How to Find a Contractor Job in Iraq

Federal government and private sector employers hire contractors -- workers who fill positions for a specific time period -- for various positions in Iraq. The kind of Iraq contractor jobs you apply for and accept depend on your skills, temperament and salary requirements. Some people seek employment in Iraq as contractors because of the high salaries and others seek to utilize job skills for which finding employment outside of such an environment can be difficult. You may be required to pass a security clearance for employment eligibility.

Instructions

1. Prepare your resume. Developing countries, such as Iraq, require highly skilled workers, and your resume must reflect expertise to gain employment. Provide details of your most relevant employment followed by a list of skills that add to your credibility as a job candidate. Seek the assistance of a career counselor or job coach to fine-tune your resume if needed.

2. Search online job databases for Iraq contractor jobs. Enter the search term "Iraq" and the search term for the type of position for which you are qualified, for example, "Iraq" and "security," in the website's search field. You can search such job listings by date posted and salary. Read job announcements of interest to confirm skills, abilities and salary requirements before applying.

3. Make a list of the contractor companies found in job search databases and contact companies with older Iraq contractor postings by telephone or e-mail. Ask to speak to human resources or the hiring manager if you call. Introduce yourself, tell the person where you found his contact information and inquire new and upcoming contractor openings. Request to send a resume for review. You can also search the Internet for names of contractors with positions in Iraq that do not have openings posted in job databases.

4. Attend job fairs. Face to face contact is a effective way to get hired. If you can sell yourself well in such settings, employers might feel much more comfortable sending you to Iraq. You can find job fairs listed in the employment section of major newspapers across the country. Such job fairs seek to attract a maximum number of attendees, and thus, take place in big cities, rather than small towns. To meet with potential contractors with positions in Iraq, you may need to travel and make arrangements to stay overnight if you do not live in the cities where the job fairs take place.

Tips & Warnings

• Contact anyone in your sphere of influence -- friends, family and current and former co-workers -- who currently works or worked in Iraq for job leads.

References

• Iraq and the United States: Creating a Strategic Partnership; Anthony H. Cordesman et. al.

Resources

• Danger Zone Jobs
• Overseas Digest