International career: How to expand your professional perspectives

The 21st century has created an unprecedented era of global integration. It is true in (almost) all aspects of our lives, but most of all in the professional field. People can go between Internet conference calls in different time zones, advanced logistics software, emails sent in a split second, or the massive network of international flight routes that are always ready to take us wherever (and whenever) we need to be.

It is, therefore, no surprise that international careers on the global level have become significantly easier in modern times. With a professional background, including international exposure, people open a wide range of attractive news prospects for themselves.

The IT companies on the market

Despite the social changes in recent years, a study by IDC shows that the IT sector will grow by 5% per year, between 2021 and 2025, mainly in cloud, mobile, big data, IoT, robotics, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity sectors. IDC also said that a lack of technical resources would be one of the biggest problems in the coming years. Based on the current profession of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), it’s predicted that by 2025, 90% of European organisations will lack resources, indicating a shortage of 1.15 million professionals in Western Europe.

So, why don’t employees take advantage of these trends, invest in international career development, and actively participate in outsourcing projects? It is important to highlight that, at present, there are very favourable opportunities and promising paths to take into account.

Why an International IT Career is a passport to growth:

• Professional and personal enrichment: International career brings you into contact with other countries, different people, and other types of expertise and work methods, as well as challenges. It is an enriching and transformative experience because you can expand your knowledge and skills. Employees may come from different cultural backgrounds, and potential clients may be located abroad, all with different cultural customs.
• Enhances networking: By adding an international network, you will have the chance to open even more doors for yourself and take your career to the next level. You can expand the scope of opportunities by integrating innovative projects and improving contact with professionals from different countries and cultures.
• Better language acquisition: Immersing yourself in a foreign culture can also provide an opportunity to learn a new language, which can be a valuable skill in your personal and professional life.
• Being front and centre ahead of other professionals: overseas work experience may indicate that you are adaptable, ready to take on any challenge, and you’ll have a simple ability to adapt to new environments.

In recent years, more and more professionals have seen Portugal as an attractive country to work in, especially in the IT sector; far more importantly, Portugal has already been referred to as the new technological hub in Europe. And the names keep coming, from Mercedes, Volkswagen, Tyson Foods, Mollie, or Logicalis Portugal to PWC, DS Smith, or Kaizen, to mention a few.

So, in this case, international careers can bring many advantages and opportunities to IT professionals: they can expand their contact network, open up new perspectives, and present new realities and challenges, among many others already mentioned above.

However, it is essential to consciously make the choice, considering whether the organisational culture is in line with the professionals' values, whether there are programs that help integrate and welcome new professionals, and whether there is support for moving and arriving in a new country. Most importantly, remember that this can be an opportunity to open up for improved international employment.

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