5 reasons to freelance abroad

International markets are growing and so are job opportunities.

This is creating a stir among many job seekers who would like to freelance abroad.

It’s not only a way of earning money but a great way to open your mind to different ways of living and new cultures. While most of us hanker after a foreign holiday now and then, the opportunity to work abroad might just be the best way to kill two birds with one stone.

1. Make more money

The financial benefits are probably the biggest lure for working abroad. Many countries – particularly in the Middle East – offer outstanding expatriate benefits due to the scarcity of qualified native speakers. And we’re not just talking English speakers here. Whatever your native language you’ll find niches all over the world if you look hard enough. And even in countries that don’t offer the most amazing expat perks you can still benefit from low living costs in places like China.

2. Add new skills

Going to live in a foreign country enables you to learn a new culture and language. This is not only good for personal development but good for professional development too. As a copywriter, the ability to speak another language opens up so many new opportunities such as translation and transcreation. More than that, being able to talk to clients in their own language makes you incredibly valuable because they’ll come to depend on you to say what they can’t.

3. Enhance your employability

In today’s world, the job market tends to look for people with more experience and a wider range of skills. If you’ve worked abroad it not only shows that you can perform well under pressure but are flexible as well. You’ll have shown that you can work as part of a diverse team and have fine-tuned your interpersonal skills. You’ll have become responsible and resourceful in problem solving. These are all things employers are looking for. Who knows, it may even help you land the dream job which requires you to travel as part of your work.

4. Network and build contacts

With the opportunity to work abroad, you’ll get to build business contacts and so cultivate a larger network of employment prospects. Of course, you’ll have to put effort into maintaining your network but in a world where influential contacts are imperative this might just pave the way for future opportunities.

5. Be a big fish in a small pond

In your own country you’re just one of thousands and thousands of other copywriters. But when you go abroad your skills are at a premium. Depending on which country you go to, of course, you could find yourself being asked to work on projects you’d never have dreamed possible back home – all because, relatively speaking at least, you’re the best qualified person there.