5 Great Reasons to Work Abroad

Millennial women are on the move, and want the opportunity to work abroad more than ever before. A study from PwC earlier this year found that international work is attracting "unprecedented" demand, with 70% of millennial women indicating that they want to work abroad, particularly early on in their careers. As a journalist, I have relocated twice in the past five years from Australia, to the U.K. and U.S. But before each move, there were a series of questions I asked myself that helped me to decide whether or not my move would suit my ambitions, both personally and professionally. I have experienced what it's like to land in a new country and hunt for a job only once I had arrived, and I've also moved abroad with a project already lined up – but both scenarios required careful planning and consideration. Whether you’ve just commenced your search, or if it’s already well under way, here are four questions you need to ask yourself well before you pack your bags. Knowing the answer to these in advance will help prepare you for a successful time abroad from the very start.

I remember the first time I started to have doubts about my career path. It was 2001 and I was living in New York City, working as a mergers and acquisitions analyst in a respected multinational firm. By all accounts, I had it made. As the daughter of an illiterate pig farmer and the first of my family to attend college, this was no small feat. With a degree from UC Berkeley under my belt and a high-paying job in a field I had once only dreamed of entering, I was well aware that I was in an enviable position. Then came the meeting that shifted my entire way of thinking.