Now that the drawdown of Afghanistan is finally almost here, it’s time to think about your job search while you are still overseas. Many Americans who are living and working overseas would like to stay overseas and take advantage of the lifestyle and work in other countries. It could help your candidacy for another position in the Middle East or Europe if you are already in their country or overseas. So, looking for your next opportunity while you are overseas is a great idea.
Things to Do Before Leaving Afghanistan
- Update your resume with your current position, projects, customer lists, duties, responsibilities, training, specific dates, and references. Create a second version with your military experience translated into civilian speak.
- Find your evaluations – if you have any (contractor or military).
- Update and/ or set up a LinkedIn Account, so that you can link to this as you write to people for new positions.
- Think about your ideal employer based on industry, location, size, or mission—anything that appeals to you as an employee. Make a list of organizations that match as many of your criteria as possible and start researching them online.
- Get your network going. Connect with professional associations or other professional groups related to the work you are seeking, such as military “alumni” groups, old friends, and former colleagues. Let them know about your upcoming transition.
- Communicate with your references and get their non-work emails.
- Think about where you want to work next, so that you can set up job alerts.
- Hire a career counselor or resume writer if you do not have time to do the writing or match your resume toward a target position.
- If you are considering a position that has few federal job openings right now, such as logistics, supply, or IT, you might want to consider government contractor positions overseas.
Suggested Websites for Overseas Positions
Kuwait
- Aggregator of Kuwait Jobs: Gulfjobsmarket.com:
http://www.gulfjobsmarket.com/jobs-in-kuwait.html - Honeywell Technology Solutions:
https://honeywell.taleo.net/careersection/9/jobsearch.ftl - Boeing Careers
https://jobs.boeing.com/ - ABM
https://abm.mua.hrdepartment.com/hr/ats/JobSearch/index
Guam
- Guam’s Economy and Jobs:
http://www.guambusinessmagazine.com - VSE Corporation:
http://careers.vsecorp.com - CSC:
https://csc.taleo.net/careersection/cscexternalcareersite/jobsearch.ftl
South Korea