Сзадвинем к тексту ? a period overseas is seen by many as an important addition to your cy. but how do you make sure that it really works to your advantage?

1. what should i consider before i go?
"think carefully about the job," says executive coach, nicola bunting. "does it fit in with your career goals or are you being attracted by the lifestyle? also before you go, you need to have a re-entry plan." kevan hall, chief executive of the international people management group, global integration, says you shouldn't underestimate the culture shock. "go out there beforehand. see what you' re getting into."

2. what are the advantages and disadvantages?
nigel parslow, uk managing director of harvey nash executive search, says staying where you are may not be possible if you work for an organisation that has overseas operations. he adds that the experience you gain is also very attractive.

3. what are the personal considerations?
the biggest is family. this can be particularly hard for people in the middle of their careers who may have children at school. ms bunting says: "there's your partner's career too. some people's spouses try and commute back and i'd really advise against this as it makes an already stressful situation even more difficult."

4. what about the destination?
mr hall says: "there's been a power shift to asia, and that, coupled with low growth in america and europe, means that particularly if you're ambitious you might want to spend some time there."

5. is there an ideal length of time?
many people say two to three years. but this will vary according to the country and organisation. mr parslow thinks so that if you spend too long abroad, you can end up with a not entirely positive expat label attached to you.


2. read paragraph 2 and decide if these statements about expressions are true or false.

if you a) consider if a job fits in with your career goals (lines 8-9), you think about the long-term consequences of taking the job. b) go to work abroad and have a re-entry plan (line 12), you have an idea about what you are going to do when you get back. c) underestimate something (line 16), you give it more importance that it really has. d) suffer from culture shock (line 17), you find it easy to get used to another culture. e) get into a situation (line 19), you get involved in it.