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Chapter 20 - So, Women and Expatriate Experiences

Donnalyn Pompper

Synopsis

Rachel and Zadian are entry-level public relations managers specializing in social media who work for a pharmaceutical company headquartered in the U.S. Because they are eager to climb the management ladder, both young women carefully consider the pros and cons of working abroad as expatriates: people who are citizens of one country, but work fulltime in another country for a certain period of time. Rachel and Zadian are thrilled about opportunities to experience new cultures and to grow as leaders. Yet, they discover that women, traditionally, have been underrepresented among expatriates. Their boss is Victoria, a woman with extensive international work experience and full of great advice. Rachel is married to Pat and is concerned about finding a job for her husband if she takes an overseas job with her company.

Keywords: Expatriate, Trailing Spouse, Management, Women, Leadership

Key Takeaways and Take a Stand Form

Key Takeaways

  1. Women working in management find that they must carefully consider ways to balance work and home demands.
  2. Women are underrepresented among professionals working abroad as expatriates.
  3. Working an expatriate assignment is one way for women to prove their leadership potential.
  4. Decisions about one's career path require careful reflection about work and home-life goals; issues that involve more than one's self.
  5. Asking others (including the boss) about their experiences can prove useful when setting your own career goals.

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