Last updated on Mar 26, 2024

What do you do if you're a professional working abroad and need to choose and adopt new technology tools?

Working abroad can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it also comes with some challenges. One of them is choosing and adopting new technology tools that suit your needs and preferences, as well as the local context and culture. How do you make the best decisions and avoid frustration and inefficiency? Here are some tips to help you out.

1 Assess your goals and requirements

Before you start looking for new technology tools, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what you need to do it. Think about your professional objectives, your workflow, your communication style, your budget, your security and privacy concerns, and your technical skills. Write down your must-haves and nice-to-haves, and prioritize them according to their importance and urgency.

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Leo Vieira 🌍

Unlocking Business Potential with @ Gitlab | Tech Enthusiast | Embracing the Future of Remote Work
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A hack I usually use is to create a comprehensive checklist before diving into the realm of new technology tools. Break down your goals into specific, actionable steps, noting down must-haves and nice-to-haves. Additionally, categorize them based on importance and urgency. This way, you'll have a clear roadmap guiding you through the vast array of options, ensuring you select tools that perfectly align with your needs and priorities.

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2 Research your options and alternatives

Once you have your criteria, you can start exploring the available technology tools that match them. You can use online platforms, reviews, blogs, podcasts, forums, and social media to find out what other professionals working abroad are using and recommending. You can also ask your colleagues, clients, partners, mentors, and peers for their opinions and feedback. Compare the features, benefits, drawbacks, and costs of different tools, and look for alternatives that can serve the same purpose or function.

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Fernanda Fell

Multimedia Journalist | Content Strategist | Operations Manager
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An example of this approach in action involves leveraging various resources to streamline the selection process. Once your criteria are set, delve into online platforms, reviews, and social media to gather insights from professionals abroad. In addition, tap into the wisdom of mentors and specialists in your field across social channels. Their guidance can provide invaluable shortcuts, saving time and effort otherwise spent on extensive research and experimentation. By incorporating their recommendations, you can refine your search for the most suitable technology tools to enhance your international work experience.

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Leo Vieira 🌍

Unlocking Business Potential with @ Gitlab | Tech Enthusiast | Embracing the Future of Remote Work
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An insightful approach is to delve deep into researching your options and alternatives once you've established your criteria. Beyond just browsing online platforms and reviews, leverage the power of networking. Engage with professionals in similar fields to gather firsthand experiences and recommendations. Don't hesitate to tap into your professional circle—colleagues, clients, mentors, and peers—for valuable insights. Additionally, while comparing features and costs, keep an eye out for alternative solutions that might offer comparable benefits. This thorough exploration ensures you make informed decisions that truly resonate with your needs and aspirations.

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3 Test and evaluate the tools

Before you commit to using a new technology tool, you should try it out and see how it works for you. You can sign up for free trials, demos, or tutorials, or use a sandbox or a dummy account to test the tool's functionality, usability, compatibility, and reliability. You should also evaluate the tool's performance, quality, support, and updates. You can use a checklist, a rating system, or a feedback form to record your observations and impressions.

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Leo Vieira 🌍

Unlocking Business Potential with @ Gitlab | Tech Enthusiast | Embracing the Future of Remote Work
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In my view, testing and evaluating the tools thoroughly before making a commitment is paramount. Utilize free trials, demos, or tutorials to gain hands-on experience with the tool. Set up a sandbox environment or dummy account to simulate real-world usage scenarios and assess its functionality, usability, and compatibility with your workflow. Pay close attention to factors like reliability, performance, and the quality of support provided by the tool's developers.

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4 Adapt and customize the tools

Once you have chosen the technology tools that suit your needs and preferences, you need to adapt and customize them to your specific context and culture. You should consider the language, time zone, currency, regulations, standards, and norms of the country or region where you are working. You should also adjust the settings, preferences, features, and integrations of the tools to optimize your productivity, efficiency, and collaboration. You can use guides, manuals, tutorials, or online help to learn how to do this.

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5 Learn and improve your skills

Choosing and adopting new technology tools is not enough; you also need to learn and improve your skills to use them effectively and confidently. You should invest some time and effort to familiarize yourself with the tools, practice their functions and features, and explore their potential and possibilities. You should also seek feedback, guidance, and support from others who are using the same or similar tools, or join online communities, courses, or webinars to enhance your learning and development.

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6 Review and update the tools

Finally, you should review and update the technology tools that you are using regularly and periodically. You should monitor their performance, quality, satisfaction, and impact on your work and goals. You should also check for new versions, updates, features, or alternatives that can improve or replace your current tools. You should be open to change and innovation, but also careful and critical about their benefits and risks. You should always have a backup plan and a contingency plan in case something goes wrong or unexpected.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What do you do if you're a professional working abroad and need to choose and adopt new technology tools?

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1 Assess your goals and requirements

2 Research your options and alternatives

3 Test and evaluate the tools

4 Adapt and customize the tools

5 Learn and improve your skills

6 Review and update the tools

7 Here’s what else to consider

Working Abroad

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What do you do if you're a professional working abroad and need to choose and adopt new technology tools?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess your goals and requirements

2 Research your options and alternatives

3 Test and evaluate the tools

4 Adapt and customize the tools

5 Learn and improve your skills

6 Review and update the tools

7 Here’s what else to consider

Working Abroad

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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