Tackling a career change is a challenge at the best of times, but setting off on a new career path as an expatriate can be even more daunting. Amanda van Mulligen talks to four women who have faced tough career choices abroad.

Often the need for change comes from a feeling within. Susan, living in the Netherlands but originally from Northern Ireland, had a career in the world of advertising as an account director. For three years, she felt mismatched to her job, and she was tense and unhappy. Her role was demanding and looking back, she realised the stress created by the role, and the tension from job dissatisfaction, had become entangled.  Once she came to terms with the fact that she no longer believed in what she was doing for a living she accepted she needed to act. After eight years in the industry, she resigned from her corporate role.

The decision was not an easy one; it followed a heart-rending struggle. Susan explained, “Financial stability was a key concern. The thought process turned out to be relatively simple in essence: I was either going to keep doing the same thing and not be happy, or be brave and go see what else was out there for me.”

Not speaking Dutch was an enormous barrier when considering her next steps. She turned to her established networks and talked to people in publishing. Susan also took advantage of the internet to undertake a distance-learning course at the London School of Journalism. She stepped onto a new career path and headed for the world of writing and editing, a career she has taken with her to Germany where she now lives.

She advises, “Make sure you have a plan for when you leave [your current job] so you can action it as quickly as possible. Think about your saleable skills.”

Kathy, an American well established in the Netherlands, felt life passing her by as a Business Development Director in medical communications. She refused to participate in ongoing office politics and felt no sense of accomplishment in the work she was doing. It took three years to realise just how unhappy she had become and when someone with no sales results became her boss, getting the job at her expense, she handed in her notice.

She recalls, “I interviewed at other companies. I did not feel impressed with their management any more than I was with mine. Gradually I realised that I simply did not want to have a boss anymore.”

Kathy hired a career coach whom she spoke to bi-weekly for three months. Her support circle was as solid as it would have been back in the United States, but Kathy acknowledges that there are cultural issues associated with working in a foreign country. In Kathy’s case, the difficulty was trying to fit into an international culture.

She took a career break to consider her future. Her intention is to set up on her own using her skills and international contacts that she has built up. The change process has made her stronger and her self-belief shines through, “I am confident that my personal integrity, work ethic, and results orientation are part of who I am. Those qualities are with me to stay, and to use in whatever new venture I pursue.”

In many cases, matters of the heart lead to a conscious decision to move abroad, leaving everything, including a career, behind.  Zoe, British born, followed her partner to Belgium and gave up her job as an IT Researcher/Developer. She transferred her PhD studies to her host country and looked for a new role within her field of expertise.

Even as a highly-qualified IT specialist Zoe faced obstacles securing a new job, language skills being a major hurdle. Most international companies in Brussels require employees to be trilingual, or at least bilingual.  Furthermore, Zoe became embroiled in applying for a residence permit. Fortunately, her partner speaks fluent French and he was able to guide her through the process, with support from his employer. Expatriate websites and forums were also a good source of advice and information.  On top of language and administration issues, Zoe faced the task of determining the workings of the recruitment process in a foreign country.  CV requirements and selection procedures vary from country to country.

Zoe now works as an IT Project Manager. She acknowledges that moving to Brussels boosted her career, “I have been fortunate to find good job opportunitieswhich perhaps wouldn't have been possible in the small northern UK city I was in before.”

Sometimes unexpected events necessitate a career change. Australian-born Sharon now calls Spain home. “After working for six years in a demanding and challenging position in Australia, I realised there were limited positions for me to go in that sector and decided that I wanted to pursue other opportunities (in the same field) overseas”. She resigned from her job in the television and film industry and armed with her ancestry visa, she left to find a job in the UK.

Sharon travelled around Europe for a few months before settling again, and on her cross-world tour, she met her future husband. Her plans changed and she moved to Spain.  Limited opportunities in her field, further hampered by her lack of Spanish, meant her career took a dramatic turn. “I knew full well that I would not be able to walk into a job such as the one I had had before, so I knew I would have to find some other way of earning a living.”

Not being a European citizen, gaining residency in Spain provided Sharon with countless frustrations. However, she did not give up and subsequently identified a shortage of English teachers in the area she lived in. She undertook the ‘Cambridge Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate’ and embarked upon a career teaching business English. Many of the skills acquired in her previous positions were useful in her new role.

The journey for Sharon has been challenging, and she does admit it has been difficult. “The change process has been a bit of a rollercoaster, and even after two years I can’t say that I’m totally over the culture shock. As for any expat, this is not only because of the change of jobs; every aspect of my life has required adaptation.”

For others in a similar situation Sharon advises, “Do your research carefully, be very sure you understand the visa/immigration requirements […] learn the language, look into what job prospects there are available for you.”

There are many reasons for a career overhaul, whether the need for change comes from within yourself or external factors, or even surprise events, drudging your way through a career transformation abroad requires determination, creativity, flexibility and self-confidence. Breaking out of a mould is difficult, but when changes comes a calling, step onto an unfamiliar track. The results may just be worth the journey.