When 'risk-taking' aligns with 'adaptability'
The era of lifetime employment at a single company has faded into history. You are undeterred by the prospect of re-entering the international job market—in fact, you see it as an opportunity to enhance your skills. Your adaptability is particularly evident in handling administrative formalities, a non-trivial aspect of changing professions while abroad. Ensuring your work permit aligns with your career moves is essential. Many expatriates hesitate to leave their current roles, even when resignation is the only way out. They fear leaving behind a company that has invested in them, especially since they have adapted to its culture, and are anxious about securing another position or maintaining their current quality of life.
However, expatriates like you who dare to re-enter the job market abroad often transform these fears into opportunities. While there is an inherent risk in changing companies, this risk can propel your career forward. Frequent job changes underscore a range of highly valued traits in the global job market: adaptability, perseverance, determination, independence, a strong sense of responsibility, ambition, the capacity for self-reflection, and resilience. You position yourself as a dynamic professional ready to embrace new challenges and achieve success.
Gaining experience abroad adds up
Certainly, no one expects you to relocate countries every month. Changing companies internationally doesn't necessarily mean moving from country to country—often for practical administrative reasons.
However, switching companies allows you to amass a wealth of diverse experiences, significantly enhancing the professional experience section of your resume. Such experience not only strengthens your job application but is also pivotal in securing work permits. It may even offset lesser academic qualifications—for instance, possessing only a high school diploma but having a decade of relevant industry experience. Accumulating varied experiences abroad demonstrates your adaptability and quick integration into different corporate cultures, showcasing your ability to become swiftly effective in new environments.
Changing companies often to avoid stagnation
Regularly changing companies is a strategic move to keep pace with the competitive job market, particularly for highly qualified professionals sought after by international firms. For foreign workers, the risk of stagnation in a company where they feel they have exhausted all opportunities is real. They may find no room for advancement; career promises might dissipate, and projects could become less stimulating as the company's vision shifts. These factors contribute to professional stagnation.
Although the risks of frequent job changes are often discussed, the dangers of remaining with a company that offers no opportunities for growth are seldom highlighted. Staying put can lead to a decline in skills as acquired experiences diminish if they are not continually applied. Ultimately, this can trap expatriates in roles that no longer fulfill them, rendering their resumes less competitive than before. This scenario underscores the importance of moving on when growth stalls, ensuring continuous professional development and career satisfaction.
Gaining credibility with foreign companies
The traditional view of resumes often raises concerns—frequent company changes can be misinterpreted as instability. However, many international recruiters see this differently. A history of varied experiences, particularly within well-regarded companies in the industry, often signifies reliability and credibility. Having proven your capabilities in diverse settings, you bring a track record of success. Selected by various international firms, you are well-versed in the corporate cultures of your host countries and require minimal training.
Training new employees can be a significant expense for companies. By bringing someone on board who can quickly adapt and potentially train others, the company not only saves on initial training costs but also potentially benefits from your insights into industry best practices and competitor strategies. This dual advantage makes you a desirable candidate, explaining why companies are keen to attract foreign talent who can hit the ground running.
...and risk losing credibility with other foreign companies
While some companies encourage employee turnover, others cling to the principle of loyalty. Loyalty is also important for the former, but it can be associated with frequent changes of employees. For the latter, a professional who often changes companies may lose credibility. They fear that the professional lacks loyalty and will not hesitate to "look elsewhere" at the slightest issue.
Other companies highlight a risk to team cohesion and spirit. While an "indispensable team spirit" is touted everywhere, how do you build this spirit with employees who change companies every 2 or 3 years?
Recruiters reluctant to frequent company changes link it to the risk of productivity loss—a loss with detrimental consequences for the company and the expatriate who, contrary to what they thought, does not progress professionally. Instead, they become "the absentees" who miss important missions and projects. They become "the visitors" who fail to integrate into the companies they join.
Does changing companies often mean losing your bearings?
You probably aim to boost your international career, but assessing whether your approach is appropriate is crucial. Frequent job changes may be more acceptable for highly qualified foreign workers who are in demand due to their rare skills and qualifications. These professionals often find themselves in strong positions because they work in fields plagued by labor shortages, although these positions may lack fierce competition or substantial career progression opportunities.
However, making frequent company changes without a well-defined strategy could indeed cause you to lose your bearings. It's essential to understand your reasons for leaving a company and your motivations for joining another. You must consider the limitations and allowances of your work permit, understand the job market in the foreign country, and familiarize yourself with the specific recruitment processes within your industry. Whether these processes are brief or extend over several weeks with multiple interviews and tests, each of these elements significantly influences your decisions and success in changing companies.
Aligning the vision of foreign professionals and employers
As 2024 comes to its end, the challenge of securing foreign talent persists. Companies across various sectors are keen to retain both their local and international workforce, now more than ever focusing on attracting highly qualified candidates. Immigration reforms in countries like the UK, Kuwait, Canada, Sweden, Australia, France, and Finland are increasingly designed to limit the entry of less qualified expatriates.
These employers are caught in a dilemma. Recruiting a foreign worker is an extensive and expensive process, and companies are hesitant to invest in an expatriate who might depart after only a few years. Yet, they also value the attributes of employees who have experienced multiple company cultures: these individuals tend to be more self-sufficient, adaptable, creative, and quick to adjust to new environments.
If you're contemplating frequent company changes to enhance your motivation, explore new opportunities, or advance your career, first consider whether you wish to remain in your current country of residence or move to another. Ensure such a move is feasible: confirm that you can secure a position, possibly already in discussions with prospective employers or actively job hunting. However, it's crucial to approach the issue of loyalty with seriousness. Exploiting your current company's resources to secure a new position or displaying overt dissatisfaction can reflect poorly on your professional reputation—the professional world is smaller than it seems, and a reputation for disloyalty can be detrimental.
Should you have doubts about the best strategy, consider consulting an expatriate placement agency or a career coach specializing in expatriation. They can provide valuable guidance in shaping a successful career abroad.
