Learn from an informational interview

Informational interviews can provide details and perspectives on job roles and career paths that are related to your experience or professional interests. The goal is to build your network and gain insight without coming across as ‘fishing’ for a job offer.

Have a Purpose & Define your Contacts

DePaul’s Career Center offers a useful definition of “informational interview” –

“An informational interview is a brief meeting with a professional currently working in your field of interest. The purpose of an informational interview is not to get a job, but to gain insight. It’s an opportunity for you to get an insider’s perspective on an industry and better understand that person’s position.”

You can further refine your purpose by also asking if you are seeking information to see if a specific job is a potential “good fit” for your career goals or if you are searching for ways to broaden your network to help with your long-term job search.

When defining your contacts think of the variety of connections you have — family, friends, civic or professional organizations you belong to, alumni, professors, and even guest lecturers or featured speakers at academic or professional events. People with whom you have a connection – either personal or professional – will likely be willing to offer their perspectives and advice if you simply ask for it.

Connecting with potential interviewees can be done via email, social media, or telephone. Just keep in mind that having a face-to-face or telephone conversation (i.e., real time) is the best medium for the interview. The career center website from Colorado State University has some great suggestions for how to prepare for and reach out to potential interviewees.

Be Prepared – Do Your Research

One of the best ways to squander an informational interview opportunity is to ask questions that could easily be answered with a bit of online research. Think of the informational interview as a way to catch a glimpse of what is it truly like to work in a specific company or position. The person you have contacted has information that can only be offered by someone who is currently working in the job or industry you are trying to gain an entry to. Be sure to learn the basics of an organization’s or company’s background:

• What do they do/produce?
• Where are their operations located?
• How many people do they employ?
• What are industry news sources saying about them?
• What types of job roles appeal to you and why?

Connect Conveniently

Depending on what your options are you may be able to meet for a cup of coffee or over lunch. For international jobs and career paths, a face to face meeting might not be convenient or feasible. In this case you should consider the benefits of Skype (with the option of video chat in addition to voice-only calls) and connecting over social media (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn, or other communication networks). Regardless of the medium (face-to-face or electronic) be sure to limit the interview to a reasonable time frame such as 20-30 minutes.

Have Questions Prepared

In order to make the most of your interview time (and demonstrate some respect for the time your interviewee has offered), you should be prepared with questions. Topics can include:

• Preparations required to get a job or position in the specific industry or career track
• Questions about an organization or company
• Details of day-to-day job activities
• Career prospects for a specific job role
• Requests for referrals to other professionals who might be able to offer additional comments or perspectives for career opportunities

The University of Pennsylvania’s Career Services website has an excellent collection of resources and sample questions (for undergraduate students) that you can use to prepare for your informational interview. For graduate students, the UC Davis Internship and Career Center has suggestions for preparing to conduct an informational interview.

In addition to having questions prepared, you may also benefit from having a copy of your resume on hand. However, you should only offer it if the person you are interviewing asks for it.

Follow Up & Say “Thank You”

After the interview is completed be sure you have contact information for your interviewee so you can send a “thank you” note (either by email or on paper) and stay in touch with them for the future. Now that you have completed the interview your contact can be someone to keep updated on your progress and any future job offers you might receive. By maintaining your networking connection you can potentially repay the favor of your contact’s time either by serving as a information interview resource in the future or simply being a friend and networking contact either locally or for an international connection.

Additional Reading

• GovLoop — top 5 Tips on Informational Interview
• DePaul — Initiating the Conversation
• University of Pennsylvania Career Services – Interviewing Guide (Undergraduate Students)
• Colorado State University – Networking and Social Media

Finding Local Podcasts

Whether you are planning for a short trip or a longer relocation, you need to have access to local details and news so that you can become acclimated to your new home. Podcasts often cover a variety of topics ranging from business practices to local language and culture. Below are a few examples of language and culturally oriented podcast resources:

• Germany — www.dw-world.de (http://bit.ly/zkvoTW)
• Brazil — Podcast listings from podomatic.com (http://bit.ly/xGsDcQ)
• China — China’s top podcasts (http://bit.ly/yegHSo)

A basic search on the internet using the name of the country you are interested in plus the terms “podcast” or “webcast” will help you to identify indexed resources. If you happen to use iTunes, you can also conduct a search on the iTunes system for country and city-specific shows. More information about expat podcasts and some examples pertaining to Thailand can be found on Expatify’s website (http://bit.ly/wjxuun).

Learning more about the business environment

Economist.com offers a variety of “Doing Business In…” video and audio podcasts through their website. Some of the locations they cover include:

• Auckland
• San Francisco
• Beijing
• Moscow
• Johannesburg
• Singapore
• Chicago

You can also find resources from educational sources, particularly when looking at emerging markets. One example is the Thunderbird Knowledge Network series on doing business in Brazil.

Goinglobal.com offers a variety of business, career, and local resource information as part of its Country Career Guides and USA and Canada City Career Guides. You can find more information about additional career and employment resources at Goinglobal.com.

Translate your Resume/CV

It might be tempting to copy and paste your resume or CV into an online translator tool but this can be a risky approach if you aren’t familiar with the target foreign language. Find a native speaker who can review and comment on the initial translation. It is very likely that what you thought your were saying in your resume has been interpreted differently than you intended.

You can also look at hiring an translation service but consider looking to make a connection with someone from the culture or country you are looking to work in. Making a new contact is an excellent opportunity to learn more about another culture and give you some practice in appreciating another point of view when it comes to discussing work experience.

Provide an interpretation of your skills

Depending on the management and work cultural of any country, your achievements need to be seen as offering a “good fit” for a company or organization. As part of your research into the culture of an overseas work environment, take some time to consider what is valued.

For example, you might have exception entrepreneurial talent and multiple skills to work independently on a project to bring it to completion and success. However, if a local culture views team collaboration as a critical element for an organization’s success, your ability to function more independently might be perceived as disruptive rather than an advantage. In this scenario, you might alter the description on your resume to mention how your entrepreneurial abilities include establishing strong relationships that ensured success for your efforts as well as your colleagues or partners.

Recognize how your skills relate to other job roles

If you have previous experience from a job or training while completing a degree, you can also consider how to translate that experience into skills that apply to other job roles. The skills categories on O*NET offer a user-friendly way to look for skills descriptions and then match them to related job descriptions.

Once you have a better understanding of how your skills relate to other jobs, it can be easier to modify your resume or CV to become more tailored to job opportunities you find online.

Improve your ability to use other languages

If you are interested in working outside your home country foreign language skills are usually beneficial, and in some cases, required.

For international development and nonprofit work overseas, language skills are critical as the project work typically occurs in locations where the host country languages are the only ones spoken by residents. In an article on Devex entitled “Foreign Language Skills in International Development: What’s in Demand” (login required), the author describes the variety languages that have seen a growing demand for capable speakers for both development work and humanitarian relief.

You can learn more about resumes and CVs for international destinations on Going Global’s website.

The Goinglobal.com team is comprised of individuals representing many different nationalities who all have one experience in common—we have all lived and worked outside of our home countries. Goinglobal.com is committed to providing “grassroots intelligence” through our team of in-country researchers.

Have Cash on Hand

It used to be more difficult to access your bank accounts while overseas but the previous inconvenience has been replaced by a greater dependance on debit cards and cash access points and automated bank tellers. Travelers and expatriates can now use their bank and credit cards throughout the world, as long as service fees don’t become an issue (and they can add up). However, if you happen to lose your card because of accident or theft or if your card is “eaten” by an automated bank teller it could be several days plus expensive shipping fees to have it replaced. Below are examples of services that can make it easier to travel with more accessible cash resources:

• Moneygram – https://www.moneygram.com – sending money around the world with pick up locations at both banks and, depending on the country, post offices. This option requires you to have an emergency contact in your home country to arrange for the transfer. There are also prepaid cards available that enable a holder to use them where Visa debit cards are accepted.
• Travelex – http://www.travelex.com – offers a cash passport in the form of a rechargeable debit card. This service offers coverage in multiple regions of the globe. You can check the availability of their services on their website.
• Western Union – has an option to send international money transfers but it requires an account sign up and there is a dedicated site for individuals who wish to send money overseas at http://onlinefx.westernunion.com/. There are short-term cash transfer options but the most cost effective is a wire transfer, which takes 1-2 days.

Some credit cards may offer emergency cash transfers but travelers should check on the interest rate and any associated fees that are applicable if the emergency service is used. As with any of the services mentioned above, travelers should conduct additional research before selecting solutions that best meet their needs and traveling conditions.

Have an ID backup plan

Replacing a lost ID (residence card, passport, etc.) becomes a lot harder when you can’t show the authorities that you had the document in your possession prior to its loss or theft. This can be particularly important in any locations that have a threat of street crime or higher potential for burglary.

Pack an extra set of passport photos along with a photocopy of your passport’s information page to make replacement of your passport easier in the event it is lost or stolen. You can augment this by storing a scanned copy of your ID in an online storage location that offers file and access encryption.

Make two photocopies of your passport identification page, airline tickets, driver’s license and the credit cards that you plan to bring with you. Leave one photocopy of this data with family or friends at home; pack the other in a place separate from where you carry the originals. If you will be traveling on your own, you might consider using a mail storage and forwarding service to hold the package of copies. In the event the copies are needed, you can notify the service to send the stored package to a destination of your choice.

Stay Informed

OSAC – A primary goal of OSAC is to develop an effective security communication network in overseas locations. Consequently, OSAC invited all U.S. businesses, academia, faith-based groups, and non-governmental organizations to become constituents. Travelers can sign up to receive a newsletter with region-specific information at no cost.

‘Before you start your travels, learn as much as you can about the local laws and customs of the places you plan to visit. Good resources include your library, your travel agent, and the embassies, consulates or tourist bureaus of the countries you will visit. In addition, keep track of what is being reported in the media about recent developments in those countries.’ (Source: US Department of State – “A Safe Trip Abroad“)

Find Country-Specific travel advice

Many countries publish travel guidance and updates about conditions in countries around the world. Below are some examples of government travel information sites:

• USA – http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html
• Canada – http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/menu-eng.asp
• UK – http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/
• Australia – http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/
• South Africa – http://www.dfa.gov.za/consular/travel_advice.htm

Additional information can be found in our Country Profiles section.

Other countries in the region also are expected to see growth in the near future.

The World Bank’s Latin America and Caribbean Regional Brief stated:

Fueling LAC’s momentum is a global commodity and food price surge that has largely benefitted agro-commodity producing countries, mostly South American net food exporters, which jointly account for between 30-50 percent of several key food exports globally. By contrast, non export-based Central American and Caribbean economies face the double peril of a food crisis and price hikes in other commodities that can hurt their most vulnerable populations.

Argentina

A wide array of companies operate in Argentina across multiple industry sectors including:

• Telecommunications
• Commercial Banking
• Oil and Gas exploration
• Beverages – Wine production
• Food products – retail and wholesale

Brazil

Networking, and particularly social networking, is a powerful way to expand your connections and potentially identify job or internship opportunities in Brazil. An excerpt from the Brazil Country Career Guide highlights the following advice:

Professionals entering the Brazilian market [should] understand that building personal networks will be an essential feature of business life and will prove just as important as having a good résumé/CV.

One of the most popular social networking sites for Brazilians is Orkut. If you are planning on making new connections establish a profile on the Orkut network as an effective tactic to make new friends before landing in Brazil.

Chile

Searching for a job in Chile can focus on either international companies who are looking for expatriate employees or you can use Spanish-language keyword terms to identify opportunities within multiple industries. Below are some examples of keywords to different industry areas in Chile:

• Arquitectura
• Asesoría
• Banca
• Construcción
• Contabilidad
• Diseño
• Edición
• Educación
• Entretenimiento
• Farmacia
• Hostelería
• Informática
• Ingeniería
• Inmobiliaria
• Logística
• Producción
• Telecomunicaciones
• Transporte
• Turismo

Using host country languages as part of your job search queries on search engines or job search sites is one tactic for expanding the number of job opportunities listed in search results.

Colombia

Gaining work experience overseas can also include taking advantage of volunteer opportunities. A brief internet search identified several potential choices for finding volunteer work in Colombia:

• United Nations Volunteers – Colombia
• Let’s Go Volunteer – Ibague, Colombia
• International Volunteer HQ – Volunteer in Colombia
• Idealist.org also offers a variety of volunteer opportunities

Peru

Peru has expanding international trade ties with multiple countries around the world and offers some of the best cuisine and cultural experiences in South America. The Christian Science Monitor observed:

…Peru has enjoyed an average annual economic growth rate of 7 percent since 2003 or that per capita income has doubled and poverty plummeted from 50 percent to 35 percent in roughly the same time.

More recent reports have highlighted the growth of the agricultural sector, as noted by livinginperu.com

…the Commission for the Promotion of Peru Export and Tourism (PromPeru) revealed that Peruvian agricultural exports reached 136 markets in the first half of the year, 11 more compared to the same period last year.

The main destinations for exports were the U.S. (301 million / 25.4 percent growth), Netherlands (194 million / 40.1 percent), Spain (123 million / 44.1 percent), Ecuador (68 million / 28.6 percent) and France (44 million / 53.9 percent).

Seeing and Finding Opportunities in South America

You can start your job search today for jobs and internships in South America at goinglobal.com where you can submit queries using country-specific and multi-lingual keyword search tools.

Going Global also offers downloadable Country Career Guides that cover Argentina, Brazil and Peru.

1. Monitor industry updates

Take advantage of news alerts to track what’s new and changing in your professional interest area. This applies equally to commercial industries and nonprofit sectors in markets around the world. Setting up multiple alerts using different keyword combinations can simplify the task of getting the latest news. You can see the variety of news alert tools and services when you run a search for “related:www.google.com/newsalerts”.

Consider using multi-lingual news searches to increase the chances of getting country-specific updates. Prospective employers offering overseas opportunities will expect you to be informed about the local news and issues that impact job sectors in overseas markets.

2. Update your networking profile

Diversify your online presence, especially outside of networks connecting friends (e.g., Facebook). There are several professional networking sites that offer a range of tools to increase your visibility for international topics and career areas. LinkedIn has numerous groups focusing on careers abroad and expatriate-focused organizations from around the world. Don’t forget about online networks that focus on expatriate and country-specific communities such as: InterNations.org, Xing.com, Glocals, LivinginPeru.com, and OrientExpat.com

3. Create a catalog of your skills

Think about what skills you have and how “transferrable” they are to overseas jobs and opportunities. Create a list of skills based upon your experience so far and then look at the job requirements for positions that interest you. Find the gaps between skills you have and those you need to expand or acquire. You’ll have more time to address the gaps if you prepare your ‘skills catalog’ at the beginning of your academic year. To take action on gaining new skills look at local organizations and clubs and review your options for online learning (iTunes U, podcasts, web-based seminars and training classes).

4. Start searching now

Finding a lead on an overseas job or internship takes time and following up on it can also be a time intensive process. If you put off your search efforts until the last month or two of your academic term you risk being overwhelmed by the tasks of both finding opportunities as well as filtering out which ones best match your skills and experience.

5. Connect and stay in touch

Building your network should be among the primary goals of your job or internship search. More importantly, once you have made new connections be sure to stay in touch them on a regular basis. It becomes potentially very awkward to ask a person for a reference or job search assistance when you haven’t spoken with them for months. Aside from any social discomfort, you risk losing your networking connections and any potential new connections your network might otherwise have offered. Fortunately, there are resources that can help you improve your networking skills and make the most of your contacts. One example is the collection of videos and online tips from Kintish.tv about networking both online and face to face.

For more tips about finding a job overseas check out Mary Anne Thompson’s interview on blogtalkradio entitled “How to Research and Pursue Global Jobs”

The gift of volunteering

When we travel, we become a sort of ‘ambassador’ for our home country. What better way to represent our country than to volunteer as well? Not only are we experiencing the excitement of being a new country, but we are also getting a close up look at the cultural situation as well. Today’s guest post comes from Adam Saks. He gives the perspective on how beneficial a volunteer trip can be and how to vet the best option for you. Adam has volunteered abroad throughout Latin America and currently works for ProWorld Volunteers organizing volunteer trips in Latin America, Asia, and Africa for individuals and university groups.

Gift giving is the cornerstone of the American holidays – and with it comes both joys and stresses.  In addition to buying gifts for friends and families, we are often approached with donation appeals from local, national, and international charities.  This year, consider giving a different kind of charitable donation – by volunteering your time internationally.  More people are using their vacation time to explore the world through volunteer work, allowing them to experience a different country in a way that most tourists never do.  And, the holidays are a perfect time to give yourself the gift of travel – especially when you know your gift will benefit a local community in another country.

But, how do you choose the right destination and organization for a volunteer vacation?  Follow these five tips and you’ll be on your way:

1. Ask yourself, “Is a volunteer vacation right for me?” And, don’t feel bad if the answer is no.  You have to be willing to enjoy the conditions where your volunteer work will take place.  Most international volunteering is in developing countries where a bucket may be your shower and a dirt floor may be your bed.  If that isn’t your idea of a vacation, then enjoy a different form of travel and spend some time volunteering closer to home.
2. Decide where you want to go. Choosing a country for travel and volunteer work requires more than just figuring out dates, flight times, accommodations, and meals.  Consider the type of experience you want to have.  Do you want to brush up on a foreign language you first learned in high school?  Connect with your family’s cultural heritage?  Or, contribute a specific skill set that you have to a project?  While travel agents can help arrange your travel logistics, working with a volunteer organization is a great way to find the right mixture of place, time, project and skill set.  While these organizations charge placement fees, a portion of the money goes directly to the community you will be helping.  So, if you decide to go with an organized group, just make sure you are getting what you are paying for.
3. Understand you won’t change the world in one week. Make sure you are committed to the volunteer work, but acknowledge what is and isn’t possible in the time you have allotted.  You won’t be saving the world with a week of volunteer work – but that doesn’t mean you won’t be contributing.  Don’t choose a project just because it sounds like fun; choose a project because you have skills that will contribute to that project or because you are passionate about the project area or work they are doing.
4. Research the organization. Make sure that the organization you are working with is part of the local community and contributing in a sustainable way before and after you are there.  Just because your impact will be small, doesn’t mean that the overall work that you are part of can’t be great.  If you are one of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of volunteers working with an organization then you are a piece of something huge.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions:  Is the organization well-respected?  Do they offer past volunteers as references?  Are they committed to real and long term collaborations in the places they work? Who are the local partners? Who is being helped?  Where, exactly?  Why?  What is the relationship between those being helped and those who are helping?  Whose idea was this project and how important is it really?  It is important that the community select the project they most need – and work together with the volunteers to achieve it.  Some great resources for research include www.idealist.org, the Volunteer Work Abroad section of www.transitionsabroad.com, and the International Volunteer Programs Association: www.volunteerinternational.org.
5. Prepare yourself. A vacation doesn’t often require homework, but when you are going to be working with a local community on a volunteer project, it helps to know as much as you can about the country, the people and the language.  Start with a guide book, but go beyond that.  Read novels, travel articles, National Geographic stories, and, if you have the time, histories about the city or country you are going to visit.  Take a language class or at least learn a few phrases in the local language.  Talk to past volunteers and see what they wish they knew before volunteering.  The more information you know ahead of time, the more you will get out of the experience.  And, above all – be flexible.  No matter how much you prepare, you should always be ready for things to change.  That’s half the fun!

To learn more about the ProWorld Volunteers volunteering options, check out www.proworldvolunteers.org.

Jim Key - Director of Global Marketing at Intrax Internships Abroad

Today’s guest post is brought to you by Jim Key, Director of Global Marketing at Intrax Internships Abroad. Last year, Jim took us through the international job searching funnel starting by preparing for a job abroad, researching potential employers and turning those findings into potential interviews. Now that you know the process, it’s time to narrow down your focus and chose your industry. In this guest post, Jim will teach you about the fascinating world of entrepreneurship  and what you can expect working in that field.

In last fall’s series of guest blog posts, we went through how to find an internship overseas and turn it into a job. This winter and spring we will look at a few different categories and why you might consider them for an international internship.

Photo courtesy of Jim Key

Our second category is Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs start businesses in industries ranging from high tech, consulting, freelance marketing work, HR placement & outsourcing, to any other industry you can imagine. I’ve met entrepreneurs who manage art galleries, who produce & distribute wine, and who run incubators (office complexes)…for other entrepreneurs. I’ve also met quite a few who have created and run social enterprises, which are for-profit businesses with a social mission.

So what do entrepreneurs do?

Students often think in terms of majors – is entrepreneurship more like management or accounting or finance or marketing or management information systems? Entrepreneurship is pretty much all of the above, but faster and more unpredictable because entrepreneurship is business in its rawest essence. While an intern in finance or marketing with a large organization may look for a harmonious stream of projects related to that one function, an entrepreneur (and by extension, the intern) can expect a more staccato flow of operations, sales, marketing, product development, crisis management, HR, program execution, finance, and a few more things to be determined on the fly. Students are often taught to think in terms of a Fortune 500 company – an organization that grew from the chaos of a few people working out of a garage to a mature company with a brand, a recognized logo, an office building or a campus as a headquarters, and unique departments for the different functions staffed in proportion to the amount of workflow of each function: Product Development, Engineering, Manufacturing, New Business Sales, Account Management, Marketing, Finance/Accounting, IT, HR, etc. When there are 3 or 8 or even 20 people, everyone does everything and the flow of work is often driven by specific events – a product launch, a large customer’s needs, or a conference that brings together most of your target market. For example, last time I saw one tech startup in the UK, everyone was focused on a weekend music festival (the customer) using their mobile phone app, which had been designed specifically for that festival. Since hundreds of thousands of music lovers would be attending, this firm had a lot riding on getting it right.

Why do students choose to intern with entrepreneurs?

1)     Passion – in an entrepreneurial firm, you will be exposed to the zeal of the founder. The founder created the firm and the vision, so they believe in what they are doing with a passion that you rarely see in larger, more mature businesses. The business is much more personal and meaningful to the whole team. Take that passion and double it with the social enterprises – all the mission orientation of a non-profit with the passion (and urgency) of an entrepreneurial founder.

2)     Real experience even, if you don’t speak the language – the entrepreneurs that I have met tend to be well-connected, internationally-oriented people. They are often targeting their product or service to a global or at least Europe-wide market. As such, they have great opportunities for interns to do meaningful work and add value even if they are not fluent in the local language, because much cross-border business is done in English. Of course each national culture (and company culture) approaches the challenge of the business environment differently, so you are still getting cultural immersion, but you can often do it even if your French needs some work.

3)     Exposure to a variety of functions helps students figure out their strengths – many students are not really sure what they want to do. They often choose a major by the intro class that they liked or what others (parents, teachers, advisors) have suggested that they should do. As an entrepreneurship intern, students get to see operations, finance, sales, marketing, and put out a fire in account management – sometimes all in one day. With that experience, students can identify and gravitate towards what they enjoy and do well.

4)     Understanding how organizations work – the flip side of the point above (figuring out what work you like best) is that students see the dynamic of how different functions interact in a small business. Most business classes provide a sense of how finance or marketing or accounting work on their own, but not necessarily together. Unless students take an entrepreneurship classes or discuss the interworking of functions in a strategy or case method class, it is easy to miss the bigger picture of how organizations really work internally.

5)     Fast moving environment – there are some who love the structure of a larger organization and the certainty of knowing what they will be doing months before they do it. Others get bored and wonder if the research project they are working on will really impact the company or be read at all. Working for an entrepreneur, the intern often sees a more frenetic pace as she works on varied assignments that are almost always directly related to the success of a firm. Obviously every company is different, but being small often means that they are working close to the margin. What happens today means either a) success & growth or b) closing up shop at the end of the year (especially in this economy), so there is no time to drift. As one student said, “this company has the personality of its founder and its founder is definitely ADD – just like me.”

6)     Job Opportunities – we have seen students get job offers and get hired by their internship company in several countries, almost always with small businesses. Why? They can make decisions. Back in the 90’s when I interned abroad in Germany with Opel (GM Europe), my boss liked me and wanted to hire me, his boss liked me and wanted to hire me, but… it was General Motors. It takes about 18 people to agree to make a decision like hiring someone, plus another five to justify hiring a foreigner (requiring all the extra paperwork). When the Founder/CEO of a small firm says “He’s doing a good job, let’s hire him,” it gets done.

In summary, working as an entrepreneur is unstructured because you are creating something new. Students who embrace that challenge can gain meaningful work experience in a dynamic environment, learn more about themselves, and get a better sense of what they want to do.

Photo attribution to andercismo

Imagine working abroad for the first time, armed with all the information you need to successfully acclimate yourself to the work environment, social scene and overall cultural customs? That is where Goinglobal steps in. Goinglobal is committed to providing you with an arsenal of career information and resources to ease the transition abroad and help you be prepared before you leave. We have career country guides for over 30 countries, written by in-country researchers, aimed to help you as a professional, regardless of whether you are a novice or seasoned expat.

Every week, we will feature an insight from one of our global career guides to help you achieve your dream of working internationally.

Living in Gumball Machine, Photo attribution to 29cm

Today’s tip: Knowing your cost of living in Italy

Salaries and Cost of Living
Italy is one of the least expensive countries in the European Union. Even though the Euro has made great gains in recent years against the US dollar, average prices in both Rome and Milan are still slightly lower than in New York, North America’s most expensive city, according to investment bank UBS.

Housing
On a per-square meter basis, apartment rent is most expensive in central Rome and least expensive in Milan. Apartment rent in Venice is more expensive than in Florence,
but both are less expensive than Rome. In central Rome, a 30 square meter (323 square feet) apartment rents for 1,100 EUR (1,737 USD) per month. In Milan, a 50 square meter (538 square feet) apartment rents
for 600 EUR (948 USD) per month.

Vacation and Leave
Workers receive a minimum of four weeks of paid holiday, although many receive up to six weeks. There are also 10 public holidays, plus some half-day holidays and feast days for local patron saints. Many Italians choose to take their annual leave during August.

This is just a sample of what you’ll find in the complete Italian country guide. To learn more about Goinglobal and our other country guides, please visit www.goinglobal.com

Photo attribution to Ripley Daniels

Today’s guest post is brought to you by the Ripley Daniels at Without The Stress. Ripley Daniels is an editor at Without The Stress, a passport, travel visa, and immigration advisory firm located in Los Angeles. They specialize in helping to make the visa and immigration process easier for you. What is fascinating about their post is that rarely do we consider the immigration implications when we fall in love. It’s important to know what kinds of options you have if you decide to take the relationship further and live in the same country. To learn more, visit www.withouththestress.com.

Love knows no boundaries. Thanks to the internet people are finding love across international borders every day. But a particularly interesting trend is the number of Americans who meet and fall in love with Brits on dating sites like Match.com and eHarmony and want to relocate to the U.K. However, as much as couples want to relocate, tie the knot, and start their lives together, the UK Border Agency has made the process of settling in the U.K. anything but simple.

Let’s face it, as Americans, we’ve enjoyed the luxury of globetrotting around the planet freely for decades. For those UK/US couples who have decided to take the next step in their relationship towards marriage, there is often a sense of disbelief that the process is so convoluted. The UK demands that all non-British citizens looking to relocate to the UK must apply for a settlement visa which allows them permanent residency and eventually the opportunity to apply for UK citizenship. On the surface, that doesn’t seem so bad.

A closer look at the process reveals something entirely different. Not only does the application cost a non-refundable $1,000, (depending on the prevailing exchange rate), but the application process itself has become exceedingly difficult. The UK government has dramatically tightened up its borders; a policy initiative fueled by the soaring number of illegal immigrants currently residing in the UK.

The justification is that these measures are an effective means of deterring fraudulent cases and other false relationship claims from those who are only seeking to relocate to the country for health care and other social welfare benefits. The UK consulate demands a dizzying list of supporting documentation which proves that your future or current relationship with a UK citizen is both valid and true.

Photo attribution to Ripley Daniels

Those who are serious about relocating across the pond have three ways to get it done:

1. Do it yourself.
2. Hire an immigration attorney.
3. Hire an experienced visa expert.

For Do it Yourself-ers, it is imperative that you do your research regarding the lengthy online application, daunting list of supporting documents, and the vast array of submission policies in order to dramatically improve your chances of obtaining a UK Settlement visa. Total cost: Approximately $1,000. Total time and stress: off the charts.

For those who plan to hire an immigration attorney, you will have much less work to do, and a lot less stress. But you will pay a pretty penny. And “attorneys”, according to former UK entry clearance officer Myra McKelvie, “usually do not guarantee their work” “I’ve seen thousands of applications botched by attorneys. Its a shame too, because having a denial stamp means forfeiture of the entire application fee and a big “DENIED” stamp on your passport; something that only makes it tougher to get in on future attempts”, she added. Total cost: Approximately $3,500. Total time and stress: Tolerable.

“Another viable, but lesser known option is to hire a travel document expediter. These are firms specializing in helping travelers acquire passports and visas in a hurry”. Most people are completely unaware these firms exist”, say McKelvie. These are people with the expertise to advise clients on visa and immigration matters, but because they are not attorneys, they charge a fraction of what attorneys charge for what is, many times, a better result.

You can easily locate the website of the UK Consulate that serves your jurisdiction to find a list of agencies who may employ such experts. These folks specialize in handling UK visa applications for US travelers and US residents. “Some will even guarantee entry (with the exception of fraudulent applications) into the UK for a very reasonable fee”, she concluded. Total cost: Approximately $1,200. Time and stress: Minimal.

Linda Ripoll is a senior editor at Without The Stress, a passport, travel visa, and immigration advisory firm located in Los Angeles. Myra McKelvie is one of the worldís foremost UK Immigration experts. She is currently offering consulting services at UK Immigration Without The Stress. Prior to her current role, she was an entry clearance officer (ECO) at the UK Consulate in Los Angeles for 15 years. Myra is originally from Glasgow, Scotland.