Written by: Judit Végh, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Expatriate life is a journey filled with both opportunity and uncertainty. Imagine the typical expatriate family: Before the big move, parents are balancing the responsibilities of raising young children while pursuing their careers. Then, life takes an unexpected turn, presenting a significant opportunity for one of them to expand their horizons and advance their career abroad. Sometimes, both parents embark on this career adventure together, but more frequently, one grabs the opportunity while the other follows. What complexities do they encounter in expatriate life and career planning? What are the various levels of impact and the accompanying challenges on this unique journey? If you find yourself captivated by the nuances of expatriate career planning, this article is for you.
The initial decision
The traditional expatriate family, as discussed in research, consists of one or two parents and their children. In most cases, they have existing dual career paths that may be temporarily interrupted due to young children when they move. When an expatriate opportunity arises, it often prompts a family meeting to discuss the potential move. However, it's common to overlook the challenges, such as temporarily giving up their own career and adjusting to the disappearance of familiarity and extended support networks back in their home country amid the excitement of the impending adventure. For the parent accepting the new opportunity, it may indeed appear as a promising career step, but the long-term consequences are often underestimated.
The primary focus tends to revolve around the positive aspects, such as the opportunity for career advancement, organisational support, exploration of new cultures, and the potential for unique family experiences. Expatriate life also presents various family-level support, promising future opportunities for children, language acquisition, and financial stability. Nevertheless, it's crucial to acknowledge that this decision frequently represents a short-term plan with lingering uncertainties, even when a fixed-term contract is in place.
The impact on different levels
Children's Level: Expatriate life can be a fantastic opportunity for children, but questions arise about its sustainability. How long is it suitable for them to live abroad while maintaining a stable education plan? Does it extend until they finish primary education or even through university?
Trailing Spouse Level: The expatriate experience may seem like an adventure for the trailing spouse, providing a break from daily household tasks and/or their regular job. However, it begins with the challenging task of establishing a new home, finding schools, doctors, and grocery stores, and building a resilient social network. Often, this process involves giving up their own career path. This decision may be based on individual choice (for the trailing spouse) or a family-level choice since the move requires dedicated support for the entire family, especially considering the loss of extended network support due to the relocation. Additionally, it can also be influenced by the labour market, where the trailing spouse may face difficulties in finding a new job (due to temporality, language knowledge or lack of opportunities) or may not be allowed to work in certain locations due to their visa status. While this novelty is exciting initially, it can fade over time.
Social Connections: As expatriates settle in, they realise that this isn't just a vacation. Social connections both in the home and host country are vital but also come with expectations. The assumption is that they are lucky and have everything, making it challenging to express dissatisfaction or confusion. Trailing spouses might feel lost and struggle to find their identity, leading to silence and isolation.
Career Planning for Trailing Spouses: One of the most significant challenges is how trailing spouses can plan their careers effectively during and/or after the expatriate assignment. Can they base their career choices on criteria other than simply staying busy? Some discover entirely new career paths but struggle to apply them effectively.
Expatriate with a contract: Initially, the working expatriate enjoys an exciting adventure, but after a few years, they often face the question of the next step, a series of changes and uncertainties as they plan their next assignment in a different location.
Family Level: Expatriate families face uncertainty regarding where to go next while being responsible for their loved ones. The duration of their overseas deployments remains uncertain, leaving them pondering where their retirement years will lead, with few strong connections or place attachments to specific places.
Dealing with uncertainty
One of the key issues is dealing with uncertainty and adapting to unplanned changes. For trailing spouses, the question arises: how long do they wish to be in that role? Creating a detailed list of short-term goals for the next few years, both individually and as a couple, is crucial. Additionally, envisioning the family's future is essential. What are the non-negotiables, and where can compromises be made?
Career planning as an expatriate
Can you truly plan your career as an expatriate? The answer lies in open communication and a thorough consideration of the impacts on various levels: children, trailing spouses, working expatriates, and the family as a whole. Understanding the dynamics of the expatriate experience and being prepared for uncertainties is essential.
Impact Assessment: Start by discussing the impact of your decision on each family member and their respective roles. Understand that the choices made will affect everyone in different ways.
Dealing with Uncertainty: Embrace uncertainty as part of the expatriate experience. Discuss within your family how you plan to cope with unexpected changes and challenges that may arise along the way; for example, instead of strictly following only one direction, picture and create different alternative paths.
Setting Goals: Create a detailed list of short-term goals for the next few years. This should include individual goals for both partners and goals for the family as a unit.
Long-Term Vision: Imagine your family's future in 10 or 15 years. Where do you see yourself, your partner, and your children? Having a long-term vision can guide your decisions and aspirations.
Flexibility: Identify non-negotiable aspects of your expatriate experience, but also be willing to adapt and compromise when necessary. Flexibility can be the key to a successful expatriate journey.
Communication: To navigate the expatriate adventure and career planning, open and honest communication within the family is crucial. It's essential for family members to share their plans, dreams, goals, feelings and concerns with one another. This can help create a sense of unity within your family.
Planning for the future
While the expatriate journey may be filled with uncertainties, planning for the future is essential. This includes not only career planning but also financial planning and long-term goals. Here are some key considerations:
Financial Planning: Expatriate families should have a solid financial plan in place to ensure their financial stability throughout their international journey. This includes budgeting, saving, and investment strategies.
Education Planning: For families with children, education planning is crucial. Consider the educational options available in your host country and how they align with your children's long-term goals.
Career Development: Both working expatriates and trailing spouses should actively pursue career development opportunities. This might involve seeking additional training, certification, or skill-building courses that can enhance their professional prospects, both abroad and when returning to their home country. Additionally, career planning should be a conscious effort, both individually and as a family, taking into account various key factors, which you can explore further here.
Networking: Building a robust professional network, both within and outside the expatriate community, can be invaluable. Networking can lead to job opportunities, mentorship, and a sense of belonging in a new environment. You can explore this topic further by following this link.
Long-Term Goals: As a family, discuss your long-term goals and aspirations. Where do you see yourselves in the next decade or two, both individually and as a family together? A shared vision can guide your decisions and provide a sense of purpose.
Preparing for Repatriation: While living as an expatriate, preparing for the eventual return to your home country is essential. Consider how your experiences abroad will impact not only your career and personal life upon your return but also how they will affect your family as a whole and its individual members.
The role of flexibility
Flexibility is a fundamental attribute for any expatriate. It's essential to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances and challenges that come with living in a foreign country. This flexibility applies to various aspects of expatriate life:
Career Flexibility: Be open to new career opportunities and paths that may arise during your time abroad. Expatriates often gain unique skills and experiences that can be valuable in unexpected ways, not only for the working expatriate but also for their trailing spouses.
Family Flexibility: Families must be flexible in their roles and expectations. Trailing spouses may need to adapt to new responsibilities, while working expatriates may need to balance their career aspirations with family commitments.
Planning Flexibility: Acknowledge that your short and long-term goals may undergo significant changes while living the expatriate life. Dealing with constant uncertainty requires adaptability, and one of the most effective coping strategies is maintaining flexibility in both your individual and family plans. Be mindful of your non-negotiables and areas where compromise is possible. Additionally, always share your fears and thoughts about your goals with your partner, as clear communication best supports planning flexibility.
Seeking support and resources
Expatriate families should take advantage of the various support systems and resources available to them. These resources can help ease the transition and provide guidance throughout the expatriate journey, including expatriate career planning.
Conclusion
Navigating a career as an expatriate is a multifaceted challenge that requires careful consideration and planning. While uncertainties and unexpected changes are inherent to this lifestyle, open communication, flexibility, and a thoughtful approach can help expatriate families succeed.
Financial and professional planning for the future is crucial for long-term success as an expatriate family. This includes education planning, career development, and preparing for repatriation and retirement.
Flexibility is the key to adapting to the ever-changing expatriate experience. Being open to new opportunities and planning flexibly can enrich your expatriate journey.
So, does expatriate career planning truly exist? The answer is yes, but it requires acknowledging uncertainty, maintaining flexibility, and planning on multiple levels, including considerations for children, trailing spouses, and working expatriates. Furthermore, open communication is vital, both at the individual and family levels, as well as the creation of clear short and long-term goals. Career planning as an expatriate is not only possible but can also lead to personal and professional growth that transcends borders, making it a truly remarkable adventure.
Judit Végh, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Intercultural Psychologist & Global Family Consultant Judit Végh, Founder of Intercultural Life, is a recognized expert in Intercultural Psychology. With a focus on global family life, acculturation, relationship dynamics, change management, and career planning in global family settings, Judit brings over a decade of knowledge and expertise to her work. Her personal experiences have driven her passion for supporting transnational families and providing exceptional support to her clients.
Judit's experience also includes a decade in HR and ongoing work as a career education consultant for an edtech startup. This diverse background has given her a unique perspective on global family life and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by transnational families.
She is also a PhD candidate in Psychology, having conducted extensive research on global family life published in high-ranking journals such as Thunder Business Review and Journal of Global Mobility. Judit is co-founder and board member of SIETAR Southeast Asia, a society for intercultural education, training, and research, and a member of several international professional organisations, including the Asian Association of Social Psychology, International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology, Hungarian Psychological Association, Mobile Professionals and Families, Families in Global Transition, and World Council on Intercultural and Global Competence. Her expertise and dedication to her work have made her a regular presenter at scientific conferences.
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