How Dual-Career Couples Can Thrive in Expat Life

Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplas

All dual-career couples face substantialchallenges in balancing partners’ opportunities and aspirations; pursuing anexpat lifestyle in tandem introduces an additional layer of complexity. Toomany dual-career expat couples relocate without thinking through the long-termimplications for both partners’ careers. Failure to anticipate the inevitablechallenges and plan to meet them can contribute to unforeseen career setbacksfor either or both partners. The result can be frustration, resentment and evenserious relationship strains. However, with thoughtful and systematic planning,both partners can pursue their respective careers successfully and thrivein their global lives.

More dual-career couples are pursuingexpatriate life…

Around 70% of expat assignees movewith a partner. Expat couples have different arrangements – or ‘models’ – whenit comes to how they pursue their respective careers. The traditional expat modelassumes one main earner – the expat assignee – often accompanied by anon-working spouse and, in many cases, children.

As family structures are evolving, however,dual-career expat couples are becoming more and more common. These couples maychoose to pursue their respective careers simultaneously (every move needs toaccommodate career progression for both partners); sequentially (partners taketurns ‘leading’ the moves from a career advancement perspective, being mindfulof maintaining an overall balance over time); or through a combination of thetwo approaches, depending on the move and opportunities available.

…but they confront substantial challenges

It’s very challenging for couples to pursuetheir careers in parallel or sequentially while moving internationally. Whateverthe original arrangement of the couple, and often with the best intentions onthe part of both partners, usually one has to take a step back ‘temporarily’,to make the expat path possible. According to BGRS’ 2016 Global Mobility Trends Survey, while 65% of the partners of themarried/partnered expatriates were employed before the start of the assignment,only 16% of those previously employed were working during the assignment. Keepingin mind that expat partners are often highly educated, highly accomplishedprofessionals helps understand why spouses who are able to find rewarding workare more likely to report a positive impact on adjustment to the new locationand on family relationships than spouses who are not.

Careful planning and communication arethe foundations of success

How can expat couples help ensure thatboth partners continue to develop professionally and pursue their careers throughsuccessive relocations? From my experience researching dual-career expatcouples and coaching the partners who decided to sacrifice their careers tomake the move possible, I have found that couples who manage to make smoothtransitions without damaging either partner’s career in the long run followsome basic ‘rules of engagement’:

1. They take the time to sit downtogether regularly to review their career goals and progression;
2. They assess the implications of upcomingmoves on their careers and agree on how the benefits and sacrifices will beapportioned; and
3. They proactively line up appropriate resourcesto cope with potential challenges.

Open, rich communication within the coupleis fundamental. This means sitting down and discussing goals, ambitions, dreams,ideally before a move is even on the horizon. It means asking questions suchas: What’s the big picture of how we see our lives and respective careersevolving? What do we each need to thrive? Are we willing to support each other withthat? Are we open to give and take over time and to renegotiate the terms ofour arrangement as circumstances change?

Making a dual-career move is a jointproject

Succeeding as a dual-career expat couplerequires careful planning and alignment of incentives and resources.

If you’re the partner who gets to place more emphasis on your career in the next move, help your partner manage their professional transition too. It not only enhances the odds of success of your relocation, it also strengthens your relationship. Take the time to discuss how your partner’s career – not just yours – can benefit from this move. Be interested and involved in the process of planning for and making the move. Be proactive about helping your partner secure the support they need. Ways to do that include:

1. Clarifying the legal framework anddocumentation necessary for them to work (visa; work permit; legal requirementsfor setting up a business, if relevant; language fluency requirements forworking), ideally before you accept the assignment. Identify potential barriersand address them early on.
2. Ascertaining whether your employerprovides career development assistance to expat partners. Companiesincreasingly recognize the crucial link between dual careers and talentattraction and retention, and know that expat partner career concerns are a keyreason for assignment refusal.  They thereforeare more open to providing partner career assistance. If that’s the case withyour company, get information on the types of support available and ideallynegotiate that support into your contract. This could be an educationallowance, job search assistance, access to specialized training (for example resumepreparation, interview or presentation training) or help connecting to relevantprofessional networks. Make sure the resources provided are tailored to theparticularities of the job market and your partner’s specific needs and aspirations.
3. Securing access to coaching and othercareer advice resources. Whether they are looking to continue an existing career,reinvent themselves or are not sure what exactly they want to do, expatpartners in transition benefit from access to coaching, especially thinkingthrough career issues early on in the process of planning the move. A coach canhelp expat partners identify alternatives and opportunities they want topursue. A coach can also add value by playing the role of accountabilitypartner as they move, settle in and work to turn their ideas into reality.

If you’re the partner who is makingcareer compromises, think carefully about how you can make the move work for you, eventhough you’re not the one leading it. It’s essential to recognize that you alwayshave choices, even when it seems like you don’t. A mindset of empowermentand possibility will allow you to see the areas that you can control and makeconscious choices to shape your future. In practical terms, do the following,ideally before you move:

1.Think realistically about the implications of the move on your ability to pursue your career, specifically: What are some key hurdles or challenges you are likely to face? Which ones can you work around? What resources will you need to help you overcome those hurdles?

2. Research the job market at your destination. Get a good understanding of the local recruitment processes and practices. If your partner’s employer offers it, ask for support in this area, perhaps through a local mentor or career coach specializing in the local market. Find out whether your qualifications are transferable in the new location and, if not or if they are only partly transferable, understand what steps you need to take to remedy that. Do you need to get your credentials approved? Do you need additional qualifications?

3. Make yourself more marketable Get your paperwork in order, based on a thorough understanding of the legal framework and requirements (see previous section). Get career support either before or after the move. For example, get assistance with your CV/resume or some of the other kinds of trainings mentioned above. If possible, get support in defining and honing your marketable skills for the specific market. This kind of support should also offer insight into the cultural specifics of the recruitment process in the local job market. For instance, it should allow you to update and adapt your CV to meet local requirements.

4. Jumpstart building your network  Reach out or ask to be introduced to professional networks in your field. If you plan on returning home and continuing your career there, maintain your existing network, stay knowledgeable about your field and keep your skills up to date.

As you evaluate your options, keep thetime frame in mind. Depending on how long the assignment will be, and/orwhether there are follow-up assignments on the horizon, what do you expect theimpact to be on your professional identity and options? How will the assignmentaffect your career prospects, long-term earning potential, financialindependence and pension contributions? Armed with insight into your goals,identify the resources that you have and those that you will need to build upor seek. Be explicit. Many of those resources can and ideally are negotiatedinto the acceptance of the assignment.

A clearintention helps navigate the hurdles

Finally, remember that when it comesto big, life-changing decisions, such as making an international move, beingmindful and clear about what you both want to achieve – your intentions for themove – makes a difference between just getting through and thriving. To connectwith your intention, it helps to ask: What do we want to achieve, individuallyand as a couple? What would make this move a great one for both of us? Connectingto your intention will not only remind you of your shared goals – your ‘why’for making the move – but it will also help keep you on track in challengingtimes.

Katia Vlachos is an expat coach and author of A Great Move: Surviving and Thriving in Your Expat Assignment (LID Publishing, 2018). Katia is also Key Resource Person on transition and expat assignments at here we are global

LinkedIn Profile:https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiavlachos/

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