Why You Should Look for Jobs Abroad After College

Ah yes, senior spring. The semester that’s full of sentimentality, reminiscence, nerves, and most of all, excitement. Believe us when we say by the time you become a college senior, you’re pretty much ready to graduate and begin the next chapter of your life. The last few months of college will probably consist of big research papers that basically sum up your entire college experience, LinkedIn profile touchups, making the most of your time with friends, and (hopefully) some job interviews. 

Don’t get us wrong, we know this period of time might be full of stress, but it is also incredibly exciting. You’re starting your real, adult life! We are going to officially be, as the kids say, “adulting”, but what could this really look like for you? This could mean moving back home for a while after you graduate (which, if possible, is a smart move and can save you some money), you can find an apartment with friends in a city you all love, or you can travel (post-Covid, and hopefully sooner rather than later). There is, however, another part to this that you might not immediately think of. 

What about applying for jobs abroad? What about looking at jobs in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Germany, Amsterdam, or anywhere else in the world? You could have very easily overlooked this possibility, but it’s one that we strongly encourage you, dear reader, to consider.

One good reason for this consideration is that you do not, we repeat, you do NOT want to be a part of the Should’ve-Would’ve-Could’ve Club. It’s never a nice thing when you look back and think to yourself, I wish I had done that; I should’ve taken that leap; I wonder how much different my life would now be. We know that Visas can be a b*tch, but so can regret and constant wondering.

Don’t know where to start? We suggest first compiling a list of possible places you could see yourself living and working, and this doesn’t mean you’ve had to have gone there before. It can be anywhere! So, do your research, maybe get some advice from people you know who have visited those locations, and begin narrowing down your list.

Next, we suggest using LinkedIn’s easy job search feature and simply typing in the location you’re interested in moving to. Google search and Indeed are also some great options when searching for job openings. 

Those are two easy steps to really get your foot in the door. There are also a ton of blogs out there and even YouTube videos of people who chronicle their moves abroad. These are great resources where you can find tips and tricks on how that country’s specific Visa process works, what the country or city is like, where the safest and best parts of the city are, how to find a place to live, etc.

Taking that leap can seriously help you grow in ways you didn’t know were possible. You can meet people that you never even knew existed before. You find opportunities you didn’t know were possible. You travel places you didn’t know that should’ve been on your bucket list. Maybe you learn a new language (maybe a little more gracefully than Emily In Paris). In essence, you learn more about yourself, the world around you, and if for some reason this ends up not being for you, you can always go back home. It’s not going anywhere. But don’t let being comfortable dictate your life or hold you back, especially in your 20s, or really any age for that matter.

So please, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there or push yourself. Land that job in a city you barely know, meet people you’ll build relationships with, learn something new about yourself, and if you want, find your Connell (for all our Normal People fans out there)!