Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited
Return to career-consulting-limited.com
People |
|
|
 |
Culture Shock
Today we hear much talk of the 'global village'. People are have more opportunities to travel and live abroad than ever before. However, when you leave a familiar environment and go for an extended stay somewhere quite different, you could experience a whole range of unexpected and unfamiliar feelings. Many of these emotions can be very strong, making you feel out of control and confused: just the sort of problem you could do without as you try to cope with a new job, a new way of life. This is the experience we call 'culture shock' and its course is well understood and documented. So, the first thing to remember is that culture shock is normal, that it has clearly defined stages and that, provided you understand what is happening to you, you should be able to cope with it. Why might we experience culture shock? The first point to make is that in your new environment you lack the support network of family and friends who would normally help you to cope with difficult situations. Another important factor is that you could find the people you are working and living with are not aware of your feelings and may appear not to understand your anxieties. Basically culture shock is part of the process of adapting to the unfamiliar and it is a process that inevitably takes some time to work through. Some of the differences can cause you practical anxieties, driving on the other side of the road, for example. But even quite small differences such as the non-availability of certain foods or the fact that shops have different opening times can all contribute to making you feel disoriented in the short term. The important point to try to remember is that these are perfectly normal reactions and they will pass as you become more accustomed to your new way of life. For those going to a society with very different customs and behaviour patterns from their own, the impact of culture shock may be even more pronounced, as you find all your expectations about people and their behaviour are no longer met. Common areas of difference are: modes of dress, behaviour considered appropriate to men and to women, aspects of religious practice, social customs, food and eating habits, climate. At the beginning, in the honeymoon period, you are likely to feel excited by the new experience of going to another country and you will be looking forward to arriving and meeting new people and embarking on your career. Quite quickly, however, you may find that the new experiences begin to overwhelm you and you react with distressing emotions that might be unfamiliar to you. What you first found exciting may now seem alien, even frightening and you may be wishing you were back among the familiar places and people at home. You may be unused to sudden mood changes and strong reactions to apparently trivial events. This is perhaps the most difficult phase for any new teacher and it is important to try to remember that what you are feeling is normal and that it will pass. However, if you find yourself feeling unable to cope, do try to contact other staff of the same nationality as yourself with longer experience of the new environment. Although, objectively, you may not wish to seek out your compatriots, especially if you are trying to avoid speaking your native language in order to learn the language of the host country, it will help you at this stage to look for their support. People from a similar background to your own will understand your reactions to the new environment. They will be able to talk about what is happening back home and they will make you feel less cut off and less a stranger. You will be able to cook your national food together, listen to familiar music, exchange newspapers and books and discuss the different aspects of the new culture that you find difficult to accept. Eventually you should find that you have been given enough support from fellow nationals to enable you to feel more at home in the new environment. Together you will wish to explore more and more of the host culture. Gradually you will come to re-evaluate all that is new and you will find that many of the different customs now seem attractive to you. It is not possible to say how long these different phases will take, as so much depends on individual reactions and the extent of the differences between the cultures they are experiencing. But try to remember that it is quite natural for you to go through stages of rejecting all that you find - the food, the mode of dress, the behaviour patterns, the climate and that, as time goes on, you will gradually learn to re-assess them, finding some of them more acceptable than you first realised. However, the feelings you have may be very powerful and there could be times when you need to seek help. Below are suggestions for ways of obtaining help with specific difficulties as they arise: Homesickness - general feelings of being unable to cope Seek contact with other people of your nationality, either through your work or by contact with official organisations such as the Consulate. Problems with work - Speak to your boss and ask for initial support. If other people of your own nationality work in the company, get to know them and they will be able to guide you through the initial period of settling in. Loneliness - Find out if there are any societies for your nationality in your town. Join societies that cater for your leisure and sporting interests. When you have contact with fellow nationals, find out where you can buy foods that you eat at home, newspapers in your own language and take the opportunity to share experiences and feelings with them. Opportunities for worship - If you wish to practise your religion while abroad, make sure that you ask what facilities are available when you have your initial interview. Gender issues If you find you are in a society with different attitudes to gender than those you are used to, discuss the problems with colleagues of the same sex as yourself to compare findings. Again, try to inform yourself as much as possible before you leave of any differences in attitude that exist in your host country. General preparation for the new situation - Find out whether your recruitment organisation will be holding an orientation session for employees before they leave. Read as much as possible about the host country beforehand and try to talk to other people who have already worked in the country to see if they have any special advice. You may think that culture shock is only likely to affect people going to countries with very different cultures from their own. If you are going to work in a country that you already know well, you may feel that you will be immune from culture shock symptoms. However, you need to remember that living and working in a country exposes you to a very different aspect of it from what you may experience as a tourist. There will still be significant differences ranging from the purely practical to the sort of attitudes people hold, so do not be surprised if you find yourself experiencing the sort of emotional reactions described above. Finally, on your return home, you could find culture shock working in reverse. With your new experiences, you will feel a different person from the one who left. You may have a broader outlook than the people you return to and you will look at some aspects of life in your own country with a more a critical eye. Also, many things will have changed in your absence so that your return could be as unsettling as he experience of going abroad in the first place. Again, this is normal and there will be similar stages of readjustment. Brenda Townsend Hall is a writer and trainer in the field of cultural awareness and English for business and is an associate member of the ITAP International Alliance: http://www.itapintl.com
MORE RESOURCES: Careers University of Northern Colorado February US job openings slip to 7.6M, consistent with a healthy but decelerating job market AP News Supply Chain Lowe's INTERNSHIP - SIMULIA EMAG User Success Dassault Systèmes Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Working for ICE ice.gov How to use AI to get a job interview and nail it – along with the salary you deserve | Job hunting The Guardian Careers City of Ontario, California (.gov) Careers at Prairie View A&M University PVAMU Home Careers | Home USDA (.gov) Careers at FEMA FEMA.gov Meet a millennial who quit her tech job, temporarily moved to Paris, and started a baking business in NYC Business Insider Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Careers - MDOT Maryland.gov Careers Baxter Current Job Opportunities City of Keene (.gov) Jobs City of Rochester, New York (.gov) Work at Fairfield Fairfield University Corporate Career Job Areas Target Employment Opportunities | Game Commission Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Store Hourly Job Areas Target Careers at USCIS USCIS (.gov) Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Jobs and Training at FDA fda.gov Work at Butler Butler University Employment | Department of Corrections Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Water Services Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group Careers Work With Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (.gov) Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care Careers at Willamette Willamette University Career Opportunities UMHB Careers Johnson & Johnson Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Finding Your New Career at the City of Phoenix City of Phoenix (.gov) IOM career gateways International Organization for Migration Careers Washington State University Jobs at Liberty University Liberty University Careers BASF Careers at the IOC Olympics.com Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Jobs and careers | Veterans Affairs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs I landed job offers at Meta, Microsoft, and Google, thanks to this LinkedIn hack anyone can use Fortune Student internships at J&J Johnson & Johnson Careers Career Comeback UBS Certified Direct Care Professional (CDCP) Wisconsin Department of Health Services (.gov) Future of Jobs Report 2025: The jobs of the future – and the skills you need to get them The World Economic Forum Work for the City of St. Louis City of St. Louis, MO (.gov) Careers WVDE Careers The Ocean Cleanup Ready for your next great job? ADP Careers Our Hiring Process Target UF Health Careers UF Health Careers Job Seekers Illinois Human Resources Careers CrowdStrike Careers KPMG Careers at Union Union College March 2025 Preview: What to Expect in the Jobs Report Center for Economic and Policy Research EPA employees rally in Denver against President Trump’s job and funding cuts - Colorado Public Radio EPA employees rally in Denver against President Trump’s job and funding cuts Colorado Public Radio Careers at Balfour Beatty Balfour Beatty Jobs for Veterans and transitioning military VA Careers (.gov) DOE Report Shows Clean Energy Jobs Grew at More Than Twice the Rate of Overall U.S. Employment Department of Energy (.gov) Job Opportunities Bellevue School District Talent Solutions CBIZ The Job Market Is Frozen The Atlantic Careers Euromonitor Interview Guide and Tips Target Provincial Government Job Opportunities Government of Prince Edward Island Current opportunities Turner & Townsend Recorded Video Interviews Target 25 Best Jobs That Pay $100K or More | Careers | U.S. News Money/ US News Why hasn’t AI taken your job yet? Financial Times RESTORING ACCOUNTABILITY TO POLICY-INFLUENCING POSITIONS WITHIN THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE The White House (.gov) Work at UI Health Care | University of Iowa Health Care University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Surging job market could prove costly for households, businesses as odds of quick rate cuts fade AP News WORK AT LVMH LVMH Careers at Jacobs Jacobs SNAP Helps Millions of Workers in Low-Paying Jobs Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Work with us JPMorganChase Tariffs are 'lose-lose' for U.S. jobs and industry, economist says: 'There are no winners here' CNBC |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Resume Objectives ... The Hidden Pitfalls Why Use Resume ObjectivesBefore we can discuss the pitfalls you first need to understand the reasons for including your resume objectives and how they relate to your resume and interview selection process.Including an objectives section at the beginning of your resume provides a brief introduction to the purpose of the resume, highlighting your career objectives and the type of job you are seeking. Simple Interviewing That Works Powerful questions to get below the surface1. Ask for specific "stories" of complete situations"We all meet situations where people disagree on the correct way to proceed. The Right Way To Send Your Resume Having a great resume is the first critical step in a successful job search. Unfortunately, most people don't know the best ways to get that resume noticed. The Perfect Fit: Women & Franchising An interesting combination of factors at this time in history may be the reason so many women are turning to franchising to fulfill their entrepreneurial desires. Women's increased financial power, better education, and corporate experience, combined with their desire for more autonomy and desire to connect with others who share their values make franchising a great fit for many women. Dissatisfied With Work? Perhaps Its You Just about every month, there's a new research report detailing the seemingly higher and higher degree of worker dissatisfaction. Whether it's a Gallup poll or a Conference Board report, the results are strikingly similar -- workers are becoming more and more dissatisfied with their work. Dynamic Interviewing Practices The pre-hiring process can be a challenge. If you're reading this article, you are finished with the pre-hiring process and are looking for tips that will guide you through the interview. Job Hunting Tips: Taking Care of Yourself Looking for work is generally a miserable undertaking. No matter how much education and experience you have, you are in a powerless and vulnerable position. Rewriting Your Resume? 7 Easy Ways To Give Yourself An Upgrade In today's competitive job market, a first class resume is an essential tool for winning an interview. The way in which you present your skills, achievements and experience on paper will profoundly affect the way in which a hiring company considers your application. Answering The What Are Your Weaknesses? Interview Question One of the trickier questions an interviewer might put to you is "what are your major weaknesses?"What are you meant to say? If you list all your weaknesses, aren't you just giving the interviewer reasons to think that you aren't up to the job?If you read most other interview advice guides, they will say that you should list some weaknesses that are just as much strengths. Things like "I am a perfectionist" or "I work too hard". Moving From A Weekend Hobby To Career In The Arts Building a career as an artist takes hard work. Because the field attracts so many talented people, jobs in this field remain competitive. Finding the Right Travel Nursing Placement Agency Travel nursing is becoming one of our nation's fastest growing professions, and it's no surprise. If you love seeing new places and enjoy exciting new experiences that evoke the feeling of taking an extended vacation, then the career of a traveling nurse might be just what the doctor ordered! Travel nursing enables many people to stay on vacation for two to six months in free luxury accommodations while earning high hourly wages at the same time. Searching for an IT Job Looking for an IT job is one of the easiest to perform due to the incredibly high demand in the IT field. As the Internet grows, corporations network through Intranets - even the advancement of science has the demand for anyone with IT skills at an all time high. How To Survive A Job Loss Has this ever happened to you: You have been working at a particular job for a few years. It's not the greatest job and it hasn't always allowed you to capitalize on your unique gifts or talents. 50 Things To Do To Your Boss That Are Fun For You, But Not For Them 1. You're eavesdropping and you hear your boss has reservations at his favorite restaurant. Learn How to Throw a Boomerang Actually, "the boomerang effect" is a relatively new trend of inviting back talented former employees into the fold.Surveys indicate 12% of employers cautiously admit they would re-hire ex-employees (alumni). Auto-Disqualification - When Your Resume Never Reaches the Decision Maker How would you know if your resume did or didn't reach the appropriate decision maker? You can truly never know for certain. However, there are steps you can take to ensure that your resume does not get "auto-disqualified", or provide obvious reasons not to be hired. Resume Writing - Things to Consider You are looking for a job and you are out to land the job of a lifetime. It can happen! Before you consider want ads, job websites, or making inquiries of companies you are interested in, you will need a resume. Nonverbal Interview Behavior Non-verbal interview behavior can drown out your verbal self-presentation.Practice interviewing in front of a full-length mirror or, better yet, videotape yourself if you have access to such equipment. Is A Career a Calling or Choice? How much of our career path is destiny and how much is free will? In my opinion, it is 50/50. We are given a life map at the beginning of our lives, and there are things we are meant to learn, people we are meant to meet, work we are meant to perform. Tips For Successful Job Hunting: How To Get A Job Without A Resume I am in my mid-thirties, and, as you can imagine, I have changed and looked for jobs many times in my life. No matter how successful was in my job hunting research, I realized that there are certain ground "rules" that need to be respected; otherwise, we will not get what we want from our careers.
|
|
|
| © Career Consulting Limited.com 2011
|