When you are an expat returning home, looking for a job can feel like a full-time job.
I know many expat-repats who are at their desk Monday to Friday, setting weekly coffee meeting quotas for themselves and are joining every professional LinkedIn or Facebook group they can find on the internet.
The logic being that hard work is rewarded and that three months of concentrated effort, you’ll be in your next job.
Maybe, or maybe not.
I often ask these same expat-repats if they have joined a netball team.
Because sometimes, to get your next job, you actually need time out.
Here are the reasons.
You can’t put the job market on a deadline
The job market doesn’t work to your deadline and in a small market like Australia, it can only deliver roles when demand and circumstance dictate. The right role might come up in six days or six months, but you cannot control this. Setting yourself a deadline that is out of your control can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. The only thing within your power is your preparation.
Networks are everywhere
New networks are not just on LinkedIn.
One expat-repat in our community liked to row and joined a local club. Soon she was in a boat with a university academic, a management consultant, a corporate affairs professional and a chief risk officer of one of the major banks. Coffee after rowing often became a lively discussion about the machinations of the Sydney corporate scene.
Other expat-repats in our community have found new connections via their local dog parks, doing a Park Run or joining Mentor Walks.
New social connections help you reconnect with fun back home but can also introduce you to new people who can potentially help you understand the local job market.
It’s your excuse to professionally invest
Arriving home without a job may be one of the few times in a person’s career that they can experience a break.
It can be a good time to do a professional short course that adds to your professional offering while at the same time, allows you to actively engage with the local market and peers.
You need to protect your energy
There can be a fair bit of rejection when you are re-entering an unknown job market and this can feel overwhelming when it is the only thing you are doing. Having a focus on a personal passion or interest helps keep an expat-repat balanced and with energy levels needed to keep going.
I personally did an interior design course when I returned home. It was like a gym session for my mind. And I am also now joyfully empowered when it comes to coordinating soft furnishings!
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Never underestimate the impact of ‘reverse culture shock’. When expat-repats come home without a job, they are often leaving a life where they have felt they have ‘never had enough time to do everything’ to a life back in Australia where there is almost too much time. Be kind to yourself. It will take time for you to forge your identity and new life back in Australia – and your job is just one part of it.
If you want to spend a bit more time thinking and talking about the steps of a successful transition, you can start by joining my free monthly Managing Career Repatriation Workshop.
