How to convince your U.S. employer to let you work abroad

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.

Of course, setting up shop in another country can’t, and shouldn’t, be a snap decision. “While this could be a fun adventure immersing in a culture, there are also things you need to consider—and it depends on where you are in your life stage, too. Does it work for your family? Does it work for you?” Andrada says.

But if the answer is a resounding “yes,” here are three options for maintaining a job with a U.S.-based company while living overseas:

1. TRANSFER TO ANOTHER OFFICE

Let’s say your company has headquarters or a presence in other countries and you want to snag a spot. The first thing to do is start those conversations as soon as possible. 

“Have that conversation with your manager about, ‘Hey, I’m really curious about what happens on this side of the world, and what is the process to get there?’” Andrada says. If approaching your boss is intimidating or you’re worried how they might react, consider with whom else you feel comfortable confiding this goal. “Go to anyone in HR—it could be someone in recruiting, it could be your employee relations generalist—and just talk to them,” she says, adding, “There’s no shame in asking.”

Once you’re clear on the details and have some internal buy-in, you’ll need to craft a strong pitch for why you, of all people, should be transferred. Outline your current performance and any major wins you spearheaded, then focus on what you can offer a new team or office, or how your move will positively impact your U.S.-based team. “If it’s an organization that is trying to foster better coordination across different locations, having somebody who is familiar with one location go to another location is incredibly beneficial,” Woolley says.

Also, cover where and how you’ll add value in terms of relationship building and morale. “It’s an advantage when you say, ‘Here’s my experience with that culture. Here’s the language that I can speak,’” Andrada says. She adds that this doesn’t mean you have to be fluent in the local tongue—rather, you should be open to learning and assimilating, and show the steps you’re taking now to excel in this area, such as signing up for a language or etiquette course.

“The most successful people that I’ve seen have really just embraced it,” she says.

2. NEGOTIATE A REMOTE ROLE 

How about the case where you can’t relocate to another office, but there might be room to transition to full-time remote work? The above tips apply here as well, but you’ll also want to address how you’ll project and time manage without direct oversight. “If you’re not being managed by someone there…how are you going to self-manage, how are you going to make sure that you stay connected, communicating with your key partners back in the U.S.?” Andrada says.

Once you’ve been approved to work remotely and gotten settled in your new location, carry this advice over to how you work on a regular basis. “Meet people where they’re at,” Andrada adds, by being a consistent and transparent communicator, and by getting clear on your deliverables, deadlines, and other requests from your manager and team.

In the negotiation process, you can mention other upsides to having a presence in another time zone. Logging on at different hours, for example, can help with meeting tight deadlines, expanding clientele, or providing more comprehensive customer service.

If your company lacks the proper hardware, software, and IT and HR staff to support remote work, explain how investing in and building out this infrastructure could benefit everyone—and the bottom line. 

“If there’s a category of talent that the organization is currently struggling to recruit, often tying this pitch to that pain point can be helpful,” Woolley says. “If they are set up to enable people to work remotely, then they could hire more people from different locations. And you can just cite survey after survey about either current job seekers or people who are willing to relocate, and how the remote work option is hugely attractive and something that they value much more than many other aspects of the job.”

3. JOB SEARCH

Maybe your company doesn’t allow for remote work or have systems in place for workers who live outside the U.S. If being abroad is truly your dream, you may have to job hunt for something that’s more accommodating (or, alternatively, become your own boss).

Before applying to a role, get clear on the eligibility requirements, such as what the visa or work permit process is like and whether the company sponsors it. “The easiest path will be if you find an organization that already operates mostly remotely or primarily remotely—they’re already set up to deal with somebody like that,” Woolley says, adding, “If this is an organization that isn’t even willing to discuss it when they’re in the mode of wanting to recruit you, that’s a pretty strong signal.”

Talking to locals or expats can help with deciphering the logistics, finding open jobs, and vetting a place for quality of life. “Start building out a network of people who are based in that area,” Andrada says, by leveraging LinkedIn or other online communities.

Next, tailor your application to the country’s standard. For example, a CV or bio might be more common and acceptable than a traditional résumé.

In the offer stage, do your research around cost of living and market averages to accurately gauge how much income you’ll need to settle in comfortably—and, Andrada says, expect that that number might be lower than what you make in the U.S. 

THE QUALITIES EMPLOYEES NEED TO WORK ABROAD

No matter your situation, whether you want to change home bases in your current job or find a new company with abroad access, Andrada says these two qualities make for prime global candidates: technical skills and what she calls “tribal knowledge.”

The ideal technical skill set will vary depending on your industry, but generally, companies want to move (or hire) employees whose niche expertise can’t easily be replicated or found elsewhere—for example, generative AI or data analysis. “If you have a skill set that is in short supply at the moment, those people are always able to make more demands,” Woolley says.

Tribal knowledge, as Andrada defines it, is rooted experience and know-how often only found in veteran staffers at a certain company. Having been a part of the growth and expansion of a company for some time, and fostered strong relationships and a reputation, and then“bring[ing] that to another part of the world, is really valuable for these globally based companies,” she says. Organizations are more likely to sponsor your visa if your “unique set of knowledge” can’t be found locally in that region, she adds.

Beyond these two attributes, you must be a high performer. “It’s just easier when you’re already producing,” Andrada says. For job seekers, this means being able to clearly and confidently showcase your track record and how you’ve uniquely contributed to the success of past companies and teams, global or not.

Ultimately, Woolley says, going abroad starts with being in the right working environment.

“Find the organization that will support you in doing this and ideally even recognize how it’s valuable to them,” she says. “Because then they will probably provide a bunch of [resources] that would be helpful in transitioning to this new location, maybe even helping you move, maybe even providing some local supports as you get set up in the new place.”

And when it finally happens, give yourself time and patience to fully adjust. “You just set yourself up for frustration,” she adds, if you expect settling in to take only a couple of days.

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