"The world is shrinking. Moving abroad for work is far more imaginable and feasible than in the past. In academia, we see an increased form of “no-madism”, a practice of academics moving abroad for periods of employment. For universities, recruiting international staff can be both intellectually and fi-nancially fruitful as foreign academics bring new perspectives, links to future collaborators (universi-ties and scholars alike) and provide the language and knowledge capabilities needed to international-ize the curriculum. For academics, employment abroad may open doors to further their (and possibly their partner’s) career and provide an alternative to limited, stagnant or poorly paid positions at home. However, despite the rosy picture this paints for uni-versities and academics, there are many issues in-volved in working abroad, some of which create less than ideal working conditions. To begin with, the actual process of hiring international staff can be complicated. Hiring practices are often shrouded in mystery and research frequently points to the impor-tance of social ties in successfully securing employ-ment. Is it then safe to assume the success of international applicants is dependent on them knowing the right people? Or do other factors play a role in their job success?"
