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GoinGlobal
Build a global mindset! Fast track your job search at home and abroad with GoinGlobal. Get expert advice on how to find a job or internship in your dream location or close to home.
Guide to Spotting Scams
Conducting an international job search presents both unique challenges and rewards. It can take significant time and effort to research and locate employment opportunities outside the United States.
The Pomerantz Career Center makes no guarantee about positions listed and are not responsible for safety, wages, working conditions, or other aspects of employment. It is the responsibility of each individual job seeker to research the validity of the organization(s) to which he/she is applying and verify the specific information for each posting. Job seekers should exercise due diligence and use common sense and caution when applying for or accepting any position.
International Employment Overview International Employment Strategies Resources for Planning Your Search
Worldwide Opportunities Regional Opportunities
The international job search sites listed on this page are organized into worldwide and regional categories. These listings are not comprehensive.
International Employment Overview
There are three key considerations for you to keep in mind as you begin your search:
- Know the requirements for visa and work permits. These requirements differ from country to country, and obtaining a visa or work permit can be a lengthy process. GoinGlobal, Electronic Embassy and Overseas Jobs have links for foreign embassies' websites, where a country's visa and work permit requirements are usually listed.
- Know how the job search differs abroad. Job search etiquette and the format of a resume, a CV, or an interview differ depending on the country and region.
- Be aware of the following: Review Department of State Travel Information and their Travel Advisories, locate the nearest U.S. Embassy, and research health risks for the geographic region through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
International Employment Strategies
- Gain experience before you graduate to boost your competitiveness as an applicant for international opportunities.
- Participate in an internship abroad
- Volunteer or intern locally with internationally-focused organizations
- Take part in multicultural UI student organizations and programs
- Work abroad immediately short-term to uncover opportunities in-country and potentially transition to work more related to your field.
- Consult UI Study Abroad’s page on Opportunities for Graduating Seniors
- For teach abroad, refer to Teach English Abroad Resources and Tips
- Work, intern, or volunteer abroad for a finite period of time through a placement program or fellowship. If you are accepted into the program, there are often benefits in addition to the direct placement, such as training and ongoing support. Be sure to evaluate any placement program for legitimacy and transparency.
- A couple examples are IES Internships Abroad and the Peace Corps
- Consider GAP Year Experiences Abroad
- Work abroad long-term in a country if you can secure the necessary visa. This can be very challenging, and it is country and occupation specific.
- Consult GoinGlobal, Electronic Embassy, and Overseas Jobs to inform yourself of search methods and visa considerations in other countries.
- Work for a U.S. or foreign company in the U.S. and eventually work for them abroad.
- If asked in an application, interview, or on the job, be sure to indicate your interest in a work abroad assignment.
- These opportunities are not commonly provided to employees early in their career with a company, unless explicitly stated as part of the job responsibilities upon hire.
- A couple of local examples of companies who offer international assignments to employees are John Deere and Rockwell Collins.
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- Consult the Mergent Online database
- Refer to the Pomerantz Business Library’s International Business subject guide
- With any of the above strategies, it may help to inform yourself via GoinGlobal, or related resources in the section below, and to connect with expat communities (even UI alumni clubs!) abroad.
- See the current list of international IOWA clubs
- Search for UI alumni abroad via LinkedIn
As with any individual contact or portion of your search, exercise due diligence and use common sense and caution when engaging with people and companies you are unfamiliar with.
Resources for Planning Your Search
The following resources contain useful information to support your international job search.
- Connecting Study Abroad to Your Career
Helpful articles, resources, and advice compiled by UI Study Abroad - IS:2500 Working Internationally
Consider enrolling in this 1 semester hour course via MyUI. Information on international job sectors; presentations by experts in the field; advice on what is required to work internationally. - GoinGlobal
Access thousands of visa petitions from U.S. employers seeking to hire international talent. GoinGlobal provides constantly updated access to 400,000+ H1B visa petitions available through the U.S. Department of Labor. Local career guides, corporate profiles, and more than 16M job and internship opportunities are also available from this award-winning service. - International Business: Cultural/Business Etiquette
- UI Pomerantz Business Library Guide on Cultural and Business Etiquette
- CountryWatch
Up-to-date news and information on each of the recognized countries of the world. - Electronic Embassy
List of embassies’ websites and their locations in Washington D.C. - Overseas Jobs: Visa/Work Permit Process by Country
Introductory information on work permits and visas. - Europa World Plus
Reference covering political and economic information in more than 250 countries and territories. - U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs - Students Abroad
Information for students planning to go abroad
Worldwide Opportunities
- BUNAC
BUNAC offers a range of summer camp, work abroad and volunteer abroad programs. BUNAC destinations include Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Britain, China, Ecuador, South Africa and many more. - Council for International Education Exchange
CIEE offers teaching positions with programs in Chile, China, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Senegal, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam. - Dave's ESL Cafe
Teaching positions for TESOL, TEFL, and TESL around the world. Lesson plan ideas and forums. - Go Abroad
Information on work abroad, study abroad, volunteer, teach, intern, TEFL, and language abroad programs. - GoinGlobal
MyGoinGlobal allow users to customize their career resource experience, including bookmarking and saving favorite career guides, job and internship listings, employer profiles, and H1B records. MyGoinGlobal users also receive instant notification of new job opportunities matching their search criteria. - International Partnership For Service Learning and Leadership
IPSL partnerships around the world collaborate to offer short-term and semester-length programs that unite study abroad with volunteer service opportunities in the host community. - Peace Corps
Volunteers serve 27 months, supporting initiatives in education, youth and community development, health, business and information and communications technology, agriculture, and the environment. - teflSearch
Find TEFL/ESL jobs
Regional Opportunities
Antarctica
Asia
- Find Jobs in China - Lockin U / GUCCU
- India: Arranging an internship or service-learning opportunity with an NGO
- Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET Programme)
- Teach and Learn in Korea - TaLK
- Armenian Volunteer Corps
- Jobs DB
- Teach in China
Australia & New Zealand
Canada
Central and South America
Europe
- Eurojobs
- US Teaching Assistantships at Austrian Secondary Schools
- Teaching Assistant Program in France