GOING GLOBAL
Broadening your
horızons
With the job market becoming increasingly competitive
tions and demands? For a PA it is perhaps best described
as a way of achieving a better work-life balance. Any PA
everyone is having to widen their search when it comes to
will be familiar with working outside the usual 9-5 rou-
those all-important career moves. MICHAEL SCANLON weighs up the
tine and they will also be used to multi-tasking; juggling
clients and deadlines; and sacrificing a large part of their
pros and cons for a PA considering looking for work abroad
social life in pursuit of success, but if this work ethic only
has money as its reward it can become self serving and
even debilitating. Working abroad can offer other things.
After the cut and thrust of the workplace in the A PA working abroad doesn’t instantly become a hap-
‘noughties’ it seems that a new type of employee is pier person, the workload is no less (sometimes it’s
emerging to take on the business world in the next more) and the problems and challenges are the same, but
decade; the SCAMPS! The days of the Yuppie are long several factors can pay huge dividends, especially in
gone as employees look for something more from their regards to achieving a better work-life balance.
career than large salaries and important sounding job
titles. SCAMPS, or those ‘swapping careers and money ■ Location, location, location! The place you work can
for passport stamps’, are more interested in broadening have a huge bearing on your outlook and wellbeing.
their horizons, and gaining new life experiences, they People working abroad often do so because of this
are also turning their backs on short term gain in favour very reason. Moving to a country where the climate is
of a more balanced and long term outlook; the emphasis warmer is often one of the biggest plus points for
is definitely more on learning than earning. working abroad. Being able to go to the beach any-
Office Angels, the recruitment consultants, came up with time of the year on your few hours off without having
the acronym after research involving 1,000 office workers to rely on the weather has its obvious benefits. On the
showed that Generation Y (those born between the mid ‘70s flip side of that moving abroad for all year round
and mid ‘90s) were making career choices based on learning snow may also be a consideration for someone inter-
new skills, experiencing different environments and having a ested in winter sports.
good quality of life. Career, salary and immediate success no ■ Culture & history Most people only get to experience
longer registered as primary concerns in the way they once what other countries have to offer in terms of food,
did. Almost half of SCAMPS expressed a strong interest in art, sport and architecture once or twice a year when
travelling the world as opposed to just one in 10 who wanted they go on holiday. For someone interested in any of
a senior management position. But a yearning for new expe- these areas working abroad can be the ideal opportu-
riences isn’t just the preserve of Generation Y, as the prospect nity to soak up the atmosphere and history of many
of foreign climes is appealing to all. great cities across the world.
David Clubb, Managing Director of Office Angels, ■ Going walkabout There are many jobs where travel
believes that this is not just a passing fad, it’s an attitude that is integral to the work undertaken; the armed forces,
is set to continue: “This new generation of SCAMPS recog- the tourist industry or the world of sport are all good
nise that money and work are not the be-all and end-all of examples, but if a PA is willing to do the research and
life and are eager to pursue new experiences, both at home make the contacts then their job can offer them trav-
and abroad. There are so many exciting opportunities avail- el destinations that don’t involve long road trips up
able in organisations today such as sabbaticals and career and down the M1.
swaps and my advice would be to take these up wherever
possible and have a fun and fulfilling career.” The company’s Working abroad – the highs
research found that a fifth of workers admitted they would Working abroad looks great on a CV. It shows a willing-
CONTACTS
be much more likely to follow their life-long ambition if they ness to go that extra mile for work (literally) while also
became redundant, showing redundancy can sometimes be reflecting positively on your personal attributes and
Office Angels
www.office-angels.com
a catalyst for making a positive life changing decision. social skills. Taking a job abroad does not necessarily
mean taking a pay cut even if the figure on your pay slip
Robert Walters
www.robertwalters.com
Working to live, not living to work says you have. The cost of living in many countries out-
So how does this new research and this new attitude side of the UK is significantly lower and you may be enti-
Hays
www.hays.co.uk
impact on a PA who is looking for a career change or tled to tax-breaks which could make the currency in your
something challenging that is not tied to salary expecta- pocket go that much further. UIfastforward
www.executivepa.com » Feb/Mar 2010 » 37
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