Advising For International Job Mobility

Topic 1. Why job mobility in a nutshell

European Job mobility is a very relevant topic in the 21st century, as the number of people moving from their home countries to work and live is growing. However, there is a legal side to this experience that is not always well-known, nor talked about, and deserves focus, as it directly shapes the potential future experience a European citizen can have. In a post-COVID world, it is necessary to understand the psycho-emotional component of moving to live and work abroad. This topic looks to go deeper into explaining why this is important, and what this MOOC focuses on. As a professional career counselor, we need to know the potential obstacles and struggles that our clients will run into and have this knowledge of awareness around this topic. We also need to have a base understanding of the reasons that Europeans decide to go live in another country, and the elements of satisfaction that are connected to this experience, so we can help guide them in a more productive and useful way.

Topic 2. Diversity awareness part 1 in a nutshell

Diversity awareness from a client perspective. Nowadays, we live in a society that is so fast paced, that it can be hard to take time to honor and appreciate our differences and realize the huge impact that this has on the match that we make with the future international mobility experience we plan on having. Often, we talk about diversity with other people, but in this topic, we focus on the components of individual diversity within the person themselves, and what the relevant elements are that would have an impact on their working and living experience. Someone needs to know where they start and what they start with, to be able to then offer that to a business and have a higher chance for success within that business experience. The focus here is on self-awareness and the capability to connect this back to what the person can offer and will need, working and living in another country. A very important discussion to have with oneself- to have increased empathy towards oneself and towards others, and therefore to know how one will potentially react when put in differing situations with new components. As future clients, we must know how to prepare ourselves with these skills and capacities.

Topic 3. Diversity awareness part 2 in a nutshell

Diversity awareness from a counselor perspective. As a professional, we must know how to manage and understand diverse components within our working situation, so we can best guide an array of clients with differing socio-economic situations and differing psychological factors. One of the most relevant skills is understanding how to know the intricacies of conflict resolution and potential critical incident situations, when working with clients. A professional counselor needs to have gone deeper into the factors that are at play when this occurs. A good professional also knows where they are missing knowledge and might have a gap in their capabilities, and we talk about this. An overall framework of Europe is given, so there is a deeper general understanding of the intersection of diversity within Europe. There is also a huge focus put on the necessary skills of 21st century counseling, which is from the standpoint of MCC (multicultural career counseling) and a holistic viewpoint, which means taking the entirety of the client into account when working with them, not just looking at different factors separately, but understanding that everything is connected. Last but not least, this topic leads you into a deeper discussion about beliefs, and how to consciously create them to have the most favorable possible conditions for your clients.

Topic 4. Mobility competences part 1 in a nutshell

An individual that goes to a different country to work or live, needs to have specific mobility competences to be able to take on the new experience. This topic addresses the abilities that are key to this experience, and how someone can work on increasing their own capacities, to be able to have a better chance at success. There is a discussion about hard skills about career management that are necessary, soft skills interculturally that are necessary, testimonies about specific experiences that others have had to keep in mind, a conversation about the recognition of qualifications and how this plays a big part in the equation, and a powerful tool called the WOMSA questionnaire, that can help stimulate these conversations for someone before having this experience.

Topic 5. Mobility competences part 2 in a nutshell

When considering the topic of mobility competences, one needs to look at it from the perspective of a counsellor and how this counsellor can help stimulate these capacities for the client they are working with. The focus is dynamic and practical, so the counselor can have direct ways to help engage in these conversations and understand some pre-practices to know how to best help prepare a client that has time before going to a different country to work or live. In the case that a client does not have time or has seen themselves in a forced position to change countries, there is a focus on migrant counselling and how to best engage in this process for the best interest of the client. Last but not least, there is a conversation about the key abilities necessary for counsellors that are helping clients in this position.

Topic 6. Feeling at home in a nutshell

When someone goes to a different country, a huge component to keep in mind is the element of ‘feeling at home.’ This can be measured in many ways; both formally and informally, to try to understand how someone truly feels living in a country different from where they were born. The level of integration that they have, access to necessary resources they need, support networks to help guide them, and culture shock process they can face, are relevant to keep in mind, as they have a direct impact on the potential success the person can feel in the new country. A client needs to be aware of this process, so they can understand in hindsight the potential issues they can run into in the country due to acculturation and the immigration process in general. There is also a focal point put on the European Union in general, with the aspect of various skills mismatches in countries, after the ’Great Resignation’ period following Covid times. Counselors need to be up to date about this as well; to know the implications this has for clients as well. One can feel home in many different ways, and this topic allows us to go deeper into this overall concept and understanding.