Jobs for trailing spouses

[goodasgold]

We were talking today, it is a conversation that comes up. Should we go in for beauty therapy, hairdressing or teaching. And if teaching should it be as a proper secondary school teacher or a tefl teacher. Or are there any other jobs that suit to being a trailing spouse? Or should we just be happy that we don't have to work, and look forward to getting really good at golf?

I don't really buy the "jobs for trailing spouse" thing. Visa and language issues aside, you just have to get there, network and see what turns up.

Most trailing spouses I know work. Many have their own businesses- relocation services and lifestyle websites/ web retailing are popular choices. However, more of them just do what they did at home (accountancy, law, banking, head hunting, teaching etc). It can take a while, and is harder if you don't speak the language/English isn't the business language as you're limited to basically providing services to other expats, but something always seems to come up- often through contacts/personal recommendations rather than scouring job adverts.

re teaching: secondary teachers at the International schools do pretty well. Language school teaching (TEFL) is usually shitty pay. Tutoring can be v well paid, but you don't need any qualifications for that.

Hairdressing- Can work out if there's a big expat population and a shortage of hairdressers with experience of western clients BUT these people are basically looking for top salon trained hair stylists. Beauty therapy- um, no. In most of the world you'd find it a somewhat crowded field. Asia's got no shortage of manicurists, put it that way.

Excellent points Reallife. When I was a trailing spouse, I worked as a classroom assistant occasionally.
When we lived in Thailand I did a TESOL course. Working as a teacher was never an option. I paid our home help more than I would have earned.
Proper teaching is different. DH is a teacher. What you need to bear in mind is the quality of the school and the fact that you can't do your NQT year abroad.

I'm thinking the OP might be rather tongue in cheek here, getting rather good at golf?! Or be a beautician..teacher..hairdresser..???! None of these have anything in common other than the fact they're viewed by society (and the OP?) as traditional female jobs..

Doesn't strike me as serious query but apologies if I'm wrong!

To answer the qu while I'm here, this is almost impossible to answer - visa huge issue, you can't do any work w/o one..and in many countries a trailing spouse wouldn't get a working visa..Obv what fits depends also on whether you have kids..and whether you had a career or just a job or were sahm previously. Likelihood of getting work if you are able to do so legally depends obviously on your experience, qualifications, skills, contacts and local needs/job availability/language etc etc just as back home!

OK, I'll thrown improving your Maj Jong skills into the hat then. Also, don't forget the napkin folding groups that seemed to flourish when we were in foreign parts.

you know, I actually signed up to Mah jong classes once?! Never made it though (wasn't a spouse but a career woman then!) as couldn't ever finish work in time..

I think she IS asking a serious question, expatagain and I think often there is fuck all out here for us to do, even if we do have degrees and experience and shit.

Yeah, I'm learning Mah Jong, actually.

well, as I said, I could be wrong..thought the lumping of those 3 types of work a little odd/patronising/dismissive..If OP comes back with more info to explain, happy to believe it!

Speaking as a trailing spouse who can't get a working visa, I can relate to your sentiment, slightly.. That WAS my point - it's not easy to get work or even possible for many of us so somewhat simplistic to generalise about what jobs to do..

Yes yes, sorry!

We are in agreement.

I think OP is tongue in cheek, and probably is in a similar situation, hence her jokey suggestions.

no worries.. I obviously need a job or something to keep me out of trouble...

Me too!

I spent hours trying to learn golf when I was in Dubai. A year later we left and I was still utterly crap at it.

My napkin folding has never come in useful either.

Does anyone other than trailing spouses actually play Mah Jong? It's ver popular at the women's club here but sadly I can't make it to their meetings

I translate freelance and do volunteer work - currently enquiring about becoming a swimming teacher... My trailing expat friends who are mums and also work are teachers, investment bankers, PAs, marketing managers etc and others have their own companies, where they can fit work around school hours and holidays.

Don't know anyone other than trailing spouses who play mahjong.....

A couple more suggestions:

Get a job with your DH or DW's employer - locally engaged if not on an expat package.

• Some employers, such as some NGOs and US State Dept/UK Foreign Office, have to give spouses the first choice of locally engaged jobs (eg. admin, although some locally engaged positions are professional roles) before recruiting anyone else (provided they are qualified to do the job).

- You might get a heads up on short-term opportunities with private firms through your spouse, ie maternity cover, and be able to jump into the job before it is advertised.

Teaching at an international school (there is always an international school - even in far-flung places like North Korea - and they pay quite well).

Consultancy - can be done remotely and as short-term contract.

Open University degree

Journalism (especially online journalism)

Childcare - there is always a demand for good, qualified and experienced childminders and nannies in expat circles overseas. Can potentially pay very well.

Does anyone other than trailing spouses actually play Mah Jong?

In HK it's massively popular amongst the local population too, but amongst working expats, not really. That's probably because they don't really have time to learn. Mahjong sessions seem to be all day affairs.

Childcare - there is always a demand for good, qualified and experienced childminders and nannies in expat circles overseas. Can potentially pay very well.

I'd disagree that this is the case everywhere. Where there's a helper/amah culture (Asia, Middle East), you're going to struggle. I only know one person in HK who has a western nanny and she came with.

I agree with RealLife. We've lived in Oman and Thailand, both places had pretty well qualified and if not qualified, experienced women who cared for children very well.

same in Africa - loads of really experienced local/from neighbouring countries available to work for relative peanuts. A foreigner wanted to command a Western nanny wage wouldn't get as look in, ditto babysitting, au-pairing. No childminders here really as nannies so cheap!

I suppose that I was being half serious.

I worked in banking in London, and I was happy to stop work, but I liked having colleagues.

Working part time here doesn't appear to be widely available, and I noticed that in UK employers were heading the same way, as they have head counts and need to get as much out of their people as they can.

So I was thinking about having a part time job in a new career and wondering about what would be a good field. The idea of teaching is the most appealing out of the three I mentioned to me.

But that was before I considered napkin folding.

So thanks for that and all other responses.

Sorry I didn't come back sooner, I am trying not to have mn as a full time occupation.

Another consideration is where you are. Certainly in Oman finding employment was very difficult. It was dependant on the visa you had. Mine was linked to DHs and I was a dependant I think.
Also, reputable international schools would employ only qualified teachers.

Where are you goodas?

DH works remotely for his UK employer from here. I've also got a friend who does this - both IT jobs.

I'm in Switzerland, I could work. I don't want to particulary at the moment but I could be studying towards a qualification that would enable me to.

Working remotely wouldn't give you proper colleagues would it? That's what I miss the most from not working.