How to Return Home After a Job Abroad

By Jennifer Vessels From the National Business Employment Weekly Landing a top job in London, Frankfurt or another overseas locale can be one of your greatest career achievements. But before you accepted the assignment, did you consider how your international experience will look to employers when you're ready to retur n to the U.S.? And did you wonder whether you and your family will be able to make a successful transition back to an American lifestyle after living abroad? These issues often are overlooked by executives who accept overseas assignments quickly. The experiences of many expatriates show that moving home to look for work after living abroad is rarely easy, and typically requires lots of preparation and networki ng while still overseas. "If you're planning to move back to the U.S. in a role equal in level, challenge and compensation to your assignment abroad, it will take time, extensive use of your network and a lot of effort," says William Vajda, who spent nearly 10 years working in Eu rope for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). "Resources to assist in your longdistance job search are hard to find" outside of the U.S., he says. War Stories Abound Ask seasoned expatriates about the challenges of job hunting in the U.S. after being away for several years, and you'll be inundated by war stories. Most say that networking helped them land new positions at home, but never without lots of effort. If you're currently working overseas and are thinking about returning, you should start by determining if you're really ready to leave. Many expats are independent, driven, energetic people for whom the challenge of an assignment abroad is too appealing t o give up, even if their positions are eliminated. They've often been given a wide range of responsibilities and are considered experts in their field, two characteristics that can be tough to duplicate in the U.S. Instead, some decide to concentrate on f inding another overseas position. The roles available overseas were much beyond anything I was offered in the U.S.," says Frank Soos, who spent two years in Europe before returning to a new position with Whittaker Communications in San Jose, Calif. "This was a very difficult adjustment for me for quite a while." Even if you have a job waiting at home, lower compensation in the U.S. presents another challenge. While abroad, you may have received expatriate benefits that allowed you to live far better than you could in the States. The thought of returning to a simp ler life may seem attractive, but you'll likely be surprised by how much conditions at home have changed, especially if you've been away two or more years. "Your old friends will seem different," says Glen Somenz, who returned to the U.S. in 1993 after a three-year European assignment with National Semiconductor Corp. "You'll have grown and changed a lot, while they may have gone a different path." Many returnees also say they miss the cultural aspects of living abroad. Dan Solito, who spent five years working in Japan, England and Belgium with California-based UB Networks, says that "coming back to the U.S. was a culture shock. We expected things t o be familiar, but found that our friends had different interests and seemed to expect us to drop our international perspectives and fit immediately into their lifestyle. As an American who's lived outside the States for many years, you become a hybrid." That you've grown and changed while living abroad should influence where you decide to live in the U.S. when you return. "You may want to choose a location where there are a number of international residents," says Juli Ann Reynolds, an executive search c onsultant with Korn/Ferry International in Boston. For example, "if you're returning from Germany, you may consider an area with a strong German-American society." While some companies don't offer geographic flexibility when you're ready to return, others do. IBM Corp., for example, offers returning expats a choice of locations, plus assistance on finding a suitable role. Start Networking When you're ready to find a job in the U.S., focus first on your network of contacts. If you've stayed in touch with former managers, peers, friends and recruiters, your efforts will be much easier. "The lack of an effective network is by far the greatest challenge most [job hunters] face in finding a role at home after living abroad," says Bob Scheider of the Army Career and Alumni Program in Hannover, Germany. "It can cost them up to a year during their search." Even if you're staying within your company, having contacts is essential. If you don't have a mentor to champion your return to the U.S., you should develop one. Tim Hall, an executive with Adpatec in San Jose, Calif., says that when he returned from a Eu ropean assignment, "having a person representing my interests and keeping my name in people's minds at corporate headquarters was critical."

With new technology, such as e-mail, faxing and the Internet, it's easy to maintain contact around the world. The Internet also is a great source of information on the job market and specific U.S. businesses. It should be supplemented with a thorough revi ew of trade and technical publications in your field, major newspapers, such as the International Herald Tribune and The Wall Street Journal, and local papers from the area where you want to live. Also, try to attend trade shows for your industry, where m aking new contacts should come naturally. As you hone your knowledge of the U.S. marketplace before returning, be open to developing new skills. These could include learning new software, hot management techniques or communication styles. Taking courses locally or via computer and phone from a U. S. university could fill the bill. Develop a Campaign Once you understand the market and can target your skills effectively, it's time to create a marketing campaign. With the increased attention being placed on globalization, your international experience may be a big plus to employers. According to a new s urvey by Paul Ray Berndtson, a global search firm based in Fort Worth, Texas, major corporations sought candidates with international experience for 28% of their senior-level searches last year. Experiences you might highlight in your resume and cover letters include an understanding of international market needs; demonstrated ability to work effectively with people of other cultures; foreign language and general communication skills; a flexible management style; and the ability to work independently in a visible, responsible role (which describes most international assignments). When developing your resume and supporting materials, remember that interviewers you meet (including recruiters) may have limited knowledge of the international business arena. "Be ready to explain to management the importance of your international experi ence and the value you can bring to the company," says Rick Morris, who spent two years in an expat assignment with California-based Plantronics Co. "Otherwise, you're just another candidate." With your resume and cover letter completed, you're ready to begin searching. Even if your company has guaranteed you a role upon your return, you should build your U.S. network by writing to recruiters and potential employers about your experience and re turn date. Studies show that first jobs back often don't work out, so many expats seek new roles within a year of returning. Create a direct-mail campaign using lists from your local consulate or industry organization, local offices of targeted companies, the Internet and your network. Since your international experience is a differentiating factor, you may want to focus on U.S . organizations with operations abroad. There are many directories and databases available via the Internet and through company career centers. As you prepare your campaign, remember that you're competing with local candidates, so you need to tell a particularly strong story. "A recruiter receiving a resume from abroad will include that person in the pool of candidates for suitable positions if specific international experience is needed," says James Kerner in the San Francisco office of Heidrick and Struggles, a Chicago-based search firm. "The skills that person possesses may outweigh the additional costs and logistical difficulties of intervie wing someone who lives abroad." To boost your attractiveness, try to minimize logistical difficulties. This can be as simple as renting a voice mailbox in the U.S. (from the phone company), and including this number as well as your international fax number and email address on your res ume. Or, you could suggest having an initial interview via video-conferencing (you can rent a video room in most major cities). Finally, be prepared for some hard work. Due to time differences, you may need to start your day very early or work late into the night to make follow-up calls and participate in telephone interviews. Bart Burstein, now with Bay Networks in Santa Clara, C alif., found he needed to dedicate several hours in the early morning each day to his job search while living in Europe. "Although this meant I was on the phone at 4 a.m. local time, it worked." You should also plan at least two trips to the U.S. "Technology is great to an extent, but really selling yourself and effectively negotiating your next position requires a few face-to-face meetings," says Tim Hall. Negotiating Tips After you've received an offer, you're ready to start negotiating compensation and benefits. While it's unreasonable to expect the same package you're receiving abroad, your moving costs, repatriation expenses (hotel stays while house-hunting, a rental ca r, tax preparation fees, etc.) should be paid by your new employer. And since the repatriation itself will be an adjustment, it's important that the total compensation package is equitable for your level of experience and international expertise. As you and your family begin preparing for your return, be sure to plan for and take steps to minimize the cultural adjustment. Ms. Reynolds in Boston lived and worked in London before returning to the U.S. "You should recognize there will be a shock fact or and talk aloud as a family about how different it will be," she says. "Make sure you and your children get friends' addresses to remain in touch with your international life. And, since you may

find you miss the adrenaline rush of overcoming the challe nges of living abroad, be open to new hobbies and activities to add excitement to your U.S. lifestyle." Dan Solito and his wife found it helpful to "bring some of the European culture back with us. For example, instead of having a quick American meal and rushing off to the shopping mall for entertainment, we still enjoy a leisurely two- to three-hour dinner at a local French restaurant where the waiters now know us by name, similar to our experience in Brussels." While the adjustment period varies depending on the length of time you were abroad and your family's enjoyment of international life, you should expect the first year to be difficult. Yet, if you've landed a challenging new role, are living in an area tha t meets your cultural needs and have worked through the adjustment period as a family, you'll agree with Joe Dinkley, an executive with Allentown, Pa.-based Air Products and Chemicals Inc.: "Both moving abroad and returning were difficult, but I developed so much professionally and personally from both that I'll never regret it and would happily do it again." Ms. Vessels, an American expatriate in Oslo, Norway, is international director for Tandberg Telecom, a video communications equipment manufacturer and supplier.

Will Globe Trotting Help Your Career?

By PAM PAPPAS STANOCH From the National Business Employment Weekly As more companies enter and expand in foreign markets, many ambitious executives are being offered international assignments. But a decision to work abroad is multifaceted. For instance, will your family benefit from such a move? And how will spending several years in another country affect your career? Will your new experience be valued and will you land a good job upon your return? Ultimately, you should decide whether to accept an overseas position the same way you make all major decisions: after careful assessment of your personal and career goals, discussions with affected family members and your own gut instinct. For many executives, though, whether to take an international assignment boils down to three key issues: personality, timing and motivation. If youre weighing an expatriate job, sidebarsidebar10 the following tips may help you to make your decision. Questions to Ask Before 1. Personality Doing business in a new setting, under different rules and possibly in a different language, Accepting an requires flexibility. Frequently, executives with "type A" personalities are chosen for these International Assignment kinds of assignments because theyre ambitious, vocal and successful. However, "type B"s are often more adaptive and relaxed about the challenges theyll encounter abroad. Use the questionnaire accompanying this article to assess your flexibility and likelihood of adapting successfully to a business assignment in another part of the world. 2. Timing Families adjust better to the difficulties of an expatriate move at certain times in their life cycles than others. A single executive might seem ideal for such a transfer because he or she doesnt have a family to consider. However, single executives lack the emotional support other family members provide, which can be important to facing the stresses of working and living in another country. An extended stay in another country can be a tremendous educational experience for children. Its also much easier to move with younger children than with teenagers. Young children are more flexible than teens. Theyre also parent-focused, whereas teens are peer-focused, which is normal at this stage in their emotional development. When making the decision, consider whats best for the entire family and what promises you can realistically make to older children. Also consider how an overseas move will affect your spouses career. These days, both men and women can be "trailing" spouses. Does your partner view the move as an opportunity for the entire family, or is he or she resentful that your career will take priority? Are there ways to make the move more attractive for your partner? This could include a provision in your contract stipulating funds for training and development. Perhaps your spouse can be enticed by interesting volunteer or educational opportunities presented by the move. Greg Cash, a Westport, Conn., management consultant, has lived in three foreign countries during a 20-year career. After graduating from college in 1980, Mr. Cash moved to the United Kingdom for a one-year stint representing Medtronic Inc., a Minneapolis medical device company.

He was single and "mobile," didnt anticipate many cultural differences in moving to England and so did little to prepare. He was surprised to learn his perception was wrong. "I was perceived as brash and outspoken," he says. He returned to the U.S. to work for Medtronic. Six years later, when he was married, the father of a toddler and expecting his second child, Mr. Cash was offered a job in Hong Kong as Medtronics marketing manager for Asia. He returned three years later as global director of marketing for a Medtronic business unit. After another six years back in the states, Mr. Cash relocated to Paris as vice president of sales and marketing for a new employer, Boston Scientific Corp., a medical supply company in Boston, Mass. This experience was complicated by his change in companies and career move to general management. Reflecting on his globe trotting, Mr. Cash says members of his family experienced highs and lows during their many transitions. The family adapted well to Hong Kong mostly because his children were young and his wife was enthusiastic about Asia. Ironically, moving from Minneapolis to Boston didnt go as smoothly. "The kids were old enough to think their opinions should matter," Mr. Cash says. After completing her masters degree in training and development, Judy Ekstrom became an independent consultant for a firm in Norway. As part of her work, she helped develop a chemical dependency treatment center for the firm, which meant working on site in Norway for a year. At the time, she had two children in college and a daughter who was a senior in high school. She discussed the move with her children, asking whether it was fair to take her daughter out of school during her final year. Surprisingly, her youngest chose to go, and attended an international school in Norway. "The year abroad had a huge impact on my daughter," says Ms. Ekstrom. "Shes become an international archeologist, working with people from all over on digs throughout the world. There were some tough times, but they were far outweighed by meaningful opportunities." 3. Motivation How strongly do you want to go, and will you be adequately compensated? Given cost-of-living issues, the assignment may not provide a significant monetary gain. Also ask yourself how your company treats returning expatriates? What types of positions are they offered? Is their experience valued? Its possible that the available position isnt the right expatriate assignment for you and you should wait until a better job comes along. Given these uncertainties, you must weigh your opportunities for personal development, your interest in learning about other people and cultures and your desire to expand your business horizons from a domestic to a global level. Mr. Cash says his expatriate assignments were good for his career and his family, and he would repeat them again if he had the chance. "An international assignment really allows you to be less one-dimensional," he says. "You must consider different cultures and different ways of doing business when you have an international post. In a domestic position, you dont have to look much beyond your own culture. There are variations among regions, but the U.S. is primarily homogeneous." Re-Entering Successfully Many repatriates have difficulty readjusting and maintaining career momentum after their return. As a result, 25% leave their original companies within two years of returning from an overseas assignment, according to a survey by Windham International, a New York-based relocation firm, in conjunction with the National Foreign Trade Council Inc. and the Society for Human Resource Management. To avoid problems, begin planning your re-entry before you leave for an international assignment. Establish ways to stay in touch with your home office while youre overseas. This can help you to combat "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" syndrome. Also, find a company mentor to keep an eye on your career path while youre out of the country. Be flexible about the timing of your re-entry, since the ideal position may not be available when your assignment is scheduled to end. Ms. Ekstrom, now a product manager for international services with Ceridian Performance Partners, a workplace effectiveness and training firm in Minneapolis, says she would have appreciated knowing more about Norway and the Norwegian culture before she left. She also says she could have benefited from repatriation training to help her readjust to the U.S. upon her return. "In Norway, a freeway has two lanes," says Ms. Ekstrom. "I was actually afraid to drive when I came back." If you choose to accept an overseas position, take advantage of all available training to prepare yourself for your new role and your host country. If you opt not to accept, dont rule out a "next time." Whatever you decide, resist the temptation to second-guess your decision. Only you and your family can make a decision thats right for you, and be confident that you asked the right questions in framing your choice.

10 Questions to Ask Before Accepting an International Assignment

1. Do I handle stress constructively? Some people feel frustrated, confused or lonely when surrounded by people from other cultures. Expatriates need to manage these sometimes negative and stressful emotions as well as any jobrelated stress they experience. 2. Do I rebound quickly from disappointments? Its common to make mistakes and cultural missteps and experience failures in a foreign country. Being able to laugh at yourself and remain focused are important characteristics of successful expatriates. 3. Am I open to risk? Trying new things is inherent in an international experience. Every day there are new people to meet, new foods to try and new places to explore. 4. Am I comfortable during periods of uncertainty? You cant learn all the new social and business norms immediately. Accept that youll learn as you go and that you cant be expected to figure out everything as quickly as you would in your home culture. Its estimated that expatriates operate at 65% of their normal level of productivity during the first three to six months of an assignment. This may disappoint or frustrate you, but its perfectly normal. 5. Am I flexible and open to new situations and relationships? Youre certain to encounter ways of thinking and behaving that differ from your own. Being open and flexible will help you enjoy interacting with people who think and operate differently. 6. Am I curious about differences in other cultures, and am I nonjudgmental and accepting of other types of people? While on an international assignment, you need to maintain a positive attitude toward the unfamiliar. While living in a host country, youll encounter many people unlike yourself. Learn to understand where theyre coming from and try to interact with them in an effective manner. 7. Do I have a strong sense of self, and am I self-directed? As an expatriate, you may not get the reaction and reinforcement youre accustomed to. During difficult times, your identity needs to come from within. You must maintain a strong sense of self, especially when others arent reinforcing your values. Recognize your personal power and set your own goals, so that you can feel at home in any culture. 8. Am I sensitive to how others interpret my behavior, and do I appreciate others feelings? When communicating in another culture, you need to have confidence in your ability to accurately perceive the feelings of others. Verbal language is sometimes a cultural barrier, and another cultures subtle, nonverbal cues arent always obvious. 9. Does my family support accepting this international assignment? Having the support of family members helps you to focus on whether the move will be good for your career and them as well. 10. Is this a good time in my life to be far away from family, friends and my career network, and can I maintain ties with my home office while on assignment? Living away from your native country can be stressful. Its helpful to be at a phase in life when important relationships can withstand unusual and challenging circumstances. Having a company mentor in the home office to help you stay abreast of any changes and remain visible also is important. Coming home can be harder than leaving, since youll have changed a lot, but your company may have stayed much the same. -- Ms. Pappas Stanoch is founding president of Window on the World, a cross-cultural communication-training firm in Minneapolis. The firms Web site is at www.windowontheworldinc.com.

Salary Negotiating Tips For Expat Assignments

By KENNETH HOWE Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL From The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition The overseas posting is not the cushy gig it once was. Companies are putting their foot down. At least they are trying to: One chief executive officer for a multinational in Shanghai recently haggled with the company over his compensation package for four hours a day for three weeks before taking the job. In Hong Kong and China, for example, some companies are cutting home leave, housing allowances and hardship bonuses, according to a recent survey by the human-resource consulting firm William M. Mercer. Another compensation adviser, Organization Resources Counselors, Inc., says the number of multinationals providing socalled foreign-service premiums -- extra cash for agreeing to uproot yourself -- has decreased by more than 20% since 1991. "A lot of companies are revising packages downward," says Elaine Ng, director of performance and rewards for William M. Mercer. The economic crisis is certainly one reason. At the same time, the overseas posting has lost

some of its exoticism. In this age of globalization, most companies take it for granted that ambitious executives will submit themselves to a stint abroad. Also, multinationals have a broader of pool of local talent from which to pick. So how to get your due at the negotiating table? The key is knowing where a company's soft spots are and where they aren't, what's on the table and what isn't, and how salary and perks fit together to form your overall compensation package. It's no simple matter: So intricate are these packages that most multinational firms rely on outside companies to design them. The consultants compile figures on everything from pollution to housing prices to the cost of bread in different Asian markets, and then create a matrix that serves as a road map for companies moving executives between cities. You're being transferred from Hong Kong to Beijing? Your base salary should be boosted 17% because Beijing lacks parks, freedom of speech and qualified doctors, according to Corporate Resources Group, a subsidiary of William M. Mercer. And the part of your salary earmarked for cost-of-living allowance should be tweaked 26% because of higher prices for electricity and laundry detergent. (Note: Consultants' cost-of-living recommendations can vary widely.) While the market goes a long way toward dictating your worth, pay packages are fluid, says Ivo Hahn, executive recruiter of Greater China for PA Consulting (HK). So pump friends, headhunters and colleagues for information about local conditions, and come to the negotiation armed with figures and examples. That's what the CEO mentioned above did. The executive, who works for an American consumer-products company in Shanghai and declined to be named, got a slew of extras because he did his homework and was persistent. The payback? Paychecks at the beginning of the month rather than the end; two months' rent money up front; double the firm's usual moving allowance -- because he went out and solicited three quotes; a fixed two-year contract that one consultant says is "highly unusual" because it pays him for the second year even if he is no longer with the company. None of these things were in the company's initial offer. "[Executives] should try to get as much as they can," says Alfred Chown, a principal at Hong Kong headhunter El Consulting (HK) Co. "They won't get another chance." It's not that these executives are a shy lot. "Expatriates are 5% of the [corporate] population, but they make 95% of the noise," says Ms. Ng of William M. Mercer. The trick, though, is to make intelligent noise. SALARY For many companies, base salary is the point of greatest flexibility because they believe employees are less likely to sit around the bar blabbing about their take-home pay. (They tend to be less discreet about their perks.) Salaries are negotiated upwards 50% of the time, estimates Guy Day, an executive recruitment team manager at Michael Page International in Hong Kong. "Companies set a maximum that's not a maximum, to be honest," says David Kohutynski, a former compensation and benefit specialist for Nike in Hong Kong and ACNielsen in the U.S. Mr. Kohutynski, who is now in the same position for a Hong Kong firm he declines to name, adds that companies of course have their limits on salary. If you can't get the company to budge on base salary, you may have more luck angling for a performance-based bonus. According to executive recruiters, more and more firms are agreeing to these bonuses in an effort to keep the lid on higher base salaries. Executives should pay close attention to the cost-of-living allowance, one of the determinants of salary. One compensation consultant, Corporate Resources Group, has three different ways of calculating this figure. It gathers prices at discount stores and at boutique outlets; the package you're offered hinges on whether you're expected to shop at local joints or upscale shops. So price comparisons between cities can swing widely: The Asian Wall Street Journal asked CRG to crunch the numbers on a hypothetical move from Hong Kong to Beijing, and the cost-ofliving compensation ranged from an additional 2% of base salary to an additional 30%. The accuracy of country data is further compromised by frequently fluctuating Asian currencies and the fact that compensation specialists only update their data twice a year. (Phil Stanley, Southeast Asia director for the compensation firm Organization Resources Counselors, Inc., says that if changes exceed certain thresholds, his firm notifies clients.) "Consultancy tables on the housing market and cost of living do not give the true current state of the market," says Michael Chan, who has more than 10 years of experience as a human resources director in Asia for PepsiCo Inc., Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Ltd. and Sun Microsystems of California Ltd. He cites the failure of consultancies to reflect a 20% to 30% softening of the Hong Kong real-estate market in 1997 until nine months after the fact. Because companies realize their cost-of-living indexes might not be 100% accurate, many establish a band -- often 10% above and below the recommended allowance -- within which they are willing to pay. All of this underscores the need for executives to research local prices before the compensation negotiation. The Shanghai CEO took no less than three fact-finding trips to China. HOUSING

With the softened real-estate markets, some executives are finding they don't need to use their entire housing allowance, and are getting their company to cash out part of it. Andrew Chung, director of executive recruitment firm Wall Street Associates, recalls a middle manager who was allotted $5,800 a month for housing, on top of his salary. He was using only two-thirds of that for his Hong Kong apartment, so he persuaded his company to give him the remainder in cash, which he used to pay off the mortgage on his Australian beach-front property. While cashing out some benefits may make sense for single employees, expatriates with families are best off keeping the benefits, many human-resource directors contend. That's because of the astronomical expense of international school fees, family-sized apartments and, for American expatriates, U.S.-based medical insurance. Lastly, as with the cost-of-living component, housing allowances could differ depending on which real-state brokers' surveys the company relies upon. HARDSHIP PREMIUM Many companies are gradually doing away with hardship premiums, which have long been used to sway executives to relocate to "undesirable" posts. (Traditionally, they've accounted for as much as 30% of gross base salary.) While much of Vietnam, Indonesia and India meet the "hardship" criteria, as do some parts of Thailand, many firms argue that Asian cities in general are becoming more livable: Political violence and crime are decreasing, they say, while infrastructure, sanitation and communications, for example, are constantly improving. But sometimes you can change a company's mind. For instance, Mr. Chan says it's relatively easy to make the argument that the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, which is no longer considered a hardship post by some firms, has a dearth of both recreational facilities and adequate shopping. You can then use this fact to counter the company's arguments of improved quality of life in Guangzhou. Furthermore, sometimes employees can use the diminished hardship allowance as a bargaining chip, Mr. Chan says. When working for Sun Microsystems in Beijing in the early '90s, he slashed the hardship allowance from 45% of gross income to 20%. But he often compensated employees by granting other extras, like a car and driver. Such an exchange can be welcome to a company because, he says, a car is tax- depreciable. PERKS Of all the elements in a pay package, this may be the greatest source of compensation envy. Consider the following: An expatriate banker in the Philippines secured a dedicated golf caddie along with his corporate golf membership; a manager in Indonesia brokered a bevy of amahs -- no less than four; and one senior executive in the region bucked a corporate policy by forcing the firm to ship his Arabian stallion wherever he went. As with hardship premiums, the key here is to form logical arguments based on local conditions. For instance, companies in China and Vietnam are more prone to grant expatriates a car and chauffeur because laws may preclude them from driving a car themselves, and driving conditions and public transport are abysmal, says Mr. Stanley. Companies also are more likely to agree to a perk if it's not publicly available. For example, when Mr. Chan negotiated with PepsiCo. to work out of Shanghai, he based his case for a golf-club membership on Shanghai's shortage of public-recreation facilities. Cars and club memberships are most often granted to senior-level management, says Mr. Stanley, but mid-level managers who entertain clients, such as sales and marketing directors, are sometimes included. Though not everyone has a horse, getting companies to pony up pet- shipping costs is increasingly negotiable, says Amy Lau, human resources director of Southeast Asia for U.S.-based agribusiness giant, Monsanto Co. (Singapore). Taking a job in Japan as head of human resources for the cellular company now known as Nortel Networks Co. some years ago, Ms. Lau successfully arranged for transportation costs for her two short-haired Japanese cats -- a potentially substantial sum that includes up to three months of quarantine expenses and such deluxe kitty accommodation options as air-conditioning and upscale food. DAYS OFF Vacation entitlement is usually identical to that given in the home country, with the difference being that companies often pay one round-trip airfare a year for the expatriate and family. Sometimes, though, the executive has to remind the company of its obligations, says John Dixon, a hospital finance manager in Hong Kong. He recalls flying to Hong Kong from Britain in 1997, while his wife had stayed home to sell the house. When she finally joined him, his company didn't want to pay for her flight. "Why weren't you all on the same aircraft?" the firm complained. Companies also allot rest-and-recreation days in hardship posts, usually three to five days at a time. R&R trips are often to the closest non-hardship city -- from Vietnam to Singapore, for instance, or from China to Hong Kong. As hardship premiums are disappearing, so are R&R days in some places. Companies in China, for example, are offering one R&R trip a year, down from four a year five years ago, according to the April study by William M. Mercer.

EDUCATION Though companies generally pay schooling costs for all levels of management, they're increasingly scrutinizing this expense. Companies, say Ken Somers, a compensation specialist with Towers Perrin Forster & Crosby Inc. in Hong Kong, no longer pick up the tab for the most expensive local school. Firms' growing tendency to pick candidates in the early or late stages of their career -- that is, employees without kids -- is a recognition of the expense involved, he says. REPATRIATION As employees get ready for their upcoming relocation, they must not forget the flip side: repatriation. "[Repatriation is] one of the weakest areas companies have," says Mr. Stanley. "Not enough attention is given. Expatriates should ask, 'What is in store for me long-term in terms of total career development?'" Try to get the length of the assignment in writing, says Janice Florin, who adds that in 19 years as the vice-president of Amoco marketing and sales she saw many employees taken advantage of. Hong Kong-based employees of the U.S. company were kept for years past their promised repatriation date. Had they the foresight, she says, they probably could have gotten a contractual clause stipulating compensation if their posting ran late, such as the company agreeing to pay stateside capital-gains taxes. For Mr. Chan, compensation negotiations boil down to a single concept: "If you ask, you might get it," he says. "If you don't ask, you'll never get it."

Compensation Guide
Background and definitions for some of the most common elements of a compensation package Income Taxes: This is one of the most misunderstood, and consequently contentious, components of a package, human resource directors say. Typically, companies pay their employees' home and foreign taxes, then deduct an amount equal to what the executive last paid in his home country. When foreign-country taxes are less than homecountry taxes, employees often complain that they're getting taxed at the higher rate even though they're residing in the lower-tax location. Housing: Foreign housing costs, particularly in Asia, are higher than in many home countries. Employers typically provide housing to employees as a "benefit-in-kind," meaning they pay rent on the employee's behalf. The firm then deducts from the employee's pay an amount equal to their monthly home-country housing expenditure. This arrangement has tax advantages for the company. Cost of Living Index: Twice a year, compensation consultants price a basket of goods in various countries, a wide array of 150 to 200 consumer products. Many expatriates in Asia have seen dramatic reductions in their cost-ofliving allowances, a result of currency devaluations since the summer of 1997. But keep in mind, such reductions do not equate to less purchasing power. The items and their relative weighting in the index are: supermarket food, 23.5%; transportation, 16%; clothing and footwear, 12%; entertainment away from home, 10%; sports and leisure, 8%; personal care, 7%; utilities, 7%; home services, 6%; domestic supplies, 6%; alcohol and tobacco, 4.5%. In situations where the foreign posts have a lower cost of living than the home country, companies rarely reduce an employee's pay, says Organization Resources Counselors. Hardship Allowance: To determine the quality of life in a particular city, companies like ORC rank predetermined factors on a scale of one to five (1-acceptable, 2-some problems exist, 3-an important drawback to the location, 4-a major problem, 5-very severe conditions) and then compute a monthly premium that runs as high as 30% of gross base salary. The factors, in no particular order, are: housing, climate and physical conditions, pollution, disease and sanitation, medical facilities, education facilities, infrastructure, physical remoteness, political violence and repression, political and social environment, crime, communications, cultural and recreational facilities, availability of goods and services. Foreign Service Premium: Still provided by 68% of all organizations, according to ORC's most recent survey, in recognition of potential problems associated with an international posting: separation from family and friends, cultural adjustment, potential career risk, etc. More companies are now making lump-sum payments at the beginning and end of an assignment rather than making monthly payments, as was the case previously.