Thinking About Taking Your Career Global? Here’s What No One Tells You

Thinking About Taking Your Career Global?

Thinking About Taking Your Career Global? Here’s What No One Tells You

When I took my first significant step abroad as a high school student in Munich, Germany, I had no idea that experience would become the launchpad for a lifelong international journey. Back then, I was simply curious - ready to explore, to learn a new language, and immerse myself in another way of life. What I didn’t know was how foundational those early lessons would be for navigating the complexities of building a global career later on.

Fast forward to today: I’ve worked and coached across three continents, guiding professionals who are contemplating or actively pursuing international transitions. And here’s the truth most people don’t talk about—going global sounds exciting, but sustaining a career across cultures takes more than ambition and a solid resume.

Here’s what I’ve learned—through experience, not textbooks - about what it really takes to manage and grow a career internationally.

1. Your career story must translate - literally and culturally

You may have all the right credentials and impressive achievements, but what shines on your CV at home might not land the same way elsewhere. Global job markets interpret things like “teamwork,” “trust,” or “success” differently based on their unique cultural lenses.

In some regions, highlighting your individual accomplishments is key. In others, a focus on collaboration, humility, or even your ability to adapt to hierarchy might carry more weight. Translation goes far beyond language - it’s about nuance, expectations, and cultural fit.

💡 Best Practice: Speak with professionals who’ve successfully made the leap in your field and location of interest. Ask them what hiring managers look for, and adapt your CV and interview pitch to reflect local norms - not just your home-country standards.

2. Your network matters more than your passport

This might be the hardest truth for high-performing professionals to hear: your qualifications alone won’t open doors globally. Relationships do. In many countries, trust is a prerequisite for opportunity - and that trust is built differently around the world.

Being “unknown” in a new market can put you at a disadvantage unless you actively work to integrate. That means showing up - online, at industry events, through communities of practice, or alumni groups.

💡 Best Practice: Start building your network before you need it. Leverage LinkedIn not just for visibility, but for engagement. Comment, connect, share thoughtful insights, and don’t be afraid to ask for virtual coffees with people working in your target market.

3. You’ll need to redefine what "success" means to you

One of the biggest unspoken challenges of international careers is internal: how you measure your own progress and identity when everything around you changes. That promotion track you were climbing at home? It might not exist in the same way abroad. Titles, responsibilities, even work-life balance can shift drastically. And no one is waiting for you to show up in your host country.

A global move is more than a professional decision - it’s a life decision. You might have to trade short-term certainty for long-term growth. Sometimes, the biggest wins are personal: learning to navigate discomfort and ambiguity, building resilience, or finding a new kind of fulfilment.

💡 Best Practice: Set holistic goals for your international move. Think beyond your job title - what experiences do you want to have for yourself? What cultures do you want to understand more deeply? How do you make it a common shared journey with your parer and family ?

Email: sandrine.gelin@glshift.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sandrinelamrani

Make an appointment: https://www.glshift.com/book-online

Web Site: www.glshift.com

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