Appendix: Careers in International Business

Frequently, students ask us how they can get jobs in international business. Traveling, meeting new people with different customs, seeing and living in places they have only heard about-these exciting activities stir the imagination, and students want to partake in the experience.

We agree with them. Living and working overseas is exciting. Among the authors of this book, we have spent over 50 years living and working in countries other than our own, and it has been rewarding. However, with the possible exception of international banking, there are few opportunities for recent graduates to be assigned overseas even when they have the basic business skills and can speak at least one foreign language. Why? They must first learn how their employer does business and become skilled in some functional area of the firm, such as marketing or finance. To rise in the firm, employees then need to acquire experience in various functional areas, not just in one. Furthermore, some of this experience should be international. Remember the discussion at the beginning of this chapter? Make sure that your employer knows you are interested in acquiring international experience. In fact, some firms screen out people who state they do not want an overseas assignment.

If you want immediate employment in international business, how can you get it? You realize, of course, this is not the same as asking how you can get a job working overseas. Why isn't it the same? Because there are many home-based jobs in international business, some of which require occasional international travel. There are also international jobs in the federal government, especially in the Department of State and the Department of Commerce.

Employment in Industry

Home-Based Jobs in International Business

Most home-based jobs in international business are connected with exporting. For example, every port city has banks with international departments that work with export financing; far fewer banks are involved in international lending. Here are some of the home-based jobs available in international business:

1. Export companies-office personnel and sales personnel who travel periodically to overseas markets.
2. International departments of banks-staff who handle clients' export financing.
3. Steamship companies-office and sales personnel.
4. International airlines-office and sales personnel.
5. Marine insurance firms-office and sales personnel to service exporters.
6. Container operators (own cargo containers)-office and salespeople.
7. Foreign freight forwarders and customhouse brokers-agents who facilitate export and import shipments.

Prolonged Overseas Employment

The entry-level job of staff person in an international area often leads to prolonged overseas employment. The firm may organize the international area as a separate company, a department for each product division, or a regional division. Some of these jobs are essentially training positions, and some companies might have them in all functional areas. Figure A.1 is an actual job profile from Coca-Cola with which the firm is recruiting for both interns and trainees, many of whom will eventually work overseas. The trainees would first be employed in a headquarters unit responsible for a given geographical area in one of the functional areas listed.

After training, during which the trainees learn about the company and how work in the various functional areas is done, those wishing to work overseas may get the opportunity to do so.

Although some graduates who want to go overseas may be fortunate to find employment with the division or group in the home office that is responsible for overseas business, others may first have to acquire the technical expertise in the domestic operation. If you are in this second group, we recommend that after working for the company for two to three years, you inform both the personnel department and the head of the international group in your functional area that you are interested in working with them. Meanwhile, you can study another foreign language or take a course related to international business. Not only will this improve your knowledge, but it will also demonstrate your continued interest in foreign business to your employer.

Some people have gotten into international business by first acquiring industrial experience in the domestic operations of one company and then obtaining employment in the international operations of another firm in the same industry. Note that Coca-Cola prefers from two to five years of marketing, finance, or engineering experience even for these training jobs.

As you can imagine, there is considerable competition for these jobs, but there are ways to improve your employment possibilities.

Overseas Job Opportunities

International Job Listings

There are numerous Web sites with Internet listings for industry and government jobs. Following are listings for both categories:

1. The Riley Guide (www.rileyguide.com) has hundreds of worldwide listings for companies and governments. The Targeting and Research section has information on Business and Employer Research and Living and Working Overseas.
2. International Career Opportunities (University of Montana) (www.montana.edu/wwwcp/national.htm). A huge list of international jobs comprehensive sites-a variety of fields and a variety of international locations.
3. The University of Wisconsin "Go Global! The International Careers Web site" has links to numerous university Web sites that list employment opportunities (http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/globalstudies/goglobal/site-lists/external-centers.htm) from all over the world. Some will submit résumés to recruiters.
4. Internships Abroad (www.ohiou.edu/studyabroad/internships.htm) is an internship program offered through Ohio University for internships in the United Nations, in the U.S. Department of State, and in over 65 countries.
5. U.S. Department of Commerce has various intern programs. For example, Student Employment Opportunities (http://ohrm.doc.gov/jobs/Student/info.htm) covers a broad range of student employment and internship opportunities.
6. U.S. Department of State (www.careers.state.gov/index.html). An extremely helpful description of Student Employment Programs with good information on how to apply for them. The Department of State holds oral prep sessions all across the United States and Asia to assist candidates for the Foreign Service oral exam.
7. The International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group (www.ifc.org). Recent graduates are hired for a two-year period as investment analysts and are then encouraged to get a graduate degree and become a member of the Global Transaction Team.
8. Organization of American States (www.oas.org/EN/PINFO/HR/gen_information.htm). This program is designed for juniors, seniors, and graduate students at the university level to allow them to work within their fields of study. They must have at least a 3.0 GPA and command of two of the four official languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French. The program has three sessions during the year: Fall, Winter-Spring, and Summer.

Enhancing Your Employment: Possibilities

Many employers like to hire people for international business positions who have shown they can live overseas successfully. You're probably thinking that that's not a very helpful piece of advice. But there are ways to acquire this experience before getting the employment you are seeking. For example, many American universities have options that permit students to take a substantial part of their programs overseas. An international firm that offers 6- to 12-month overseas internships is another possibility, as is service with the Peace Corps. AIESEC, the world's largest student-run organization, arranges internships with foreign companies, governmental agencies, and nonprofits in approximately 85 nations. They are active at over 800 universities, so check to see if your school has a chapter or go to one of the organization's various Web sites, such as www.aiesec.org.

Another way to enhance your employment possibilities is to enroll in an international business graduate program. A number of universities in the United States, Canada, and other nations have them, and a few include overseas internships in their programs. A way to show a prospective employer that you have had experience living overseas is to study for an MBA in a European management school such as INSEAD (France), IMD (Switzerland), the London Business School, or IESE (Barcelona). The tuition is as expensive as that charged by the best American schools, however. Interestingly, some American international firms are considering graduates from European schools for both domestic and overseas jobs. The MBA recruitment coordinator at Sara Lee Corporation, a large consumer products multinational, says, "It makes sense that people running our international businesses have an international background, perspective, and focus."

Career Profiles

Michael D. Gradijan

Michael D. Gradijan had been interested in international issues since high school. Upon graduating with a concentration in international business from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo in 1993, he chose to work for a small family-run company in the electronics industry rather than for a large multinational. After just nine months in this company, Gradijan was sent to Malaysia to open the company's first overseas sales and manufacturing subsidiary. As managing director, he was responsible for all facets of the business. Eighteen months later, after hiring and training a local management team to take charge of the Malaysian operation, Gradijan returned to the United States. After a few months in the home office, he "aggressively volunteered" for a new position as Director of Asia-Pacific Markets (North) and moved to Hong Kong. During his three years in this position, he was responsible for the company's operations in China, Korea, the Philippines, and Japan. Gradijan's company then appointed him as director of sales and marketing for all of the Asia Pacific markets, and he moved to Singapore. While he was in this latter position, Gradijan's company was purchased by a medium-sized NYSE-listed company and his responsibilities increased further. Describing his position, Gradijan said,

The focus in Singapore was on creating a multicultural sales team that was connected to local / regional Asian customers and to the U.S. sales force. A lot of effort went into having our U.S. sales team feel confident with respect to releasing control of accounts that were being transferred into Asia. A combination of weekly conference calls, reports, modified incentives, and trips to Asia, along with arranging to have the Asia sales team come to the U.S., brought the teams closer in terms of focusing on the tasks and goals. I remember taking some of our U.S. sales management team across our Asia locations for two weeks. We put in long hours working and traveling, including 7 countries-10 cities-in 14 days. The relationships formed with our Asian management and staff during this trip were priceless, and we reinforced these linkages through such experiences as lunch on a riverboat in Bangkok, an 8-course exotic meal in Taipei, sushi in Tokyo, bullet train rides to Nagano, cruising the Hong Kong Victoria harbor, bargain shopping in Kuala Lumpur, and golfing at an Indonesian seaside resort.

After serving three years in Singapore and having his company acquired by a Fortune 500 multinational company, Gradijan and his family (his son was born in Hong Kong, his daughter in Singapore) returned to the United States and he began to explore new career opportunities.

Currently residing in Southern California, he has launched a new company, Precision Forming LLC, that provides sales, marketing, engineering, and design services/products for high-end precision thermoform packaging applications. His company's core markets are the semiconductor, telecom, and personal computer industries. Commenting on his international experience and his new entrepreneurial venture, Gradijan says,

"To be successful, we need to align ourselves with high quality strategic manufacturing partners with locations, technology, and cost structure that would support our requirements in Asia. My international experience and contacts nurtured over the past 10 years provide a strong fit for this critical task. I've always enjoyed overcoming the challenges associated with partnering with Asian-based companies, where patience, perseverance, and diplomacy have helped establish long-term agreements, credibility, and relationships."

Over the years, many business people, friends, and relatives have asked me, "Why do you support outsourcing of business activities to companies overseas?" My answer has been the same for the past 10 years, "In international or local business, if we don't innovate, change, or ‘make a move,' then someone else will!" That's what has kept me focused and motivated me to always attempt to create the next opportunity, whether in business or in my own life (such as hiking the Great Wall of China with my family).

Jeremy J. Carney

A native of California, Jeremy Carney earned a degree in business from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, with concentrations in International Business Management and International Economics. Upon graduation, he joined Raytheon Company, a leading multinational in defense and aerospace systems.

Jeremy joined Raytheon Technical Services Company (RTSC) because of its international focus. Initially, he supported business development efforts related to Cooperative Threat Reduction programs in the former Soviet Union and the Middle East, which focused on demilitarization. Jeremy also worked to develop a commercial oil and gas venture, which included international opportunity identification, and subsequent new business capture efforts throughout the United States, Middle East, Africa, and the former Soviet Union. He commented, "I was initially attracted to Threat Reduction work because it provided a unique look at the political and socioeconomic realities that drive disarmament. Transitioning into what was basically a joint venture to create a commercially viable international logistics-support company was an immense challenge, given the cultural and business dynamics in the defense and aerospace industry. It provided an opportunity to integrate commercial best-practices into an area that is traditionally governed by unique rules and regulations."

Jeremy's career then involved an assignment with the Vice President of Strategy for RTSC, supporting the development and rollout of RTSC's 5-Year Strategic Plan for domestic and international businesses. He was also responsible for special projects for the RTSC Leadership Team, which included business model analysis, portfolio shaping, competitive intelligence, mergers and acquisitions, and business process development. He said, "This was a business student's dream come true. I was able to get involved in multiple functions and in the overall strategy development and execution for a $2 billion piece of our portfolio. It enabled me to meet and work with top-tier executives who drive cultural evolution and business growth daily. I experienced when-and how-the proverbial ‘rubber meets the road' and, equally important, when it does not."

Jeremy's performance and exposure at RTSC led to his being selected as one of seven participants in the first Business Development Leadership Development Program (BDLDP), a rotation program designed to expose Raytheon's future leaders to business development and other cross-functional assignments in multiple business areas across the company. He commented, "The BDLDP functions as both a career and pipeline development tool, and as a catalyst to drive cultural change in the organization. While we focus on learning from experts and best practices within the company, we also are charged with bridging the gaps between different businesses in our portfolio and on challenging the status quo. We are cultural change agents, required to drive evolution. This requires constantly being scrutinized and held to the highest standards while simultaneously pushing back and challenging existing thinking, processes, systems, structures, and behaviors in a politically sensitive way."

In his first rotation assignment, Jeremy worked as Manager of Business Capture and Strategy for Raytheon's Network Centric Systems (NCS), supporting the Director. His responsibilities included an active role in strategy development and team review activities, and involvement in other NCS and Raytheon-wide initiatives focused on business processes and infrastructure development.

Jeremy's second rotation assignment is Regional Manager for the Middle East and Africa, reporting to both the Regional Executive for these regions and Raytheon International's President. Primary responsibilities focus on supporting efforts to maintain and develop international and U.S. government customer relationships. This requires interfacing with the Raytheon businesses, country managers, and corporate, to drive strategy development and growth for the company. Substantial interface with U.S. government agencies such as the Departments of State and Defense, foreign embassies, and various international groups and associations is required. He is also responsible for special projects related to developing country entry strategy. He commented, "Working for an aerospace and defense company in Washington, DC, and in the Middle East and Africa, at this time in history and with this focus, is an incredible opportunity to experience first-hand the political, socioeconomic and business pressures in one of the most demanding and challenging business environments in recent times."

Jeremy added, "Since joining Raytheon, my goal has been to put myself into the most challenging and diverse learning situations available. My intent is to maximize my learning so that I can build the tactical, strategic and leadership skills necessary to drive growth and eventually lead a multinational organization. I co-ran a local restaurant while completing my university studies. It was leading on a much smaller scale and running a large corporation is certainly more complex. Yet, the lessons learned from my experiences in academics, front-line management, and in my various roles at Raytheon have really enabled me to build a strong foundation. It's all about leveraging your experiences and your vision to drive the future."

Carina Edwards

Carina Edwards leads global business development and external marketing efforts for Sapient, a business and technology consultancy headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In this capacity, she oversees the global business development sales strategy, training, CRM/sales force automation development, compensation plan development, and global support help desk. In addition, she is responsible for global public relations, analyst relations, and corporate events. Her 51-member team spans the globe with sales and marketing people in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, and a business development helpdesk and CRM (corporate relations management) application development team in India.

This impressive career development began with a civilian job working for the U.S. Navy, where she managed a system of global deployments for third-party outpatient collection systems. That's right, she managed a ride system for military system outpatients around the world, from her U.S. office. From there, she moved to Veterans' Health Affairs, to manage a call and problem management system. At every step in her career, she focused on what she loved, the international aspects of her work, and what she knew, her decisions sciences and management information systems background, based on her undergraduate degree at George Mason University.
Carina Edwards joined Sapient in 2001, initially working as the marketing lead for Sapient's public services business unit, focused on the federal government and health care. She is currently completing her MBA at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and takes some courses at Northeastern university. She credits her recent international management course with helping her develop a better understanding of the global workplace from a cultural and managerial perspective and gain insights into global strategies.