Expatriates looking for jobs in the international job market are often carried away by the myths of the international job search. Befuddled with what is right and what is wrong, an expat job seeker tends to commit mistakes in his job search.

So, if you are seeking a job opportunity in Qatar, the following post would be a guide for you to understand the international job search myths and their realities.

Myth 1: The only best way to search a job vacancy overseas is by using employment agencies and submitting your resume and cover letter on the company’s websites.

Reality: The fact is that these traditional tools are no more an effective option. This way you end up applying for employment opportunities only in the advertised job market.

It doesn’t work well in the international job market, which is a more personal employment market where all jobs are not advertised. Hence, to find a job abroad in the hidden job scenario is to use the benefits of career networking.

You can always update your resume and use it for letting the people in your network know about your job requirements. You never know, any one of your contacts can refer you a job in his our office abroad!

So, steal some quality time from the routine job search style and save it to build your network by connecting with old friends, colleagues, alumni, relatives, online groups, etc.

Myth 2: Creating an international resume is the only thing to get a good job abroad.

Reality: Yes, a resume is vital for your job search, however, this is not the only thing that can get you an international job. In fact, resumes don’t get you a job alone, they only help you to advertise you as a brand for recruiters.

Several factors play a role in landing you to a job interview, such as the quality of your content. The quality of your resume is one of the most important factors.

Make sure that the resume is well-drafted and includes relevant information only. Hiring managers have to go through numerous resumes on a daily basis, and various researches have confirmed that a recruiter never gives much time to a single resume.

Hence, it is vital to put all the important details in bullets to make it easy for the recruiters to extract the required information at a glance.

Keep it sweet and short. Remember, no one cares to go through an online resume that makes him or her to scroll down indefinitely.  

Myth 3: International recruiters look for qualifications only.

Reality: Recruiters definitely seek candidates with high qualifications, but this is not the sole criteria for selection. Most often, people with top qualifications build a weak resume, or fail to communicate during job interviews.

Hence, the other key factors that one should work on include communication skills, a pleasant personality, industry knowledge, and other requisite traits demanded by the job role.

Myth 4: An International CV must run several pages.

Reality: Length of a resume doesn’t depend on job location. It majorly depends on various factors, such as number of years of experience, number of employers, position, and relevant information.

Usually a person with several years of work experience and employers should create a detailed, two-page resume. On the other hand, a new graduate, a job-seeker with less years of experience, or the one looking for a career change in another industry, a one-page resume is apt to include your relevant internship detail, extra-curricular activities, a summer job, and your career goal.

Selling your skills to an employer abroad becomes easier when all the job search myths are clear in your mind. Hence, break all the misconceptions and prepare well to hit the target- your dream job in Qatar!

Good Luck! For more job opportunities in Qatar, seach on Qatar Living's jobs section.

Contributed by Swati Srivastava

Author bio:

Swati Srivastava is an avid writer who loves to pen down her ideas and career tips for job seekers and professionals. Her blog posts, new stories, and articles are focused on the extensive domain of employment sector in the gulf. Currently she is writing for Naukrigulf.com. Follow her @Twitter | LinkedIn | Google+