is currently the most common expat track and would involve you moving to a new country for a period of usually between one and three years. At the end of the assignment, you either return to your ‘home base’ or relocate again. Eventually, you repatriate or decide to settle outside your home country. If you have a partner or family, they relocate with you.
While traditional expat postings will always be there, non-traditional arrangements are becoming increasingly popular, especially with younger and/or single (therefore more mobile) professionals or in cases where moving the partner or family is problematic. There are four types of non-traditional arrangements on the rise: short-term assignments, extended business travel, cross-border commuting, and travelling specialist. For these non-traditional paths, your partner and/or family stay at ‘home’ rather than follow you abroad.
- As a short-term assignee, you take up a series of shorter expat assignments of between one and six months.
- As an extended business traveller, you are based at ‘home’, wherever that is, and travel frequently, often for several weeks at a time.
- As a cross-border commuter, you spend your weekends in your ‘home base’ and work abroad during the week.
- Finally, as a travelling specialist, you spend a big chunk of your time travelling between different locations, wherever your expertise is needed. Alternatively, if you’re a regional manager or CEO for a multi-region business, for example, you travel among the sites that you manage.
The path you will be drawn to – or offered – will be influenced by factors such as the industry you’re in, the skills you bring to the table, your employer’s needs, whether or not your partner is career-orientated, and whether or not your family is willing and able to move. Your initial path doesn’t have to be your path for life. You may find yourself switching between different paths over the course of your career, as those factors change. Or, as you advance in seniority, you may find yourself gravitating towards a particular path.
Regardless of which approach you choose, there are some basic strategies you need to pursue when deciding on a move, preparing for it, making the transition, and settling in afterwards. However, the way you apply these strategies is significantly different if you pursue the non-traditional paths versus the traditional one.
Taking into account the path you’ve chosen, here’s what you should consider as you go through every phase of your move.
Factors to consider when deciding on a move
Moving and living abroad is life changing, so give your decision the consideration it deserves, based on as much information as possible. Do your research and know what to expect, both in terms of your new role and your new lifestyle (including the new culture). Think through how the move will affect every area of your life – career, relationships, home environment, as well as personal development and wellbeing. Then think hard about whether you (and your partner and family, if relevant) are willing and prepared to cope with the lifestyle implications. For the traditional path, this may mean dealing with the logistics of an international move, homesickness or culture shock. For the non-traditional path, it may imply the wear and tear of constant travel, the burden of ‘holding the fort’ back home for the partner staying behind, or the challenges of a split family.
Factors to consider when preparing for a move
As a traditional expat, set yourself up for success by anticipating potential challenges and the resources you will need to overcome them. Consider all areas where issues might arise, including practical (financial and tax matters, healthcare, accommodation, language training etc.) and emotional matters, such as psychological support through the transition. Leverage your existing support network, but also start early and invest in building a network in your new location.
As a non-traditional assignee, you’ll need less extensive preparation. Nevertheless, take time to identify the areas where you will make key decisions: securing temporary accommodation, setting up a system for scheduling your travel, and establishing a routine and system for staying connected with your loved ones.
Factors to consider when transitioning
Whether you’re on the traditional or alternative path, it’s important to anticipate the specific adjustment challenges you will face.
As a traditional expat, you’ll most likely experience a honeymoon period, followed by crisis, recovery and, finally, adjustment. Keep those stages of transition in mind – and know roughly what to expect at each stage – as you go through your move. This will help you keep perspective about what’s ahead and manage your expectations.
As a non-traditional expat, you might not have to go through all these stages, but you will have to adjust to a new way of life and find ways to cope with being ‘neither here nor there’. While your family might not go through the same kind of transition, they’ll still have to adjust to a new life that doesn’t include you, at least partly. At this stage, being aware of the importance of staying connected – and having a system in place for doing that – is crucial, while having a self-care routine you can commit to is perhaps the single most important element that will make this lifestyle sustainable for you.
Factors to consider when settling in
This phase is all about maintaining a sense of ‘home’. Knowing what you need to feel at home and using that to create home wherever you are is the cornerstone of thriving as an expat, whichever path you’re on.
As a non-traditional expat, your fragmented lifestyle makes it even more important to create a sense of home fast. Think of elements that you could introduce to your life to bring you a sense of comfort, familiarity, and belonging – even when you’re not in your home base. These could range from familiar objects and favourite foods to personal routines and rituals you maintain wherever you are.
Whichever path you follow on your expat journey, starting with one approach doesn’t mean you can’t switch to another later on, as long as you understand and are prepared to cope with the implications.
Katia Vlachos has lived in eight cities, seven countries and three continents in the past 20 years, and is the author of A Great Move: Surviving and Thriving in your Expat Assignment (LID Publishing, 2018). She holds a masters degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and a PhD from the RAND Corporation.
