<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So you have scored that overseas job. Now what? So many people have come to see bagging an overseas job as the pinnacle of their achievement that, oftentimes, they fail to plan for the rest of their lives. Remember that getting a high-paying post is not the be-all and end-all of your goals, it is merely the beginning and there are going to be pitfalls you need to avoid.</span></p>
<div class="wp-block-image wp-image-4396 size-large"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="682" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/pexels-photo-289825-1024x682.jpg" alt="Pitfalls to Avoid If You Have an Overseas Job" class="wp-image-9533" title="Pitfalls to Avoid If You Have an Overseas Job" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/pexels-photo-289825-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/pexels-photo-289825-300x200.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/pexels-photo-289825-768x512.jpg 768w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/pexels-photo-289825-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/pexels-photo-289825.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>The future is bright if you prepare for it.</figcaption></figure></div>
<h2> </h2>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Don’t Upgrade Your Lifestyle</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s very easy to think of things to buy now that you can afford it. The problem is that there is no end to the things you think you “need”. It’s easy to give in to your kid asking for the latest gadget, maybe because there is that guilt associated with not being with them. If you think about it, gadgets’ lifespans are very short. A thousand dollars for the latest smartphone may sound reasonable but they will be outdated in a year or two – it’s like putting your money down the drain.</span></p>
<div class="wp-block-image wp-image-4397"><figure class="alignleft size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="640" height="423" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/pexels-photo-221342.jpg" alt="Pitfalls to Avoid If You Have an Overseas Job" class="wp-image-9534" title="Pitfalls to Avoid If You Have an Overseas Job" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/pexels-photo-221342.jpg 640w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/pexels-photo-221342-300x198.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption>Enjoy the present but prepare for the future.</figcaption></figure></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Buying signature clothes and bags are also pitfalls that you need to avoid. As my Dad said, he’d sign my pants if I really wanted signature jeans. Branded things might raise your self-esteem, but it doesn’t get you nearer your goals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I know that life is not a race and all that, and that you also need to take time to smell the roses. Enjoying your life, though, doesn’t mean eschewing your retirement pay. </span></p>
<h2>Don’t Let Go of Your Ties</h2>
<p>Humans are social animals, although it’s too easy to not get in touch with your family back home. In this Information Age where communication is cheap, there is no excuse to not touch base. Another way to also alleviate loneliness is to establish ties where you’re at. Create friendships at your place of work and reach out to your expatriate community. They will be useful in giving you information that you might not have found out on your own.</p>
<h2>Not Preparing for Contingencies</h2>
<p>Being in a foreign country is challenging in itself. Find out as much as possible about the country you’ll be living in before you go. This will include any documents you might need to get <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/psv_report_dataflow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">verified</a> and if you need to renew licenses. You don’t want to be in a position where you’re likely to be deported because you did not renew your license on time. There will be times when you would have submitted it on time but you would also need to take into consideration the turn-around-time that organizations will need.</p>
<h2>Create a Master Plan</h2>
<p>Some overseas workers tend to forget the end result: to get a comfortable life. There are too many pitfalls that can hinder this once you’re already abroad. One way to avoid this is to make a long-term plan, then break it down in shorter time frames. Apply the <a href="http://www.yourcoach.be/en/coaching-tools/smart-goal-setting.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">S.M.A.R.T.</a> (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-driven) principles to your goals. This will make sure that not only do you concretize what you want, it will also be achievable because you have assigned a due date to each dream.</p>
<p>For example, your dream might be to have a car, a house and lot, and a <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/tips-managing-ofw-money" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">running business to retire to</a>. Those are specific, but you need to assign a price-range and you need to itemize how much you are willing to set aside for each goal on a per month basis. Give yourself a deadline so you can measure your success by how near you are to your target. It should also be realistic. You can’t really aim for a Porsche if it will take you a quarter of a century to achieve. Make sure that your <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/tips-managing-ofw-money" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">budget</a> has room to also plan for contingencies and well, life.</p>
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