Career Strategies for the Perpetually Mobile

Knowing that your husband is going to change his job location every four years might at first have the taste of adventure. I’ve always wanted to experience new cultures and see new places. Besides, having the opportunity to reorganize my house from scratch every once in a while feels great to me, being an interiors decor lover. Also, raising my kids with an international background seems like an intriguing idea. As exciting as it might seem, this is not that practical from a career point of view. Women often have extra challenges when it comes to family-work balance, and that’s a well known issue, but having a stable, long-term job as an expat wife is an antinomy. At least that’s what we tend to think.

Family and work are definitely two fundamental parts of my life. Over the last two years I have been working to build, together with some partners, my own start-up in the Netherlands. I have gained my MSc degree at the Delft University of Technology and have recently joined an accelerator program for young entrepreneurs. During my studies, I have always done side jobs and when I got pregnant with my first child, about three years ago, the need for pursuing the professional goals I have always set to myself, felt somehow stronger. Also the need to learn Dutch properly suddenly arose. But the incapability of planning my long-term career goals was overwhelming. If working outside home is important to you, this insecurity can easily let you down.

It was when I was struggling with career choices, knowing that these would affect my employability in the coming years, that I came across the announcement of a course at the RUG called the Portable Profession: Career Strategies for the Perpetually Mobile. This course was addressed to accompanying spouses, those who find themselves continually on the move. So, I joined the course, and it was definitely worth it. Michaela Stephanie Carriere, the lecturer and organizer of the course, believes that there are many opportunities available to pack your job in a suitcase just like you do with your clothes when moving anywhere abroad. This requires organization, well-thought maneuvering and creativity. Michaela guides you through a portable career planning process in this exciting 7-week course. From defining your dreams, to working on your CV or creating your blog/website, the program explores a variety of possibilities, and Michaela does it with a flexibility that makes you look forward to the next relocation, just to test your plan. Each person has a unique situation with different challenges and I was impressed with her sincere interest in ensuring we each got what we needed.

Michaela is an expert in intercultural competences, being involved in the field of intercultural communication since 1998; she has more than 20 years of international experience (including India, Indonesia, Burma, Bangladesh, US and The Netherlands). Michaela successfully put her career in her suitcase when she moved.

Trying to plan my next move is part of my character (although I fully believe the Greek saying: “when you make plans, God is laughing”). My husband and I have been a stable couple since we both were 14 years old. During our bachelor studies (20 y-o), my, at that time boyfriend, told me that he was 100% sure he would never find a good job in our home country (Italy) as aerospace engineer, and therefore wanted to move. I decided I could not wait to act. I needed to prevent our relationship from ending. Also, I could not accept the scenario of me following him without the skills to find a job abroad. My education (building engineering) was very local, meaning that what I was learning was mainly applicable to my country only. Besides, I could not speak English at all. We had therefore decided to pursue our Master in English abroad, and so we did, leaving our homes together at 22 years old. Now, after 5 years, the feeling of uncertainty, together with the need of acting to prevent the same scenario I so much feared, presented once again. I do have a more international background and I have learned two languages in the meantime, but I have also got a family, which doesn’t simplify the equation. Encountering the Portable Profession course presented a valuable opportunity to plan and thoroughly think about the intercultural aspect of the career choices I am making today.

My next relocation could happen in about 3 years from now, and this time I will feel less insecure. Now I have a well-thought plan and, thanks to Michaela, I have been thinking about the impact this plan might have on my relocation. It will not be a piece of cake, as I do feel at home in The Netherlands, but at least I am already preparing my suitcase.

Written by Angela Greco