So you want to take your career global?

Getting a degree in international management or business is an excellent start to pursuing an international career.  But the degree alone is not enough to ensure success.  You need a strategy to differentiate, compete and showcase your value proposition in this increasingly competitive area. Your strategy will help you visualize longer-term career goals and take steps toward achieving your goals.  

Step 1

Ask yourself what role you see yourself succeeding in within the next 5 years? Describe the type of organization (e.g., public, private, not-for-profit, family, etc.) and geography.  

Step 2

Articulate a professional Purpose, Vision and Mission. What career legacy do you hope to leave behind? What achievement, beyond salary and job title, do you want to be recognized or remembered for? How would you describe your career end-state; where are you, and what have you accomplished?  

Step 3

Identify Strategic Priorities that will get you to the ideal job within 5 years. If for example, you see yourself working in a leadership role abroad, you should aim to find a role now that lays the groundwork, such as one based in-country at the regional or global headquarters. This would give you the opportunity to develop an international network, gain valuable experience and develop awareness about the business and career opportunities across the global enterprise.  

Step 4

Identify Strategic Initiatives for each Strategic Priority to outline how you can achieve each Priority. Using the example Strategic Priority from Step 3, find a role now that lays the groundwork, identify initiatives that can help you land the job now (e.g., find a recruiter that specializes in international businesses, relocate nearer to global headquarters, reskill, upskill, etc.). 

Step 5

Finally, set yourself S.M.A.R.T., short-term objectives to achieve each of the Strategic Initiatives.