Insights for International Career Couples

I originally only planned to go to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for one year. Even so, it was one of the most difficult decisions in my life. The opportunity was exciting, but leaving my home, family and friends, and job at epunkt made it bittersweet. My biggest concern was that I would have to abandon my career.

I found my job in Ethiopia through my and my husband’s network. You must fight the urge to plan everything ahead of time.

I quickly connected with the owner of the leading HR consultancy and job platform in Ethiopia, Ethiojobs, and got the role as Operations Manager.

The two years in Ethiopia were an incredible learning experience. I was the only expat navigating the cultural context and was working with major investors like Heineken and Nestle on large scale projects. Every day was an adventure. The team in Ethiopia welcomed me very warmly and integrated me into their team. My colleagues taught me all about their culture, food, and traditions. They invited us to weddings, and we celebrated both Christian and Muslim holidays.

My biggest challenge was learning how the country ticks. For example, sometimes email is better and sometimes calling is faster. Also, small talk, like asking how the family is doing, is more important than in Europe.

Two years ago, the next assignment brought us to Kingston, Jamaica, where we are still living now. Our move to Jamaica was a hard transition. I had to leave my job in Ethiopia and start from scratch. During that time, I also earned a second master’s in Human Resource Management and got certified as professional coach. In the meantime, my former boss at epunkt, Talentor’s parent company, contacted me and asked me if I’d be interested in supporting the recruitment team remotely. This initial project turned into an opportunity to join Talentor.

I am responsible for locating and contacting new partners and supporting the management team on other strategic projects. It makes me happy and proud to see results, like our new partner in California, and knowing it all started with an initial call at my end. Talentor benefits, too, from my network in East Africa and Jamaica as well as good coverage of time zones in the western hemisphere.

The maternity leave system in Austria astonishes people from other parts of the world. Talentor and epunkt are very supportive of new parents. Joining Talentor for a few hours per week after Clara was born was a great start, and that has evolved into the partner acquisition role.

Working from home is convenient with a baby, but I do miss having a quick coffee with a co-worker. I consciously get out of my office for breaks, meet people for lunch, and play with my little one. Since my usual day is booked with calls, I usually never feel alone.

Craft a career and education program that specifically supports both the person on assignment and her or his partner.

When one of your employees is leaving to accompany a spouse abroad, follow epunkt and Talentor’s example. Stay in touch. Discuss any options that arise, such as remote work. In my case, the role I am in now was created years after I had left Austria.

1. Mutual support as couple is key. Start thinking: How can we both benefit from this assignment? Instead of feeling that one career might always win and one might lose. Never stop dreaming together.

1. Put yourself in each other’s shoes. An international role as expat is usually highly stressful, and sometimes tied to a lot of travel. Creating a support system as family is key, especially when your own family lives far away. An African saying is: It takes a village to raise a child. Build your village wherever you live.

1. Think of portability. As expat partner, try to create a portable career, like mine with Talentor. That way you can take your job with you to your partner’s next assignment – or back home.

Talentor would like to thank Gertraud for this interview! For more information about Gertraud and the rest of the team, visit the Talentor International location page.

PS: Talentor also co-supported Gertraud's journey of establishing her coaching business. She got inspired by so many woman she met and worked with along the last years, so she felt a need to specifically support high achieving expat women on their mission and help them discover how they can maximize their impact, have more time and more energy. Tune in to hear more about this journey in the recent Tandem Nomads Podcast, one of the top expat podcasts worldwide.