By Catherine S. McGowan

Most people can enjoy valuable personal and career-building international assignment experiences when they manage the assignment well and carry it out successfully, experts and experienced professionals agree. But while expertise and personal confidence are critical ingredients for success, working in a foreign country takes more than ability. International assignments can bring a varied set of both professional and personal challenges.

Those who have been there caution anyone considering work abroad to carefully weigh all aspects of the assignment before boarding that plane to a faraway land. But once you make the decision, work hard and enjoy the enriching opportunity before you.

Any new assignment, whether it's U.S.-based or requires travel to a distant location, brings with it a buzz of excitement--new opportunity, fresh challenge, and potential career growth and reward. Some professionals accept assignments on the basis of personal and career challenge, regardless of where they have to go. Some will travel abroad for extended periods when the location is a desirable one, regardless of the long-term career growth potential. Most accept overseas work offers based on a combination of all these factors.

"Mine was a wonderful career opportunity, as well as an opportunity to experience a different culture," says Bill Murray, president of Pacing Devices, a division of U.S.-based medical devices company Medtronic. Murray spent a year in Sweden, serving as vice president and general manager of a $70 million business. "Although it was a lot of work to move and get settled, I enjoyed both the challenge and the experience. I would gladly do it again."

"The exposure to other cultures, ideas, and viewpoints, especially ideas and viewpoints that are culturally derived, are both fascinating and valuable," offers Brian Manhire, professor of electrical engineering at Ohio University. Manhire's work experience abroad has taken him to Australia, South Africa, Malaysia, and Pakistan, among other locales. "My experience abroad has enhanced my professional work at Ohio University, especially now that engineering education, American business, and the engineering field are all becoming more globally oriented."

"These assignments have allowed me to use and build upon past experiences," adds Clif Berry, owner of an international information company whose post-military work has taken him to Haiti, among other places. "I enjoy the prospect of making positive things happen and welcome the opportunity to see things through the eyes of others.

"There is so much to be learned from other cultures," he continues. "What's more, every time I return from overseas, I'm always thankful for being a citizen of the United States of America."

You're considering an offer to work on what seems to be a great project, but it will take you overseas for an extended period. How do you decide whether or not the assignment is right for you? Just as important, how do you determine whether you're right for the assignment?

There are no hard and fast rules about who should accept international assignments, when they should accept them, or why. Some enjoy the challenges associated with working in a different business environment. Some see their international assignments as opportunities to make a difference for others. Some simply want to take advantage of living in and experiencing different cultures.

But while the decision to work overseas is a personal one, the decision to stay or to go often isn't simply a matter of personal preference. At the same time, making overseas work fulfilling and successful depends in large part upon what you make of the opportunity. By considering your current career status and potential growth pattern, assessing your company's culture and status in the marketplace, and determining how marketable or transferable potential new knowledge will be, you'll be able to make the decision that will benefit you most.

"Accepting foreign assignments and then completing them successfully, especially early in your career, often enhances overall career growth," says Larry Sadler, president of ThirdWave Solutions, a strategic business management firm in Reston, Virginia. "These assignments build upon and broaden knowledge, boost self-confidence, build personal character and leadership qualities, and demonstrate company loyalty." No one can argue the value of these attributes as significant contributors to career growth and success.

Sadler enjoyed foreign assignments at both ends of his corporate career, having worked in Germany relatively early on and then in Canada not long before retiring. International travel is not just for young career professionals, he points out. Those in the later stages of their careers also benefit from international assignments, but must consider some different factors.

In addition, while many welcome the opportunity to share the valuable lessons that can be learned by living in a different culture, some families find it difficult to endure the day-to-day culture shock they find in their home away from home. They note that the excitement of international travel doesn't always last for non-working family members who go along for the experience.

Manhire, though, has always welcomed the opportunity to share his travels with his family. "The opportunity for members of my family to accompany me on assignments and therefore benefit from exposure to other countries and cultures was always a positive incentive for accepting these assignments," he says. By considering all of the issues related to family travel ahead of time, you will enhance the value gained from sharing an international adventure together.

The key to making foreign assignments
an enriching
experience for the entire family
is to be sure
the needs of the assignment
will allow you to balance
family and work.

What about financial considerations? Professionals who opt to work overseas must also contend with a set of unique and sometimes overwhelming financial issues. Few companies today expect their employees to "pay to work" overseas, but it's critical employees review the financial aspects of working abroad before accepting any offer to do so. The challenges associated with the work itself will be enough to deal with, without adding financial anxiety to the equation.

Employers and employees must come to terms on such related financial issues as salary progression and cost of living. Anticipate all of your expected expenses and make sure they will be covered, and discuss such personnel issues as performance and salary review procedures with your supervisor to be sure you don't miss specific review cycles or certain advancement opportunities because you're off-site.

Experts recommend looking first at basic cost-of-living differences. Depending on whether you take your family with you, you'll likely have to maintain two residences or, at the very least, make arrangements for your residence back home. In addition, the cost to live in the international location may be substantially higher (or substantially lower) than in your home country. Consider the specific cost-of-living issues related to your assignment when negotiating terms.

Forecasting tax liability is also critical for professionals working abroad. Working abroad does not eliminate Americans' responsibility to pay state and federal income tax, for example. Add to that the fact that many countries require every worker, citizen or non-citizen, to pay taxes, and tax liability can become a substantial accounting nightmare for the unaware.

Experts advise that people estimate their tax liability ahead of time, to avoid learning an expensive lesson that may be difficult to renegotiate or remedy later. For those who will have to file multiple returns in different countries, it's usually best to seek the assistance of a tax expert who is accustomed to working with differences in currency and with tax rules and allowances in other countries. Most employers will agree to tax equalization and to some form of tax preparation assistance

Will the home office support the endeavor adequately? Distance will surely play a role in offshore workers' ability to interact with and get needed support from their home office. "We often take for granted the real-time response aspect of working right at home," Sadler comments. "This work dynamic changes drastically when you're working remotely."

In theory, everyone works together to ensure success on a project. In reality, though, once off-site, it becomes a challenge to get the necessary support and maintain regular communications with the home office. U.S.-based supervisors will not share your understanding of the needs because they won't be "living the situation." In addition, they will be dealing with their own set of priorities at home.

"It's difficult to convey urgency long distance, and even more difficult to elicit action and response in absentia," Sadler says. "The general tendency exists for home-based issues to be dealt with first because they are visible."

International assignment professionals and their home-based supervisors can reduce or even eliminate this potential for costly productivity delays by discussing communications expectations and procedures before the assignment begins. Also, knowing this tendency exists allows professionals to plan carefully once they're on assignment, anticipating the delays that might occur with regular communications and home office support. Such careful planning will enable work to progress smoothly despite delays.

Will job security be enhanced or hindered? Today's corporate climates are in a state of flux, perhaps more than ever. Mergers and acquisitions are commonplace. Corporate cultures are changing more frequently. And although job security may be a difficult factor to negotiate, it's one you should consider and discuss, when possible.

But should the ever-present possibility for corporate change stop today's professionals from taking advantage of international assignment opportunities? Probably not, because with every opportunity comes some risk. Keep in mind, though, that while you're gone, your work back home will continue to get done by someone else. While the same can be said for any career move or assignment change, some people make the decision to go abroad cushioned in the notion that they'll return at the very least to what they left.

Though Sadler believes repatriation can make for a bit of a bumpy ride as far as securing a home-based assignment goes, "the home office will have to find a position for you when you return," he says. "In fact, they may likely offer you a better position at a higher level, especially if your overseas assignment was successful."

The key to ensuring job security upon repatriation is to maintain home office visibility, asserts Murray. "I was fortunate, since I had a high-level U.S. sponsor and good home office visibility," he says. "I was actually asked to return early to fill a critical position. Often, however, repatriation can be a challenge. It can be particularly difficult to find a good job fit at the end of the assignment period."

Experts recommend professionals look carefully at the potential for change within the company and then measure how those changes might affect job security. While this means you may base decisions on a hypothetical scenario, the decisions you make will be more thorough as a result.

Do you have the right personal characteristics? With all professional, economic, and family issues considered, have you factored in your own personal character to the decision equation? Anyone considering an overseas assignment must make an honest appraisal of their own personality traits to determine whether they have the right characteristics for work abroad.

Are you flexible? Can you accept what will likely be vastly different business practices and work confidently in such an environment? If not, think twice about accepting an offer for international work.

"I highly recommend foreign assignments for people who enjoy being flexible and view the idea of living and working in foreign countries as an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally," Manhire comments.

"They work for people who are adaptable and who can keep an open mind," Berry adds. "They also work for those who simply want to make a difference."

"For those who can keep an open mind and weigh heavily the career-enhancing potential and broadening of experience, skills, and personal character, foreign assignments become invaluable opportunities," agrees Sadler.

Your decision to accept an international assignment is personal. Likewise, determining whether you are a good fit personally for such a challenge is a must.

Preparing for your extended visit is key to having a meaningful and enjoyable experience abroad. Of course, adequate preparation goes beyond packing a few suitcases and updating your passport.

Business practices will be different; find out how and plan ways to adapt. The culture will be different; find out as much as you can about the country you will be visiting--the history, the everyday customs and practices, and the laws.

The language may be different. If it is, take a course to learn it or brush up on rusty skills. By preparing adequately, you'll reduce the time it will take you to get settled and to start producing results.

Many companies provide culture training before departure. This training covers topics ranging from typical, day-to-day customs and practices to cultural faux pas; it offers the do's and don'ts of the society you will be joining. In addition, some suggest finding and working with a mentor while on assignment.

"Mentors help a great deal with guiding visitors though the different cultural and business practices, as well as with day-to-day living needs--finding a bank or grocery, locating appropriate medical services, offering directions--just about anything," Sadler notes. "Without a willing in-country mentor to help, you may find yourself overwhelmed with culture shock."

"I had an in-country mentor while I was in Sweden and it was extremely helpful," Murray adds.

Overall, prepare to be flexible, adaptable, and patient. Professionals on assignment overseas will always have to deal with issues related to culture, language, social and local customs, and foreign infrastructure. In addition, they will almost always have to forego some of the comforts and amenities found at home in favor of enjoying those found in other countries and with other cultures. Dealing with the differences is a small price to pay, and does nothing to diminish the overwhelming positives gained from the overall experience.

Perhaps above all else, it pays to know what to expect and prepare for it, and then expect the unexpected. For those who go in with their eyes open and who anticipate a positive experience, international assignments can be among the most rewarding of career opportunities.

As Murray says, "Just consider it an adventure."

Catherine S. McGowan is a writer and editor in Ashburn, VA.