Jobs overseas have completely transformed my life and my career, and there’s one crucial thing I wish someone had told me before I started. I have lived and worked in over 10 countries. In Mexico and Senegal, in particular, I worked at leading global management consulting firms. Needless to say, I have A LOT of experience in searching for, applying to, and interviewing for international roles.
But before I share what I learned the hard way, let me tell you exactly what pursuing jobs overseas really looks like.
Getting Jobs Overseas: Not a Walk in the Park
Getting these jobs was far from easy. I had to do a ton of research, networking, applying and re-applying to get the job I wanted.
When you’re searching for jobs overseas, you quickly realize that the process is nothing like applying for positions in your home country. The timeline is longer, the requirements are different, and the emotional rollercoaster is more intense than anything you’ve experienced in domestic job hunting.
My Mexico Story: Why Jobs Overseas Require Multiple Attempts
Take Mexico for example, I applied to A.T. Kearney in Mexico, and I even interviewed there (for consulting, you must do tests and numerous grueling case interviews, where you must solve problems on the spot, interpret graphs, and do math WITHOUT a calculator, and explain it all live during the interview as you go.)
The first time I applied to A.T. Kearney in Mexico, I made it to the interview process but was turned down after the 1st round of interviews. However, I didn’t give up there. I continued to practice case interviews relentlessly and applied 6 months later. This time, I got the job and shortly after, moved to Mexico City, which soon became my all-time favorite city in the world.
That first rejection stung more than any domestic job rejection I’d ever experienced. When you’re pursuing jobs overseas, the stakes feel higher because you’re not just getting a new job – you’re potentially changing your entire life. The visa applications, the logistics, the dreams you’ve built around that specific place and opportunity – it all comes crashing down with that first “no.”
But here’s what I learned: that first “no” taught me more about case interviews than any business school course ever did. Those six months of relentless practice between applications? They didn’t just improve my interview skills – they showed me I had the persistence required for international success.
Senegal: How Networking for Jobs Overseas Really Works
Take Senegal as another example, where I applied and re-applied continually to Dalberg Global Development Advisors Senegal, the world’s leading global sustainable development consulting firm. I knew I wanted to go to West Africa and improve my French. Having heard time and time again from my Master’s classmates who had visited or worked in Senegal, saying it was their favorite African country – had piqued my interest. I was determined to go to Senegal – not with any job – but with THE job I wanted.
So how could I accomplish this task?
Well, I started connecting with employees of the company on LinkedIn. And of course, I connected with employees of the firm based Senegal, but I didn’t stop there. I also contacted employees in Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Geneva, and more. I had conversations with folks in all of these places.
The contact I had made at the Senegal office said they were not hiring now. I applied anyway. About 6 months later, I followed up with him again, and he said they still were not hiring. I applied again. About a year later, I contacted him for a fourth time, only to find out that this time they were hiring, and he offered to send my resume to HR.
At the very beginning of quarantine, after three grueling interviews, I finally got the offer I’d been dreaming of – a position in Senegal. I was over the moon.
But here’s what surprised me most: when I started, contacts I’d made through networking in other countries immediately knew who I was. Whether they spotted my name in the ‘new hire’ announcement, we crossed paths on a project, or met in a virtual meeting, they already had a sense of who I was and what I brought to the table.
This is exactly the kind of targeted approach I teach my clients. It’s not about sending random connection requests or hoping someone notices you. It’s about building genuine relationships and keeping them warm.
The Common Denominator
So why am I telling you all this? I share these stories because the common denominator in all of them can be summed up in one word – resilience.
This is the one thing I wish I knew before applying to my first jobs overseas: success isn’t about being the most qualified candidate or having the perfect resume. It’s about having the resilience to outlast the inevitable rejections, setbacks, and radio silence that come with international job hunting.
It takes resilience to seek jobs abroad and be rejected over and over again. It takes resilience to network and network and not always get the result you want on the first go. And it takes resilience to pick yourself back up, put one foot in front of the other, and keep going.
What Resilience Looks Like When Searching for Jobs Overseas:
1. Resilience in Applications
In Mexico, resilience looked like spending six months practicing case interviews after my first rejection. It meant applying to the same company twice, knowing they might recognize my name and wondering if that would help or hurt my chances.
2. Resilience in Networking
In Senegal, resilience meant sending that fourth follow-up message when the first three had yielded nothing concrete. It meant maintaining a relationship even when there was no immediate benefit.
3. Resilience in Preparation
For both positions, resilience meant being ready to perform at 100% with minimal notice. When that Senegal opportunity finally materialized, I had one week to prepare for interviews in French. There was no time for self-doubt or imposter syndrome – just preparation and execution.
Why Most People Give Up on Jobs Overseas
The biggest difference between those who successfully land jobs overseas and those who don’t isn’t talent, experience, or even luck. It’s resilience.
Most people approach international job hunting with domestic expectations. They expect quick responses, straightforward processes, and clear timelines. When the reality doesn’t match these expectations, they interpret the challenges as signs they’re not meant for international work.
But here’s what I learned: the challenges aren’t bugs in the system – they’re features. The extra complexity, longer timelines, and higher barriers to entry mean that only the most committed candidates make it through. Companies hiring internationally want to see that you can handle ambiguity, persist through setbacks, and adapt to unexpected challenges. The application process itself is a test of these qualities.
Practical Advice for Building Resilience in Your Jobs Overseas Search
My advice to you is the same I give to my clients: If you are feeling frustrated or overwhelmed, it’s completely normal. In fact, it’s part of the process. Keep going. Don’t give up. Whatever your dream or end goal is, you CAN achieve it, but you might need to learn a new skill, a new language, and try more than once to achieve it.
Expect Multiple Attempts
Plan for your first application to any jobs overseas opportunity to be a learning experience, not necessarily a winning one. Use rejections as data to improve your next attempt.
Build Relationships, Not Just Networks
That contact in Senegal became genuinely invested in my success because I approached him as a person, not just a networking opportunity. Invest in real relationships, and people will invest in your success.
Stay Ready
Between applications, keep improving. Learn that language, practice those technical skills, read about the industry. When your opportunity comes, you want to be ready to seize it immediately.
Embrace the Long Game
International career moves happen on international timelines. What feels slow to you might be moving at exactly the right pace for the company, their visa processes, and their business needs.
The Payoff: Why Jobs Overseas Are Worth the Struggle
Mexico City became my all-time favorite city in the world. That alone made every rejection, every practice case interview, every moment of doubt worth it. But the professional benefits have been even more significant.
The resilience I built pursuing jobs overseas has served me in every subsequent role. The cultural intelligence, language skills, and global perspective I gained opened doors I never knew existed. Most importantly, I learned that I’m capable of much more than I originally believed.
Your Journey to Working Abroad Starts With One Decision
The decision to pursue jobs overseas will test you in ways you can’t imagine right now. You’ll question your qualifications, your timing, and your sanity. You’ll get rejections that sting more than any domestic “no” ever could.
But if you can develop the resilience to push through those challenges, the rewards are extraordinary. Not just the professional opportunities, but the personal growth that comes from proving to yourself that you can achieve seemingly impossible goals.
Aso remember, you are not alone. Every successful international professional I know went through the same struggles, felt the same doubts, and found the same resilience you’re capable of developing.
The one thing I wish I knew before applying to jobs abroad? That resilience isn’t something you either have or don’t have – it’s something you build, one application, one rejection, one follow-up message at a time.
Your international career is waiting. The only question is: are you resilient enough to claim it?
Ready to start building the resilience you need for jobs overseas success? Remember: every “no” is just practice for the “yes” that will change your life, and the only guaranteed “no” is the one you don’t ask for.
This journey is not always easy, but you don’t have to do it alone.
I’m Megan, a Work Abroad Specialist who has lived and worked in over 10 countries. I’m dedicated to helping ambitious professionals identify pathways and develop strategies that will allow them to live and work abroad in the regions and countries that truly excite them.
Whether you’re just starting to dream about international opportunities or you’re ready to make your move, I understand the challenges because I’ve lived them. From navigating visa requirements to mastering the art of international networking, I help people turn their overseas career dreams into concrete action plans.
If you’d like to learn more about my story and approach, click here.
Also, feel free to book a 1:1 free Work Abroad Exploration call where we can discuss your specific goals and the best path forward for your international career journey.