Project management opportunities abroad

[Manikandan Swaminathan]

Hi all,

I am a java professional with around 8 years of experience.I recently joined a major Indian MNC as technical lead.Even though the deisgnation is technical lead,the major part of work will be project management involving team meeting,status updates etc.. Due to some personal issues, i will be looking for a career stint abroad in the next 1.5 years (I am considering US,UK,Aus,Singapore/NewZealand). What i want to know is what is the typical work of project manager/technical manager in the above countries other than US.I know in US,people code for almost 20 years,though is not possible in Indian service companies.Having worked on the management side with almost no technology exposure,will i be able to get a job in UK/Aus/Singapore with my experience? I now have 8+ years of experience.I am planning for relocation only after a year.So,by that time i will have almost 9+ years of experience.Request for thoughts from people who are working in UK/US/Aus/Singapore with 8-9 years of experience.I will try for onsite from here,but if i dont get, i have to try on my own..So request for your advice.

Thanks a lot for your time.

[Raj Thakur]

If your 8+ year experience is all in development or it is divided into few years in development and other few in management?

I can speak for Australia. It's easier to get job into development than in to management. And at most of the places team size or company size will be very small and initially you might get paid very less and might have to take up entry level opportunities.

If your experience is from a well known global company, like IBM, Google, MS, Accenture, Cisco etc, it will be valued more than the experience from not so big or known companies. And your experience has to be verifiable from senior folks of your company. When you give not so known companies name in your resume, Australian employers becomes skeptical and they may not consider that experience at all (As many foreigners fake their experience). So in that case you might have to start from scratch, prove yourself and move ahead.

You might like to get into Management support job if you have got good project management experience. But remember, that job will be mostly not-technical and administrative kind of job. And you will require excellent communication skills, neutral accent and great personality to be into Managerial role in Australia. And yeah, at most of the place the organization structure is very flat rather than hierarchical as in India. So not many mid level managerial position exists.

[Manikandan Swaminathan]

Hi Raj,

Thanks for your reply.My 8 years experience can be divided as follows

4.5 years - Development
3.3 years - maintenance & production support

Now only am into the lead role(management level). Also,in my last company i have worked in Spring & Struts framework.So,i can refresh them.Not a problem.Also,please let me know how easy it is for someone to get a job in Australia? I know i have to come there and search for one.Are Australian employers willing to take foreignes?I have heard that if one has experience in Australia,then they will get a job very easily.For others,its very difficult.Some of my friends who got a chance to work in Aus(onsite) managed to get jobs there and have settled.

Please advise.

[Raj Thakur]

I would say, it is difficult but not impossible. But yeah you need to have PR of Australia beforehand, or else you will find it nearly impossible to land a job there.

Your friends are right, if you have got Australian work experience, it's relatively easier to get job or if you are onsite, it's easier to jump to other company.

I had seen and met many Indian IT professionals in Australia coming directly on PR. Some got the job as soon as they arrived (I mean in just 2-3 months), some got it in 10-11 months or a year and some are still washing the car (or doing similar manual jobs). So it all depends on the person. Your skills, your past experience, the demand of the technology you are in to, and also luck to the some extent plays major part here. Some people remain focused on their goals and career and others are just busy and happy making money in any job they can get.

[maria lewis]

Perfect...! Friend you rightly divide your experience as you mentioned above this looks good in that way it is easy for you to find a right job.I mostly prefer you to find job in project management field because in abroad especially in Europe countries a good company would pay you higher than your other experience.