Working abroad might be just what your career—and personal life—needs. It exposes you (and loved ones) to new, different, and potentially more fulfilling ways of living. It expands your worldview. And it builds skills and a reputation that can serve you well in your field down the road.
Marissa Andrada, who’s managed people operations for dispersed teams at major organizations including Kate Spade, Starbucks, Red Bull, and Universal Studios, recalls one American employee she convinced to take on a role in Hong Kong running human resources for the Asia-Pacific region. When the woman returned to the states after her assignment was over, she quickly moved up to manage global HR operations. “Those are career makers for people, defining moments, where you’re able to demonstrate that ability to not only take this knowledge but create something in the footprint of that local culture. You mature so much as a human being and as a leader,” she says.
Companies, too, benefit from hiring, developing, and supporting expats, as it enables them to appeal to a broader customer base, retain top talent, and generate a more diverse and skilled workforce.
“Organizations should actually encourage more of it,” says Anita Woolley, a professor of organizational behavior at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business who focuses on productivity and collaboration among distributed teams. “When you have individuals who have experience in multiple cultures, they contribute a tremendous amount to facilitating the work of any team that they’re on, whether those teams all share that same cultural experience or not,” she adds.
