Many aspects of life today are shaped by constant judgment and evaluation—annual reviews, performance indicators, goal assessments, skills audits, and more. But should we apply the same lens to an international relocation? Living abroad is a rich and complex experience, which raises an important question: how—and why—should we evaluate it? Is it to strengthen an application for a new role and better reflect the value of our intercultural experience? To gain clarity about future goals in an international setting? Or perhaps to make sense of the reasons behind a return?
Can you objectively measure success?
While a successful career is often gauged using KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), most companies don't apply similarly clear metrics to evaluate the overall success of an expatriation. From an employer's standpoint, success is typically defined by whether predefined objectives are met. But this approach overlooks many vital aspects of living abroad: learning a new language, working or leading in an intercultural setting, and developing various soft skills like adaptability or the ability to communicate across unfamiliar codes.
Assessing skills gained in intercultural contexts is especially tricky since situations and responses differ widely. Did you genuinely manage a team with significant cultural differences, or did you simply apply the same management style you used before relocating? Did you adjust your communication style to fit local norms or continue using your own? Even subtle differences in how people communicate can cause confusion or discomfort. In some cultures, for example, indirect feedback can be unsettling and unclear if you're used to a more straightforward approach. This makes it hard to say whether you truly developed intercultural skills or just got by with minimal adjustments.
The same goes for language. Some expatriates see learning the local language as optional—too difficult, too time-consuming, or simply not interesting. But can an international experience be called a success if you return without knowing a single word of the local language? That depends on your personal outlook. It often comes down to whether you were able—or willing—to build meaningful relationships with locals, though for some, this may not be a priority.
Yes, success abroad can be measured through promotions, raises, bonuses, and hitting performance targets. But it's far harder to assess the professional and personal growth—or the deeper sense of enrichment—that comes from living in a new environment. In this light, we should also consider accompanying spouses, who often lack conventional markers of success such as income. For many, moving abroad can mean the loss of a career or daily structure. But does that make it meaningless to reflect on or evaluate their experience? Certainly not.
Why should you measure the quality and success of your move?
Comparing yourself to other expatriates serves little purpose. However, using evaluation tools can be highly beneficial—especially for companies investing heavily in international assignments. Íæż½ã½ãriate contracts come with significant costs: private health insurance, cost-of-living allowances, and often extra support for housing or school fees. Companies stand to gain from introducing structured evaluations before departure and at the end of an assignment. These tools can help determine whether sending an employee overseas was truly necessary—or whether a local hire might have been just as effective.
What unique value did the employee bring? Was it their ability to manage multicultural teams? Their role as a bridge between headquarters and local teams? Or did their technical expertise make them essential to the position?
While employers certainly consider these questions before assigning someone abroad, a more formal review at the end of the mission could bring clarity. This kind of assessment could be part of broader career planning and sound HR policy. What exactly did the employee gain from their time abroad? How do those new skills support their career development—and what kind of role should they take on next?
We might envision a formal skills assessment after each international posting, focused specifically on the expatriate experience. This would help the employees identify the new competencies they've acquired and give the company clearer insights for HR planning. Since it's hard to evaluate intercultural skills in isolation, these assessments—led by professionals familiar with expat life—are designed with that challenge in mind.
As for accompanying spouses who may not have worked during the assignment, that doesn't make their experience any less worth evaluating. Did they face frustration—or experience significant personal growth? Did this time offer new career insights or even spark a new path entirely? What language or cultural skills did they develop?
Unfortunately, many accompanying spouses struggle to explain the value of their time abroad if they weren't employed. However, skills assessments tailored to the expat experience aren't just for salaried workers; they can also be incredibly helpful for those who took a career break.
Ultimately, evaluating your move helps you better understand and articulate the skills you've gained, reflect on your personal and professional growth, and recognize your inner development—even if the experience wasn't entirely smooth. Sometimes, assessing your time abroad also means realizing that you'd rather work in a more familiar environment and that a life of international postings may not be for you. There's no shame in that—only honesty.
