EGG In The News

In Pictures: Eight Tips For Outsourcing Yourself

Earlier this year, after announcing the stateside layoffs of 1,600 investment banking employees, Merrill Lynch (nyse: MER - news - people ) hired a team of merger and acquisition bankers to beef up its presence there.

"Many of the employers that had huge losses here are all hiring teams in the emerging markets," says Annie Levy Sandin, co-founder of Emerging Globe Group, an executive search firm that specializes in placing white collar workers overseas.

The Brics--Brazil, Russia, China, India--and several countries in the Gulf region are hot destinations for American executives as global capitalism booms due to changed political systems. The result is a growing need for experienced knowledge workers.

But while jobs might be plentiful--especially for American-educated and trained employees--picking up and moving isn't easy. That's especially true if you don't know where to start. We asked experts and Americans who have moved abroad to put together a guide to finding a job in an emerging market.

First step: Figure out which country most needs your professional skills. For instance, in the Gulf countries of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, key sectors include financial services, tourism, hospitality and consumer goods. There's also a strong need for Western-trained physicians because of the exploding expatriate population. (The majority of the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar's populations are expatriates.) Western-trained physicians don't need to take any extra certification or board exams to practice there.

"There's a misconception about the Middle East that the only industry that matters is energy--oil, gas and drilling," says Aamir A. Rehman, author of Dubai & Co.: Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States.

Executives from the failing U.S. auto industry will find plenty of work in China. Other hot industries there include consumer goods, manufacturing, life sciences, technology and green technology. India desperately needs human resources professionals along with information technology workers and network architects. All of these countries are hiring infrastructure experts like civil engineers, electrical engineers, project managers and architects.

Once you decide which country to target, open your contact list and ask everyone you know--don't forget people from professional organizations and former co-workers--if they know anyone in your desired destination. Once you get a list of locals to talk to, introduce yourself via e-mail and ask for appropriate contacts who live in the locale and work in your industry.

That personal connection will go a long way. "Hiring managers will be more flexible about the exact experience needed for the job if they have a personal connection to the candidate they're looking to hire," says Elizabeth Jenswold, an executive search consultant at Amrop Hever in Shanghai, China.

You'll rely on those people once you land in the country to help acclimate to life. Those contacts can also advise you on where to live, the cost of living and other cultural issues. Next, make a list of the multinational and local companies in your desired country and make contact.

But the best way to get a job abroad is to shell out the money to visit the country and spend a week conducting informational interviews with hiring mangers.

"You get a lot of credit for showing up," says Levy Sandin. "It's rare to walk away empty-handed."

Search firms such that specialize in certain regions are becoming more popular. For example, The S&T Group is an executive search firm for financial services in the Middle East; Hudson Human Resources, which has offices worldwide and Amrop Hever, also has offices worldwide. These firms can help line up meetings with appropriate contacts before you visit.

Compensation depends on what country you go to and whether you work for a multinational firm or a local one. The most lucrative deal comes if you're hired--and moved--by a global corporation. You'll be paid in dollars and will make a comparable salary to what you'd make in the same position in the U.S. The boost comes when you factor in things like covered moving costs, school allowances and a driver.

Gulf firms often offer higher pay than comparable roles in the U.S., and the tax savings gained--there is no federal tax there, and Americans are only taxed on income above $85,700 worldwide income--can make the difference even more substantial.

"This holds for both multinationals and for local firms, who know they need to offer attractive packages in order to attract top talent," says Rehman. "Americans who have worked in the Gulf often come home with healthy savings accounts."

In China, expatriate employees of local companies generally make less and are lucky to receive health benefits, says Rebecca Weiner, an American who previously worked in China and co-authored Culture Shock! China: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette.

In Brazil, though, salaries last year were "well over what equivalent professionals were making in New York or London," says Levy Sandin. She says salaries are typically paid in reals with some exceptions, and with the Brazilian currency up 21% this year against the dollar, expatriates can come out ahead in the long run.

Before you go, learn the industry issues that keep your prospective employers up at night. "The better you understand these issues, the better you can position yourself as ready to help solve them," says Weiner.

That's what Patricia Kranz, now an editor at The New York Times, did when she moved to Moscow without a job in 1990. She spent the first month acclimating and then worked at various news outlets, including U.S. News and World Report and BusinessWeek. Her transition to Russia was made easier because she asked a former Russian teacher to introduce her to local friends.

"You have to be patient," says Kranz, who worked in Russia throughout most of the '90s. "The first month or year can be lonely. You have to expect that and not let it bother you."