海外出張の多い仕事はどれ?業界と職種をピックアップWhich jobs require a lot of overseas business trips? Picking out industries and occupations

Have you ever wondered, "Which industries and occupations have a lot of overseas business trips?" Jobs in trading companies and overseas sales tend to have a lot of overseas business trips.

In this article, we have carefully selected and explained five industries and occupations that have a lot of overseas business trips. We also introduced the advantages and disadvantages of overseas business trips. We also touch on the skills required for overseas business trips and how to get a job that involves a lot of overseas business trips.

Here are five industries that have the most overseas business trips among all industries.

Trading companies

Trading companies deal with all kinds of products, including resources, food, and clothing, and connect people who want to sell with people who want to buy. Since they often deal with products from overseas, it is an industry that involves a lot of overseas business trips. The characteristics of trading companies are summarized in the table below.

General trading companies handle a wide range of products, from ramen to rockets. Therefore, they often have the opportunity to travel around the world on business trips. There are various types of specialized trading companies, such as food, chemical, and machinery.

Manufacturers

Many manufacturers have factories overseas, so they have the opportunity to go on business trips overseas. Not only finished car manufacturers like Toyota, but also parts manufacturers operate factories overseas.

Trading companies go on overseas business trips to various regions around the world, but manufacturers often go to countries or regions where their own or their clients' production plants are located.

Financial Industry

Banks, securities companies, and other financial industries also have overseas business trips. We have summarized the characteristics of the financial industry.

The financial industry, especially the investment banking divisions of major securities firms, tends to have a lot of overseas business trips. Investment banking divisions handle financial transactions on behalf of large individual clients and corporations. The financial industry is also characterized by its focus on developing global human resources.

Construction industry

The construction industry also has overseas business trips. The Japanese construction industry sometimes works on public works projects in North America and Asia.

When construction industry employees go on overseas business trips, they supervise and manage the site, and run the office. Since they may be in charge of construction site operations, overseas business trips are often long-term.

International organizations and independent administrative agencies

International organizations and independent administrative agencies also often have the opportunity to go on overseas business trips. In the case of disaster recovery support, there are also opportunities to travel to developing countries to check the situation on site.

International organizations also accept internships. In most cases, they are unpaid, but there are some programs that may offer scholarships.

Here are five carefully selected jobs that require a lot of overseas business trips.

Overseas sales

Among the various job types, overseas sales is one that requires a lot of overseas business trips. The characteristics of overseas sales are summarized in the table below.

In the case of manufacturers, after selling products to overseas customers, you may accompany them to deliver and install the products.

Local workers carry out the installation work, but it is often the overseas sales department that gives instructions on how to install the products.

Technical jobs (engineers)

Engineers at companies with overseas branches, or at IT companies that provide services to companies with overseas branches, tend to make frequent overseas business trips.

Many IT companies have extensive employee training programs.

Therefore, even those with no engineering experience and poor English skills may be hired by IT companies.

Purchasing/Procurement

Manufacturing jobs often involve purchasing goods from overseas, so there are opportunities to go on overseas business trips.

Purchasing and procurement work does not only involve purchasing products, but also plays a central role in cost analysis and contract negotiations. Therefore, there is a tendency to demand personnel who can act independently.

Quality control

Quality control work, which supports manufacturers' production and sales promotion, often requires overseas business trips.

Quality control involves investigating the cause of complaints and problems and considering improvements.

This is a job that often involves using numbers. Therefore, it requires personnel who can work carefully and without mistakes.

There are also cases where people are assigned overseas to work at the company's own overseas factories or factories owned by overseas group companies.

Consultant

Consultants have the opportunity to go on overseas business trips depending on the project they are in charge of.

Consulting companies that support overseas expansion may conduct on-site surveys, help decide which country to expand into, and develop partner companies to support their clients' overseas expansion.

They often travel to the local area to hold meetings with local members about how to proceed with the project.

Overseas business trips have not only advantages but also disadvantages and things to be aware of. We will explain each of them.

Benefits of a job that involves a lot of overseas business trips

There are many benefits to going on overseas business trips. Some examples are summarized below.

By going on overseas business trips, you can experience working with overseas companies and foreign employees.

Through these experiences, your business and language skills will improve.

Improving your skills will also increase the chances of future career advancement.

Another attractive feature is that many companies offer business trip allowances.

As a rule, business trip allowances are tax-exempt, so the full amount is treated as income, increasing your take-home pay.

Disadvantages of jobs that involve a lot of overseas business trips

There are also disadvantages to going on overseas business trips. Below are some examples.

When going on a business trip overseas, time differences and cultural differences can make it physically demanding.

Depending on the destination, there are often no direct flights and you have to make a connecting flight. In areas with few flights, you may have to wait at the airport.

There may be cases where work cannot be carried out as easily as in Japan due to differences in the attitude of overseas employees toward work.

However, it is often possible to travel for business trips overseas on regular work days.

If it is a work day, it may be treated as work.

In addition, the experience of working with foreigners who have different values ​​can easily lead to skill improvement.

Points to note for jobs with many overseas business trips

There are some points to note when traveling overseas that are different from business trips within Japan.

Here are the main points to note.

Security varies from country to country.

Before traveling abroad, be sure to check the situation and unique culture of the country you're going to.

When photographing locally for market research, there are some areas where you need to be considerate of the country's culture and values.

It's also important to learn in advance how to deal with problems you are likely to encounter overseas.

Be sure to share your schedule during your overseas business trip with your company and family.

Of course, you should report your progress to your boss, but informing your family as well will help avoid causing them unnecessary worry.

We will explain the skills of people who are selected for overseas business trips and the selection criteria.

Skills of people selected for overseas business trips

A wide range of skills is required for overseas business trips. We have picked out some typical skills that people selected for overseas business trips have.

Language skills
Adaptability
Communication skills
Drive

Although an interpreter may be provided for overseas business trips, people with language skills are more likely to be selected because they are in an environment where only the foreign language can be used.

Since you will be working overseas in a country with different cultures and ways of thinking, your adaptability to different environments and intercultural communication skills will also be evaluated.

In addition, people with drive tend to be selected because they will be traveling overseas on behalf of the company and moving projects forward.

Selection criteria for overseas business trips

There are various selection criteria for employees who are entrusted with overseas business trips. Although it varies depending on the company, here are some typical examples.

They have the mentality to communicate with foreigners without hesitation. They have the ability to live in an unfamiliar foreign environment. They are tough. They have declared that they want to go on overseas business trips.

Even if you don't have much language ability, if you are the type of person who can communicate proactively with foreigners without hesitation, you may be selected as an employee to go on overseas business trips.

When you go on an overseas business trip, you move around in a foreign land, eat meals, and sleep in a hotel.

Even if something unexpected happens, people who have the ability to live these basic daily lives on their own are likely to be selected.

Some companies give priority to people who declare or volunteer that they want to go on overseas business trips. First of all, it is important to appeal to your enthusiasm to go on an overseas business trip.

Here are three ways to get a job that allows you to travel abroad.

Tell your employer that you want to go on an overseas business trip

The first way is to express your desire to go on an overseas business trip to the company you are currently working for.

By expressing your desire, even if it is difficult to go on an overseas business trip right now, you may be asked to go on an overseas business trip if a position becomes available.

Even if you work in a department that does not have the opportunity to go on overseas business trips, you may be transferred to a department that has many overseas business trips. Some companies have a system called an internal recruitment system, where departments that are recruiting personnel solicit applications from employees.

Always check the information from the company and prepare materials that can be used to appeal when an internal recruitment occurs.

In order to be entrusted with overseas business trips or to be transferred to a department, you need to achieve results in your daily work. In order to make an overseas business trip a reality, work to achieve results in your daily work.

Get a job or change jobs to one that takes you overseas

Another way is to change jobs to one that allows you to go overseas. If you change jobs to an industry or job that involves a lot of overseas business trips, such as a trading company, manufacturer, or overseas sales, you will be more likely to have the opportunity to go on overseas business trips.

When companies that have overseas business trips are hiring mid-career candidates, many of them are open to inexperienced candidates and do not require English ability.

Here are some examples of other conditions that are often listed as hiring conditions.

Those who want to advance their careers
Those who want to utilize their English skills
Those who have experience in the job they are applying for
Those who have more than three years of work experience
Those who have a regular driver's license

For sales positions, a regular driver's license may be required to carry out sales activities domestically.

There are many different types of employees that companies that have a lot of overseas business trips are looking for, so be sure to gather information carefully before searching for a new job.

Transfer to a company that is increasing its overseas sales ratio

If you transfer to a company where the overseas sales ratio is increasing, there is a high possibility that you will be sent on overseas business trips.

This is because there are cases where you will be sent on business trips to branches and factories overseas.

According to a survey by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the overseas production and sales ratio is expected to fully recover from the impact of COVID-19 after fiscal year 2024 (※1).

Therefore, overseas production and sales may increase from fiscal 2024 onwards.

According to the same survey, the industries with the highest ratio of overseas sales are automobiles, electrical and electronics, general machinery, and chemicals.

Not only large companies, but many small and medium-sized enterprises are also increasing their overseas sales ratio.

If you are a listed company, check the overseas sales ratio published in the IR information.

If you don't have time to read IR information, you can get information on companies with many overseas business trips and companies with a high overseas sales ratio by checking with a recruitment agency that specializes in supporting foreign-affiliated job changes.

*1. Survey report on the overseas business expansion of Japanese manufacturing companies - Results of the 33rd Overseas Direct Investment Survey 2021 - | Japan Bank for International Cooperation

We have explained jobs that involve a lot of overseas business trips. Industries such as trading companies and manufacturers tend to have a lot of overseas business trips. Jobs such as overseas sales and engineering also have a lot of overseas business trips.

When you go on an overseas business trip, you can work with overseas companies and employees and broaden the scope of your career. However, there are cases where you will have to use your physical strength in an unfamiliar environment.

People who are selected for overseas business trips not only have language skills, but also communication skills. Other characteristics of people who are entrusted with overseas business trips include being tough.

Companies that have overseas business trips are often expanding their business. They actively hire career employees, so be sure to check job listings frequently.