Understanding the Overseas Job Market

overseas contractor jobs

If you’re looking for an overseas job, whether in the private or military defense industry or as a contractor in another field, you need to be well informed.  As David Isenberg, Huffington Post Blogger, would say:  “Who wants to hire an uninformed contractor?”   Part of being informed includes gathering as much information as you can about a situation before signing up.

When looking for a contracting job overseas, you need to focus in on the issues most jobseekers know by heart, like:  polishing up your resume; getting the names and titles of the people you’ll be interviewing with (and being careful to spell their name right); giving concise answers, and practicing the responses to the usual interview questions, like: “What don’t you like about yourself?”

But you can’t sacrifice the forest for the trees.  Look at the big picture.  When you have a shot at a job, know, going in, how the companies in the field interrelate. And, even more important, know how to stay safe.

Stats in this field show that the odds are pretty good you’ll make it there and home alive, but there have been deaths reported.  It’s safe to say that not knowing the topography, the politics, and the customs (which days it’s best to stay off the streets), and not having a built-in network to clue you in to the dangers of each and every day in a contractor’s life contribute to these sad demises.

Also keep in mind that the life of a civilian contractor is sometimes as stressful as that of a military contractor.  And it is likely that, if you have family back home, they’ll need lots of patience and perhaps even a spot of professional therapy after you return. Life in the Danger Zone isn’t Main Street, USA.  Eisenberg writes on his Blog:  “There have been enough incidents over the past 6 years to note that mental health of private military contractors is a significant issue.”

Make sure that, in addition to a network of support, both overseas and back home, your insurance covers mental health benefit options.

Despite these obstacles, or maybe because you are willing to face the reality of the situation, if you’re reading this far, it means you probably have what it takes to work overseas, and no one is going to talk you out of it.  The pay, the adventure, the tax-free status and the freedom to hop from assignment to assignment can be pretty stimulating.  So let’s get you prepared by boning up on some actual advice from overseas contractors on getting you that job:

1. First and foremost, patience pays off.  You might have to go through the Civilian Response Corp (CRC), a State Department body which has Reserve, Standby and Active components, but stick with it.  “It’s a long process, [but] you are not going to go through it by yourself,” says an industry job sites Blog contributor.

2.  Get your affairs in order.  And understand you won’t be there for your children’s special events.  But in the long run, it’ll pay off, by freeing you from money pressures. This will help make life for you and your loved ones a little more enjoyable.

3.  Always make contact with a recruiter personally, says a veteran contractor on Danger Zones Jobs.  You have to stand out above the crowd. Rather than sending out twenty impersonal resumes, get on the phone.  Follow-up with an e-mail.

4.  Be there for your fellow contractors when you have the chance to.  “Be genuine in your friendships and willing to lend a hand to others,” says another veteran contractor.  Not only is it the right thing to do, but it’ll pay off for you in the long run. Many contractors will tell you the same thing: “Every contract I’ve ever worked was obtained through personal contacts.”

For a job recruiting portal you can trust, the Overseas Job Portal (which features over 200 listing companies) helps you out A to Z.  Go to: www.overseasjobportal.com.