Trying to decide whether to work abroad or stay in your home country is not always an easy choice. Both options might even make sense.
Staying at home will offer you stability, familiarity and comfort. Moving abroad will offer you growth, change & new opportunities. However, in reality it’s a bit more nuanced than that. The real difference is not just about where you work. It’s mostly about how much you’re willing to change.
Staying at home: the pros
- You’re close to family & friends
- You understand the culture
- You have an existing network
- Life feels predictable
Staying at home means less risk & less uncertainty. The thing is that for many people, that’s exactly what they want.
There is however a part that is very important to talk about. Comfort can quietly turn into standstill.
When everything around you is familiar, it is much easier to stay in the exact same routines. It makes it easier to delay decisions & to postpone change. It’s not always about that you can’t do more. You’re simply in a situation where no one is pushing you to do more.
Working abroad: the pros
- You grow faster than you expect
- You become more adaptable
- You gain international experience
- You meet people from different backgrounds
- You build confidence in unfamiliar situations
But it’s not always upside…
Being realistic:
- The first months can feel overwhelming
- You might feel lonely at times
- You have to rebuild your life from scratch
- Nothing feels “automatic” in the beginning
So no, it’s not always comfortable. But it’s when your outside of your comfort zone where the growth happens.
So which one is better?
The question isn’t about which choice is objectively better. The answer comes from within and is decided by what you’re looking for & dreaming about.
If you value stability, predictability and staying very close to what you know… Staying at home might be the right choice for you. If you’re willing to trade comfort for growth, uncertainty & new experiences… Working abroad might be worth it.
Neither choice is wrong, but they lead to very different outcomes overtime.
What we see every day
We speak to candidates every single day who are considering working abroad. Many of these candidates have been thinking about it for months, or even years.
What often holds them back is not a lack of opportunity, it’s uncertainty. Many have the idea that they need to feel fully ready before making a decision.
In reality, feeling ready is rarely the feeling that comes first.
