Expatriate assignments can seem like a fantasy to the HR professionals who rarely get assigned abroad. Some tips on how to land a coveted overseas posting and how to fit in on arrival at the host location.

The words "expatriate assignment" can conjure images of fat bank accounts, resort-style living, and exotic food. Although HR professionals typically are more familiar with the reality of an overseas assignment, they do not have the personal experience. Why? Because HR people rarely get sent overseas.

For most HR professionals, the closest they will ever get to an expat posting is screening others for the assignments and, if lucky, a postcard. It may seem unfair at times but we rationalize it by saying, "Well, I'm not technical."

Do not surrender too easily

International HR assignments are tough to find, but they are available. The beauty of these assignments lies in the development opportunities they provide. Just imagine the professional development you can receive putting in place a compensation and benefits system in Bangkok, Thailand, or setting up a complete HR function in Istanbul, Turkey.

The development continues, for example, after a day's work when you need to negotiate—in Thai—a reasonable cab fare to take you home during a Bangkok traffic jam. And the development is not limited only to you. Expat assignments are one of the few ways that family members can grow at the same time.

It seems that when it comes to expat postings, the people who get them most often are "techies." Rarely do we get a chance to send other HR professionals, or even ourselves, overseas. But that can change.

Positioning for the assignment

Getting overseas HR assignments is not easy. Dalwi Lee, training and development manager, Harbour Plaza Hotel in Beijing, China, said, "For my first posting, my boss knew I had the strengths that he needed, so he sent me. For my second posting, it was purely work experience and track records that secured the job."

The odds of getting an overseas HR job by applying through newspapers ads and Web postings are close to nil. Your best bet is via your current employer, provided you work at the "right" company. The right employer is one that is expanding internationally, ideally in the high-tech industry, as usually more expats are needed for knowledge transfer purposes. Companies opening new international offices are especially good, as they usually require more HR expats to set up the branch's HR systems and controls.

Your employer needs to have a senior management team with a progressive view of HR. An HR manager for Lucent Technologies in Hong Kong, said, "If your employer looks at HR as an administrative function, then you won't stand much of a chance since any local can do administration work. However, if your senior management sees HR as a strategic partner in achieving your company's goals, and believes in cross-pollination of HR ideas throughout the organization, then an overseas posting is doable."

He further advises overseas hopefuls to work at the headquarters or the location where the decision is made to send out expats.

Plant seeds

It does not hurt to plant seeds. If you find HR problems at the overseas branches, highlight them. Say things like, "How I wish we could see what's going on there."

Often, HR professionals employed in the high-tech industry have a better chance of securing a posting if their background is in training. High-tech companies expanding internationally need to provide technical training to their international staff. Besides trainers, such companies may require HR training professionals to create curriculum maps, or launch training centres or learning management systems.

The more expats sent overseas, the higher the need for an on-site expat administration manager. Often expat management is just one function of the job, and that employee can end up wearing multiple hats.

Be patient

Expat assignments, especially those in the HR field, are difficult to find. The assignments are costly and the competition is intense. Most employers send their veteran HR staff only. At the Malaysian joint venture I was assigned, I was the "baby" of the HR group at thirty-six.

Dean Hughson, a former HR expat manager with US WEST International and now principal in Global Human Resource Options in Denver, CO, advises those without in-depth HR experience to first "get involved in project or short-term work." He recommends building contacts and showing them your capabilities for future, long-term assignments.

Now what?

Now that you have secured the assignment and arrived overseas, here are a few tips to ease the settling-in process.

Expect nothing fancy. Expect to learn as much as you teach. Do not go in ready to shout HR commands. The locals' level of HR expertise may or may not be lower than yours, but they are intelligent people. Be aware that your U.S.-based HR practices might not work elsewhere. For example, domestic partner benefits might not "sell" at your Saudi Arabian branch. Or changing the code of ethics to include sexual discrimination may not work in Southeast Asia. You may disagree with their views, but arguing moral principles will not endear yourself to the locals. Instead, it is a good way to earn a plane ticket home. This leads to rule number 1. Never say "no" to a project or assignment.

Be willing to try your hand in other HR fields. If your expertise is training and you are asked to set up a performance management system—do it. Once you say "no," people start asking why you were sent in the first place. Be open to challenges. If you are willing to expand your HR knowledge, and put in the effort, an overseas experience can develop your HR skills quicker than back home.

However, Lee warns, "Be ready to leave at any moment, with or without much advance notice. That's the nature of overseas work."

Required competencies

Working overseas requires a "rubbery" mind. You face constant challenges at work and at home. Flexibility is required. Unlike IT professionals who can rely on international standards and common jargon, HR professionals rely more on person-to-person communication. Our job and our challenges are primarily soft skills. As such, learning the local language, even the most basic words, is essential if you want to create a close working relationship with your foreign colleagues.

Keep your mind "rubbery" after work, too. Enjoy the every day challenges, whether it is driving on the left-hand side, trying to rent an apartment from a local resident, or even turning on the TV and not understanding a single word. If you have a sense of humour and enjoy challenges, you will thrive.

It also is important for your spouse to adapt to the new surroundings. You can work all day at the office doing the most challenging work of your life, but your spouse could be at home alone and bored. In some hardship countries, the spouse's (and kids') minds have to be more elastic than yours.

Potential problems

Local HR people will resent it if you arrive with an attitude. Do not make it easy for the locals to dislike you. Take those first few meetings with them slow and easy. If the locals are a bit behind in the HR field, do not tell them. Show them. In fact, you are a bit behind in the local culture yourself. Your foreign colleagues will know far more about your culture than you do about theirs.

Take the time to get buy-in. It will ensure the HR programs you put in place continue after you leave. If you push your HR programs through, you may be successful, but the programs will fall apart after you return stateside.

Lee said, "I saw several foreign HR directors arrive with grandiose ideas, but they didn't last long. Why? Because when they took up the assignment they were unable to leave their old paradigms behind."

One way to ensure you do not become "the Western expert" is to make sure you rarely, if ever, say the following: "In the U.S., we do it like this ..."

The locals do not like to be told they are "backward." They also could care less how things are done in the United States. They just want to know how it is done in their country. Do not let your "in-depth" American HR experience become a crutch.

Repatriation

The hardest part of an expat assignment, barring the first month after arrival, is the first month after the departure home. The longer you are away from the home office, the easier it is for them to forget you. As such, you could face a terrible time securing a good position back home when your international assignment ends.

Your employer may have spent a small fortune keeping you abroad. You may have developed some nice skills. You may have launched some impressive HR programs, but when you return home those skills can go unnoticed. In addition, your new job can be boring. It is no wonder the turnover rate for repatriated expats is so high.

The key to successful repatriation is maintaining close contact with company headquarters. If you have high-level supporters at the company headquarters who value you and your new skills, your chances of having a challenging job on arrival should increase.

Still want to go?

If you desire new experiences and 24-hour continuous development, then an expat assignment may be for you. Although not easy to get, such postings offer fantastic professional and personal development opportunities for both you and your family.

Hughson sums up his HR expat experience nicely. "My eight years of doing HR work internationally in Poland and Malaysia have been the single most important, fulfilling part of my 27 years of working in HR."

Steve Coyle is an HR consultant and trainer with ServiceWinners International Sdn Bhd in Malaysia. He can be contacted at csteven@maxis.com.my

Reprinted with permission of ERC from the September 2003 issue of MOBILITY