If you’ve made the leap to live abroad, you may be struggling to find employment. While there are a few options for self employment (Jason Hartman recommends real estate investment!) you may be on the hunt for something else. Fortunately, we live in a digital age—finding employment abroad has never been easier!

Your first step will be to establish yourself in your industry. In order to best brand yourself, think about specific benefits you bring to a company or position. Find keywords associated with these companies and use them in your application materials so that recruiters are more likely to find you. This will mean building an online presence that is easily visible to recruiters and companies looking to hire. Your online interactions should be professional, and deal in the industry in which you desire to find work.

Create your own website and register the URL in your name. This will bring you up in search engine results. Add a blog with regularly updated content (and keywords) and you’ll move higher in the search engine ranking and be more visible to employees. Make sure you’re blogging about industry-specific topics and not what you ate for breakfast this morning. Authoritative industry blogs will create buzz around your name that might lead to later employment. Plus, it’s a great way to keep your skills up to date and show interest in current industry trends.

Next, create a digital resume. This might include samples of work, video, CDs, etc. Think of it as an extended marketing kit—a digital resume can and should be longer than a paper resume. Include a professional photograph and focus on incorporating industry keywords. If you need help, find a resume service to assist you—many are online and free!

Next, Google yourself. More and more, employers are doing preliminary searches on individuals they’re interested in. If the first thing that comes up when a person searches your name is an unfortunate photograph from that college party, work to boost your presence and get more favorable search results. Create a professional LinkedIn profile, a professional Twitter, and a professional Facebook account. A blog and website will certainly help too, as well as a Google Plus account with an author tag leading to your work. Guest blog for other sites too—get your name out there!

Finally, approach employers who haven’t even posted jobs asking if they have opportunities. Offer to volunteer or otherwise get to know them—when a job becomes available, you’ll be first on their list of potential hires. Utilize existing connections (even if they’re just acquaintances) and get that job! (Image: Flickr | A Name Like Shields Can Make You Defensive)

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The Jetsetter Show Team

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