Welcome to Working Wednesdays – the 10-part video series designed to help you understand and implement the basic steps you need to start a new business!

Today’s lesson is about delving further into your business choice by looking at personal experience, qualifications, competition and more.  Just click below to get started:

Today begins our next video series!  I was so inspired by all the great feedback from the last one that I’ve put together a new series.  This one will focus on starting a new business.  Though anyone who wants to start a business can benefit, this can be especially helpful to those of you out there who are an Accompanying Spouse looking for meaningful work, as well as an Expat who might just have a great idea.

This series will cover just the basics of taking a great idea into reality – what you need to consider to start your business, getting your business online, and more!  This is a 10-part series and will take place every Wednesday.

Today’s video will discuss the idea stage – how to determine WHAT to do and what business to create:

It’s Culture Transition Tip Tuesday again!

Here is Tip #10

At the recent FIGT (Families in Global Transition) conference, I was quite surprised at the gap between those that live the expat life, and those that sponsor it.  Specifically, when it comes to the difficulties that expats and relocating professionals and trailing spouses experience during the transition process, they all acknowledge the difficulties, yet businesses do not seem to fully embrace, and understand, the need for expat coaching. 

The process of selecting a candidate is quite lengthy, and the cost of sending said employee overseas is approximately 10 times that employee’s base salary.  So, we’re talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even millions, to send an employee to an overseas work assignment.  If that employee doesn’t complete their assignment (often due to family issues, or problems adjusting), the business stands to lose all the money they invested in that employee. 

Why, then, don’t all or most businesses take measures to prevent an employee from the potential spiral of disempowerment, homesickness, isolation and depression?  All of these areas can be either avoided, or transformed with the help of expat coaching, which, when compared to the expense of losing an investment, is both affordable and highly valuable.

What are your thoughts on this?

* Interested in learning more about Expat Coaching? Check out the Expat Coach Directory. *

Expats will always face cultural differences, but have you considered what it would be like if you moved someplace where corruptive business practices were considered normal or acceptable?

Click here to read a very interesting article suggesting that HR professionals need to prepare expats for questionable business practices depending on the assignment.

If you’re going to continue to work for the same company, the adjustment could be even harder because you may expect the new job to be just like the old one. It’s very easy to start a new job with the expectation and hope that you’ll fit in perfectly, be well-respected because your great reputation from your current department will precede you, and that hard work will help you get a promotion within a defined period of time.

The reality, however, is that when you move abroad for work, you need to be ready for a complete mental and cultural shift. What helped you advance to this point in your career may not work in your new office. In fact, trying to work and behave in the same manner could quickly leave you isolated by your peers, and insulting your management. In addition, if you don’t make the effort to learn the local language, should it be different than your native one, you risk the possibility of never truly adapting or fitting in at your new job.

Here are a few ideas to help you prepare for your overseas work experience:

1. Don’t assume that your current work ethic and style will earn you the same positive reputation you have now
2. Learn the local language if it’s different than your own. Even if you don’t speak it fluently, your colleagues and management will have more respect and admiration for you if you make the effort.
3. Take the time to understand local cultures and traditions in the workplace which may be very different than those you’re accustomed to.

** Want more strategies to adapt to a new job, fit in with your colleagues, adjust to new office politics and more? Check out The Professional Success Method! **

*** Need tips to seal the deal in your job interview? Get a copy of my top ten interview secrets! ***

I just saw the movie “Julie and Julia” (great film!) and it made me think about one of the very important things you need to do to ensure you’re happy after relocating.  Namely, you need to pursue your passions.

When you relocate, having a passion and pursuing it gives you an outlet that will help you overcome the areas you may be less happy about. You need to figure out what you love doing.  That could be cooking, crafts, photography, helping others, etc. Then you need to find a way to use that passion, no matter what.  Whether or not it’s for pay, the mere fact that you have something to look forward to every day, or every week, will help give meaning and happiness to your life no matter where in the world you are!

More and more people have been expanding their job searches beyond where they currently live. The challenge now is, many companies have reduced their relocation expense budget, thus requiring the relocating professional to absorb that cost. So, though it might be easier to find a job in another city, you’re looking at potentially paying more money out-of-pocket to get there.

Click here to read more about this trend, and the repercussions.

Interesting development – government will now sponsor Expats working in Bahrain.  Click here for the full article.

As competition increases for jobs, interview techniques are getting tougher.  One of those changes is with the phone interview.  It used to be a prelude to a face-to-face interview, but nowadays, it’s becoming a tactic to differentiate between the best of the best candidates.  What this means is, you need to be as prepared for a phone interview, as you are for a face-to-face.

Click here to read an article from the Wall Street Journal with suggestions on how to ace a phone interview.