Asking for a friend.
Financially - with or without family
Professionally - career development
Longevity - career survival
12 replies (most recent on top)
Every time EM hires a third party assessment of cost of living in each country or expat benefits in the industry, the benefits are reduced.
The value of an expat assignment is doing real work instead of creating slides for someone else to present to your boss’s boss’s boss and get credit for your work.
A huge component of you ultimate potential is mobility. If you restrict your mobility your ultimate will decrease and impact your ability to progress forward in your career. And then you can come of this board and whine about not being developed while you are totally rigid on only working in Spring m-f and eating Chick-fil-A every day for lunch.
For those who ask questions like this, it is probably a waste of money. For those who embrace the opportunity to propel their career it will pay back tenfold…
Expat assignments are awarded to high-flyers only, those who have wealthy sponsors. Downside is that you will be hated by many esp those in your destination site. Go for the money but not for career.
Everybody I’ve talked to has basically said the financial incentives are no longer there. They just recently cut the allowance even more.
Basically no.
Financially - No. You now lose $ on your car, maintaining your house remotely, and a host of other costs. Pair that with terrible uplifts and miserable housing allowances, it is a HUGE money loser.
Professionally - Not until you’re a sufficient CL to get a manager level job. Otherwise you’re just assessment fodder for employees with more face time.
Longevity - Years later, no one will care that you took an expat role. With the new assessment, you’re at the equivalent of a yearly contract.
I have taken expat assignments with Exxon for about 20 years, off and on. But, with the new policies, and complete lack of expat support (e.g. if you have any kind of medical or personal financial issue… like that house they now expect you to keep… you’re completely hosed with 0 support!), I’ve updated my CC profile to EMHC only. It is not worth the financial or personal risk at all.
It is if you like giving the company a cut of your income tax refunds for 3 years after you repatriate
Are these questions for real?
Most expat assignments going to BTC personnel
No