How to find a management job abroad?

You are an international leader and want to prepare for your next career step

Whether you are already abroad or in France, if you wish to obtain a position abroad, in your current company or in a new company, it is time to prepare for your next career step. By avoiding the 5 most common mistakes and respecting the 6 preparation rules, you will put the odds on your side.

Mistakes not to make

Mistake #1: Believing it will come on its own

You may have a first-class CV, have already worked as an executive abroad and have often been approached by headhunters. This will not be enough to guarantee the success of your project and change countries. To put the odds on your side, you will also have to be proactive, master the codes and effective strategies for obtaining a position in the specific context of your new destination.

Mistake #2: Thinking you can’t do it

Conversely, faced with the multiplicity of actions to be taken and the number of more qualified candidates for the position, you might think that your objective is not realistic and that you would be better off giving up. It’s wrong. Even if it is not easy, you will get there! You just need to act with determination and discernment, in particular by following the recommendations of this article.

Mistake #3: Relying only on your circle of acquaintances while neglecting the power of social networks

If the first circle of your acquaintances is precious, it is almost nothing compared to the power of your network in the 2nd degree, 3rd degree and beyond. You must assume that the executive job you dream of abroad will be offered to you by someone you do not know today. All you have to do is harness the power of social networks to reach the person who will be able to open the door to your position abroad.

Mistake #4: Believing that just an up-to-date LinkedIn profile will do

LinkedIn is a powerful tool. It is necessary to create an up-to-date profile there. But that’s driving a Ferrari like a 2CV. You are not harnessing 1% of the power that is available to you.

Mistake #5: Going in at the Last Moment

The search for a management job abroad will be all the faster if your virtual network is rich and vast. You can find a job on the other side of the world in a few days, once you have developed and maintained a quality online network. But building such a network and such an e-reputation takes months! It is essential to plan ahead.

How to empower yourself to succeed

Rule #1: Define a strategy

To avoid the pitfalls of haste, it is essential to take the time to define a strategy that reviews the various parameters of your search abroad: the countries targeted, your positioning, the job, the appropriate search methods … At this stage, you will derive great benefits from the use of strategic analysis tools (SWOT…).

Rule #2: Choose the target country(ies)

The choice of destination countries must be made taking into account all the parameters, in particular:

• the size of the job market, especially in your industry
• working languages
• life quality
• the right of work
• the distance from the countries of residence of relatives…

Rule #3: Refine your Personal Branding

You will have to define and then build your image abroad. To do this, you will need to be active on social networks to make yourself known as an influencer, an executive who comments, publishes, creates or leads specialized groups, who has expertise and a recognized reputation.

Rule #4: Build story-telling

You will have to give energy to your personal and professional history, so that it leads naturally to the executive position abroad that you covet. At your level, it is not so much expertise that is sought in a leader, as a personal energy, a “mission”, a “meaning” that your life must embody. This is what your “story-telling” should reflect.

Rule #5: Revamp your CV

You will have to redesign your CV to give it a clear meaning. To get out of the simple accumulation of positions and experience, you will have to back it up with your story-telling. To avoid looking outdated, you will also have to integrate the latest CV writing trends (1 summary page, graphic and airy, supplemented by thematic appendices, etc.)

Rule #6: Prepare for interviews in advance

Most leaders know how to recruit, but have lost the practice of interviewing themselves. Executives are rarely aware of their weaknesses at this decisive moment. Yet it is these shortcomings that will ruin their months of effort to get an interview: poor speech or uncertain posture, poorly controlled non-verbal language, oversized or under-manifested confidence. Being able to make a good impression in an interview cannot be learned in a day. This requires training on 3 levels: what I say, how my voice says it, how my body says it. In this context, it is crucial to prepare for interviews in advance, ideally by being accompanied by a professional.

Learn more about our support

Cadran offers dedicated support to leaders who wish to prepare for their next international career step, combining the strength of networking, personal branding on the LinkedIn network and social selling.