A few years ago, when I was still working for Robert Walters in Brazil, I was looking for ways to challenge myself in my recruitment career, and one of my managers in São Paulo recommended that I consider working at another Robert Walters office overseas. I loved the idea, since recruitment work changes based on the market, and I reasoned that going overseas would help me expand my perspectives.

An opportunity in the Philippines really caught my eye, as I had heard that the economy there was rapidly growing with an influx of multinationals and foreign companies, and I was excited by what I’d be able to learn there. I was even invited to visit with my husband so that we could decide together whether it was a move we wanted to make.

Although I’d planned to return to Brazil after three years, I found myself wanting to experience life in another new country, so when an opportunity came up at Robert Walters in Vietnam, it sparked my interest.

Once again, I visited and spoke to the team there, learning about the business as well as the local culture and environment — by the end of the trip, I knew it was going to be a great fit for me.

Working abroad has been a great challenge and has opened my eyes to a different side of recruitment in the Philippines and Vietnam. By immersing myself in a new culture, I’ve been able to learn how to adapt the way I work with my clients and candidates, focusing on their professional and personal motivations in order to build strong, long-lasting relationships with them.