If you live in the UK, this is no longer just a perk; it’s your right.

As reported by the BBC, a new law recently went into effect that gives all UK employees the right to ask for flexible working privileges, and more importantly, requires employers to provide a legal reason for saying no.

This is in contrast to the United States, whose Department of Labor states: “The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not address flexible work schedules. Alternative work arrangements such as flexible work schedules are a matter of agreement between the employer and the employee.”

Many UK workers are eager to take advantage of the new law, with a recent Glassdoor survey finding that 17 percent of employees are planning to submit or resubmit a flexible working application.

But is a flexible working law a good idea?

Tom Ewer, the online entrepreneur behind the popular blog Leaving Work Behind, thinks it’s a step in the right direction, saying:

“To me this is a sign of the times, and I mean that in a positive way. I believe that as a culture, we need to shift from an attitude of employees being ‘present’ at work for a certain amount of time to simply judging people on their performance… Having said that, I don’t foresee this prompting any huge immediate shift in the UK working environment. It’s a great start, and I’m sure some people will take advantage, but I would imagine that the majority of business owners will find a reason to reject such requests.”

Though the BBC cites government estimates of £475m in economic benefits in the next 10 years,mainly due to increased productivity and lower turnover, concerns remain. The BBC reporter points out the law could make it “harder for those more in need of flexible working, increasing the risk of discrimination claims, and adding unnecessary red tape.”

Claire Mulry, an American citizen who’s lived and worked in the UK for 10 years, doesn’t foresee any big changes:

“Most business want more from their employees than a traditional 9-5 day, so I think it’s great that employees can request a flexible working pattern in return… [But] I don’t think it will dramatically change the working environment. As someone without dependents who enjoys an office working environment, I will not be applying, but I hope employers are open and able to deal with employee requests for those who need it.”

Still in its infancy, there’s no way to tell how this new law will affect the economy or lives of UK workers. But one thing’s certain: over here in the States, we’ll be watching.

Do you think flexible working policies should be written into law? Or should this be up to each individual employer?

Susan Shain (@TravlJunkette) is a travel blogger who loves helping people discover adventure through international travel or alternative careers.

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The post This New UK Law for Employees Might Make You Wish You Lived There appeared first on Brazen Life.

Making any of this happen is easier than you think. With some careful planning, damage control and this handy guide, you’ll be an expat in no time.

Pick a place

Yes, you may want to be sipping pina coladas on a beach in Costa Rica, but is your dream employer hiring nearby? Consider your work opportunities when choosing your target location. If you’re not sure where you might want to live and work, ask yourself these questions to ignite inspiration:

• What is your ideal place to work?
• Is there a specific city where your industry is thriving?
• Where is your dream company based?

If this will be your first venture away from home, choose a country that’s a comfortable commute back. This proximity means you can easily hop on a train or plane and see familiar faces when the homesickness sets in—and it will.

Get yourself hired

So you have the place nailed down—now onto finding a job! The Web is full of info on how to (and how not to) find a new job, but international searches demand a bit of extra creativity.

Do you work for a company that has offices abroad? Applying for a transfer could take the sting out of the job search. To further reduce risk, you could ask for a sabbatical role to test the waters before taking the full plunge.

Most businesses do not look for new employees from foreign countries. If you’re applying to a new company, be prepared to sell yourself more than usual when you’re asked, “why should we hire you?”

Remember, the kind of job you want may not necessarily be advertised. Networking is a proven method to landing that new gig. Go on, don’t be shy!

Physically move

Yikes! You’re hired! Now, where on earth are you going to live? How will you move your things? How will you break the news to your ‘rents?

These are all exciting, and potentially terrifying, questions. Since your new business knows you’re moving from another country, they are likely to help you with the move or build it into the financial package (hint: discuss this with them before accepting the offer).

Plan to live in temporary accommodation such as a hotel or short-term rental when you first arrive. You will get a feel for your new city and be able to choose the best place to live, rather than being stuck somewhere you picked sight unseen.

As for telling the ‘rents, you’re on your own there.

Prepare to be scared

When the excitement of the new job has died down and you have no weekend visitors, you may end up feeling alone. Very alone. Anticipate this, plan for it and find ways of reducing the likelihood of it happening.

How would you solve this problem if you were at home? By exploring a new part of town? By taking up a new hobby? By joining a local Meetup? Exactly. The same theory applies here: try something new.

Ask everyone you know at home if they have any friends in your new city. You can also speak to HR about any other expats who have joined your company. Get to know them and ask them for tips on how they adjusted.

Have an exit strategy

Give yourself a grace period for the transition abroad and have a plan to move back if you need to. Don’t cut all your ties to home just yet. Put things on hold as much as possible. Instead of selling your possessions, you can put them into storage. Your doctor doesn’t need to know that you’ve moved right away. Does your house need to be rented immediately?

Most companies know you’re taking a risk by moving to a new country, and often they can build a “test” phase of three to six months into your contract. If you do decide to move back home, it’s still a victory. You made a go of it, when many would have simply made excuses not to.

Your decision to move to a new country is bold, but it is possible. Just keep these tips in mind and you’ll be enjoying your new life abroad before you know it.

Have you found a job in a new country? Did your transition abroad go smoothly?

Razwana Wahid is the founder of Your Work Is Your Life, a movement created around finding wildly wonderful work and a courageous career path you’re truly passionate about. Read more at http://www.yourworkisyourlife.com or follow her on Twitter @razwanawahid.

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The post The Survivor’s Guide to Working Abroad appeared first on Brazen Life.

In our podcast series, we’re hoping to provide insights and answers to that very question. We talk to young people who have amazing jobs or are doing something really cool and interesting and ask them how they did it. So listen along for good information and some inspiration, too.

Today’s interview is an amazing story of how someone with no idea of what to do after graduation can grab hold of amazing opportunities, travel and learn a ton.

Leslie Forman talks about how she landed in China after graduating with a Latin American studies degree. She walks us through her journey as she ended up staying in China for longer than she anticipated, having lots of great professional experiences along the way. These days, Leslie is working in Chile through the Start-Up Chile program and making lots of interesting connections between China, Chile and her home state California.

If you want to know how to to find opportunities abroad, you’ll dig this interview! Some snippets from the interview follow, which have been slightly edited for context.

On having reverse culture shock when she returned to America after spending time in China:

Oh my god! The sky is blue. It’s so blue. Did you notice the sky is so blue? Wow! I remember I went to Bank of America. And I was like, wow, they have free coffee! Wow. They have free magazines? Wow. I can actually read them? Wow!

On job-hopping overseas:

Any experience in a new industry is really valuable because you learn the vocabulary of that industry. Working as an advertising copywriter, I learned you don’t call them words. You call them copy. I learned how to say all the advertising jargon terms in Chinese. I really learned a lot, a lot, a lot. Even if it was in a short amount of time.

Leslie Forman

Download the podcast or listen right now:

Jaclyn Schiff is managing editor of Brazen Life. When she’s not Brazenly thinking about careers, she can often be found writing or tweeting about obscure diseases or media trends.

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The post How To Work Abroad After College appeared first on Brazen Life.

1. Here’s an interesting strategy some job seekers are using: outsource the job application process. Forbes writer Susan Adams says you should just say no.

2. Fellow Brazen member Thursday Bram explains how she quit her job and became a freelance writing entrepreneur.

3. Oh hindsight! A writer/speaker writes the letter he wishes he’d received when he first started his career.

4. “This millennial generation is not just looking for a job, they’re not just looking for salary and financial benefits, they’re looking for skill development, they’re looking for mobility, they’re looking for opportunities to acquire different skills and to move quickly from one part of an organization to another,” PricewaterhouseCoopers Chairman Dennis Nally said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

5. When interviewing for a job, give a short answer before getting into more detail. That’s one of the 99 tips to help you get a job from Passive Panda.

6. Justin D. Martin, a journalism professor, says Americans should do what he did and work abroad. Americans will have an edge because of a coming global talent crunch, he says.

7. While we’re on the topic of work in other countries, here are five jobs that will get you globetrotting.

8. If you’re on the job hunt and your parents are giving you a hassle, you’ll want check out these tips for how to manage parental expectations.

9. Use someone else’s blog to find your next job.

10. In case you missed it, you’ll want to look at Entrepreneur magazine’s list of best business bars. Copa d’Oro in Santa Monica, Calif, is featured as the best bar to network at without spending a ton.

11. Brazen Life contributor Amanda Abella interviews Liz Funk, author of “Coming of Age in a Crap Economy.”

As always, we invite you to send us ideas for this roundup. Mention it in the comments or tweet it and include the #BrazenStuff hashtag. Have a great weekend!

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The post Did You See These? #BrazenStuff 7.15.11 appeared first on Brazen Life.

I guess I’m lucky that I was raised in a bilingual environment — in the Philippines, we have to learn both our native language (Tagalog) and a foreign language (English) as early as primary school. I also have a knack for languages, and I feel quite comfortable speaking and writing in English even though my parents hardly speak it at home.

There are many great things that come from learning a foreign language. Here are four ways that studying a new language can benefit you professionally and personally:

1. Make yourself more employable

If you’re reading Brazen Careerist, I assume you have the ambition and drive to get ahead and excel at work. That will only happen if you know how to navigate a changing workplace.

In a globalized world where companies cater to an international market, companies increasingly prefer to hire employees with language skills. A 2010 survey of U.K. companies, which was featured in BBC, showed that companies ranked fluency in a second language as second only to information technology when it comes to finding the right candidate. In addition, the average salary of language graduates three years after finishing their degrees was higher than engineering, math, physics and chemistry grads.

2. Position yourself to get an awesome job abroad

Or better yet, being proficient in another language will help you follow your dream of being a location independent professional. The Internet has given everyone the option to ditch the cubicle farm to live and work anywhere. But most of the world doesn’t speak English, and if you want to communicate and survive in another country, you better learn the native language. These days, there also might be better opportunities for American workers abroad. Knowledge of local languages will only help secure those positions.

3. Enrich your travel experiences

Understanding other languages will help you get more from your backpacking journeys than cheesy photos or tales of how you blew your money on booze. When you study a new language, you are able to immerse yourself in another culture in a new way. You get to know more about the people you’re dealing with and you have more appreciation for the country you’re visiting.

4. Enhance your liberal arts degree

There’s some debate lately on the usefulness (or uselessness?) of liberal arts degrees.  Perhaps you’d have a clearer path to employment if you got an engineering or business degree. But if you’re the type of person who prefers to engage in a philosophical debate rather than puzzle through a math problem, that’s easier said than done.  Rather than forcing yourself down a path that doesn’t align with your interests, use your creativity and analytical skills to learn a new language that will give you a marketable skill. Summer is a great time to start a language. You can enroll in a language school this summer or you could hire a tutor, enroll in online language courses or go to a language school on weekends.

Prime Sarmiento writes about learning and career tools for Ahead Interactive. An award-winning business journalist, Prime is helping globally-focused entrepreneurs to communicate with their clients. You can get in touch with her via her website.

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The post How Learning a Foreign Language Can Help You Professionally & Personally appeared first on Brazen Life.