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What Are the Best Tips for Getting Tech Jobs Overseas?

K. Kinsella
K. Kinsella

Information technology (IT) firms are often multi-national companies that employ large numbers of analysts, programmers and technicians in different locations around the world. Someone attempting to land tech jobs overseas should complete an industry specific college degree program and gain some work experience in the field. For logistical reasons, many people enlist the help of recruiting firms while looking for tech jobs overseas while others consult emigration lawyers before applying for such roles. Lawyers and some governmental agencies can help job applicants obtain the work permits and visas that foreign workers are normally required to possess.

Universities around the world offer both undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in topics such as computer science, data systems analysis and programming. Academic standards vary between nations so people applying for tech jobs overseas must have completed their studies at an educational establishment that offers internationally recognized diplomas or degree programs. Citizens of some nations are able to obtain documents from their national embassy or consulate that provide foreign employers with evidence of their academic credentials. Alternatively, an applicant for a foreign based job can provide the prospective employer with the contact information for the university at which the course was completed.

Citizens of some nations are able to obtain documents from an embassy or consulate, providing foreign employers with evidence of their academic credentials.
Citizens of some nations are able to obtain documents from an embassy or consulate, providing foreign employers with evidence of their academic credentials.

Some overseas tech jobs are based in technologically advanced countries where large numbers of domestic IT graduates and seasoned professionals compete for available positions. Many firms only advertise jobs on domestic employment websites, in which case a foreign worker may have to have second language skills simply to locate and understand such postings. In some less affluent nations, relatively few people have the requisite skills to take on certain IT roles and employers sometimes proactively seek overseas job candidates. Wages in some of these areas are low when compared with Western nations but some IT professionals gain experience working in tech jobs overseas by working on a voluntary basis or for minimal compensation in such places. Having gained some experience, these individuals are usually better prepared to apply for more highly compensated roles in other locations.

Job-seekers should restructure their resumes to appeal to international companies.
Job-seekers should restructure their resumes to appeal to international companies.

Many staffing agencies are geared around finding qualified applicants for IT jobs and while some of these firms only work with domestic employers, other also work with overseas firms. Therefore, someone attempting to find tech jobs overseas should provide one of these agencies with an up to date resume and a list of desired work locations. These firms liaise directly with recruiters in other nations and this means that job applicants do not have to have strong foreign language skills to negotiate wages and work contracts. Nevertheless, depending on the work location an individual may benefit from learning a second language before relocating abroad.

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    • Citizens of some nations are able to obtain documents from an embassy or consulate, providing foreign employers with evidence of their academic credentials.
      By: Alex3
      Citizens of some nations are able to obtain documents from an embassy or consulate, providing foreign employers with evidence of their academic credentials.
    • Job-seekers should restructure their resumes to appeal to international companies.
      By: Africa Studio
      Job-seekers should restructure their resumes to appeal to international companies.