Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
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Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
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Re: Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
#2Other than teaching English abroad, how else can recent grads find work abroad? The article really drops the ball on that one and the meager links provided are useless.
I spent nearly two years abroad in undergrad interning abroad, but even then, finding a relevant (not teaching English) full time job in Asia or Europe when you're in North America is extremely hard.
Re: Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
#3I think the math is a bit wrong. Your money actually doesn't go much farther in Beijing, Bangkok, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, etc... Some things might be cheaper (eating out) but many things will be more expensive (cars, iPads, decent clothes). You might be able to hire a driver for 2 or 3000 RMB a month in China, but you still have to buy the car for $4-50,000. At best, its basically a wash, and if you are American, you'll realize how much cheaper most things are back home.
Also, how much do you value clean air and decent schooling for your kids?
I've been out for 7 years now, and I don't regret it. But its not an easy win life style wise.
Re: Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
#4Other than teaching English abroad, how else can recent grads find work abroad? The article really drops the ball on that one and the meager links provided are useless. I spent nearly two years abroad in undergrad interning abroad, but even then, finding a relevant (not teaching English) full time job in Asia or Europe when you're in North America is extremely hard.
Yep, I've worked in China and the only way to get to live abroad on a fat expat stipend is to have your existing US or European employer rotate you there. If you try to get a job through local channels you'll be getting a crappy local salary. Do not try to work overseas right out of school-- you are far better off getting solid industry experience and then trying to make the jump. Working abroad is a career-killer too, most of these operations are corporate backwaters.
Re: Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
#5Other than teaching English abroad, how else can recent grads find work abroad? The article really drops the ball on that one and the meager links provided are useless. I spent nearly two years abroad in undergrad interning abroad, but even then, finding a relevant (not teaching English) full time job in Asia or Europe when you're in North America is extremely hard.
I found a good extremely appropriate post doc in Switzerland, which was completely serendipitous. After I was done in Switzerland, I emailed some manager at Microsoft China out of the blue, and have been in Beijing ever since.
If you have specialized skills, you should be able to find demand for them anywhere. You probably can't start a career here with nothing special in your resume, but you can work for a big corp (e.g. Microsoft) and eventually get transferred to one of their overseas R&D offices. They generally value experience, which might not be something they can get locally.
Re: Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
#6Other than teaching English abroad, how else can recent grads find work abroad? The article really drops the ball on that one and the meager links provided are useless. I spent nearly two years abroad in undergrad interning abroad, but even then, finding a relevant (not teaching English) full time job in Asia or Europe when you're in North America is extremely hard.
Yep, I've worked in China and the only way to get to live abroad on a fat expat stipend is to have your existing US or European employer rotate you there. If you try to get a job through local channels you'll be getting a crappy local salary. Do not try to work overseas right out of school-- you are far better off getting solid industry experience and then trying to make the jump. Working abroad is a career-killer to…
This isn't true.
I'm a LHF (local hired foreigner) in China, and my pay is decent enough. The lack of a package isn't bad if you don't have kids. I also work for a big American corp (but not as an expat), so my prospects are pretty good when I decide to go back. Not exactly a career killer, even if not working at home headquarters always has a disadvantage associated with it.
Re: Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
#7I view with a deep distrust the new class of global capitalist that thinks we must inexorably become "global citizens." The western world didn't come from nowhere. People built it, and their successors should be able to reap the fruits of it, not have to flee to the developing world.
I read an article the other day (it was in Forbes or maybe Business Week). Some American was talking about the investment opportunities in China, and the cultural differences between the countries. He came to free speech, and he basically said: "in the U.S. we can say whatever we want, but in China they think that's silly!" I.e. apologizing for the repressive Chinese communist government just because there is a buck to be made there now. My opinion of such people couldn't be lower.
The fact is that India and Asia are not pleasant places outside the little bubbles westerners and the local rich people build for themselves. You want to go live in New Delhi? Be my guest: http://www.voyages-photos.fr/images/new-delhi/new-delhi05.jp..., http://www.voyages-photos.fr/images/new-delhi/new-delhi08.jp....
I'll be chilling here in America, where the bottom 10% live as well as the top 10% do in developing countries.
EDIT: I'm not advocating being ignorant of the world. People should travel, and people should learn what there is to learn from other countries. But I consider it a problem if young Americans have to go abroad because there are no opportunities at home. That's a failure of our social system, and a threat to our communities and our institutions. My father didn't leave Bangladesh just so my daughter would have to go back.
Re: Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
#8Everyone should work overseas for a while, even if it's just in other first world countries, I think. Not because you have better opportunities, necessarily (for a certain class of tech startup, Silicon Valley is still the best place...), but for learning about other cultures, etc.
Re: Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
#9I view with a deep distrust the new class of global capitalist that thinks we must inexorably become "global citizens." The western world didn't come from nowhere. People built it, and their successors should be able to reap the fruits of it, not have to flee to the developing world. I read an article the other day (it was in Forbes or maybe Business Week). Some American was talking about the investment opportunities…
You're incredibly ignorant. You should leave the US; not because the rest of the world is necessarily better (yet some parts undoubtedly - in general - are), but because it gives you a broader perspective on your own life and situation.
Just a statement like "where the bottom 10% live as well as the top 10% do in developing countries" really shows you haven't been outside your home town.
Re: Why Young Americans Should Work Overseas
#10I view with a deep distrust the new class of global capitalist that thinks we must inexorably become "global citizens." The western world didn't come from nowhere. People built it, and their successors should be able to reap the fruits of it, not have to flee to the developing world. I read an article the other day (it was in Forbes or maybe Business Week). Some American was talking about the investment opportunities…
You're incredibly ignorant. You should leave the US; not because the rest of the world is necessarily better (yet some parts undoubtedly - in general - are), but because it gives you a broader perspective on your own life and situation. Just a statement like "where the bottom 10% live as well as the top 10% do in developing countries" really shows you haven't been outside your home town.
I was born in Bangkok, Thailand, lived in Bangladesh for several years, and have traveled fairly extensively in Asia and Europe as a child/young teenager.