Relocation: a world of opportunity

Bahbb1shogzmiiuymdeylzaxlzi2lzeylzaxlzm3lzq3ns9nq0gylkpqr1siogzwogp0ahvtyiinmjuwedmwmd4

Marcel Chahine - Director of International

As resilient businesses continue to grow and expand both in this country and abroad, job seekers are increasingly undertaking new international roles.

Business in general is becoming more international – be it industrial, agriculture, retail or property – everything seems to be done on a global rather than local scale. Given the current economic climate, it is important to remember the numerous positives to relocation.

At Quest, we have a strong and experienced international team that places candidates in a variety of roles, including fashion, head office and logistics and our clients are primarily from the burgeoning Middle East. A developing market with many positive attributes, the region encompasses both tourist-filled holiday destinations such as Dubai and Bahrain and business states including Kuwait, Saudi, Oman and Egypt to name but a few.

English is one of the most commonly spoken languages and so the barrier in communication that may be detrimental in some European cities is broken down, allowing you to make a transition more easily and successfully promote your business to clients.

Other benefits of the region include the low level of tax paid, as the flourishing Middle Eastern market is able to offer candidates more lucrative contracts than can be found anywhere else in the world.

Within retail, there is a strong correlation between UK and Middle Eastern retailers and, as a result, businesses tend to favour UK and European expatriates who can bring valuable knowledge of competitors and of the industry as a whole.

In stark contrast to the economic gloom in the eurozone, most businesses in the region are still projecting growth and, though it would be difficult to predict what will happen in 2012 anywhere in the world, there has been no slow down in expectations or recruitment from our clients.

While there are many positives to relocating for a job, it is important that candidates carefully consider all aspects of the move, from the location’s cultural differences to family circumstances which may affect desired commuting time, schooling and regional safety.

Candidates should also be aware of the challenge that is ahead of them from ‘what the business requires of you’ to ‘what you require of the business’ as well as the obvious social impact of the relocation – so many candidates are very good at what they do in their home countries, though sometimes struggle internationally due to a subconscious reluctance to adapt working methods.

No one can genuinely know if a candidate will be a success in international business and, though there are certain signs that will give us an indication as well as various interview and competencies candidates undertake, deciding to make a fresh start for the year ahead is ultimately a personal choice.

As a team, we have placed a number of candidates abroad and work hard to lead our candidates through every step of the process and ensure that they are best placed to reap the benefits of new experiences and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.