Undertaking international work overseas and at home: why are alumni willing?

Abstract

These data gathered from Monash alumni answer six questions about interest in international careers. (1) Are organisations in Australia in which Monash alumni work increasing their international focus and why?: They are, chiefly in order to grow and because of their industries' focus. They also use jobs with international responsibilities managed from Australia strategically, from necessity, and to develop staff. (2) Are there effects on alumni careers e.g. possible expatriation and undertaking jobs with international responsibilities managed from Australia? Yes. A third of alumni have domestic jobs with international work especially when >40 and in late career than early or mid-career, dealing with countries mostly in the Anglo and Far Eastern/Oriental countries, and others could be asked to take up that work. Moreover, alumni could be asked to expatriate especially when 31 to 40 than >40 and in early to mid-career, and to Anglo, Far Eastern/Oriental, and Latin European countries. (3) How willing are alumni to relocate overseas to work or to work in jobs with international responsibilities managed from Australia? Moreover, what do the latter jobs comprise? Alumni are quite willing to undertake domestic international work. They are not very willing to relocate internationally for work, less so to culturally dissimilar countries to Australia, less so when it is a more permanent international career pattern, but more so when 30 or less and in early career. (4) What factors help or hinder an interest in international careers, both as expatriation and as international jobs performed in Australia? Family hinders international work the most, especially partner reluctance and career, children's education, and time away and lost contacts, especially worst if aged 41 to 50, married and with high school children, and in mid-career than late or early career . Expecting personal development through cross-cultural experience and job challenge helps an interest in relocation overseas for work, (5) Are alumni experienced in and confident about dealing with international work? Alumni do not have much international experience but are very confident about living and working in a country with a culture different to their own. (6) What are the human resource policies the organisations of alumni are using for international work and how do they help address factors hindering an interest in it? Few human resource policies are offered for international work. Those least offered are the ones that deal with the reasons alumni are not likely to undertake international work e.g. partner employment and training and assistance with children's education. The policies offered have to do with travel and accommodation, providing strategic information, rewards/financial, and career paths.