An International Career: Working Abroad

Behavior that is acceptable in one country is often inappropriate in another. Thus, it is important that you become familiar with the cultural norms and values of a country before beginning a job search. For each country, you should know the acceptable topics of discussion, proper business attire, gestures and public manners, etiquette in terms of introductions, meetings, tipping, and gift-giving.  Following are a few examples of cultural differences:

North America: American culture stresses individualism, directness, activism, self-reliance, egalitarianism, and a fast-paced work ethic. Time, for example, is a major factor in American culture. Arriving a few minutes late for an appointment is considered rude. Meetings and appointments usually begin with "small talk.” Americans tend to refrain from greetings that involve hugging and other forms of close physical contact.

Africa: Almost all African countries promote group effort. Appearing individualistic may be a hindrance in job search. An unhurried pace is acceptable in many African countries; patience is important. Ethiopians, for example, believe that, "If you wait long enough, even an egg will walk!" In Egypt, producing "instant results" is not a part of the business culture. It is also considered rude in many countries to look at someone directly when being addressed. Doing so in an interview may make the interviewer feel that his/her authority is being challenged.

Asia: Asian cultures, in general, promote modesty; however, there are differences for each country. The Chinese and Koreans believe that one’s true values and worth should be noticed without self-promotion. Appearing confident, or overly direct about one's abilities, may have a negative affect. On the other hand, in Japan one must be direct and exemplify confidence. In Japanif a close contact closes his eyes while listening to you, it simply means he/she is listening intently. Using red ink in China means you're severing business ties. 

Europe: In England, maintaining eye contact is necessary, especially when you are trying to emphasize an important point. A man should wait for a woman to extend her hand first before shaking. The French can be very direct, questioning, and probing, so a carefully planned, logically organized proposal is very important. In Hungary, eating with your left hand is taboo, snapping your fingers in Belgium is an obscene gesture, and in Finland, giving an odd number of objects to someone is considered offensive.

Latin America: In Argentina, an American "thumbs up" signal is an obscene gesture. In Paraguay, winking at someone means you have romantic intentions, and in Brazil, mispronouncing someone's name is a grave insult. Brazilians usually greet each other with long handshakes and noticeable eye contact; close friends will often embrace. In Colombia, decisions are often made on the basis of feelings, rather than empirical evidence and facts.  

Middle East: Arab countries stress group effort over an individualistic one. In interviewing and résumé writing, stress group-related activities. Pants and pantsuits for women are not recommended in Saudi Arabia, nor is neck jewelry for men. 

USEFUL LINKS: 

As you can see, etiquette differs in different parts of the world. It is essential to get country-specific information for a successful job search. Resources can be found online with information for all countries in the world. Some useful sights are:

The-Bag-Lady.co.uk: Includes information for each country. Search under Social and Business Profiles.

Web of Culture.com: International consultant firm website

Executive Planet.com

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