Getting Straight To The Point

Welcome back!

Last week I outlined the three phases of an overseas experience and the planning needs for the first phase - "Leaving Home". I then asked you to short list 2 - 5 goals that you are eager to experience during your overseas stay.

This week I’d like you to consider thinking ahead to when you return home from your overseas stay. If you are a student, this is important because you want to make sure your study program will be accepted by your future employer, and to determine which program components are important for the needs of your particular field.

For example, some Engineering students from Nigeria, coming to North American universities, not only need engineering courses, but also courses in Management due to the early promotion to management positions they frequently experience on their return home (usually within 5 years).

If you’re going overseas to work, volunteer or work on a project, thinking ahead to your return home is also important so that you can leverage your experiences into a desirable position.

Some of you may already have a very clear idea about what you want to do when you return home. Others may be more like myself with only a vague notion of what you want to do when you go home or, as I put it, settle down.

I’ll cover both of these scenarios under these headings:

1. Getting Straight To The Point - covered in this blog, and;
2. Let’s Get Some Clarity - which I’ll cover next week.

Getting Straight To The Point

Some information you’ll need to research within your future employment context:

• What are the qualifications for getting into your "home" field?
• What are the avenues other people have used to get into your chosen field?
• Has anyone entered your chosen field with overseas experience?
• Is there a resource person/contact who will keep you updated on the changing needs and opportunities in your desired ‘home" field while you are away?
  

3. Some suggested ways of exploring these issues:

• Use Google to research your goal terms;
• Meet others in your area of interest through online forums, blogs, and at conferences;
• Go to employers and universities to talk to people in your field;
• Read books and articles related to your field.

Next week I’ll cover Let’s Get Some Clarity for those of you who are still not sure about what you want to do when you come back from your overseas adventure.

Jan Anderson © 2007 The Travel Coach