Black Water Crossing! Jobbing internationally
EVERY time I write about a career destination, I get upwards of several thousand responses from professionals young and old wanting to go to that destination. While opportunities in India abound, the lure of lucre coupled with the lust for the international lifestyle seduces even the most blasé mind! Once upon a time thousands of Indians were exported en masse to South Africa and the Caribbean as indentured labour, then for a while our nation had all its exit routes stoppered.
Since the mid-sixties though, a trickle increased to a flood and now, everywhere one looks there are not one or two but several hundred Indians shining like beacons on the firmament of international commerce. There are so many `Little Indias' in so many cities that I wouldn't be surprised to hear, in the fullness of time the country that started the exodus being called `India Little' with most of its population abroad and itself only a peaceful haven for the retired returnee!
There have been so many successes by Indians abroad that the failures and disasters are oft lost in the wind of acclaim. I try telling most of the people who write in to me that they would be far better off in the land of their birth rather than be shanghaied back to our shores by an unwelcoming destination! The majority who return so ignominiously are those who went the wrong way because they were beguiled by the machinations of people who promised them the Earth but delivered them into a morass of misery. To be certain that you don't fall into the same mire make sure that you:
Research right!
Is the Firm, firm?A thorough research into the solidity of the firm will pay you untold dividends. For one thing it will save you acres of heartburn if the firm is as hollow as your heart will be when you find out it is! During the dotcom boom, our people went out in droves taken in by the tall claims of these companies, discovering only on arrival that they were mere `cleaners' in a garage operation that folded up days after they joined! Today primary research is done on the web.
But remember that everybody has a website, even Hannibal, the cannibal! You need to institute a secondary research pattern by asking friends, relatives and perhaps even investigative agencies to check out the bonafides before you spend any more money! Mark Anthony said that the evil that men do lives on after them, and so is it with organisations that are bad employers. There will be several disgruntled former employees who will be happy to talk about their unfortunate experiences. If you can meet one, or have an online chat with one, good. You should be able to place some reliance on someone whom you judge to be a good resource.
Knowing the Good from the Bad and UglyMany cases are reported everyday of hopeful job seekers being tricked out of money by unscrupulous companies. These are the ones being reported. Many more are not reported because the sums involved are not spectacular. These cases happen because some agents ask for a capital to offset their `processing' charges in getting the contact to meet the `representative' from the hiring company. This is actually illegal if the representative is not properly accredited, and amounts to obtaining money under false pretences. On the other hand, there are some companies that issue receipts, share information willingly, are transparent in their dealings, and associate themselves with the actual hiring company after first having checked their credentials. Make sure that the paperwork is in order. The Ministry of External Affairs rather frowns on people applying for passports for other people, and so if you are asked to shell out a ransom to get your passport, think carefully before you indulge in this unlawful activity. If you have a passport to begin with, don't gift it away to any provider who asks for it. Remember that visas can be and are forged routinely and though you may not be able to see the difference, the immigration authorities at your destination will, and you will be held in durance vile till the next plane returns!
Fine Print and Follow-upsIf you do get a job though an agent, make sure you have your contract vetted by your pet lawyer - preferably someone who knows some law of the country that you'll be going to. It may be a little expensive, but think of what you'll save if the contract is non-committal.
Cash in on Cash outsBig bucks are the lure but several million Yuan may not translate to much! Perhaps you are accepting a job in a country that requires you to wheel your money about in a barrow while keeping a pocket free for what you can buy with it! In which case make sure you know how you will be recompensed for your services! Is the currency freely convertible? What is its exchange value against the US$ or the Euro? Can you repatriate it or do you have to spend it all there? If your company is a good one, they will generally provide you with all this information, including details on what you would need to budget for when you arrive.
If everything draws a blank, don't immediately toss the offer onto the scrap-heap, ask the Embassy of the destination country for information. Typically, host countries do not like to nurture bad companies and if there is anything you want to know, they will generally be happy to tell you. They can also provide accurate information on costs of living and the proper documentation you would need from a prospective employer.
Banana Republics have slippery skins!
Unstable stables Is the destination of your dreams one that has openings for people like Indiana Jones? What happens if you aren't the swashbuckling type? Its not much fun dodging bullets on your way to work, and if you are irritated by officialdom breathing down your neck and telling you how to breathe, you might like to avoid the odd police state! It's also not wholly enjoyable not to be able to enjoy your leisure time the way you want to, and the country you choose as a work destination may not enjoy your enjoyment! You need to research the papers to find out if the place is stable or if it's really like a roller coaster ride in hell!
Bone up on the moresLearn about the place you are going to, find out what clothes you need to wear, how much where and whether you will find yourself in embarrassing situations because you have no clue about their culture! Become familiar with the laws that apply to foreigners and see how you will conform to them! If you can't, don't go! Some countries restrict employment opportunities for women; so if you are one, make sure that your employer knows beforehand! Also make sure you can get the food you like!
Reasonable care is prophylactic and you won't find yourself on the dawn packet back home if you have bothered to perform these checks. Better safe than sorry! We used to have, several decades ago, a problem to cross the Black Waters, but that was because research was limited and information was sketchy, today, we go abroad with reckless abandon, perhaps we'd be happier if we just tested the water before we set sail or take wing over it!
ABHIMANYU ACHARYA
abhi.hyd@cnkonline.com
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