Success Tips for Expat & International Careers

Expat & International Careers: Environment Choices Have a Big Impact on Your Performance and Personal Brand - Part I

"Environment is stronger than will power." ~ Buckminster Fuller

I cannot overemphasize the importance of this statement when it comes to maximizing the power of your personal brand and making choices that naturally set you up for success at work.

 

Strengths are a key driver to your performance & personal brand

Strengths-driven roles allow high performers to perform at their best effortlessly rather than spending more time and energy in those roles focused on skills they've mastered to do their job well. For this reason, not allowing your true strengths drive your role choices can negatively impact your performance and enjoyment at work, as well as your ability to deliver on your unique promise of value or personal brand.

 

Your blockers can neutralize your ability to leverage your strengths and perform at your best 

But many people can also inhibit their ability to perform at their best and deliver on their brand promise by not being aware of or understanding the strength of their blockers. Blockers are areas where we are at high risk for making choices that negatively affect performance. A person’s blockers are akin to the well known comic book character Superman’s kryptonite.

Hence regardless of their role choices, if a person is in an environment that triggers their blockers they can literally neutralize their ability to perform well. By environment I mean a project, team, organization, industry, sector or culture. And when we’re talking about working abroad, I'd be sure to give proper emphasis to the impact culture choices can have on your performance.

The impacts of choosing environments that trigger blockers and negativesly affect performance include:

• not getting promoted, demotions or even dismissal
• early end to an overseas assignment
• not receiving salary increases, bonuses or recognition given to high performers
• the perception that the message of value or personal brand you put forward to your employer or client was false advertising
• work and client relationships suffering
• lack of recommendations or referrals from colleagues, peers, managers, staff and clients
• loss of confidence in your ability to perform well in that (or any) role

Expat Stories: Writing her Way from the Canadian Cold to the Sun & Sand of Dubai

Anne O'Connell, originally from Canada and now living in Dubai, is a freelance writer, author, editor and trainer who has been in the PR and writing business for more than 20 years. 

Anne has been an expat since 1993 when she and her husband escaped the cold of Toronto, Canada and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  They enjoyed the sun and sand for 14 years, while she worked in the PR field, and then decided it was time for a new adventure.  Heading for even more sun and sand, they moved to Dubai in 2007.

Anne has graciously agree to share her story for those who are inspired to use their experience in public relations to build a career broad.

 

And with that I’ll let Anne tell her story…

Expat & International Careers: New Strategies Required for Career Success Abroad in Today's Global Marketplace

Having 20 years experience in career, organizational and business development in 40+ countries, I can tell you that the world of work is going through some dramatic changes right now. Companies and organizations worldwide recognize they must expand outside their borders if they want to survive, but must do so with less resources. International assignments (and their compensation packages) are being redefined to minimize costs while meeting staffing needs overseas. A complex and dynamic global economic climate means things change quickly and organizations must be able to adapt and respond accordingly.

 

Current career and talent management strategies no longer work

Despite widespread unemployment, there are incredible skill shortages and an unmet demand for talent worldwide. This is leaving companies unable to fill positions necessary to drive growth outside their borders and capitalize on opportunities in new and emerging markets. Organizations are trying numerous strategies to attract and retain their talent while developing their global competencies. And yet we have high jobless rates and reports showing that 30+% of expat professionals and executives are actively looking for new jobs while abroad and a third of them leave their company within a year of returning home. 

Why is there a disconnect between the supply of and demand for talent?

One of the reasons is because career and talent management strategies effective even a few years ago are not working in today's global employment climate. 

 

International Job Search: Cross Cultural Confidence is a Critical International Job Search Skill

I've just posted a new article on job-hunt.org : A Critical International Job Search Skill: Cross-Cultural Confidence 

Specifically I write about:

• how the international job search can lead to a loss of confidence  
• how a loss of confidence can affect all aspects of the international job search
• how to prevent loss of confidence from sabotaging your job search

Read the full article: A Critical International Job Search Skill: Cross-Cultural Confidence

Expat & International Careers: Your Personal Brand DNA is Critical to your Career Success Abroad

In today's competitive global marketplace, you cannot afford to not set yourself up for success or jeopardize your performance with poor role and environment choices. Being able to compete with top talent requires demonstrating a history of results that comes with performing well at work.

By positioning yourself using your true strengths and unique qualities - what I like to call your Personal Brand DNA - for best fit roles and environments, you will not only naturally stand out in a highly qualified global talent pool, but you will set yourself up to perform at your best by being your best self.