Study Predicts Who Will Succeed in Expatriate Roles

NEW YORK, January 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

A new report which identifies the personal characteristics of successful expatriates has been published by assessment specialist cut-e, to help multinational employers choose the right people for international assignments.

Called Predicting who will be a successful expatriate, the report follows a research study involving 35 organizations including expatriates as well as their managers, peers and subordinates in their home and overseas countries. Feedback was collected on each expat's performance, their personal success, their communication ability and how well they integrated into the local culture.

"Sending employees to live and work abroad is a tremendous opportunity but it is also expensive and a substantial number of expatriates end their assignments prematurely," said Marinus van Driel, Director of Professional Services for cut-e US. "Our research identifies which personal attributes are required to succeed as an expatriate. Based on our research, we have created a model that can predict whether someone will adapt well to a new cultural context, perform as expected, cope with the personal and professional challenges and derive a high level of satisfaction from an expatriate assignment."

According to the study, the key characteristics for success as an expatriate are: emotional stability; openness to change; cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity; an ability to adjust to different customs, perspectives and business practices; strong interpersonal skills; flexibility; resilience; respect for diverse viewpoints; a high level of autonomy and a sense of humor.

"The results of our study reveal that successful expatriates have a specific profile," said Marinus van Driel. "The most successful expatriates view pressure as a strong motivator, they're prepared to put time and effort into challenging tasks and they're not overly concerned with the aesthetic aspects of their workplace. These attributes help them to adapt, take initiative and organize their work."

cut-e's study, which builds on previous research, highlights that psychometric testing can successfully assess the personal characteristics required for success.

"Psychometric assessments that provide insights into job-related values, motives and interests can help you to select the right candidates for expatriate assignments," said Marinus van Driel. "With these insights, you can ensure that the expectations of both the individual and the organization are met, and that both parties benefit from the opportunity."

Predicting who will be a successful expatriate can be freely downloaded from http://www.cut-e.com/online-assessment/values-questionnaires/

Founded in 2002, cut-e (pronounced 'cute') provides online tests, questionnaires and gamified assessments in 70 countries and 40 languages. http://www.cut-e.com

SOURCE cut-e