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Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

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Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

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Has Long-Term Travel Abroad Hurt My Chances of Landing a Job Back Home?

Dear Rolf,

I am an American expat who has been vagabonding in Southeast Asia for the past three years. Lately, I have been looking into jobs back in the U.S. and it’s hard to generate much interest from employers. I’m worried that my experience abroad have hurt my job prospects in my own country. Any advice?

--D.C., Bangkok, Thailand

Dear D.C.,

You bring up an interesting issue. Re-entering the job world after an extended stint abroad can indeed be tough. However, just as it’s necessary to plow right in and deal with the “reverse culture shock” of returning, re-employment is best tackled head-on.

For starters, I think the lack of interest from employers at present has a lot to do with the fact that you are still in Asia. By the standards of most Americans—let alone employers—you are “off the radar.” The query process will get easier once you return to the United States.

One thing you’ll definitely want to do as you re-enter the job market is convert your experience of the last three years into something that looks good on a resume. For all the employer knows, you’ve spent these three years taking hits from a bong at some secluded beach with a bunch of local hookers. Thus, whatever constructive activities you’ve been doing in your travels, present them on your resume to show it’s been one big educational/professional experience.

Did you do any work during your time abroad? Did you volunteer anywhere? Did you take a course in language or cooking or martial arts? Did you learn any new life skills? Odds are, you’ve done plenty on the road, so—whatever you’ve done that might look good to employers—pump it into your resume to show you’re an eminently employable person who’s been doing interesting and constructive things all these years.

On a final note, never underestimate the power of networking. I’m sure you’ve met lots of fascinating people in your travels. Now is the time to send them e-mails and ask them if they have any good professional leads for you. Believe it or not, these kind of people can be your best resource for employment when you get home.

Columnist Rolf Potts is the author of Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel.

Send your questions to . If you want to know whether Rolf has already answered your questions, see the Ask Rolf archive. 

Thomas Wolfe said it best: “You can’t go home again.” In my own experience, I think it helps to remove any expectations that that things will be the same when you return--that you’ll just be able to slip into your old life--and harness the power of the changes. Maybe that’s vague, but that’s my M.O.

"For all the employer knows, you’ve spent these three years taking hits from a bong at some secluded beach with a bunch of local hookers.”

And that is a bad thing, Rolf?

Think skill sets.  You’re being hired for your talents—perhaps visual, but most likely technical. Highlight how your international experiences have enhanced your communication ability far beyond the typical cubical drone. You’ve got a world of savvy under your belt—use it.

"For all the employer knows, you’ve spent these three years taking hits from a bong at some secluded beach with a bunch of local hookers.”
LOL.

Mike
Sityodtong Muay Thai

like in your situation

A computer scientist died and of course was immediately sent to hell.  As he gloomily entered the infernal gates, he was amazed to find hell was a vast computer laboratory with equipment beyond his wildest dreams.  There were machines of unbelievable capacity and memory, machines that could work at speeds unheard of on earth.

“What do you think of hell?” asked the devil.

“Wonderful” said the computer scientist, “give me a few discs and let me try these machines out.”

“That’s the hell of it,” grinned the devil.  “We’ve got no software down here.”

Thats hard but one that has been out for 3 years should just keep trying to make it
All In One Forum

Yeah it is certainly hard getting jobs after you have been away so long, start a business.