Advice for Americans Working Overseas

Your company has "asked" you to accept an assignment for working overseas in another country. This can result in feelings of excitement and uncertainty. Making sure you and your family are prepared for your new posting is the key to success for your employer, yourself and your family. On average 15% of 1st time expatriates return early. The rate for "experienced" expatriates can be as high as 10%. This occurs because either they, or their family, could not adjust to the new culture or environment. Retention failure costs an employer between US$50,000 and US$150,000. Obviously, very few companies can afford to send unprepared employees on foreign assignments.

You would never leave for a foreign assignment without knowing what the compensation will be. Make sure you are fully aware of what the new culture and environment is going to be like. Hopefully your employer will have ways to help you with this. If they don't, then it is even more important that you do some discovery on your own before you depart.

Here are some tips and advice to help make the transition from the host country to your new assignment successful.

1. Country Profile

Learn the geographic, historic, political and economic factors that have shaped your host country and its people. Start by reviewing a map to determine the country's location, distance from the U.S. and other nations. Read history books about the country. Become familiar with current events. Investigate topics that will make the host country and its people seem more "real" and ease into conversations with host nationals.

2. Travel Logistics

Be actively involved in all travel preparations. Do not leave these critical first steps up to some one else. Learn what passport, visa and immunizations are necessary. Study which departure, transit and arrival airports are most likely to be used. Be complete and find out about ground transportation, currency differences and related details. Get your family involved in planning and preparation for departure. The host country Embassy often have brochures available. Buy some good travel books. Use sightseeing plans as a way to get family members involved and looking forward to the assignment. This will help to avoid tendencies to think about what will be left behind.

3. Language

Study the language. Learn common conversational phrases (greetings, asking directions, and making simple purchases) that will help with basic needs when you arrive. This will always make a good impression on your hosts. Your employer may cover the cost of language training for you and your family. Take advantage of this benefit if it exists. Even if you will need to cover this expense yourself, it will be a good investment. Ensure that you continue language training after your arrival.

4. Business Etiquette

Learn how business is conducted and how people are managed in the host country. Discuss in advance what's expected at business/staff meetings. Learn about typical leadership styles, boss-subordinate relations, decision-making, teamwork, differences in pace, pressure and protocol from U.S. norms. Ask others who have been overseas how they handled sensitive work or management situations.

5. Communication Styles

Become aware of verbal and nonverbal styles and conventions. Recognize that gestures like raising an eyebrow, nodding, crossing your arms, pointing or leaning forward send a message, but its meaning may vary in the host country. For instance, a smile and a nod in Japan can be a polite refusal. Moving your head from side to side means "yes," not "no," in south India. Pointing is impolite in Indonesia.

6. Use of English

When speaking in English with host nationals, speak slowly and distinctly. Avoid using idioms until you know how well they speak and understand English. Use feedback and repetition to determine if your message has been understood. Be aware that what you say doesn't matter as much as what the host national heard.

7. Time and Space

Understanding the culture of the host country regarding time and space is very important. Use of your knowledge in this area will help you successfully navigate social and business engagements. Often foreigners are more relaxed about time and schedules than U.S. and western European executives. For example, when talking with one another Latin Americans and Arabs prefer to be physically closer than the distance preferred by most Americans.

8. Social Customs

Properly understanding the social customs and behavior of the host country will help you to interact successfully with your hosts. Key areas include learning how to make introductions and greetings properly. Understanding food habits, mores about drinking and smoking, conversation topics, relations between the sexes and gift-giving is also important. The more you know, the more prepared you will be. Being prepared will pay big dividends in your relationships with persons in your host country.

9. Lifestyle

Gather practical information about what your daily life will be like. This can help reduce any anxiety about the move. Find out as much as possible about housing, schools, transportation, medical facilities, recreational activities, living costs, and available goods and services. This preparation will make sure you know what to bring or leave behind. Expatriates who have recently returned from overseas assignments can be good sources of information. If your company allows house-hunting trips, contact the local international women's club and international school in your new location. The women's clubs usually publish manuals to assist new expatriate arrivals to their city. Many cross-cultural training and relocation firms offer housing and settling-in services to help the moves of expatriates go smoothly.Have a family discussion about how your new lifestyle will affect each family member. Explore how an active lifestyle can be enjoyed, with new friends and activities. This is especially critical for spouses who can't work abroad. Raising children in a foreign country should be discussed with others who have done it successfully.

10. Culture Shock

Do some research on the topics of culture shock and homesickness. Discuss the symptoms of and remedies for both. Living in a new culture requires more patience, empathy and respect than usual. Arrogance and ethnocentrism is rarely tolerated in foreign cultures. Although you will be very busy, make sure you discuss these things with all the members of your family.

In the bottom comment there are links to additional information for any expatriate who does or will work in a foreign country.