I’ll make a bet with you. Whatever it is you’re doing right now professionally, I’ll wager you can look back and attribute to one decision.
The story of my career path includes countless decisions, relationships, supporting actors, and uncontrollable outside influences. Surely yours does as well. Nevertheless, I can say with confidence that what I am doing right now hinged on one choice. I’ve certainly made some blunders, but thankfully in this one critical case, I think I chose well. Now, anyone making professional choices for twenty-five years in both corporate and entrepreneurial arenas as I have ought to be able to offer at least one piece of advice to others. I can honestly say I’ve got one – yes, one – that’s guaranteed to brighten your future. I firmly believe it has no legitimate downside and will enrich your life and career forever. You’ll even be more interesting and unique at cocktail parties and networking events.
Full disclosure, the advice I am about to submit is best suited for professionals within the first 10 years of their career. This post is focused on a career choice so while I think doing what I am about to propose will enhance anyone’s life in general I am compelled to make this disclosure because doing so later in your career is simply more complicated.
Hopefully I’ve created some anticipation and interest. First, however, a short back-story is necessary for context. Please bear with me. I will also provide a few tips along the way that you may find helpful.
After undergrad I went into banking and spent three years as a commercial lender. This was back in the mid nineties when banks had legit training programs for managers. Often referred to as mini-MBAs, these training programs where highly sought after. In my training class alone were kids from Penn, University of Chicago, Georgetown and other top tier schools. Just to be included gave me a sense that my career was on the right path.
Beginning around the two-year mark many of my colleagues began to leave the bank. Primary destinations included business school or being hired away by a client. I stuck around. I was a couple years older than my peers (for reasons discussed in a previous post, “Wake Up Everyday…Twice) and therefore anxious to catch up. I reasoned staying while others left to get an MBA would give me that chance. If I wanted an MBA one day I could go back part time and continue to climb the corporate ladder in parallel.
Then one day an opportunity landed in my lap that seemed to come from left field. I got a call from a recruiter asking me if was interested in working for a multinational mining company with a local wholly owned affiliate. I was happy where I was and had not sent out any CVs so my first question was, “How did you get my name?” Turns out my boss’s boss (he was recently rifted from the bank and working with said recruiter to find a new job) had recommended me. Why did he pass up the opportunity? The job was mid-level and too junior for him, but he thought it a good fit for me.
Tip: Developing relationships beyond the scope of your current role can be critical to your career. I shared an interest in running and golf with this individual so I had the opportunity to interact with him even though my job rarely put us in the same room. The process can be tricky politically, but it’s a good practice if you can manage it. You never know who’s watching or who will impact the trajectory of your career.
After interviewing with the company on several occasions I decided to make the jump.
Tip: Starting off your career with a well recognized brand known for investing a ton in training can pay big dividends when making your next move. In my case, I was able to leverage the opportunity cost of leaving a large organization with more perceived avenues for growth into a larger salary and perks.
Many of my friends and family thought I was crazy to leave one of the biggest banks in the world for some unknown company from questionable origins. But I had done my homework and had a gut feeling. Not to mention they doubled my salary and provided me a company car.
It would be four and a half years before the “big choice” presented itself, but in the meantime I had a great run. The company was based in Chile and my boss was from there. He quickly became a mentor and remains so to this day. Since our office reported to headquarters in Santiago I was frequently exposed to Spanish and their way of doing business. I noticed my other US colleagues were not embracing the language and culture. I didn’t understand why, but I began to soak it up like a sponge. Eventually taking notice, my boss offered to pay for a Spanish tutor to come to the office and help me learn the language. In addition, while it was not necessary for my job I was offered the opportunity to travel to Chile on several occasions for a deeper dive into the company’s operations.
Tip: Take the initiative to learn things beyond the scope of your job description. They’ll get you noticed and put you in position for opportunities you may not foresee.
Despite my rise through the ranks I perceived the real growth was reserved for associates from headquarters. During my tenure many came to work in the US and returned to Chile with a feather in their cap for having worked abroad. I began to sense I would soon reach a ceiling beyond which I could not climb and wonder whether I made the wrong choice in leaving the bank? Around this time I decided to return to school and get that MBA. By that time my salary and benefits were too strong to go back full time. I discussed it with my superiors and they agreed I could do both – work and go to school.
Tip: Options are good and education is a great way to create them.
Tip: While it’s not for everyone, getting an MBA while working facilitates reinforcement and enables real time implementation of what you’re learning.
As I worked and advanced through my studies, I began to ponder my next move. The challenge facing me was that I would be the same person both before and after graduation. Obvious I know, but the challenge for your employer to immediately promote you because you just got an MBA is real. So, staying with my company seemed a less than ideal prospect as it would limit the upside of my newly minted MBA status. I decided to discuss my future with my superiors. In summary, I let them know that I was interested in a position of greater responsibility and higher salary. Having hit the growth ceiling of the US affiliate my assumption was our association was about to come to an end. I came to grips with this before my conversation and did so well in advance of my graduation so I could begin to explore other options.
A few weeks passed and my superior requested a meeting. I was nervous entering that meeting because I assumed I would be let go. On good terms of course, but let go nonetheless. I had no idea a life-changing event was about to occur.
The mentor I mentioned earlier had returned to Chile a few months prior and I had little interaction with him since his departure. So I was surprised to hear his voice on speakerphone as the meeting began.
Mentor: Hola Frederick
Me: Hola
Mentor: How are you? (I was still learning Spanish and our conversations often started there but evolved into English…especially when discussing important topics)
Me: I’m great. Surprised to hear your voice. How are things back in Chile?
Mentor: I am happy to be home. The family is great but we do miss some things about the US.
Me: Really, what are those? I can send you a package anytime.
Mentor: Well, I’d rather you bring them in person.
(I began to get the sense that something big was about to happen.)
Me: Really? Anytime.
Mentor: Well, we’ve discussed it here and I’d like you to come and work for me in Chile.
(I was silent for what seemed like an eternity as I absorbed what he just said. Finally, I spoke)
Me: Are you serious! That’s amazing! I would love to do that. Yes.
And just like that, I made a huge life choice. Maybe it was premature of me to immediately say yes considering I was married, she was pregnant, and enjoying her own career a great deal. Yes, definitely premature, but once again I had a gut feeling she would be as excited as I was.
The meeting went on for a while as we discussed the finer points of the position, but there you have it. The one career move that impacted everything thereafter. I chose to become an expat and move to Chile. I know it took me a while to get here, but please read on even though you now know the answer. Plus, you still don’t knowwhy I think it’s guaranteed to change your life and set you apart.
Thankfully, my wife was in fact as excited as I was about the move. She could focus on our new baby for a while and soak in everything Chile had to offer.
We received mixed reactions from our friends and family. We sensed a combination of excitement and concern regarding our move to what some considered a third world country. As we, and they eventually found out when they came to visit, Chile is an incredible country that offers something for everyone.
My wife and I spent two and a half incredible years in Chile, had two children, learned Spanish, and traveled throughout Chile and the world. Hands down, deciding to live and work abroad was the best professional decision I ever made. The experience has impacted virtually every aspect of our lives for the better. Our horizons, in a word, broadened.
One of the things you quickly learn as an expat is that other expats are drawn to you. In no time, we had new friends from Holland, New Zealand, Australia, Norway, and Belgium to name a few. Throw in our many new Chilean friends and new perspectives, foods, sports, languages, and ways of relating to one another pleasantly overwhelmed us. We’ve maintained many of those relationships and traveled to see them on numerous occasions.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the financial rewards. Expat packages are typically lucrative. Coming from the US to a country like Chile instantly increased our standard of living. At the same time, we were able to save more and build a nest egg for our eventual return stateside.
Some Data: According to justlanded.com, less that 1% of highly skilled American workers live abroad as expats. This is compared to over 12% in the UK.
I know as Americans we are extremely fortunate and believe as I do that we live in the greatest country on earth. But it is important to recognize, especially in our global economy, that professionals in other countries often perceive this as arrogance. Humility is an important virtue both personally and professionally. Living and working abroad with a humble attitude creates learning opportunities that simply do not exist in your home country. And when you get back home you will be better equipped than your peers to navigate the diverse work force realities resulting from our interconnected world.
More Data: According to the latest data available from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, employment in the United States by majority-owned U.S. affiliates of foreign MNCs rose 3.3 percent, to 5.6 million workers, in 2011, a rate of increase higher than the 1.8 percent increase in total U.S. private-industry employment in 2011.
In summary, employment in the US by foreign affiliates is growing faster than the rate for US companies. There are multiple routes to an expat assignment. Working for an MNC was my route and the data show the opportunities are growing.
Conclusion:
The way I look at it, career paths don’t have to be paths at all. Paths are routes taken by so many before you that the way is clearly marked. I prefer career blazer. Step off the path and chart your own course. Go live and work in another country.I guarantee it will change your life and set you apart. Don’t take my word for it. Listen to Robert Frost. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
Thanks for reading!
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