Becoming an Executive PA in an International Company Could be a First Step to Working Abroad

Becoming an Executive PA in an International Company Could be a First Step to Working Abroad

Copyright (c) 2011 Alison WithersAs part of the UK economy's efforts to recover from the economic downturn one piece of advice that businesses are being offered is to look to export their services overseas.As the global economic centre of gravity shifts towards India, China, Brazil, Russia and other emerging and growing economies the chances are that job opportunities will also become available, particularly in sectors where there are skills shortages. This provides a real opportunity for specialist recruitment agencies to develop their range of offerings, but it needs planning. The REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation) has recently suggested that many such agencies do not have a business plan to help them grow and has published a new guide, called Planning for Success, to help them to develop and grow and to be able to take advantage of new opportunities. Candidates, also, can improve their skill sets to take advantage of new opportunities that could take them overseas. It may be that many dream of living and working in another country, perhaps after taking a gap year travelling and experiencing other cultures. For someone with excellent secretarial skills the first steps to achieving that dream may be to learn another language. It is no coincidence that the rise of China as a powerful global economy has coincided with an increase in UK schools offering Chinese languages and with an increase in students choosing such courses. Plainly some ability to speak one of the more unusual languages is likely to be a significant bonus. Equally understanding how business is carried out in different cultures is important. In many countries the hierarchy of positions in the workplace is much less fluid than it is in the UK, so that there are conventions of behaviour when dealing with people in more senior positions than one's own. Often working in another country means that the culture, relationships and dress codes for men and for women are more formal than perhaps some UK workers are used to, not only at work but at other times too. Women, for example, are generally expected to dress more modestly in most Asian, S Asian and Muslim countries. For someone with exceptional secretarial and PA skills, a first step to eventually working abroad could be to register with a specialist recruitment agency in a large city, where there are opportunities of placements at senior level in companies that operate internationally. Gaining a placement as an executive assistant or PA in an international company not only helps to polish skills and experience, but also may provide an opportunity to make contact and interact with colleagues in other countries. It will also mean that if there are opportunities for working in one of the company's overseas offices do arise someone already working for the company will learn about them first, especially if they have let it be known that they would like to be considered for an overseas posting and can demonstrate some knowledge of the language and the culture of the country they are interested in.

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