In recent years, both increasing globalisation and the relaxation of border controls within the European Union have resulted in more opportunities to travel and work overseas. There are many reasons why students and graduates choose to seek work in another country.

Experiencing different cultures

Working abroad can provide an opportunity for total immersion in a foreign culture, in a way that merely travelling through cannot. However, some graduates use work simply as a way to get funding to enable them to experience the cultures in the first place.

Enhancing employability

All forms of work experience make you more attractive to employers, but working abroad may be particularly beneficial in developing certain strengths and skills such as:

• initiative and determination - from finding and securing the job to making your experience a success;
• communication skills - through working with people from different cultural backgrounds and overcoming language barriers;
• flexibility - by having been able to adapt to new and unfamiliar living conditions and work cultures.

Working abroad may also provide experience which is relevant to your chosen career, e.g. volunteering on an environmental project, if you want to be involved in conservation work at a later date, or working in a hotel if you want to go on to a job in the hospitality industry. Your future career development opportunities may be significantly enhanced by a period spent working abroad.

Taking time out

Students may choose to go and work abroad as a way of getting a complete break from studying, while also picking up valuable skills and experience. For graduates, working overseas might act as a much needed respite before embarking on a career and could provide some useful reflection time before making any final decisions. After a demanding final year, you might want to take some time out to consider your options in a completely different environment.

Other reasons for working overseas include:

• limited job opportunities in the UK in a particular sector;
• altruistic reasons, particularly for those wanting to work or volunteer in a developing country;
• possibility of better living conditions or earning potential than in the UK;
• family reasons, such as relocating for a partner’s job or emigrating for a better lifestyle.

Source: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Working_abroad/why_do_it_/p!eeXmbdc