10 Steps for Engineers to Get Hired in a Foreign Company

Hey guys, In this article I’m gonna share the steps I took and what helped me find your first job overseas and move with my family.

Rate on a scale of 1 to 10 how important this is to you. If it's less than 5, then you probably don't need it. But if it's more than 5, keep watching this video...

Make a list of reasons why you need this, what you expect from a new job and country.

For example:

• Living in a safe country with low crime rate where I can feel secure about my family.

• A company that values my knowledge and skills where I can fully release your passion.

• A high salary starting from $10,000 a month.

• Living by the sea, warm all year round, no need for winter clothes.

• Education for kids in good English-speaking school.

• Get a second citizenship giving my family more flexibility and freedom in the future.

Make a list of potential countries and companies for relocation.

I know Some people say, "I'll go anywhere, just to get in, get some experience, and then we'll see." Honestly, I don't like this approach. Remember Lewis Carroll’s Quote - If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there. Moving to not the best country or company might destroy your bright picture of working overseas. Of course, a lot depends on your current situation, salary level, life circumstances, etc. Let's say, you have been working 10-15 years, you are satisfied with your company, a salary of $5,000 a month NET, you have a nice apartment, family, and all seems good. And then you get an offer from Nigeria, not the TOP company, salary $7,000 a month. Doesn’t look a good option, right?!

Analyze the job market.

Most people I used to talk to who want to work and live overseas have no idea what salary they can get, what companies for their profession, what requirements are there, what level of English is needed, whether TOEFL or IELTS exams are required, where to look for vacancies, how to avoid scams, how the hiring process goes, etc. To answer all these questions for yourself, you need to analyze the market.

Just start reading about this, watch YouTube videos, so you are doing the right thing now. Find suitable vacancies for you on company websites and aggregators like LinkedIn, look carefully at the requirements, how many years of experience the employer wants to see, and make a list of your gaps. Find people on LinkedIn who already work there, write to them, and ask your questions — this can provide valuable insights.

Develop Plan to fill the gaps.

After analyzing the job market, you should have a list of your gaps, which you can now start working on. Take additional courses, get further education, for example, a Master's degree online, become a professional engineer, get professional certifications, etc. Properly position yourself in your profession, a professional career coach with knowledge of your industry can help with this. You can come to my consultation as well. This preparation will help you succeed.

Learn English

If you are a native speaker, you are lucky and you can skip this step. For those who don’t, It's never too late to start, and even with a basic level, with 1 year of active, intense study, you can reach a sufficient level for employment overseas like in the Middle East. There are tons of options for learning English now, available online, no need to go anywhere, stay home and learn, just desire and a bit of your time!

Create a good resume.

I want to remind you, a resume is not for getting a job offer but for getting an interview invitation! This is one of the most important steps towards the offer. It's impossible to explain everything in a few words here. I've completed many resume writing courses, from $30 to $1000, and also got Certified Professional Resume Writer certification. A resume is your marketing tool, it's a science if you really want to make it in a professional way. You need to properly highlight clear communication of your key skills and achievements, write a stunning summary, and don't forget to optimize our resume for ATS...

Create a LinkedIn profile.

LinkedIn is indeed a powerful tool for finding vacancies, the right people, and expanding your network. According to one American statistic, about 60-70% of all vacancies are filled this way! The more connections with international recruiters you have, the higher your chance of landing a job overseas across different time zones.

Prepare for the interview.

This step is more important than a good resume, but most people believe they will find something to say about themselves and don’t prepare. If you successfully pass at least one out of five interviews, consider it good! I mean you’ve got a job offer.

Preparation is the key to success! By the way, I want to say here that not everything depends only on you, from my experience of going through tens of interviews, 60-70% of people don't know how to conduct interviews! They ask silly, closed, and incorrect questions during interviews.

For example, instead of asking: "Do you have experience with pumps?" (which begs for a simple answer - Yes, I do), it's better to ask: "Tell me about your experience with centrifugal pumps" - this is an open question, it doesn't corner the person, doesn't force them to remember complex formulas or standards, doesn't make them nervous, etc. And based on the answer to this question, the following questions could be: "What problems did you face while repairing these pumps?", "How did you solve these problems, what methods and tools like predictive maintenance did you use?". A technically competent interviewer can learn much more about a person from such questions.

Constant, proper job search.

"Today is difficult, tomorrow is much more difficult, but the day after tomorrow is beautiful. Most people die tomorrow evening". I believe this is one of the main reasons why many people never achieve their goals.

Yes, a good resume, ATS optimization, experience, education, etc., have a great impact, but the key to success is CONSISTENCY, the ability to move, wait, and never give up! Tell me, if you can achieve your goal, but in a year, two, or even three, would it be considered a failure? I would consider it a well-deserved win!

I see many people saying: "I've been looking for a job overseas for 6 months, it's impossible to get a job overseas" and then they stop trying. Remember, The road will be mastered by the walking one! Good luck to all chemical engineers, engineers with expertise in many industries because industries have a lot of opportunities free from local limitations, and practical real world experience into your international career.

Work permit policies and cultural norms vary widely between companies that hire expats, but if you stay consistent, it will give you great results.