- The online event organised by EDUCA EDTECH Group in collaboration with UDAVINCI brought together hundreds of people interested in developing their careers in other markets. Job opportunities in Europe, the recognition of qualifications and how to build a competitive profile were the main topics of discussion amongst an audience from more than twenty countries.
Working in another country begins long before you pack your suitcase. Questions arise such as: what opportunities are there for someone with my background? How should I present myself to an international company? Will my qualifications be recognised? Which skills do I need to develop? To what extent do language and cultural differences play a part?
These are some of the issues that shaped EDUCA Global Mobility, the free online event organised by EDUCA EDTECH Group in partnership with UDAVINCI to introduce the European labour market to professionals interested in pursuing an international career.
The session brought together hundreds of people and racked up hundreds of views, with participants from more than twenty countries. Colombia, Spain, Mexico and Venezuela were among the countries with the highest representation.
Beyond the scope of the event, the questions raised during the meeting painted a picture of the concerns currently faced by those considering working abroad: international employability, career opportunities in Europe and recognition of qualifications were the main areas of interest.
A different strategy for each professional profile
There is no single formula for looking for a job abroad. The starting point, as he explained, Brice Bibila, director of En-Aparté 360, involves first understanding where each professional currently stands.
“The strategies cannot be the same for a junior candidate, with one or two years” experience, as for a senior candidate, with six, seven or eight years’ experience. Professionals need to know where they stand before deciding how to approach their international job search,” said Bibila during the meeting.
Experience, sector, skills and languages therefore shape the strategy even before you start submitting applications.
Bibila also shared a lesson she had learnt from her own experience working in international companies: sharing a working language does not necessarily remove communication barriers.
“I worked for an international company and thought that, as the working language was English, everything could be sorted out in English. I later realised that speaking to a Spaniard, a German or an Italian in their own language made communication much easier and enabled me to achieve better results,” he explained.
For the director of En-Aparté 360, the conclusion is clear: “Cultural differences are something you learn, and you have to adapt”.
Working away from home also means having to relearn things
Cultural adaptation was also the focus of the presentation by Viridiana López, CHRO of EDUCA EDTECH Group, who discussed mobility from the perspective of his own professional experience.
“Even when speaking the same language, communication isn’t always straightforward, because so many other factors come into play. Culture shock can be significant and forces you to adapt what you already know to new structures and ways of working,” he explained.
Changing markets does not, therefore, mean starting from scratch, but it does mean reviewing one’s knowledge, professional conduct and ways of interacting within organisations.
This process also requires self-awareness. López emphasised the importance of analysing what each professional can actually contribute beyond what is formally stated on their CV.
“There are four areas of competence that I like to analyse: technical competence; cross-cutting competences, or soft skills; ”; adaptability and the ability to think critically in a given situation; and emerging skills, with Artificial Intelligence currently standing out in particular,” he said.
The combination of technical knowledge and transferable skills is therefore particularly important in a market characterised by digitalisation and the constant evolution of professional roles.
Languages, humility and adaptability: the keys to growth
Adrián Betancourt, Chief Revenue Officer at EDUCA EDTECH Group, also spoke about his journey into the professional world after spending part of his career in Mexico.
“The first lesson is to approach things with humility. I arrived with four years” experience as a manager – a position that carried a lot of weight in Mexico – but it took me seven years to gain enough confidence to consider leading a Spanish team,” he said.
His experience highlights a reality that affects many professionals who move to a different country: Previous experience continues to be valuable, but it needs to be interpreted within a new professional and cultural context.
Betancourt also highlighted languages as one of the factors that contributed most to accelerating his professional growth.
“English and the chance to work in another language helped me progress more quickly. Languages open your mind and also open up opportunities,” he said.
From training to international employability
The audience’s concerns show that career mobility goes far beyond simply finding a vacancy in another country.
Preparing for an international career involves understanding the specific characteristics of the target market, analysing one’s own skills, developing language skills, understanding new cultural dynamics and checking the requirements relating to professional practice.
The profile of the participants further underscores the cross-cutting nature of this need. Among those attending were professionals linked to Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Logistics, Engineering, Education and Project Management, amongst other areas.
EDUCA Global Mobility thus draws a conclusion that goes beyond the meeting itself: Seeking career opportunities abroad requires preparation, but also the ability to relearn how to work, communicate and add value in a different context.