You work for a great company that has offices in the United States and overseas. While you don’t want to leave your job, you would love the chance to move overseas and continue your work there. Does this sound familiar? If so, we totally get it!
Being transferred overseas is the dream of many employees who work for international companies, but if it seems out of reach, don’t give up yet. If you’re itching for that transfer but don’t know how to broach the subject with your boss, here are some tips that may help.
How to Convince Your Boss to Transfer You Overseas
- Make sure your boss knows you’re prepared to work. Before you approach your boss, make a list of all the benefits your company could gain from transferring for you. You can even create a work plan for the first year so your boss knows that you mean business and don’t plan on slacking off. You can also find a subtle way to tell your boss that you have enough savings for a big move so the company can feel secure about your transfer.
- Find out who makes the decisions. You may have convinced your boss about the transfer, but it may not be entirely his/her call. Find out who the main decision-makers are and see if there’s anything you can do (without going over your boss’s head) to influence them in the right direction.
- Visit the international office and make alliances. If you make friends at the international office, there’s a chance that the people in charge may actually request your transfer. If that’s the case, there’s a much higher chance your boss/the powers-that-be will agree.
If the above 3 tactics don’t work, you may consider applying to companies that already have relocation programs in place. If a company has a program for international transfer up and running, it’s a safe bet that their work culture will support your dreams of moving abroad.
What To Do If Your Boss Agrees
If the above tactics do work and you convince your boss to transfer you overseas (hurrah!), it will be up to you to take care of the logistics of moving. That can include packing for your international relocation and hiring an international moving service. And even if you do have savings in the bank, you’ll still want to create a budget for an international move, since expenses can snowball before you know it.
While there are a lot of details involved in an international move, remember that they are all means toward one great end: The overseas transfer you’ve been dreaming of!
