With the onset of summer, many young people who don’t have a permanent job start thinking of getting something for the vacation season. The desire is quite explainable – during the year, they can hardly combine study with money-making.
Except for the money, which is already a sufficient reason, many students are also looking for a unique experience, fun, new connections, traveling, and improving their English. If you’re one of these eager young gentlemen and ladies who are not satisfied with bare earning without any sense and fun, you should definitely try working abroad.
In this article, we’re going to discuss the pros and cons of working abroad, main tips on how to find such a job with the opportunity to practice your English, and what are the most exciting and popular vacancies available at the moment.
Why Is It So Beneficial to Work Abroad?
Though many of you can now think that it is too complicated and not worth the effort, the work abroad is much more beneficial than you imagine.
Firstly, foreign companies and hirers in developed countries like in Europe, North America, Japan, etc. are ready to pay more to their time-part employees. And some businesses especially welcome English-speaking people. If you get paid in dollars or euros, though your national currency is different, you’ll be able to save money on the things you need much faster.
Besides, work abroad can significantly contribute to your future career, as such an experience is an additional advantage for many employers. It will show you as an initiative, brave, determined, and communicative person.
The next and equally important advantage is the opportunity to improve your English skill. As far as you’re a foreigner in this country, you’ll have no other way out but to speak English with everyone all the time no matter whether you want it or not. The option will help both those who want to improve vocabulary and fluency and those who want to break the language barrier.
The work abroad will give you a unique, incomparable experience that can even change your life. You’ll see how business is done in other countries and learn a lot of useful things. But, first of all, you’ll learn communication and problem solving even in foreign culture/language conditions.
Also, as we’ve already mentioned, your job won’t be all about endless labor. During the summer work, you’ll see how other people live, work, and study. You’ll meet a lot of interesting people like yourself. You’ll see the country, travel, and try new cuisines.
So, to summarize, a job abroad can give you:
- higher income;
- the advantage in future employment and career;
- significant improvement in English level;
- useful professional skills;
- communicative skills;
- new interesting connections;
- incomparable traveling experience full cultural immersion.
However, a young applicant should also mind that there are several possible cons. You should be ready that foreign culture will inevitably become a challenge for your psychological state. A new country, work requirements, lack of family and friends, homesickness will gloom the first weeks of your journey.
Also, many young foreign employees get low skilled work they are not accustomed to, so not everyone is ready to try it.
And finally, though you will earn more, the local standard of living may make you spend a significant part of the income on accommodation, food, transport, and medicine.
What to Do to Find a Job Abroad with English Language Practice?
If all the listed minuses are not a problem for you, it’s time to start searching for vacant positions. The searching algorithm is similar to the one we use while looking for the job inside the country, though there are some crucial differences.
So, right before finding a job, make sure your English is good enough for three-month working and living abroad. If not, take specialized courses. Though you’re going abroad to develop your language skills, you’ll have more chances to find a nice position if employers see you have a sufficient level.
Choose the specialization you’d like to try. It will be much easier and faster to find a summer job if you know for sure what to look for. We’ve already said that, in the majority of cases, you can count on the service sector jobs, but there are also many variants of the professional traineeship. Also, choose one or several countries and mind the climate and expenses on accommodation and food.
Write a resume and list all your skills, working experience, education. Try to fit the vacancy description and answer the employer’s question: «Why should I hire this very person»?
Contact the reputable and trusted recruiting agencies and international student programs like Work and Travel or Au Pair. These agencies have deep experience and connections all over the world and especially in English speaking countries. They can help you choose a country, find a job, draw up documents. Besides, such organizations always help their clients in case of unexpected situations, which happen occasionally.
If you feel confident to arrange everything by yourself, you can try to find a job abroad on specialized websites like farfarjob.com or LinkedIn. Also, contact students who have already tried working abroad and ask for their advice.
Translate all your documents that may be required. They are the passport, documents from your educational establishment that confirm your status, medical insurance, and so on. These papers will be necessary during the period of signing a contract. Also, you can state that you have a prepared package of documents in your resume. It can give you some advantages over rivals.
(!) Please mind that among the hirers, companies, and agencies, offering their services in job searching, there are a lot of frauds. So, be attentive, contact only proven employers and helpers, and check everything several times before paying for services and signing contracts. Also, don’t send your money and documents before the clear agreement with the hirer.
What Are the Best Vacancies?
The list of most popular and beneficial positions for students, looking for a job and English language practice, includes:
- Hotel Employees – you can try yourself as waiters, bartenders, maids, or even receptionists. The job doesn’t require any specific skills but provides you with decent income and broad language practice since you communicate with people all the time. Besides, the majority of summer vacancies in hotels means seaside resort.
- Summer Cruise Ship Employees – the job and vacancies are similar to the previous one with the only difference that you can see several countries and cities instead of one. It’s quite an interesting and unique experience. Besides, it’s well paid, and tips are high.
- Animator – if you’re a creative and active person, you can make money on it. Your job is to entertain the vacationers, create various activities, games, and contests. It’s pure fun!
- Tourist Guide – you’ll have to learn your sightseeing tour program, but after a couple of tours, everything will go like clockwork. Besides, you can conduct tours both in English and your native language for compatriots. Also, you’ll see the best places in the country and get useful information.
- Summer Children Camp Counselor – this job is for active peoples who love kids and can make their vocation as interesting as possible. However, mind that responsibility is great.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Also, many students and young people choose hirers who offer such summer jobs as the restaurant and fast food workers, theme amusement park employees. English teaching and agriculture jobs are one of the increasingly popular options as well.
As you see, there are plenty of summer vacancies for young and active people from all over the world. Each of the variants gives tones of advantages, the main of which are English language practice, high income, and traveling. Just decide and choose the job attentively to avoid fraud. Good luck!