MAY - JUNE 2001  

World Bytes

Careers and Summits: Taking Employment Opportunities Global

by Terrance Malkinson

Today’s ease of information transfer, convenient transportation options, and growing acceptance of cultural diversity are creating a more integrated global society. Globally savvy individuals stay aware of international political, business and professional association initiatives, discussions and agreements. They know that such knowledge will expand their employment opportunities and global career mobility.

Where Do You Go to Stay Informed?

A number of organizations distribute information about global employment activities and opportunities. Here are just a few:

• Canada hosted the third Summit of the Americas on 20-22 April 2001 in Quebec City. Thirty-four heads of government from North, Central and South America and the Caribbean met to discuss economic integration and access to education, among other issues.

• The Free Trade Area of the Americas is at the center of efforts to advance prosperity in the northern hemisphere through economic growth and development.

• The Office of Science and Technology of the Organization of American States provides information on science and technology initiatives in the Americas.

Strive for Cross-Cultural Competence; You May Need It

Even if you have no desire to leave home for an assignment abroad, it still doesn’t hurt to have an international awareness to stay ahead of the curve in today’s business world. More and more positions are being considered "international," even when they are physically located within the workers’ home countries.

More and more, corporations are viewing all professional careers as having international potential. Employees who display "cross-cultural competence" and have an understanding of the international business environment have a distinct career advantage over those who don’t.

Where to Go to Find Out More

Most countries have programs in place to provide information designed to give eager, entrepreneurial and adventure-seeking individuals opportunities to broaden their exposure to foreign cultures, build new skills and compete in the global economy. Here are some sources:

• Strong trade relations and the lack of a language barrier make working in the United Kingdom attractive. Surprisingly, however, an estimated 50 percent of all U.S. international work assignments to the United Kingdom fail within the first six months. Tips to improve success are described in Marketing News. 35(9): 23 April 2001.

• Access a host of special reports that are essential reading for those interested in careers or business opportunities in Asia through the homepage of ASIAWEEK.com, 5 April 2001. These reports include rankings and guides to Asia’s best universities and technical institutions, largest companies, best MBA programs, salary surveys, and city rankings, among other items of interest.

• Corporate adoption of information technology infrastructure is a critical issue that may be affected by national culture. Read about implications of how dimensions of national culture affect corporate adoption of IT infrastructure in IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management. 48(1): 36-45, 2001.

• Drawing on a study of more than two million people, a new book explains that the key to success is not only managing your weaknesses, but also knowing your strengths. The Race Goes to the Strong, by M. Buckingham and D.O. Clifton, Simon & Shuster, is reviewed in Economist.com, 4 May 2001.

• The recent Space Shuttle mission had "international" written all over it. The shuttle Endeavour brought to the International Space Station its main robotic arm, the Canadaarm2 built by MD Robotics on Brampton, Ontario. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield was in charge of installing the Canadarm2 and was also the back-up pilot for the mission, making him the first non-American to hold that position.

• Finally, here’s an example of how networked our world has become. Mount Everest enthusiasts are mourning the 29 April death of Babu Chiri Sherpa, holder of two world records related to his Everest climbs. Babu’s interests went beyond the world’s highest peak, however. He was looking at ways to use white light-emitting diodes to provide reliable, versatile, inexpensive, healthy, and safe lighting for developing countries — incorporating this technology first in a school he was building. This story is described in "Light Up the World — Nepal Light Project and Everest," published in IEEE Canadian Review #36: 14-18, 2000.

Terrance Malkinson is a proposal manager/documentation specialist with GE Capital IT Solutions Inc.