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Have Test Tube, Will Travel: Choosing to Work as a Chemist Overseas
Nan Knight
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 when—and how—to 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 finding—and finding satisfaction in—a 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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