Dual Careers across Borders  

"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction."

Virginia Woolf: A Room of One's Own

When you decided to move across borders for your partner's work, you knew it could take time for you to find relevant work locally. You would need to settle in, find your feet, get used to a new location, and maybe settle the kids in at school. 

But you never expected it to be this difficult to find a job. 

You have a university degree and relevant experience. You are motivated to work, use your skills, and contribute to society. Yet, you seem almost invisible here. You worry about the widening gap in your CV, knowing that with every passing month, your ties to the formal workforce weaken, and your CV gap gets more difficult to bridge. 

You feel like an important part of you has been ripped away. Because your professional identity matters to you, it's a cornerstone of how you see yourself and your place in the world. If you can't be a professional - who are you?

To make matters even worse, maybe your relationship with your partner has taken a hit.  

Maybe you have accepted more of the responsibility at home. What was always intended to be a temporary division of labor: your partner earning money at work from day one and you taking charge of the practicalities of relocation and the home before stepping back into work, is becoming more established as time goes by. 

Maybe you feel frustrated. emotionally drained or lost. 

Let's connect

Cross-border relocation is fun and exciting. It can also be challenging when both partners need and want relevant work in a new country.

I have moved across borders six times—for my work, my partner's work, with and without kids. I have been the lead parent, and later carved out a space for dual careers across borders and on repatriation.

I had support from other expat partners, and that support inspired me to Pay It Forward and create this website as a resource.

• Want to learn more about cross-border dual careers? Head to research and resources.
• Want to read some of my previously published texts? Head to the portfolio blog.
• Want to learn about career opportunities for skilled migrants in Norway? Connect with me through LinkedIn. I'd love to hear your story and share what I've learned.
• Need more information about me first? I get that. You can find my story and my why here.