Tirard and Lyell interviewed successful professionals, each at a different stage of his or her career. Their diverse life stories show that overseas experience provides irreplaceable career and personal enrichment that, contrary to xenophobic political rhetoric, ultimately works to everyone’s benefit.

They see that the more exposure a young person has to travel, difference, risk and challenge, the more likely he or she is to seek more adventure in his or her professional life. Expatriation is one of the simplest ways to acquire all of these and more, and our subjects took to it with varying degrees of motivation and success. “Those seeking not just career success, but also a great, engaging and satisfying life, should seriously consider getting 'far away' early on in their careers.”

Here istheir advice for first time expatriates:

Start early - Travel, explore the world, look for internships or summer jobs abroad

Study internationally - Find a university with an exchange programme, take international courses

Learn the language - Pick up the local lingo as much as you can

Be open - Challenge your assumptions, get out of your comfort zone

Immerse yourself in the local culture - Find local friends, go out, socialise

Navigate the emotional roller-coaster - Most expats go from enthusiasm to culture shock to adaption

Seek support - Ask your company for a cross-cultural training, find a mentor 

Find full report here:
Starting Your Career Far from Home