If you are a professional, you understand the importance and value of regularly updating your resume. This isn't just an activity for job hunting; it's a critical exercise for taking stock of your skills, growth, and achievements.

It provides you with a clear sense of direction -

where you are now and where you want to go.

Additionally, if you are updating your resume on public platforms like LinkedIn, it's an excellent way to signal and share your evolving skills with peers and thought leaders in your industry.

Your technical skills, whether you're an expat or not, are generally straightforward to articulate. These are often reflected in your job description and are relatively easy to list and describe. However, as an expat, you possess additional skills that might not be covered in the job description.

These are the competencies you've either brought with you or developed while navigating your role abroad. Highlighting these skills not only sets you apart but also demonstrates your value in a global context.

Your journey is more than just a collection of countries visited or languages learned - it is a goldmine of valuable experiences that can significantly enhance your resume. Whether you've worked in new cultures, navigated diverse environments, or honed your adaptability and resilience skills, these experiences can make your resume stand out to potential employers. 

So how can you effectively leverage your expat experiences to strengthen your resume and boost your career prospects?

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Here are five key expat skills that might apply to your situation and ways to highlight each of them:

1. Global Perspectives

As companies increasingly tap into markets beyond their borders and hire people from different parts, being able to showcase and articulate your global perspectives is integral and strategic. After all, expat experiences often provide a unique global perspective, which is further strengthened with cultural competence - one of the most significant assets gained from living abroad. You understand and respect diverse norms, needs and ways of life. This gives you a competitive edge, whether it is to effectively sell to diverse clients or manage a multicultural team. A nuanced understanding of different communication styles and work practices makes you a valuable asset in any global enterprise.

Highlight your global perspectives on your resume by showcasing experiences such as:

• Contributing to global projects or initiatives
• Successfully selling to a new, niche clientele
• Conducting business negotiations in a different culture
• Leading cross-cultural projects and initiatives
• Resolving conflicts or misunderstandings in a diverse workplace

2. Strategic Thinking 

Strategic thinking is vital for any leader, but for expats, it is an indispensable skill. The ability to foresee challenges, understand global dynamics, and align them with local realities sets you apart. Strategic thinking involves long-term planning, risk assessment, and the capability to pivot when necessary. As an expat, you bring a global perspective (as reflected above) that informs strategic decisions, enabling you to identify opportunities and threats that others might overlook. This skill is particularly valuable in driving innovation and ensuring sustainable growth for the organization.

Showcase your strategic thinking skills on your resume by highlighting experiences such as:

• Developing and executing strategic plans that consider both global and local factors
• Conducting comprehensive market analysis to support business expansion
• Leading initiatives that required balancing global strategies with local execution
• Implementing innovative solutions to complex business problems
• Achieving significant business growth or market penetration through strategic initiatives

3. Networking Skills

Living as an expat sharpens your networking skills in ways that are invaluable in today's interconnected world. Being an expat often requires you to build new relationships from scratch, navigate different social norms, and adapt to varied professional environments. These experiences make you adept at forging meaningful connections across cultures and industries. Your ability to build and maintain a diverse professional network not only enhances your career prospects but also opens doors to new opportunities and collaborations. Networking as an expat means you have learned to communicate effectively, listen actively, and present yourself confidently in diverse settings.

Showcase your networking skills on your resume by highlighting experiences such as:

• Building and maintaining professional networks across international borders
• Participating in industry conferences, seminars, or events on a global scale
• Establishing connections with local businesses and industry leaders
• Facilitating partnerships and collaborations across borders
• Organizing and leading networking events for expatriate communities

4. Problem-solving skills 

Moving away from what is familiar takes a lot of courage. It is not for the faint-hearted and is a testament to you as a person in more ways than one. It requires you to voluntarily step out of your comfort zone. It requires resourcefulness to navigate new environments, overcome challenges, and embrace change. In addition, the transition demands that you think on your feet with strong problem-solving abilities. As an expat, your experience in tackling unforeseen issues and devising innovative solutions sets you apart. These qualities are highly valued by employers looking for candidates who can thrive in dynamic and diverse settings.

Showcase your problem-solving skills on your resume by highlighting experiences such as:

• Successful transitions between different work cultures or industries
• Overcoming challenges such as language barriers, cultural differences, or logistical obstacles
• Demonstrating flexibility in adjusting to new roles, responsibilities, or job requirements
• Implementing creative solutions to complex problems in unfamiliar contexts
• Leading initiatives that required quick thinking and adaptability in diverse environments

5. Leadership Skills

Navigating a new country, managing diverse teams, and adapting to different cultural expectations demand a high level of leadership proficiency. Higher than usual! Expatriate assignments often involve leading initiatives or teams that require a blend of visionary thinking and practical execution, while delicately managing the not-so-obvious parts of working in a different culture. Your ability to inspire and guide individuals from varied backgrounds becomes a significant asset. Moreover, leading in a foreign context enhances your capacity to build trust, manage conflicts, and drive performance amidst cultural diversity. And not everyone can do that! Exceptional leaders in a homogeneous context may struggle in a heterogeneous environment.

Showcase your leadership skills on your resume by highlighting experiences such as:

• Leading multicultural teams to achieve strategic objectives
• Initiating and managing cross-border projects or programs
• Developing and implementing leadership training programs in diverse environments
• Resolving team conflicts and fostering a cohesive work culture
• Demonstrating success in achieving team goals under challenging circumstances

Other skills might include language proficiency, adaptability, resilience, fortitude, cultural competence, cross-cultural communication, strategic thinking, crisis management in diverse environments, innovative thinking.

As a rule 

????????Regardless of the skill, wherever possible, quantify your achievements and the impact of your expat experiences on your resume. Use metrics, percentages, or numbers to demonstrate tangible results and showcase your contributions. For example:

• Increased sales revenue by X% in a new international market
• Led a multicultural team that achieved Y% improvement in project efficiency
• Expanded the company's global client base by securing Z new partnerships

In addition, take note of the following best practices: 

• Tailor your resume to each job application, highlighting relevant expat experiences and skills based on the job requirements.
• Use a professional format and language, ensuring clarity and readability.
• Incorporate keywords and buzzwords related to international experience, multiculturalism, global perspectives, etc., to attract attention from recruiters and hiring managers.
• When relevant to the role, consider including a separate "International Experience" or "Global Skills" section on your resume to showcase your expat experiences prominently.
• If you are sending any attachments, make sure they are labelled appropriately and accurately.
• Refine and optimize your resume for maximum impact.

Are you in doubt or need someone to bounce off ideas?

 

Contact info@expatadvising.com and book a 1:1 session to get expert support. 

Your expat experiences are a valuable asset that can significantly strengthen your resume and open up a whole world of career opportunities. By effectively showcasing your global experiences with quantifiable achievements, you can position yourself as a highly desirable candidate for international roles, global organizations, and cross-cultural environments.

So shall we get to updating that resume right away?