29/06/2007

The career benefits of being an ‘expat hero’

Professionals who move abroad independently out of a sense of adventure and are willing take a career risk may gain more for their personal development in the long run than those sent on international assignments by their companies, according to a new report by Cranfield School of Management and Expatica, the internet-based portal for expatriates.

Are you a hero or a heroine? An exploration of the expatriation journey surveyed over 500 readers of Expatica who had expatriated. Notably, nearly two thirds had initiated their foreign work experience themselves, without company backing.

Although both groups agreed working abroad was likely to enhance their future career prospects, free agents reported achieving much greater clarity of work goals, despite the fact they were much more likely to take a less challenging job in their new country than that back home.

www.cranfield.ac.uk

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