Slight change in career....working in another country

[malachi]

I am 32 (so still young ). My current job involves me doing 2nd and 3rd line IT support for a UK based organization. Been there for about nearly 7 years, pays about 32k year, I work anytime I want between 8am and 6pm (flexitime) no weekend work and overtime is rarely required. But sometimes when projects go wrong, we get dumped with all the work and spend days or weeks sorting the mess out. I thought this would change throughout the years but it has not and I am starting to get fed up.
I am single, don’t have any kids, I do have a mortgage but apart from that I don’t have any debts. So you could say compared to many people around my own age I have it very cushy.

But I started to realise now I want abit more out of life too and don’t want to just do what the British culture expects you to do. Be born, go through the education system, get a job (busting silly hours just to make ends meet like some), find a partner, buy a house, start a family etc, then……….retire. I want to do a lot more than that. So perhaps it’s a good idea to relocate to another country for a few years and work aboard, simply a change of environment.

I’m not going to drop everything and move to another country without thinking about it carefully. I won’t put this into action for another 3 years (reasons explained below) but I want to be prepared if I decide to.

I'm wont be leaving the UK with nothing and I want to stay working in IT. At least within the technology side of things. Now Microsoft have released some Windows 10 exams, I am going to study and get certs in that. At least past one exam before the end of the year. Also I want to do Server 2016 certs if Microsoft ever create exams for them. If they don’t or take too long, then I will do Server 2012 R2 instead. All of this will be self-funded by me.

I want to take 10k with me (British pounds) when I move aboard, I already have 2k in my savings account which took me 4 months, as I put £600 a month in there. So saving another 8k over 3 years shouldn’t be a problem. I want to find a job aboard first before I consider leaving. I have been overpaying my mortgage for a few years and I have spoking to my mortgage company and I can go without paying my mortgage for 12 months without falling behind in payments. At least then if anything goes wrong I can take a payment break. I am not going to sell my house as I want something to always come back to.

Over the past 3 years I have traveled to a few countries. France, Spain, Germany, Serbia, Portugal, Italy, Hungry, Belgium, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Dubai and many others. So I do have an idea of what it’s like going to other countries, especially countries not populated by the British tourism. But living and working there can be a different story.

I have spoken to a few friends about this and their default answer is Australia or Dubai. I haven’t been to Australia as it doesn’t interest me. I know many people from the UK go to work there because it’s basically a mirror image of the UK but I am not looking for that. If I was then I might aswell work in London. As for Dubai, many work there for the tax free reason and I’m not looking to move, just to top up my bank account so I can buy sports cars and boast.

So has anyone done this before, worth doing, taking the risk? Tips and advice will be helpful. Thanks.

 

[malachi]

I moved to Switzerland. Feel free to ask any specific questions if you have them.

Did you move there because you wanted to or due to a job?

 

[malachi]

I don't get the point in your exams, you can do them anywhere. If you want to go, do it.

Because there is only one exam which has been written for Windows 10 and that's in beta but I can still take it get a cert. There will be more exams to follow but they haven't been written yet.

Yes I can do the exams anywhere but I want to be guaranteed I can pay for them while still employed in a decent job here in the UK. I cant just up and leave because my mortgage wont pay for itself, if I don't get a job or have enough money for my mortgage and living away then I am going to struggle. I don't have anyone to fall back on apart from myself. If I leave with upto date certs then I become more employable, compared to the average Joe as competition in the IT sector is bad enough.

Unfortunately I'm not the 21 year old who can up and leave, do bar work and if it doesn't work out, shrug their shoulders and move back home to mummy and daddy for support.

 

[malachi]

^^^ this

I also don't see the point in waiting 3 years, you'll be looking for a pay rise too no doubt and presumably some free accommodation for the first couple of months. If you've already made overpayments and have savings then not much to worry about (though why anyone would overpay a mortgage at the moment given how low interest rates are does baffle me).

On the mortgage rate I am on at the moment its best to overpay. Had the mortgage for 5 years, been over paying for 3 years. So might aswell

I will put my house to rent but I need to move mortgage companies etc before I can do that (legally) which could cost abit.

May be biased because I lived there four years but I would recommend Hong Kong. The money is good, the tax is <10%, it's smack in the middle of SE Asia so you can do Vietnam/Thailand/Philippines/Taiwan/Myanmar etc weekend trips easily. The 12-hour flight is just about do-able to get back home for a weekend (did it a few times). English is an official language and life is just generally easy.

Germany is just a better quality of life than the UK. People enjoy life more here, property is cheap, there's no 'London Problem', sensible work life balance is supreme. Really need to learn the lingo a bit though (government will pay towards courses).

I wouldn't go to Dubai....it just seems to be a place that people go to endure for a few years and rake in the money. At least in Hong Kong you get the money and an amazing vibrant city to live in.

I wouldn't wait 3 years if I was you. I first moved abroad on my 30th birthday...been 6 years now! Really wish I'd gone sooner. Just start applying for roles in HK if it interests you.

For reference I was working at lead programmer level role in the banks in HK, and was taking home over 7K GBP per month, net.

Thanks. I will look at HK and the jobs they provide. I did enjoy it when I spent a week there 3 years ago. Looking around, Germany and Switzerland are looking to be good places but I will investigate further.

The main reason for waiting 3 years is simply saving enough money. I have 2K now but that wont get me very far. Especially if I decide to put my house up to rent.

 

[malachi]

It doesn't take much to get setup in HK, just enough for the first month's serviced apartment or whatever until you get your first paycheque.

32k GBP you're on now? With 7 years exp you should be able to land roles in HK that'll give you double the take home, easily. If you want to move, just go ahead and do it, you're losing out by sitting around counting pennies in the UK.

Yes, that's nice to know for HK. I always thought it be expensive.

 

[malachi]

How did you guys go about applying for jobs, did you apply from the UK first then went over or you applied when you moved after?

Any particular websites you used for international jobs?

 

[malachi]

I can't remember the site. It might have even been indeed.com, something crap either way. Just happened to see it was in Basel and thought why not. Wasn't even looking for a job abroad. A month later I was living there.

Thanks, looked at indeed.com. Just the see what international IT job were around the world.

 

[malachi]

One thing I like to ask about Switzerland as i have never been there before. How do they take to people of colour?

Me being a black male, i would never set foot in countries such as Poland or Russia.

When I visited Berlin and HK i never had any issues there.