international assignment consulting

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Delivering A Successful International Assignment

Anne morris.

• 9 October 2019

IN THIS SECTION

• 8 minute read
• Last updated: 9th October 2019

Organisations deploy personnel on international assignment for many reasons. Whether you are addressing an internal skills gaps, supporting leadership development or looking to improve working relations across borders, for any international assignment to be successful, there will be a multitude of legal, immigration, tax and pensions risks to manage when sending employees overseas.

This article covers:

International assignment objectives, international assignment structures, employment law.

• Immigration options 

Assignee remuneration

Professional support for international assignments.

Global mobility programmes have traditionally been developed with a uniform approach, driven largely by cost management and operational efficiencies. However, organisations are increasingly taking a more flexible and bespoke approach to overseas assignments in order to attain advantage in areas such as compliance and talent development and retention.

While a one-size-fits-all approach to the fundamentals of mobility management may be a commercial reality, overlaying this should be areas of specific consideration and capability that can be adapted to the specific needs and risks of each international assignment. This allows for greater focus on the assignment’s commercial objectives and the agility to respond to the organisation’s changing global mobility needs .

From the outset of any successful assignment project, there should be clarity of objectives. Why as an organisation is the decision being made to invest in sending an employee to perform services in a different country?

International assignments can offer value in many areas, many of which typically present in the longer-term.

Internal knowledge transfer is a common assignment objective to address talent or skills shortages within overseas regions. Deploying key talent with specialist knowledge and skills to train and upskill local team members can help to resolve local labour or skill supply issues. The cost/benefit analysis can explore potential missed opportunities or delays resulting from shortages in the local talent market.

International assignments are also highly effective in building relationships and improving intercultural working. This could be relationships within an organisation, with local clients and intermediaries or local authorities. Face to face interaction remains highly effective and valuable in building influence on the ground and can offer significant potential for advantage over competitors.

Beyond relationships, value is also created in the knowledge gained by assignees working overseas, from insight into local customs and culture, improved language capability and a general understanding of how business is ‘done’ within the region and helping to adapt organisational protocol to suit the local environment. Combined with the assignee’s existing market and organisational knowledge, they can offer a global perspective with local details, bringing considerable potential to build competitive differentiation.

With clarity of objective, you can then consider whether an international assignment is the most appropriate solution . Is it possible to hire or promote locally? Would multiple, shorter trips be as effective in performance terms but with lower cost implications? International assignments demand significant investment and it will be important to assess cost projections against expected return and value to the organisation.

As well as clarity of objectives, a successful international assignment also requires clarity of contractual terms, both to manage the expectations and understanding of the assignee, and also for the mobility team to identify support needs and potential risks. 

Now more than ever, organisations are developing portfolios of mobility programmes to enable an agile approach to global mobility that responds to the organisation’s changing needs for international personnel mobility. Assignments come in increasingly different shapes and sizes, from permanent relocations or temporary exchanges, secondments or transfers to a different region or to a different organisation.

While organisations demand greater flexibility and agility from their global mobility programmes, underpinning the activity should be an appropriate assignment structure with a supporting contractual agreement that enables compliance with regulatory and legal duties.

When considering which structure to adopt, organisations will need to consider a range of factors including the type of assignment and the relevant environmental context such as regulatory, immigration, employment law, tax, pension implications. 

For international assignments, where the employee is moving from the home country employer to a host country employer, the employer could consider a number of assignment structures, including:

• The employee continues to be employed solely by the home employer.
• The employment contract with the home employer is suspended for the duration of the assignment while the employee enters into a new employment contract with the host employer .
• The employment contract with the home employer is terminated with a promise of re-employment at the end of the assignment while the employee enters into a new employment contract with the host employer .
• The employment contract with the home employer is suspended and the employee enters into a contract with an international assignment company (IAC) within the employer group
• The employment contract with the home employer is suspended and the employee enters into a contract with both an IAC and the host country employer.
• The employee remains resident in the home country and works in a host country under a commuter assignment.  

Each type of assignment structure offers advantages and disadvantages which should be considered in light of the individual assignment. For example: 

• Do employment laws in the host country require the assignee to be employed by a local entity? 
• Would the assignee be agreeable to ending their home country contract and starting a new agreement with a new entity in the host country? 
• Are there terms in the home country contract that would need protecting in any new agreement, such as restrictive covenants? 
• Which jurisdiction would prevail, the host or home country? 
• How would local laws interpret a situation where there is no contract of employment with the employer in the host country? 
• Issues such as income and corporate tax, pension and employment rights and responsibilities will need to be identified and assessed against the specific assignment objectives and budget and the assignee profile and circumstances. 

Employment law implications come hand-in-hand with selecting an appropriate assignment structure.

Home-country employment contracts for employees on assignment from the UK to an overseas jurisdiction should generally be interpreted under the laws of England and Wales. If a host country contract is used, there should be specific provision in the agreement to determine which jurisdiction would prevail. However, neither position is guaranteed, for example where issues of domicile arise which may supersede any contractual provisions. Again the need is to assess on an individual assignment basis.

As well as explicit contractual considerations, employers should also be aware of any statutory rights or implied terms under UK law that may continue to apply even in the host country.

Specific provisions may also need to be made to ensure confidentiality and appropriate handling of commercial and sensitive information. While this may be standard or expected for senior employees, those on assignment should also be considered for such terms relevant to the type of assignment and the commercial objectives of the project.

Immigration options

Successful international assignments will invariably require careful consideration of the immigration requirements. Governments across the globe are adopting increasingly protectionist stances towards economic migrants, as policies seek to favour domestic workers. This means business travellers and visa holders are now facing greater scrutiny when applying for work visas and when trying to gain entry at the border. 

Visa options and criteria vary between countries and are subject to frequent change. Where permission is required for the assignee to work in the host country, it will be important to ensure the assignee applies for the most appropriate route to meet the assignment need, whether that is a work permit or a business visitor visa. The immigration requirements and options will be determined in most part by the rules of the home and host countries, the nationality of the assignee (and any of their dependants who will be joining them overseas) and the nature of the activities the assignee intends to perform during their time in the host country. 

For example, a British citizen may be eligible to travel to the US to attend sales meetings and work conferences for up to 90 days  without having to apply for a visa but to conduct ‘gainful employment’ they would need to look at a specific work visa, such as the L-1 visa for intracompany  transfers. 

A further factor will be the specific requirements of the visa or permit. Work visas, for example, may require sponsorship of the employee by a local entity with valid sponsor status. The application process for work visas are typically resource-intensive and in many cases will require the employer to provide compelling evidence as to why the role or work cannot be performed by a worker resident in the host country. 

Preparation will, therefore, be critical, ensuring there is sufficient time to consider the relevant immigration options in light of local rules, and to then make the required application. Complications may also arise where the employee does not meet certain requirements under the local rules, for example if they have a past criminal conviction or negative immigration record. This will require careful handling and, depending on the host country’s rules, may require submission of a visa waiver to explain the issue and provide assurances of the employee’s eligibility by requesting a discretionary decision on the application.

Relocation packages are typically the biggest expense associated with an international assignment. While cost control will remain a concern, it is important for employers to ensure they are offering packages that are competitive within the market and that the package will support both the commercial objective of the assignment and compliance with associated legal and tax risks.

Home-based packages remain common, including those which may be markedly above local market compensation levels, particularly in circumstanecs where the assignment need is business-critical.

It may be possible however to look at offering a lower package than the home-based option, by either localising the package to harmonise with host nation levels or to develop a ‘local-plus’ offering that maintains a degree of competition, but this can be challenging to apply consistently across all assignment types and locations.

Again, consideration should be given to the individual assignment and the assignee. Millennial workers for example are generally understood to value international experience and the remuneration package may not be their primary concern where the opportunity for overseas exposure is available.

For organisations with a substantial cohort of international assignees and travellers, it may be more appropriate to build a compensation scheme specifically for globally-mobile personnel.

Importantly, assignees who will remain under an employment contract in their home country may continue to be subject to home country payroll while on assignment. This will also enable pension and benefits to be offered in the same way through the home country. Taxation, however, raises more complex issues, for example where withholding rules apply in the host country. This will require specialist guidance to ensure tax liabilities in the home and host country are correctly managed and met withiin the appropriate timeframes.

International assignments are demanding on the employer and the employee, but have become critical given the business imperatives to meet talent and development needs and achieve competitive advantage . 

Employers should not lose sight of the need to understand the specific risks of each individual assignment, which increasingly demand bespoke solutions. While compliance , efficiencies and cost control should be underpinned by a solid global mobility infrastructure of policies, systems and procedures, the current shift is away from a uniform approach to assignment management, instead moving towards more agile management of each assignment, shaped by the specific assignment objectives, budget and risks in relation to immigration, tax, remuneration and employment law.

DavidsonMorris’ specialist global mobility consultants provide expert guidance to employers on all aspects of international assignments, from programme management and implementation to strategic consultancy to ensure value and return on the mobility investment. We understand the commercial drivers behind mobilising workers and the need to ensure compliance without impacting return on mobility investment.

We work with senior management teams, HR and mobility professionals to develop strategies that ensure effective compliance risk management while supporting delivery of the organisation’s global mobility objectives. For advice on making the most of international assignments, speak to us .

Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.

She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.

Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator , and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals

• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Skilled Worker Visa Costs (Sponsor's Guide)
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Understanding the Human Rights Act 1998
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Navigating Asylum in the UK
• Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Family Visa UK: Explore Ways to Apply

About DavidsonMorris

As employer solutions lawyers, DavidsonMorris offers a complete and cost-effective capability to meet employers’ needs across UK immigration and employment law, HR and global mobility .

Led by Anne Morris, one of the UK’s preeminent immigration lawyers, and with rankings in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners , we’re a multi-disciplinary team helping organisations to meet their people objectives, while reducing legal risk and nurturing workforce relations.

Legal Disclaimer

The matters contained in this article are intended to be for general information purposes only. This article does not constitute legal advice, nor is it a complete or authoritative statement of the law, and should not be treated as such. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct at the time of writing, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and no liability is accepted for any error or omission. Before acting on any of the information contained herein, expert legal advice should be sought.

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Consultants and International Assignments

By Jessica Sun

International experience is a crucial differentiator for current and future leaders, according to Peter Lacy , Global Managing Director of Strategy & Sustainability Services at Accenture.

“Our clients increasingly operate seamlessly across borders. Our people need to be able to do the same,” he says. “That mindset comes from being exposed to new business cultures and experiences that come with international placements.”

As an Executive Search Firm, we find that many companies are looking to cultivate the next-generation of leaders for an increasingly global marketplace. As companies and businesses continue to stretch their operations across borders to meet the demands of a globalized market, there are now many opportunities for management consultants to seek assignments abroad.

If you are a management consultant interested in pursuing an international assignment with your firm, here are some insights from former management consultants who incorporated an international assignment into their consulting careers:

You will develop a word view through exposure to new cultures, new problems, and new industries:

When I was pitched a “couple month project near a beach” in a country I’d never been to, I figured “why not” and took the chance to go and work in Indonesia. The project ended up lasting a year, and I essentially lived out of a suitcase for the next 4-5 years after that, working on projects throughout Asia including Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, and Korea. It was a really interesting time to be in Asia – the financial economies were collapsing and there was very challenging work for us in helping large conglomerates optimize their corporate portfolios and restructure businesses. I felt like I was in “Lost in Translation” at times, but it taught me a lot about patience, and about being open minded to different cultures and people.

Eng Tan, Vice President & Head of Client Marketing at Asurion, LLC; Booz & Company Alum

You will learn to be adaptable and flexible:

International exposure has had a huge impact on my career, and a good chunk of my experience has been outside of the U.S. I think that in order to work well internationally, you need to be both curious and humble, and assignments abroad are somewhat of a torture test for those two traits. You gain flexibility and an appreciation for diversity within a team, as most teams abroad have a broader spectrum of views, languages, etc., than U.S. teams have to offer.

Andrew Bienkowski, Vice President & Group Managing Director at S.C. Johnson & Son; Accenture Alum

If you’re in a senior position within a company that has an international business, it’s really hard to understand other cultures without experience making the adjustment to a different place and way of doing things. Visiting a country is very different than actually living and working there, so personal experience with that type of change and immersion is certainly valuable.

You will gain the insight necessary to be a well-informed business leader:

My international experience has 100% impacted my career. It is absolutely important to have that experience in today’s world – if you don’t, you will lack credibility and a context to make well-informed business decisions. Until you are outside of the U.S., you don’t really appreciate its size and importance; at the same time, you may also lack a knowledge of its flaws. Taken in terms of operating level, it is also critical at the senior ranks – when you are working with senior executives they want you to be able to talk the same game.

Dave Kluz, Managing Director at Pernod Ricard SA; Boston Consulting Group Alum belief, but I feel as though when you lack international experience you are left a bit more underdeveloped than you would be otherwise. My company operates on a “Think global, act local” mantra, and the leveraged learning you get from understanding economies of scale, etc., is key to what we do. To really be leaders nowadays, I think you have to take it global.

Bruce Hawver, Chief Executive Officer at SteelSeries; McKinsey & Company Alum

In my own experience, I worked abroad in the earlier portion of my career, and I returned to the U.S. at a time when the domestic world was starting to develop the more matrixed and vague roles you see today. There was a need for people to influence organizations. My international roles were key in my ability to have that influence, because I had been working with people in Europe in these types of global roles that the U.S. was just developing. It was as though I had gotten to pilot test it.

It can accelerate your career towards senior-level executive positions:

If you’re actually thinking of your career more broadly, I think [an international consulting assignment] helps, because bringing geographic diversity to your curriculum is now a must-have for any kind of C-level executive position. There are more and more positions now, especially at the GM level, for which experience on at least two, if not three, continents, is required. And just Europe and the US are almost not good enough now. You need to have Europe, the US, and probably Asia or Africa to be relevant.

Nicolai Gerard, Digital Acceleration Officer at Groupe SEB; Bain & Company Alum

…But it could hinder your career progression if you are in consulting for the long-haul:

It certainly hurts if you’re aiming for Partnership, because at a point — probably when you reach the Manager level — if you’re serious about making it to Partner you’ll want to capitalize on your network locally.

These former consultants pursued international opportunities during their management consulting careers and gained a bettering understanding of the international factors shaping their and their clients’ businesses. While an international experience may not fit into your current career trajectory, the benefits of a global mindset, an international network of contacts, and exposure to emerging global markets helped each of these consultants leverage his international experience towards his current senior-level executive role.

• Secondment Policy
• International employment and secondment contracts
• Process optimisation
• Co-Sourcing
• Social security law, payroll service and applications
• Interim Management
• Visa/Entry Management
• Notification and Registration Obligations in the EU

IAC: the company

International assignment consulting, successfully organising international personnel assignments.

International assignments are diverse. Whether short-term business trips for service work, maintenance assignments, long-term assignments as part of personnel development measures or the establishment of new sales structures abroad: IAC is your partner for mastering strategic, content-related and legal complexities, implementing changes and setting the course for legally compliant assignments.

International

Regardless of where your company is active: We accompany you to your target markets worldwide!

In all phases of the assignment process, as well as in other questions of international personnel management: We are your competent partner.

Flexible and individual consulting combined with a specialist knowledge of over two decades and a professional global network.

ENSURING A HIGH LEVEL OF CONSULTING

Competent and individual advice is important to us, because we measure our quality by the satisfaction of our customers. Due to our interdisciplinary specialist knowledge we can guarantee consulting services of the highest standard.

FLEXIBILITY

Designing personnel management.

We strive for continuous development through new challenges and for the best possible solutions for our customers. We respond proactively to customer requirements and to changes in international personnel management.

WE AS THE INTERFACE

We treat our customers and business partners with respect and encourage open discussions. We have a partner network of global professionals and act as the interface between them and our customers in all areas of international human resources management.

DEDICATED CONTACT PERSONS

Our corporate culture is characterised by regular personal exchanges and friendly interaction. We value committed, team-oriented and multilingual employees, who are supported by training and further education. Our employees: flexible, competent, determined.

Managing Director of IAC Unternehmensberatung GmbH

Kai Mütze is an acknowledged expert in all aspects of international human resources management and is the leading figure at IAC Unternehmensberatung GmbH.

„Consulting in the field of international personnel management is characterised by a high degree of flexible solutions. For that reason, an operative consulting approach is very important to our clients. IAC Unternehmensberatung GmbH stands for developing customised concepts for the respective company and implementing them with the parties involved.“

• since 2015 Work as a specialist in international personnel management for various Chambers of Commerce, for the Association for Social Policy, Education and Vocational Development E.V., the Training Centre for Commerce in Unterwesergebiet.eV., Institute of Training for Commerce in Lower Saxony and the Bavarian Metal Association
• 2006 Publication of his first textbook "Handbuch Auslandsentsendung“ (International Assignment Manual)
• 2007 Founding of the IAC Unternehmensberatung GmbH

Strong and reliable

Our network alliance worldwide.

We have built up a worldwide network consisting of all consulting areas related to international human resources management. Besides legal and tax consulting companies or payroll services, we also have visa providers and immigration partners. The area of intercultural sensitivity is also of high importance. With our partner alliance, we have thus positioned ourselves as a full-service provider for all aspects of international personnel management services and consulting.

Latest Information from the IAC Newsletter

Current blogs on worldwide employee assignments.

Belgium News

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The iac newsletter, individual consulting for individual solutions.

Would you like more information or an individual offer? Then please contact us. We will gladly get in touch with you.

Kai Mütze Managing Director of IAC Unternehmensberatung GmbH

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International assignment management

• Compensation & Benefits
• International assignment guidelines & employment contracts
• Tax consulting
• Social security and pension plans
• Outsourcing
• Audit & Riskmanagement
• Business Visa
• Work/residence permits in Switzerland
• Overseas work/residence permits
• Social security
• Audit Riskmanagement
• Business Traveller
• Permanent establishment
• Payroll Switzerland
• Personnel management
• Searching for an apartment
• vergangene Webinare

“Individually and according to your needs, we will be with you every step of the way, from the first postings of individual employees to the drafting of posting guidelines and the execution of complex posting situations for “multi-state workers”.

When doing so, we cater specifically to your current posting cases in order to offer tailored solutions for the overseas deployment of your employees and to provide you with essential support in all administrative, operative, and strategic aspects of international assignments.

Thanks to our long-standing experience, we recognize compliance risks early on and help you to implement suitable solutions for international assignments with our CONVINUS GLOBAL NETWORK (CGN). Furthermore, you will only need to describe your issues to a single contact person. Our team of experts will then take over the clarification of the relevant tax-related, social security, labor law, and work/residence permit-related issues with specialists both domestically and overseas, and provide you with a balanced and comprehensive solution from a single source.

Working together with you, we will structure the international assignment processes in your company. In addition to an efficient case management, we will also handle the cost structures and process workflows of international assignments. Through our continuous insight into a wide range of companies and industry sectors, we are constantly on the pulse of the times where international assignments management is concerned, and are familiar with the current best practices.

The extensive know-how of our global mobility specialists and experts as well as our worldwide CONVINUS GLOBAL NETWORK (CGN) provide you with optimal support in this regard. Contact us with your questions for international assignments management. We would be glad to provide you with a quote.

Our key consulting services:

• Efficient and professional creation of expatriate management in the company
• Managing and optimizing complex international assignment cases
• Acting as a contact and liaison between the human resources department, expatriates, and domestic as well as international service providers
• Organization of work processes in posting management
• Execution of analysis and calculations as well as the optimization of posing costs

EXAMPLE - Creating a policy for business travelers

The population of employees which repeatedly need to work in a particular country for a few days or weeks at time is increasing because (among other things), a percentage of their team is based in that country or due to similar reasons. Apart from tax-related and social security aspects, particularly when dealing with a non-signatory state, as well as cost transfer aspects, work/residence permit-related issues also need to be taken into account.

BEST PRACTICES - A small selection of cases from our day-to-day work:

• Assisting the HR department with selecting a candidate to be posted to the USA, with aspects ranging from contract design to repatriation.
• Direct employee contact in the case of challenging tax situations and social security issues for international assignments.
• Training of employees in global mobility
• “Sparring partner” for in-house specialists in the case of complex global mobility cases such as international assignments for CEOs and “multi-state workers”.

• International assignments
• Visas & work permits
• Taxes & Social Security
• HR & Payroll

Seminar / Webinar

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Why International Assignments Make Good Business Sense

29 Nov 2021 | Sarah Huntridge, Business Development Manager

Many employees jump at the chance of an international assignment. Exciting challenges await… new role, new culture, a fresh start abroad. What are the advantages for the organisations involved?

Increasingly, companies are investing in global talent mobility. Global talent consultants MSI offer four reasons why organisations should introduce and develop international assignments:

1. Market Expansion Research shows that expansion into existing markets is the biggest reason why employees are transferred overseas. International relocations can help a small office become a strong foothold abroad.

The other major factor for sending employees to another country is expansion into new markets. In fact, research shows that this is almost as important as moves to existing markets. (52% participants gave expanding existing markets as the main reason for internal relocations; 49% cited growing new markets as their main motivation for sending employees overseas.)

2. Develop Top Talent International relocations involving existing employees help to: • Project a consistent corporate identity • Demonstrate commitment to employees’ personal development • Provide the international experience often needed for leadership roles • Show that employees are valued as they are trusted to represent the organisation overseas

3. Seize Opportunities Quickly Existing employees understand the company’s culture, processes and plans. They can help the organisation to move quickly and streamline operations within global markets. This is especially important in markets where there is a local shortage suitably qualified and/or experienced talent.

4. A Different View MSI explains that: “Being immersed in a new culture boosts creative problem solving and reveals valuable new ways of doing things, and the employee can both share these exciting insights with the company and apply them in his day-to-day work.”Is your organisation seizing the potential offered by international relocations? AT BTR International, we make global moves as stress-free and cost-effective as possible.

Like to find out more, or have any questions?

Our friendly experts can offer information and advice without obligation.

Call +44 1582 495495 or email us

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A Successful International Assignment Depends on These Factors

• Boris Groysberg
• Robin Abrahams

Your marriage, your family, and your career will all benefit from advance planning.

The prospect of an international assignment can be equal parts thrilling and alarming: Will it make or break your career? What will it do to your life at home and the people you love? When you’re thinking about relocating, you start viewing questions of work and family — difficult enough under ordinary circumstances — through a kind of high-contrast, maximum-drama filter.

• BG Boris Groysberg is a professor of business administration in the Organizational Behavior unit at Harvard Business School and a faculty affiliate at the school’s Race, Gender & Equity Initiative. He is the coauthor, with Colleen Ammerman, of Glass Half-Broken: Shattering the Barriers That Still Hold Women Back at Work (Harvard Business Review Press, 2021). bgroysberg
• Robin Abrahams is a research associate at Harvard Business School.

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International Consulting: Roles, Responsibilities, and Salaries

Industry Advice Political Science & Security

In an increasingly global economy, leaders with skills in analysis, research, diplomacy, and cross-cultural relations are in high demand. Organizations including multinational corporations, government agencies, and nonprofits all employ international consultants to help drive key business decisions and develop strategic plans.

Success as an international consultant requires that individuals not only understand different cultures but are sensitive to what makes cultures different. Management styles, negotiation tactics, presentation techniques, and even dress codes all need to be adapted to where one is doing business.

Developing and maintaining a global perspective requires skills and training in both global studies and international relations . These disciplines are closely linked, but there are some subtle differences.

• Global studies explores issues such as politics, biology, culture, and economics through an international lens. It emphasizes how people, ideas, materials, and even diseases move across countries and oceans.
• International relations , on the other hand, focuses on the specific and unique relationships between nations and cultures. It emphasizes how these relationships impact diplomacy, politics, commercial and economic policy, legal disputes, and security.

If these topics interest you on a personal and professional level, then a career in international consulting may be right for you. Here’s what you need to know about what international consultants do, where they work, and how much they get paid.

Download Our Free Guide to Breaking into Global Studies and International Relations

A guide for what you need to know to prepare for, and work in, today’s globalized world.

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What do International Consultants Do? 

According to the Dictionary of International Trade, a leader in an international consulting role typically takes on the following responsibilities:

• Assess an organization’s future activities in foreign markets, such as opening a new facility or identifying a new business partner.
• Work closely with management and executive teams to develop strategic plans for both existing and emerging markets.
• Collaborate across disciplines within an organization, including human resources, IT, market research, and other business-line leaders.
• Communicate effectively in English and other languages, such as the native language of the country where one is based.

A Master of Science in Global Studies and International Relations prepares students to carry out these job responsibilities by building relevant skills. Students in the GSIR program:

• Learn and apply the theories, research methods, and approaches that are most relevant for investigating global issues.
• Evaluate contemporary political, social, and cultural issues from a government, nonprofit, or private-sector viewpoint—regardless of the type of organization they represent. 
• Gain perspectives from diverse fields of study, apply this knowledge to a practical challenge, and use the insights from the experience to respond to new and more complex challenges.
• Advise a global organization, gain international field study experience , and present research findings in an overseas location.

Types of Organizations Offering International Consulting Jobs 

A LinkedIn search for international consultant jobs shows that the companies that employ international consultants fall into several key categories. (In addition to LinkedIn results, sample job titles come from The Balance , a news site focused on job searching and career planning.) 

Consulting Firms

Consulting firms such as Accenture, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, and McKinsey have offices on all six continents. Roles at these firms can include short-term projects, long-term assignments, or permanent transfers. Consultants typically help organizations overcome existing challenges and plan for future growth. For example, a retail chain may want to know which new markets present the best opportunity or expansion, or a construction company may want to identify more sustainable suppliers for building materials.

Sample job titles : International project consultant, strategic management consultant, international development director, international business analyst, international business development manager

Multinational Companies

Multinational companies in industries such as banking, energy, technology, and construction are looking for business development leaders with both international consulting expertise and job experience in a particular field. Common international business careers include human resources, accounting, project management, compliance, cybersecurity, sales, and marketing. These are roles in which companies place a high value on an employee’s ability to work in a cross-cultural setting, manage diverse teams, and understand how to follow regulations in global markets.

Sample job titles : Mergers and acquisitions consultant, international project manager, global value and access consultant, international operations consulting manager, international technology coordinator, foreign currency investment advisor, global supply manager, import/export specialist, international health and benefits consultant

Government and International Development Agencies

Government agencies and international development organizations such as the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations, or the World Health Organization focus on international relations—diplomacy, foreign policy, intelligence, security, etc. This type of work is often a path into politics, but careers in global studies and international relations can also include military affairs, security, trade, and activism. Collaboration is an essential part of this work, as leaders must work alongside colleagues with a variety of skills, specialties, and backgrounds in order to accomplish their goals.

Sample job titles : Foreign affairs specialist, foreign policy advisor, foreign service officer, counterintelligence officer, intelligence analyst, foreign service officer, national security agent, diplomat , ambassador

Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)

Non-government organizations , or NGOs, focus on issues such as addressing climate change, improving education, increasing access to health care, preserving cultural heritage, developing local economies, and advancing science and technology. International consulting roles for these organizations may be based in the field or in a group’s headquarters in a major city. In addition, an organization’s efforts are likely to center on one of six major regions of the world—East Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Southwest and Central Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa—so specialized work experience or educational background is a plus. 

Sample job titles : Global relations officer, country director, grants and compliance manager,  response team leader, humanitarian program manager, foreign aid worker, human rights activist

Niche Industries

Niche industries focus on very specialized markets that have a global audience. Examples include executive recruitment firms, luxury travel and real estate agencies, meeting and event planning, art collection, and relocation consultants that help individuals find jobs and/or housing in another country. 

Sample job titles : International business meeting planner, international travel counselor, international move management consultant, relocation consultant, international retirement leader, international travel recruiter

International Consulting Salaries

According to PayScale, the average salary for an individual with a master’s degree in global studies and international relations ranges from $67,000 to $70,000.

However, since international consultants can work for a variety of types of organizations, actual salaries can vary widely, depending on the type of organization, location of the work, and area of specialization. Consulting firms and for-profit companies, for example, tend to pay higher salaries than non-government organizations. Salaries will also vary based on a location’s cost of living, with jobs typically paying more in cities such as Hong Kong, London, New York, or Tokyo. The specialization of the international consulting role also matters—jobs in political and government affairs tend to have higher salaries than those in military operations, foreign affairs, or security analysis.

Here are some other salary considerations for an international consulting career:

• The U.S. Department of State offers hardship pay increases of up to 35 percent for diplomats who serve in volatile areas such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Syria, and certain parts of Africa. 
• Total compensation for new hires at consulting firms may be up to 30 percent higher than their base salary. New hires often receive signing and relocation or housing bonuses and are eligible for performance bonuses, as well. 
• Even if you prefer to live and work in the United States, developing a global perspective can help you earn more. For example, the average salary for a global logistics manager is about $93,000, according to PayScale, compared to about $65,000 for a domestic logistics manager . That’s an increase of nearly 43 percent. Likewise, the average salary of a sales manager is about $61,000, while the average salary of an international sales manager is more than $78,000—a difference of more than 27 percent.

How to Get a Job in International Consulting

Roles in international consulting and business can be difficult to get. Landing a job with the U.S. Department of State, for example, requires an extensive application and interview, as well as a background check and a medical exam. If this is the career path you want, be prepared for a months-long process.

It can also be hard to search for jobs that are based in a different country. Transitions Abroad, a magazine and news site for international job-seekers, points to the power of networking both online and in-person, starting with people you already know and focusing on high-quality relationships rather than a large number of impersonal relationships.

When networking, it’s important to be specific about your experience, the type of career you want, the type of organizations you are interested in, and your timeline for moving abroad. Being specific has two benefits: It helps you narrow down the list of people you want to network with, and it can help these contacts point you in the right direction.

Earning a master’s degree in global studies and international relations can help you identify and network with the right people to help you land the international consultant role you want. The degree program also gives you the experience you need to work successfully in a global setting, no matter where in the world you live, what type of organization you represent, or which field you enter. You’ll develop the skills you need to become a respected and trusted team leader.

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Intercultural business training.

“…the single greatest barrier to business success is the one erected by culture.” —Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall

Intercultural training is key to global business success.

Whether you need to relocate an employee abroad on expatriate assignment, prepare your team for new market entry or merger integration, or ensure the effectiveness of your global virtual teams, Cultural Confidence can help your company minimize the risks and maximize the opportunities related to doing business internationally.

Cultural Confidence training helps:

•    Avoid costly misunderstandings, unclosed deals and damaged relationships

•    Reduce failure of international assignments and early return of expatriates

•    Speed up project completion and avoid lag time

•    Increase productivity and ROI

•    Leverage diversity and capitalize on differences

•    Gain a competitive advantage

Our intercultural business training programs specialize in the following areas:

INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS & EXPATRIATE RELOCATION

Living & working successfully as an expatriate.

Foreign assignments can be a major challenge for the assignee, the trailing family, and the company. This training helps international assignees and their families to smoothly adjust to their new life abroad and ensure a successful assignment. By building realistic expectations and developing culture-effective business practices, this guided adaptation will allow assignees to focus on their work, thrive professionally and personally in their new environment, therefore reducing culture shock and chances of premature repatriation.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Working effectively with a diverse workforce & managing expatriate risk.

Domestic success by no means implies success abroad. In fact, only about half of international assignments are judged successful and many assignments end prematurely. The main reason for such failure is not the lack of technical expertise or management skills, but rather cultural myopia and dissatisfaction for the accompanying spouse. Given that expatriate assignments are known as the “million dollar investment”, it is essential to be aware of the challenges and to know how to avoid such failures from the very start.

The focus of this workshop is on two key areas of HR function. Firstly, it aims to equip HR professionals with the intercultural awareness and knowledge necessary to effectively recruit, retain and develop a culturally diverse workforce. Secondly, it will provide crucial insight into the challenges of expatriate assignments from the company, the assignee and family perspectives. This knowledge will allow for an appropriate candidate selection as well as for the ability to provide the right support throughout the expatriation process, thus avoiding culture shock, assignment failure and premature return of expatriates.

GLOBAL VIRTUAL TEAMS

Communicating effectively with global virtual teams.

Global Virtual Teams face a number of complex challenges that are specific to interacting with members from different cultures, communicating via technology rather than face-to-face, as well as to working as a team. This workshop will enhance the effectiveness of global virtual teams by helping members overcome potential conflict due to cultural differences and miscommunications due to accents, colloquialisms and lack of nonverbal cues.

GLOBAL LEADERSHIP

Conducting business successfully across the globe.

This training will help executives dealing with international clients and counterparts to develop a global mindset, gain insight into foreign expectations and business practices, and develop culture-effective skills and strategies that will allow them to conduct business successfully across the globe.

Harnessing Cultural Diversity at the Workplace

Most companies work across cultures even within one office location and beyond the use of unified communications. This workshop helps multicultural local teams to work and communicate more effectively with each other. While enhancing team effectiveness and productivity, this program also helps break down barriers, resolve conflict, promote a healthy work environment and leverage new skills resources.

Our country-specific offerings span the globe and include:

USA · China · India · Brazil · Mexico · Germany · Italy · France · Czech Republic · Vietnam · Korea · and more.

Click here for a sample of our intercultural training programs with a focus on Germany.

Online seminar options are available upon request.

And because no company or individual is the same, we are always happy to custom-tailor our programs to your specific needs. Our clients include:

“The Cultural Confidence course provided much appreciated insight for our team to help us enhance our relationships with our customers and business partners in South America. Anna Katrina provided relevant course content and an engaging approach to the topics. With a challenging team to guide, she navigated us seemingly effortlessly and very professionally through the cultural landscapes that we strive to better understand.”

Kate Hood Major Global Shipping Company

“The training delivered by Anna Katrina certainly exceeded my expectations and gave me the confidence to feel more secure with my new job assignment as well as with living in Germany. The approach of Cultural Confidence prepared me for what was to come and the transition to Germany was seamless. Recommended … ”

Victor Reyes ThyssenKrupp AG

“Multi-lingual, multi-cultural, multi-talented: Anna Katrina Davey at Cultural Confidence leads seminars and workshops that meet the needs of each participant, stimulates thoughtful discussions that magically play out in missions abroad, and fosters skill development beyond the workshop/seminar description. Anna is engaging and brilliant, but, also sensitive to individual needs and interests of her trainees.”

Catherine MacDermott Professor of Business Communication, St. Edwards University

“Anna Katrina of Cultural Confidence delivered an eye-opening cross cultural workshop. I work with clients from every corner of the globe on a daily basis. Anna Katrina brings professionalism and passion for the intercultural, helping us move beyond our current perceptions. Anna Katrina also tailored the program to match our specific personal and business situation. I was able to instantly apply the new skills learned because of the customized training approach. I highly recommend contacting Anna Katrina if you plan to be successful in communicating across culture boundaries.”

Jaron Banks Alcatel-Lucent

“Riccardo nous a beaucoup apporté dans une approche inter-culturelle entre les Italiens et les Français. Son expérience internationale lui fait aborder les points essentiels d’une relation professionnelle internationale respectant les valeurs culturelles des acteurs nationaux. Beaucoup d’intelligence en plus !… Merci de cette belle rencontre !…”

Jean-Paul Bellec Thales Alenia Space

“Anna Katrina Davey and her consultants at Cultural Confidence provided our senior sales and marketing executives with a truly insightful intercultural training program on doing business with Latin America. It explained the issues I’ve encountered in my interactions with Latin American counterparts and helped us understand the preferred communication styles and business practices of the different countries in the region.”

VP Marketing Major Medical Device Company

“My family and I have recently relocated to Hamburg, Germany, as part of a new business opportunity. FMC contracted with Cultural Confidence (formerly Across Cultures) to provide cultural awareness training to support our transition process.

Anna Katrina’s experience, intelligence and communication skills have significantly aided in the transfer of her personal experiences to my family’s situation. We have utilized the material and information literally every day. Anna Katrina’s enthusiastic and first hand knowledge and communication skill have been a big part of a fulfilling experience.”

Clinton Metcalf FMC Technologies

“The cross-cultural training was not only informative, but most importantly, thought-provoking. Anna Katrina furthermore made it fun and interesting. As we depart for Beijing, we feel confident, prepared for the assignment, and ready to experience a fascinating new culture. Great program!”

Rich Garrity ThyssenKrupp China Ltd.

“The cultural orientation provided by Anna Katrina Davey gave me a much better idea about what to expect once I moved to Germany as well as confidence when working in my new environment.”

Ivan Mejia Adidas

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InterLink provides our Clients with what they need to deploy a global workforce

• International Assignment
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InterLink offers a full suite of services for companies who consider international assignments and moves an integral part of their talent development strategy and to accelerate their global business. When they come to us, they can expect expertise and professionalism with an uncompromising dedication to providing an exceptional experience.

Human Resource and Global Mobility leaders rely on us for on-demand problem-solving knowledge and experience. Our team plays an important supporting role for the business leaders who ultimately have the responsibility for balancing benefits, costs, risk, legal, and tax compliance with an eye to the business objectives in an ever-changing world.

InterLink has answered the continued demands for mobility programs by delivering

• Greater flexibility
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• Streamlined processes
• Increased use of technology
• Focus on data security and compliance

Top three most common assignment categories

Long-term assignments (lta):.

Involves employees relocating to a foreign country for an extended period, typically one to five years or more depending on the country.

Commonly used for establishing a stronger presence in a foreign market, managing a subsidiary, or developing long-term client relationships.

Employees on long-term assignments often integrate more deeply with the host country’s culture and lifestyle.

Short-Term Assignments (STA):

Commonly lasts from 3 months to 12 months (18 months at most).

Designed to address specific project needs, provide training, or offer temporary support.

Employees return to their home country after completing the assignment.

Permanent Transfers or Repatriations:

Permanent transfers involve relocating an employee across a border to have local employment status and no expectation of returning to the home country.

Can be either intra-company transfers within the same organization or external moves to a different employer.

Repatriation refers to the process of bringing back employees to their home country after completing an international assignment.

Counseling and Consulting

InterLink leverages its expertise and experience on a daily basis to assist organizations in developing comprehensive global mobility programs, policies, and procedures. Our approach enables us to build customized solutions from the ground up, tailored to meet the diverse and evolving needs of your employee population effectively.

Transferee Counseling

We provide an experienced global mobility consultant for the duration of your employees’ assignment. This allows each employee to have a dedicated communication channel to assist in navigating the transition to their new country and role. Some of the services we consult your people on include:

• Temporary Living
• Departure/Home Sale Assistance
• Property Management
• Household Goods shipment(s)
• Home Finding and Final Move Travel
• Destination / Settling-In Assistance
• Immigration / Visa Assistance
• Global Tax Briefings and Services
• Long-term Household Goods Storage
• Intercultural Training
• Language Training

Client Counseling

InterLink streamlines the planning process with a single point of coordination. InterLink provides a dedicated point of contact with our highly trained mobility consultants. Critical services for clients include:

• Compensation Accumulation Services
• Certificates of Coverage and Tracking
• Cost Projection and Expense Management
• Shadow Payroll, Payroll Instructions, and Reconciliations
• GlobalLink® Expense Reimbursement
• Client Portal Dashboard Customization

International Long-Term Assignment Life Cycle

1. strategy & planning: we help determine the best policy fit based on the business needs of the role..

• Goal: Policy Determination determined by business need of role
• Strategic, Operational, Developmental
• Policy Determination : Short-term Assignment, Long-term Assignment, Commuter Assignment, Permanent Transfer
• Tax Assistance: Cost projections with tax, budget and key stakeholders identified

2. Pre-Decision: Cost projections and immigration assessments are conducted in addition to a draft letter of assignment (LOA) being created.

• Objective: Recruitment & Candidate Assessment
• Immigration Assessment based on qualifying criteria
• Expense Management: Compensation Package, COLA, Tax Treatment
• Tax Assistance: Candidate specific cost projection with tax equalization

3. Pre-Departure: Policy and immigration consulting take place and relocation services are initiated.

• Objective: Policy consulting with assignee and family
• Immigration consulting and application assistance
• Relocation Services Engaged such as shipment of household goods, propee or management, travel, etc. based in individual needs
• Tax Assistance: Origin Country Tax Briefing

4. On-Arrival At Host: Assistance with temporary living and settling-in services. Expense processing and payments.

• Objective: Temporary Living, Home Finding, School Finding
• Destination Services: Settling-in Assistance, Spouse/Partner Assistance, Language Training, Cultural Training, Rental Agentance
• Expense Management: Expense Processing, Employee Payment, Employee Reimbursements, Tracking and Reporting
• Tax Assistance: Host Country Tax Briefing

5. On-Assignment: Once on the job, compensation accumulation and tax services are required.

• Objective: Tenancy Management Services, Payments Annual Leave Travel
• Compensation Accumulation: Shadow Payroll, Payroll Reporting, Tax Reporting, Reconciliation
• Expense Management: Expense Process and Reimbursements
• Tax Assistance: Tax Prep Services

6. Repatriation: We help your people return to their origin country , coordinating suppliers and immigration and departure requirements.

• Objective: Departure Services, Home Finding, Household Goods Shipments
• Relocation Services Engaged: Return Trip Travel, Vehicle Disposal, Miscellaneous Expense Allowance, Final Move Travel
• Immigration , Departure Notifications
• Tax Assistance: Tax Briefing, Tax Prep Services

Free White Paper

International assignments must not overlook the significant impact of social security obligations to avoid issues with employer contributions and compensation. Addressing these obligations carefully is essential for a smooth and compliant assignment experience for employers and employees.

Click Here to Download

Relocation is complex and stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! Reach out and we’ll be in touch to schedule a 15 min, no-obligation conversation to hear more about your company relocation needs.

Once they understand what’s involved, InterLink develops the best solutions for the company and the employees, minimizing stress for everyone.”

The outcome has been an excellent alignment between the company’s needs and those relocating. We are happy to be part of the InterLink ‘family’. More importantly, so do our employees”

They always went above and beyond to understand our needs to provide guidance and to find the right third parties to work with. I would highly recommend other companies to use Interlink Relocation Resources.”

What Is Your Current Relocation Program Really Costing You?

Whether your current policies are years old, or you’ve never established them at all, ineffective relocation plans can dramatically hurt your business through lost income and talent.

US Relocation Resources

Relocating your employees is a multifaceted endeavor, demanding careful planning, execution, and support to ensure a smooth transition. Entrusting this task to the right relocation management company (RMC) can significantly […]

Master the art of seamless tax gross up with InterLink Relocation Resources. Download our free whitepaper, "Best Practices for Tax Gross Up," for valuable insights on effectively calculating and managing this crucial relocation process. Ensure a smooth and worry-free transition for you and your employees. Get your copy today!

HR Live! is planning another exciting event on May 14, 2024. Plan to join us to watch the Atlanta Braves take on the Chicago Cubs. At InterLink Relocation, we strive […]

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Business:  International Assignment Training ©

Through its research and analysis, Universal Consensus has defined success factors that must be considered for international assignments:

• Aligning the right person with the right international assignment is critical. While an individual may have the skill-set and core competency to perform the work, that person may not have the intercultural communication skills or cultural awareness to successfully manage a project or motivate a team.
• The individual must be empowered with the core tools to manage all international stakeholders both on a personal and professional level.
• Special outreach and ongoing international assignment training and support must be available for the family. Distractions within the family will negatively impact an employees’ international assignments performance.

Our International Assignment Training Solution

Universal Consensus works with each client individually to:

• Understand the business goals and objectives of the assignment.
• Assess the employee and the family to capture a baseline understanding of their intercultural communication skills.
• Execute a plan using the Universal Consensus Business Model of Intercultural Analysis [BMIA] to strengthen individual and family competencies to ensure a successful relocation.
• Provide a toolkit for coping with and resolving conflicts.
• Meet the evolving needs of the clients throughout the transfer.
• Prepare a plan for repatriation, if applicable.

Our International Assignment Difference

Universal Consensus Director, Denise Pirrotti-Hummel, J.D., is committed to providing the highest quality service for Universal Consensus’s clients. She and her team of worldwide experts customize each program and equip employees with the tools to enhance their performance and exceed expectations. Ms. Pirrotti Hummel has published a book on her international assignment experience with her family in Italy. Speak Milk. Drink Wine. Is available on Amazon.com .

“With more than 10 million frequent flyer miles on one airline alone, I know a little about travel good and bad. Even so, Denise Pirrotti Hummel’s Speak Milk. Drink Wine. has taught this die-hard traveler much about making dreams reality. This inspiring tale is a joy to read!”  – Marshall Goldsmith, acclaimed author and Thinkers50 #1 World’s Most Influential Leadership Thinker in 2011. We are more than happy to answer any questions you might have or supply you with additional general information. Send us an e-mail via our contact form or call our office at +1 (619) 567-2557 [GMT-8].

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Area studies students contribute to international development via consulting club

Assessing the impact of a girls’ leadership program in East Africa. Training rural coffee farmers in Guatemala to expand their businesses to produce honey. Preventing and addressing the use of torture in Egypt.

These projects may sound like the docket of the United States Agency for International Development, but undergraduate students in the Indiana University Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies are partnering with real-world organizations to tackle these issues as part of the school’s Global Development Consulting .

The organization, which was launched in the spring of 2022, gives participating students the opportunity to complete one of several consulting projects for different international development organizations each semester. Student consultants can take lessons learned in courses from the school — which hosts more area studies institutes recognized by the Department of Education as Title VI National Resource Centers than any other school in the nation — and apply them to pressing global issues.

Elisheva Cohen , global learning specialist at the Hamilton Lugar School and director of international education programs and outreach at IU’s Center for the Study of Global Change, was part of a similar organization while she was in graduate school and saw a need for the opportunity at IU.

“Global consulting as a graduate student opened so many doors for me and helped me really understand what professional work in international development looks like,” Cohen said. “I knew our students at Hamilton Lugar were really hungry for that experience.”

The group, which is supported by the Tobias Center for Innovation in International Development , began its first semester with seven student consultants and one project; it has grown to now boast 28 student consultants working on four projects that span the globe. Almost all of the consultants are undergraduate students, including several first-year students.

Over the past five semesters, IU students have conducted research and interviewed Burmese development workers to create short podcasts that raise awareness about the democracy activism and development work taking place in Myanmar. They’ve helped The Hijabi Mentorship Project — a group advocating for female empowerment and gender equality in Kenya — identify global funding opportunities and created a comprehensive guidebook to support its fundraising initiatives.

In fall 2023, the organization bid on a project for Diplomacy Lab , a State Department program that “course sources” research and innovation related to global policy challenges to students and faculty experts at universities across the country. As part of the project, a group of consultants advised the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a region in Papua New Guinea that was recently granted independence. The team developed a guidebook for stakeholders outlining the steps needed to become a recognized independent country both internally and on the international stage.

Consultants who worked on the project, including seniors Mohamed Izadine and Micaela Fenn, recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to present their findings to the U.S. State Department at the Diplomacy Lab Fair. Izadine said it’s opportunities like these that have kept him involved with the consulting organization for three semesters.

“Experts who are international lawyers that have done hugely impactful things are coming to see our presentations and asking us to email final deliverables,” said Izadine, who is studying international law and institutions. “We are making real contributions to international developments and gaining expertise in areas that very few people have.”

Izadine and Fenn, along with sophomore Cooper Kleinmaier and senior Gillian Zeuli, have spent this semester working with the organization Maat for Peace to make recommendations that aim to address and prevent the use of torture in Egypt.

The group analyzed National Preventive Mechanisms, as outlined by the United Nations’ Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, that have been used by nations that are similar to Egypt. They then assessed which mechanisms have been effective and which have not, and they will put forth recommendations for Egypt during a presentation to the partner at the end of this week.

One recommendation the team will make is based on a successful prison-reform initiative in Ghana. An open camp prison system created a separate site for low-risk prisoners to decongest prison facilities. At the camp, prisoners engage in agriculture work and receive training for reintegration after their sentences. The food they are farming goes toward feeding other prisoners, and they are paid for their work. The money they earn is put into an account that they can access when they are released, reducing the number of inmates who are released into poverty.

Zeuli, a senior studying international studies and Middle Eastern languages and cultures, said that in addition to learning how to communicate and work with people spanning several countries, cultures and time zones, consultants also gain confidence in discussing issues with leading experts. These skills have helped former student consultants score internships with clients and get hired as full-time consultants at international development organizations.

“We are able to walk into a room with people who have dedicated their entire lives to this narrow field as undergraduate students and have our ideas and expertise valued,” she said. “That alone will take us so far professionally.”

Marah Yankey

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