Some 59 per cent of Australians say they would like to live abroad, according to a survey of 1,300 people undertaken by recruiting agency Chandler Macleod.
Even so, an equal number say the stint won't necessarily do their career any good.
That's a shame, says Luke Henningsen, executive general manager of Chandler Macleod, because that experience of adapting to new surroundings and lust for adventure may be exactly what employers look for.
While it's tough to pin down exactly how much more Australian returnees can expect, they generally have a better chance of securing higher paying jobs, Henningsen said.
"Professional candidates who have worked abroad for extended periods can return home to higher salaries, which are often above that of their peers who stayed behind, given their greater experience and skills levels," Henningsen said.
The survey underlines how despite being far from major markets a fair number of Australians head overseas early on in their careers if not before.
Henningsen says Australians who simply decide to work in a bar rather than a job that's more closely related to their field are giving up a real chance to progress their careers.
Continued strength in the world's biggest economies have contributed to a skills shortage for some professionals such as accountants, lawyers and financial specialists.
"What we encourage is for people to think about their careers and gain some experience overseas to bring back.
"Don't just work in a bar, put the effort into bolster their cv as well," Henningsen said.
At any given time about one million Australians are overseas or about five per cent of the population.
That's about the same proportion of Canadians but way ahead of ahead of Americans or Japanese with only one per cent of their countrymen abroad.
The numbers of Australians going abroad for between six and 12 months rose to 186,500 during the business year ended June 30, 2006, from 177,600 in the previous period, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
When Australians come home, some employers may see their time abroad as evidence of motivation, learning a new work environment and a willingness to take calculated risks.
"People with overseas experience return with very different social and professional attitudes that are extremely attractive to employers," Henningsen said.
Source: AAP NewsWire