Overseas Jobs: THE GLOBAL REVOLUTION - Are You Keeping Up?

Footsie 200 and Fortune 500 companies have one thing in common. Over half of their revenues now flow from outside the UK and the USA respectively. Whether Burberry, Rio Tinto, Apple or IBM, the trend is the same, as goods and services can be bought and sold almost anywhere and everywhere.

Successful organizations have recognized that innovation and globalization are the secret to continuing success. Many managers however, have failed to comprehend that their working world has indeed changed.

The combination of globalization and innovative technology has brought mixed news for many professionals. New customers, new products, is the good news. The bad news: many more talented workers in countries like India, China, Korea and Thailand have seemingly taken jobs from the West. These A-players have often studied and worked abroad, and typically earn a lot less than their counterparts in the UK, Europe and the USA. So what can managers in the West do to ensure that stay on the cutting edge of their field, and continue to be sought after for their competence and experience?

The answer is simple. Keep learning to learn, as staying the same means falling behind.

1. Develop a global mindset

Learning about different nationalities, countries and cultures is not easy. Meeting people from different backgrounds and religions is the best place to start.

Reading international newspapers and publications as well as watching international news on TV, such as the Al Jazeera, BBC World service and CNN international, will also broaden horizons and perspectives.

2. Learn another language

As globalization digs its heels into many diverse parts of the world, there are many locations where Mandarin, Arabic, Thai, Portuguese and Russian are spoken in corporate offices. English is slowly becoming less dominant. More often than not another language gives managers a real edge as the war for jobs continues.

3. Travel for work or for fun

As the world becomes smaller travel for fun or work will no longer be optional but educational. Grab every opportunity to learn about another country. If possible, relocate to another country. Great opportunities are emerging in the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries as their economies continue to grow.

4. Stay up to date with technology

Virtual communication is already commonplace in many businesses. As managers co-create with consumers, vendors and government officials in a number of different countries and cultures, familiarity with different technological media will continue to increase. Many managers however still seem to struggle to conduct effective webinars across different countries, whether for sharing information, or inspiring team members to work towards a common goal. Delivering a podcast or interviewing a new team member virtually, is a new skillset for most. Two of the many on-line sites can help you get started.

1. http://huskynet.stcloudstate.edu

Feeling left behind?

In this revolutionary age, it is often hard to predict what the future might bring. One thing for sure, the present and the future will be different to the past. All of us need to dedicate focused time to keep learning, whether about adapting our management style, or building new skills and competence. For those of us who thought we knew it all, "learning to learn" is back center stage.