Global Careers

I’ve been seeing a resurgence in professionals pursuing positions abroad. People are reaching out and want to talk about how to land that job in another country. But this is just the first step: adjusting to living and working in a new and different place takes a lot of grit. For those American women aged 15-44 who told Gallup Polls they wanted to move abroad permanently, read on!

When you’re living and working abroad, you want to make the most of your experience. However, it isn’t easy to operate in a new, unfamiliar environment right away! Making mistakes is natural, functioning at top speed can be overwhelming, and settling in takes time. There won’t be enough hours in the day to resolve the numerous paradoxes or complex problems you’ll encounter while working abroad. But you’ll have to do it anyway. After you’re a few months into your routine – perhaps by the end of the first year – you’ll be wiser to the local ways. Your cultural background and professional experience impact how you navigate this experience, but they don’t define it. Keep an open mind, and you’ll learn how to handle the difficulties you will inevitably encounter. This new life is not what you’re used to, and it’s imperative to keep this point in mind.

I recommend taking a little time at the beginning to figure out the best way for you to keep learning. Once you arrive in the country, you are running at a breakneck speed! Here’s a list of practical tenets called “Making the Most of It Maxims,” based on my research with hundreds of international women working around the world. Reflect on them as you begin the journey and refer to them often, even posting this list somewhere where you will read it every morning before you start your day. You can tape them on your bathroom mirror or save them in your phone. Becoming familiar with each maxim will make it easier for you to play to your strengths while keeping the importance of understanding your new environment at the forefront. You want to do more than get by; you want to be as successful as possible.

Making the Most of It Maxims

1. Remember that you are the guest and may need to modify your style.
2. Figure out the cultural norms in social and business environments.
3. Accept that paradoxes are part and parcel of international adventure.
4. Don’t be too hard on yourself when you make mistakes.
5. Tap into your emotional intelligence skills.
6. Keep a positive attitude.

First, succeeding abroad usually depends on effectively adapting your behavior to align with local norms. Is there something in your style that you should tone down or amplify? What aspects of your character or traits will enable you to make every new impression a positive one? First impressions matter, and you will be creating lots of them. I use the term ‘style-flex’ to describe adapting your visual and professional style, while still letting your personality shine. Every day, ask yourself who you’ll be meeting, what they are like, and whether there is something you can and should do to enhance the interaction. As a woman working across Asia, I had to adapt my interactions with clients almost every day. Remember that your flexibility and willingness to learn got you to this position; trust your own skills. 

Second, things are not always as they seem, look, or even sound. Be cautious, take note, and if something seems strange or contradictory to you, ask a local. You must learn the written and unwritten rules, which vary by industry, hierarchy, and culture. Pay attention, ask questions, and figure out how things are done in your new environment. Reading books on culture shock can help prepare you. An ounce of preventive embarrassment could save you pounds of mortification.  

Third, cross-cultural life presents a bounty of situations in which you will find yourself facing conflicting positions. These paradoxes can inhibit your ability to perform your job well if you cannot deal with them effectively. For example, you will probably arrive with some preconceived notions of your host culture. You will observe that not everyone shares these traits, and you will overlook them in some people while still believing they are true for the general population. These two truths will need to live side by side in your mind. You will learn to accept them and many others. Accept that you will at least feel confused and sometimes completely bewildered! The self-contradictory nature of the paradox can do this to you. But if you let it, it can also strengthen your mind. Dealing with paradox is a critical skill those in leadership roles must have, so learning to master this is a great advantage.

Fourth, cultural mistakes and misunderstandings are inevitable and can usually be attributed to inherent bias. Even when we genuinely value diversity and believe we treat people fairly, bias still shapes how we see the world. Studies show that people can be deeply committed to inclusion and still act on assumptions they don’t even realize they hold. Intent isn’t the issue—awareness is. Learn from your blunders so you don’t make them again, and be just as understanding when others make mistakes, too. Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself publicly; laughter can be a great equalizer and icebreaker.

Fifth, the style and way you seek solutions often gives you an advantage in cross-cultural situations. Those skills are what got you here, so don’t forget them! For example, leverage your ability to build teams into a strong global network. Use your excellent communication skills to listen effectively and resolve tricky business situations in unfamiliar territory. Make the most of every single day.

Finally, keep a positive attitude. Some days will be more difficult than others, and you will need additional fortification. Figure out what keeps your tank full, whether it’s a daily workout routine, a favorite snack, fresh flowers, the promise of regular travel, or contact with friends or family. Take care of yourself to ensure an upbeat and optimistic approach to the overall experience.

If you follow these maxims, you will have a great experience living abroad that you will look back on in years to come.

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