Take, for example, your resume. In the U.S. or Canada, you wouldn't dare put your marital status, ethnicity or age on your resume. (They're not supposed to ask; you're not supposed to offer it.) But let's say you're applying for a job in Argentina. You must include on your resume your date and place of birth, marital status and personal identification number, according to Mary Anne Thompson, author of The Global Resume and CV Guide (Wiley.) And it's common for interviewers to ask personal information in your interview.

Same goes in Italy. Italian companies expect to see where and when you were born, if you're married and if you have children. The Japanese also expect to get personal.

An interview can get tricky in another country. Expectations vary from country to country on everything from appropriate eye contact to how to accept a business card. For example, in Japan the interviewer may expect you to avoid direct sustained eye contact, says the author. This can be perceived as showing respect for the interviewer.

Don't be surprised if a Japanese company has conducted a private investigation on you between your initial contact and your final acceptance of a job. When you're pursuing a long-term professional position with a Japanese company, private investigations are the norm, says the author. Plan to be asked an abundance of personal questions. Don't joke too much, either. A job interview is a serious affair here and it won't be appreciated.

It's also good to know that your character is being judged in subtle ways such as how graciously you accept refreshments and if you have excellent posture even when sitting in a room alone. If you've been introduced to the company by someone, be prepared to discuss at length the relationship you have with this person.

Before you go gallivanting around the world, brush up on a country's cultural etiquette when it comes to doing business. Find out how interviewers from various countries will judge your credibility and what behavior they're looking for. In certain cultures, such as the U.S., you're expected to exude confidence, be assertive in offering information about what you can do and ask questions about the job. In other cultures, you'll be expected to be more passive. You may be way off base simply asking about job responsibilities.

Talk to someone from that country if you can and learn what is typical behavior from the natives. Students and trainees from an exchange program give cultural advice from their experiences in Thompson's book. One of the students said that you know when someone from Finland likes you if they're being sarcastic. It means the ice has been broken. And if you really want to break the ice with a Finn, invite them to the sauna. Apparently that's where many business deals are made.

On the other hand, if you're doing business with traditional Polish managers, don't surprised if you're invited out and asked to drink vodka. It's best to try a few shots since vodka is their icebreaker.

© by Andrea Kay