How
to Contact Overseas Employers:
Should I use e-mail,
letters or the telephone to contact overseas employers?
What works
best?
What works
is what works. The same approach doesn't work
everywhere.
What really
works best? Personal contact and networking. Just like
back home. But, if you are not in the country, you'll
have to try some other approaches of course,
particularly if you don't have networking contacts.
Don't forget
to check out the Jobs and Resources page.
E-Mail -
Telephone?
I am a giant
e-mail fan and I use it for everything. But, for some
reason, not everyone responds well to it. For me it is
great! I don't understand why others don't use it as I
do. But they don't.
All that
said, some employers will use it efficiently - others
won't. Use it if that is what they ask for. But don't
expect it to do the job. A follow up phone call might
help you get to the top of the list, even if you must
make it at 2am your time. That little bit of effort
might make a huge quality of life difference for you - if you land
exactly the job you want.
Advertised
Jobs
When jobs
are advertised on popular websites, the advertiser may
get as many as 100+ responses. You need to think about
how to get your application to the top.
Follow up.
Follow up. Follow up.
Tip: It is
worth your effort to get a list of employers (online is
often easy) and send your letter of interest to them
before they advertise. I almost always do this. Try
not to compete with the hoards on the Internet.
Some
Countries
Want a
personal contact - to meet you face to face - hard to do
if you are in your home country. Phone calls are cheap
nowadays - try them too. Be aware of time zones of
course.
Letters
Some
jobs/schools will want hard copies of your resume and a
letter of interest. Still, it is best to follow up
with either an e-mail or a phone call.
How Many?
Plan on a
hundred contacts to find the job you want. Some
job markets
(Korea for English teachers, for example) will require much less (maybe only
one or two!), others may require more. I've never made
that many contacts myself, but I want you to be
realistic and mentally prepared. There is enough demand
that you can look over a few offers before you decide.
Don't hold out too much - but don't feel either that you
must take the first job offered.
Be Patient
Hold out for
the right job. Know that as a Newbie, you may not find
the perfect situation, but don't give up what you want
too quickly.
