Virtually all countries require work permits or visas before you can work there legally. Most will only allow foreign workers to fill positions if there are no locals who are qualified. Some countries even require an employer to release wanted ads in newspapers for a particular position for a specified time period. If no qualified local responds to the ad, then a foreigner can be hired for the position.

Different countries have a different set of requirements and standards for those who wish to obtain work permits. One of the best ways to find out how you can obtain a working visa is to ask expats or prospective employers.

The following site will link you to some pages that will provide some information on travel requirements and obtaining work permits:

Foreign Consular Offices and Embassies in the U.S.
This is a complete listing of foreign consulates and embassies throughout the United States. It is useful and usually necessary to contact them to inquire about visa requirements before planning any overseas trip.

Remember that trying to find an overseas job is much like looking for any other job. You must be able to sell yourself. A first impression, or good packaging, will do you wonders, but it is far more important to have quality within that package than anything else.

Finding decent-paying computer work overseas, especially after arrival, is feasible but difficult. I recommend telecommuting with a company in your home country. It is easier to find work, the pay is better, and you can take advantage of good dollar exchange rates and low costs of living.

Posted by Wade as Jobs, Plan at 7:58 AM EST

34,703 Comments »

The following are directories of consultants on the Internet.  These can also be useful for marketing your own consulting services:

Guru.com
This directory of “gurus” has lists of gigs and gurus.  Many job postings specify whether the work is to be done on-site or off-site.

Consultant Directory
This is an extensive directory of consultants listed by category with keyword search functions.  There is no listing of job postings.

Freelancers Network
Another large database, this consultant directory also has listings of thousands of consultants worldwide along with extensive search capability.  You can also search and post specific projects.

Posted by Wade as Jobs, Money, Tools at 7:54 AM EST

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If you think there are problems telecommuting from home — ­the distractions, setting up a home office, communicating with coworkers — consider the potential hang-ups when you’re telecommuting from Bolivia to Buffalo.  Most telecommuters work from home one or two days a week.  You’re gone for weeks, months or even forever.  Nomadic telecommuters do not have a cozy home office to work from.  Their office changes from hotel to hotel every day.  You can dispel any thoughts of amenities such as ergonomic chairs and office romance.  I sometimes stick a pillow behind my lower back when using straight-back chairs without a cushion.

Obviously, an office in most affordable hotels, recreational vehicles or campsites is not for people who require a strictly ergonomic work environment.  I’ve typed on my laptop computer several hours a day for years on plain old tables without any physical problems.  Ergonomic experts claim the arm should be at a 90 degree angle when typing at a keyboard.  You might be able to improvise by resting your arms on a rolled-up towel in front of your laptop while typing or sitting on pillows to elevate you closer to the keyboard.  Few less than world class hotels in developing countries cater to business customers with amenities like data lines and office chairs, and they are usually too expensive for a nomad.

Hotel room selection is an important decision.  You need at least a chair with a back and a table you can work at.  A telephone may or may not be essential, depending on how often you have to contact your clients.  Some cheap hotels have in-room Internet but no phone, and that is much preferable to a phone but no Internet.  Try to get a place with in-room Internet, either cable or wi-fi.  If I can’t get that, I often choose a hotel because of its proximity to an Internet café.  Another option is to use space in the hotel office for a few hours day (at an extra fee, of course).  If you’re going to stay in a place for longer, rent a place where you can get broadband.

Posted by Wade as Jobs, Places, Plan at 7:51 AM EST

30,610 Comments »

Your tool for this venture into a nomadic lifestyle is simple: a laptop computer.  Don’t think you need to lug around more than a five pound computer.  Actually, you can get by without a computer.  There are thousands of cybercafes around the world, from tiny provincial capitals to busy cities.  The famous backpacker hangout in Bangkok, Khao San Road, has numerous cybercafes with countless cheap and plentiful computers with Internet connections.  I’ve used cybercafes worldwide from Phnom Penh to Rio de Janeiro with good results.  A portable printer is not necessary since you’ll be sending your work over the Internet.  Many third-world countries have poor telephone systems, but cell phones are ubiquitous even in poor, remote parts of the world.

Posted by Wade as Jobs, Tools at 5:16 AM EST

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There are many organizations now set into the issues of telecommuting, and some articles have been written about the topic. Below are some sites that concentrate mainly on advertising telecommuting job openings, or links you to sites that have telecommuting jobs available:

Telecommuting Jobs
Provides a comprehensive list of telecommuting jobs available, from desktop publishing to programming, from photographers to web designers, and more.

telecommute-jobs.com
Provides a list of telecommuting jobs. Many are non-technical “work at home” opportunities. Subscription required.

The Write Jobs
Not actually a telecommuting site, but most jobs are for free-lance writers. Contains a wide selection of writing opportunities.

Gil Gordon/Teleworking
An excellent all-around web site for aspiring telecommuters, researchers, managers and anyone wanting to improve their skills.

The Telework Coalition
Contains information that might useful persuading an employer regarding the benefits of telecommuting

As technology develops, companies are starting to realize that not all jobs require the employee to be present in the office. In fact, a lot of companies now are starting to embrace the idea that the productivity of workers increases with telecommuting. If you, as a computer nomad, can make yourself into a model telecommuter, it will give companies more confidence creating jobs and careers that can be taken on the road – with only a laptop computer and skills on hand.

Posted by Wade as Jobs at 6:11 AM EST

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