Have Test Tube,
Will Travel: Choosing to Work as a Chemist
Overseas
Nan Knight
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When Carolyn Ribes, an analytical
chemist and Technical Leader in the Corporate
Research and Development Program at Dow
Chemical, heard about a technology transfer
project in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, she was eager
to volunteer for the assignment. "I've always
been curious about other cultures and countries,
and I love to travel," she says. "This was an
opportunity to use my skills and knowledge to
work with a multinational team in a new and exciting
place." Dow welcomed Ribes's request for assignment
as a technology advisor. When her husband, Al,
also a Dow chemist and a native Spanish speaker,
volunteered as well, Dow extended the assignment
to a 9-month stay. While in Argentina, the couple
worked on implementing the start-up of a new polyethylene
plant and training the chemists who would staff
the facility.
Back today in her offices
at Dow in Freeport, Texas, Ribes has only positive
things to say about the experience. "This was
an exciting opportunity to share knowledge, learn
more about another culture, and meet interesting
people and capable colleagues," she says. "And
in this kind of experience, the knowledge you
gain ends up being much greater than the knowledge
you share." Would she do it again? "In a heartbeat,"
she says.
Drain My Brain�Please
Despite talk of a possible
high-tech, biotech
brain drain and worries about the flight of
scientists to labs in countries where some types
of research are less restricted, an assignment
abroad remains an overwhelmingly positive prospect
for many American chemists. Short-term assignments
provide an opportunity to travel, experience other
cultures, and become familiar with international
differences in approaches to research and problem
solving. Long-term postings offer the chance to
form lasting friendships and business relationships,
acquire proficiency in second languages, and often
to gain skills and knowledge that serve as the
basis for accelerated career advancement back
in the U.S.
But deciding to take a scientific
background to a job overseas requires preparation,
knowledge of resources, personal and family flexibility,
and a network of support. Gathering these assets
and making the decision to take an overseas assignment
or set out to find one can be difficult and time
consuming. But for most adventurers who make the
leap, the result is an unforgettable experience.
Are Chemical Jobs Overseas
Open to Americans?
Short answer: you bet. Many
multinational companies have thousands of employees
in countries around the world. DuPont,
for example, has 79,000 employees in more than
70 countries. Johnson
& Johnson has more than 104,000 employees
in 50 countries. The need for start-ups, technology
transfer, and knowledge sharing means that it
is to the advantage of these corporations to have
employees who are willing to relocate across national
boundaries for long or short periods. Although
the petrochemical industry was once the largest
source of overseas transfers, today chemists are
assigned for short- and long-term positions in
biochemistry, environmental sciences, and pharmaceutical
development. As the boundaries of international
science have blurred with better communication,
multinational research projects, and operational
and processing systems that are sometimes seamless
across national divides, the opportunities for
work abroad have expanded.
The longer and less positive
answer is that every country has specific rules
and regulations that restrict the type and duration
of work foreigners are allowed to do. In general,
Americans working abroad fit into one of three
categories:
- as direct employees of
or contractors with U.S. firms or the U.S. offices
of multinational firms;
- as contract employees with
companies abroad;
- or as self-employed freelancers
or consultants.
For employees in the first
category, visa and work permits are taken care
of by the employer. Working directly for a company
abroad can be more difficult. In developed countries,
obtaining a work visa can be challenging if the
skills required for the job are already readily
available in the country. In less developed countries,
pay (in the local currency) may be much less than
a similar job would pay in the U.S. Finally, setting
out to live overseas as a self-employed or consulting
scientist requires one of two things: a terrific
track record or courageous optimism-and sometimes
even the latter is not enough. To relocate to
Great Britain, for example, a freelance consultant
must not only secure the necessary visas and permissions
to work but must submit proof of a substantial
amount of money in reserve.
Positioning Yourself For
An Adventure
"Most people who are assigned
overseas already know that extensive and possibly
long-term travel is a part of their jobs," says
Ribes. She advises people who are interested in
working overseas to speak up: "Let your management
know that you are interested-and be able to demonstrate,
whether its through your technical expertise,
language skills, or management abilities, that
you're capable of making this commitment and effectively
doing the job."
Ribes advises undergraduate
and graduate chemists to think ahead. "Languages
are important, as well as looking at what kinds
of technical expertise are needed in what parts
of the world," she says. Assessing where jobs
are likely to be in the future is challenging.
Students who choose a broad area of expertise
without specialization may find that many job
seekers in their country of choice already have
these skills. However, if the chosen area of expertise
is too narrow, then jobs with these specific requirements
may be few and far between.
Some university advisors recommend
beginning the international job search with an
internship or short-term learning position. William
Nolting, Director of International Opportunities
for the University
of Michigan's International Center, tells
students, "the best time to seek work overseas
is now, while you are a student (or soon after
graduation), since there are numerous special
programs available only to undergraduate and graduate
students, as well as recent graduates." Internships,
work/study arrangements, and volunteer work abroad
can give younger chemists a better idea about
whether and how they would like to pursue additional
international assignments.
The Unwelcome Assignment
Not everyone wants so work
overseas. And although most corporations have
a backlist of employees more than willing to go,
sometimes an overseas transfer can come as an
unwelcome surprise. In such cases, a flat refusal
can sometimes cause career advancement to flatline.
Career advisors recommend a strategic approach
to announcements of unwanted foreign postings:
- Check your facts.
Go back and take a good hard look at the fine
print in your position description. You may
have already told your company you're willing
to be assigned overseas. The fact that you were
thinking "Provence" when you signed it and are
now looking at "Irkutsk" on your assignment
sheet is irrelevant.
- Be frank but positive.
Let management know that you are reluctant to
make this move. If you have specific reasons
(family obligations, health restrictions), outline
these. Don't complain, explain. Make it clear
that your reluctance has nothing to do with
your loyalty to the company.
- Ask questions. Find
out as much as you can about the assignment.
How long will it be? Is this realistic or will
might it be extended? What exactly will the
job entail? Ask directly whether any political
or physical danger is involved. What benefits
come with the transfer? Will your family be
included? What support does the company offer?
- Know whenand howto
give in. If it's clear that you have no
say in the decision to go, you can choose to
refuse (always a dangerous option), look for
other employment, or give in gracefully and
express a positive attitude about the assignment,
making sure that everyone agrees it is for the
minimum time specified.
- Make a deal. Use
this opportunity to bargain with your employer
for longer vacation periods, airfare for you
and your family for return visits to the U.S.,
larger housing allowance, or additional subsidies
and benefits. Most important, secure a commitment
for advancement on your return from successfully
completing the assignment.
Getting There the Right
Way
For those who do not already
have a job overseas, Bob Whitmore, President of
International Resources, Inc., of Greenville,
South Carolina, recommends research and preparation
as the
right approach to finding a successful position
. He recommends that the search begin with a moment
of introspection. "Understanding your own motives
in wanting to work overseas will help you have
a rewarding experience," he says. Moreover, thinking
carefully about what you want to get out of the
experience may serve to narrow your choices in
location and type of job. Whitmore than recommends
in-depth research to find out where the jobs you
want really are, careful preparation of a CV or
resume that targets your specific international
audience, the use of a wide array of resources
to find a job, and then meticulous follow-through
on adequate legal, cultural, and practical preparation
before departure.
Most multinational companies
offer a strong network of support for employees
transferred overseas. "Dow does an excellent job
of helping its employees prepare for a move, whether
short or long term," says Ribes. "For longer term
assignments, the company will assist in all the
arrangements, from moving the family, to legal
and visa requirements, even to finding schools
that welcome American students."
Making the Leap
Almost everyone who chooses
to work abroad is already self-selected for a
positive experience. "You have to be curious,
flexible, friendly, and open to new things to
want to take on this kind of move," says Ribes.
And these are the qualities that successfully
sustain a person through potential barriers like
regulatory red tape, unfamiliar customs, and the
occasional bout of homesickness. Ribes is already
hoping for another overseas assignment in the
future, perhaps in Europe.
Realizing that overseas assignments
are possible and that the world of possibilities
for international employment in chemistry is expanding
is the first step toward making the leap to what
is sure to be a life-changing experience.
Nan Knight is a freelance
science writer and editor whose credits include
Smithsonian exhibits, Discovery Channel Web sites,
and a wide range of publications on radiation
in medicine.
Pack Your Bags Using These
Resources
Chemistry is a discipline
without borders. When you're ready to travel overseas,
JobSpectrum.org has information
to help and accepts international job postings.
The State Department: Your
New Best Friend
Whether assigned to work outside
the U.S. by a corporation that supports every
aspect of the move or pulling up stakes on their
own and heading abroad to new careers, most workers
will want to check out the resources that the
U.S. government offers. The State Department Web
site has a wealth of information on its travel
site. The booklet "Services and Information
for American Citizens Abroad" (available by order
or as a download)
contain handy notes and additional references
on everything from emergency services to cultural
customs. The most useful publication is "Tips
for Americans Residing Abroad," a complete
guide that includes answers to questions many
people forget to ask. Do I have to pay taxes in
both countries? How do I find out about State
Department warnings and advisories in my new job?
When I move back, do I have to pay an import tax
on my own household goods?
More Resources
Academic advice: Many
universities have career advisors and resources
available specifically for undergraduate and graduates
who are considering work outside the United States.
Nolting's office at the University of Michigan
International Center in Ann Arbor provides counseling,
information, and a Web
site with in-depth information on working
abroad. Although most graduating students are
interested in short-term assignments, the university
also publishes a booklet on "International Career
Resources" (available through the site) for students
who want to plan extended careers overseas. At
the offices of the International
Opportunities Program at the University of
California, Irvine, students can come for counseling,
read material from and meet with recruiters from
multinational corporations, and find out about
career paths and preparation for both long- and
short-term overseas assignments. The Web
site offers a useful and extensive set of
informational and job resource links arranged
by country, as well as special resources for mid-career
workers.
Publications: A range
of publications is available for decision making,
planning, and following through on taking a job
overseas. The difficulty is in judging the quality
of the advice dispensed. Some serial publications
exist simply as "text shells" to front a range
of advertisements from job locater, airlines,
and travel services. Others, such as the magazine
TransitionsAbroad,
offer solid, basic advice and feature articles
about findingand finding satisfaction ina
job outside the U.S. One of the best books available
about working abroad was originally intended for
Canadians but contains an extraordinary amount
of information useful to anyone looking for a
position outside his or her own country. The
Canadian Guide to Working and Living Overseas,
now in its 3rd edition (University of Toronto
Press), by Jean-Marc Hachey, offers everything
from advice on preparing an international job
resume to the delicacies of transcultural salary
negotiations. Bob Whitmore's book, International
Employment Resources: An Introduction to Working
Overseas, provides especially helpful advice
on making the decision to work overseas and following
through successfully. For those who want to use
the Internet to locate a new position, job advice
experts Ron and Caryl Krannich have recently published
The
Directory of Websites for International Jobs:
The Click and Easy Guide (Impact Publications,
2002).
Directories and Job Services:
Numerous directories and linking services are
available. One of the most reputable and broad-ranging
in its offerings is the Riley
Guide, which includes international business
resources, tips on living and working overseas,
and detailed and frank assessments of hundreds
of online job banks throughout the world.
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