Start here: A list of resources 

Here's a list of resources—articles, books, and websites—on expat partners, expat families, and international dual careers, in no apparent order and with no paid ads.

This is a work in progress and a website I work on in my spare time. I'll add more in-depth resources as soon as I find the time. 

Have a resource that would fit right in? -contact me! 

Books:

Here We Are: The International Career Couple Handbook: Paul Vanderbroeck and Jannie Aasted Skov-Hansen is an extensive guide for International Career Couples (ICCs), published by Springtime Books. The authors draw on their lived experience as well as professional backgrounds in HR, global mobility, and coaching. I loved the holistic and positive approach, communicating that an international assignment is an amazing opportunity, provided it's managed well. This is a handbook and I liked the practical input.

A Career in Your Suitcase: Jo Parfitt and Colleen Reichrath-Smith is an old, but classic book. Jo Parfitt is an authority on portable careers and transferable skills: I read this book after attending a talk with Jo when the 4th edition was published in 2013! Looking back, this book was ahead of its time, arguing that by identifying transferable skills, you can work anywhere. Opportunities to do so are so much better now. Remote work? Bring it on! 

Whose Career - Your, Mine or Ours: Yvonne Quahe provides great insights into globally mobile dual career couple dynamics. I liked that the author shared details from her background and how easy it can be to set one career aside if one does not consciously plan for dual careers: especially once children are added to the mix. The book offers a neat practical framework, The CARE Framework:

• Communication: Emphasizing open dialogues to align career goals and personal values.
• Adaptability: Encouraging flexibility in roles and expectations to accommodate changing circumstances.
• Resilience: Building the capacity to navigate setbacks and maintain momentum in both careers.
• Equity: Ensuring fair distribution of opportunities and responsibilities within the partnership.

Couples that Work: Jennifer Petriglieri, PhD is based on a five-year study involving over 100 couples where both partners are committed to their careers. I love it for providing a conceptual framework for having the conversations we need to have in a couple where we are both committed to each other, our families, our work, and mobility.

Nest: A memoir of home on the move: Catriona Turner is Catriona's experience as an expat partner, finding her way through a series of cross-border moves. I like the balance between an honest description of the constant culture shock and loss of identity an expat partner often feels, and lighthearted and funny real-life scenario descriptions. 

Trailing: a memoir: Kristin Louise Duncombe is a raw and sometimes difficult read, but so worth it. As someone who has been a high-mobility partner for over a decade, shouldering 5 international moves in that role, I loved this book's unapologetic use of the term 'trailing.' We're partners, my husband and I, but when you move for one partner's job and that job pays for moves, schooling, accommodation, healthcare, and pension, it can be difficult to maintain a balanced partnership. 

Websites/Podcasts:

The Time is Now: Amel Derragui - Amel has supported expat partners creating portable businesses for years and her podcast The Time is Now (previously Tandem Nomads) is an absolute treasure trove for anyone considering entrepreneurship: be it from a global perspective or not. Highly recommended resource.

Holding the Fort Abroad: Rhoda Bangarter - Rhoda specializes in split family assignments and how they affect everyone involved. She also co-hosts The Expat Summit. 

Share the Love: Katharina von Knobloch - super blog/website with a ton of insights into and resources for expat partner careers. Katharina works as a career coach specializing in expat partners' careers

Home - Expat Valley - a global expert in Successful Family Relocation Experiences, the website has lots of resources for families, organizations, and service providers.

Permits Foundation - non-profit campaigning for work permits for partners of highly skilled international employees. Conduct regular surveys on expat partner employment status across the world 

Families in global transition - a fantastic, inclusive membership organization for globally mobile families and those who support them.