Since you asked.(QA)(lawyer's career change)(Brief article)(Column)

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

I've practiced law for the past 20 years but would like to work overseas for the remainder of my career. My specialty was not international law and I'm not sure how to seek international opportunities and transition into a new career. How do I determine which skills are transferable skills so I may seek opportunities other than practicing law?

--L. Dorsett

Via E-mail

With unemployment on the rise, it's to no one's surprise that the competition in the job market is intense, so now might be the perfect time to explore career opportunities abroad. If you're not interested in practicing law anymore, the first thing you should do is take a skills assessment test to get a clear sense of your strengths and weaknesses. Veronica Conway, founder and president of Black Professional Coaches Alliance suggests checking out Kolbe A Index (www. kolbe.com) and reading Strengths Finder 2.0 (Gallup Press; $21.95) by Tom Rath as strength assessment tools. The next step is to search for overseas jobs. Check out www.jobsabroad.com and www.intljobs.org, two Websites that will allow you to search jobs by area of interest and by country. Consider consulting with a recruiter or headhunter that specializes in international job placement. You should also check out BE's 40 Best Companies for Diversity (July 2009) to explore companies such as Yum! Brands Inc. that plan to increase global opportunities in China, India, France, and other emerging markets.

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