Ghosts, Ghouls, and Career Goals: Embracing Cultural Beliefs in Career Support with International Students

I love this time of year. Spooky, misty mornings, dew drops on spiderwebs and a definite eerie feeling in the air. And best of all- Halloween! Rooted in the Celtic festival of Samhain, in the UK we dress up as the dead, go out after dark, ask strangers for sweets and carve scary faces into pumpkins. Did you know it’s celebrated in other ways around the world? Local beliefs and traditions have created some very different spooky celebrations....

Mexico – Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

In Mexico, Día de los Muertos, from October 31st to November 2nd, is a joyful, colourful celebration with a carnival atmosphere. The dead are honoured with dance, vibrant altars, offerings of food, and candles.

Philippines – Pangangaluluwa

In the Phillipines, Undas or All Saints' Day, is a time to remember the dead. One traditional activity, Pangangaluluwa, involves people going door to door singing for the souls of the dead in exchange for food. Filipinos often visit the graves of family members to clean and maintain them, sometimes staying in cemeteries to eat together, or hold overnight vigils.

China – Teng Chieh and Hungry Ghost Festival

In some parts of China, Halloween overlaps with local traditions like the Hungry Ghost Festival or Teng Chieh, during which people make offerings to spirits. The Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival is similar to Halloween in its focus on spirits, but it involves rituals to quieten any wandering ghosts, such as burning paper money or food offerings.

These themes of death, spirits, and fun linked to Halloween are connected, but they differ significantly across cultures. While we, and other Western countries focus on costumes and sweets, other countries use this time for reflection, spending time with family and honouring their ancestors. That's because our cultural beliefs about the dead differ.

Beliefs affect so many parts of our thinking, and therefore our behaviours too. They also apply to careers too! (There's the link if you were wondering where on earth I was going with this!)

Career beliefs are the assumptions, values, and thoughts that we all hold about our careers.? Career beliefs are influenced by your upbringing, cultural background, and all the things that happen to you during your life. Your career beliefs shape how you think about your career, how you make career decisions, and how you progress in your career. Just like beliefs about Halloween and things that go bump in the night, career beliefs also vary widely between cultures.

If you’re a careers professional working with international students, then understanding these differences is really helpful for your practice.

How do career beliefs differ?

Before sharing some common trends- just a word of warning.... While cultural patterns can provide really useful insights into common career beliefs, please don't fall into the trap of making assumptions based on someone's country of origin. Think of the UK students and grads you work with. Even though they are all a product of the same national culture, they hold a range of beliefs about careers. Some will hunger for job stability and long-term employment whilst others hate the 9-5 vibe. International students are equally diverse in their beliefs. Culture is not the only driver of career beliefs. But having an awareness of trends is another tool in your box!

Belief in Job Stability vs. Flexibility

• Cultures that value stability (e.g., Japan, South Korea): In some East Asian cultures, there is often a belief that securing stable, long-term employment with a single company is a desirable option. Loyalty to employers is seen as a sign of integrity, and many people aim for jobs that offer security and prestige, such as government roles or large corporations.
• Cultures that value flexibility (e.g., UK, Australia): In more individualistic cultures like the UK or Australia, career beliefs may prioritise flexibility, self-directed job moves and change. The belief that changing jobs is a positive thing and will help personal growth is common. Cultures like this value career changing, job switching and moving between employers as good - as long as it makes you happy!

Collective Success vs. Personal Achievement

• Collective-oriented cultures (e.g., China, India): In some collectivist cultures, career beliefs are deeply tied to family expectations and the idea of contributing to the family or community. The belief might be that success is not just personal but should benefit others. This means that career choices are often made with family honour and stability in mind.
• Individualistic cultures (e.g., UK, Germany): In contrast, career beliefs in more individualistic cultures tend to focus on personal achievement, self-realisation, and autonomy. People are encouraged to follow their passions or talents, even if they don’t match your family’s expectations. Even more commonly, families from these cultures want you to do "whatever makes you happy".

Status and Prestige vs. Personal Fulfilment

• Prestige-influenced cultures (e.g., Middle East, West Africa): In regions like the Middle East or parts of Africa, careers are often chosen based on the social prestige they offer. Jobs in medicine, law, or engineering are often seen as pathways to high social status, which makes them popular choices. Career success may be measured in terms of wealth or recognition.
• Fulfilment-focused cultures (e.g., Scandinavia, Netherlands): In some Northern European countries, people might place more emphasis on career satisfaction, work-life balance, and personal fulfilment rather than just status. A "good" career is one that allows individuals to lead a happy, balanced, meaningful life (even if it doesn't lead to high status or high wages).

Gendered Career Roles

• Traditional gender roles (e.g., Middle East, South Asia): In some cultures, there may be strong beliefs that men and women have different career paths. Men are often expected to have careers in fields like engineering, politics, or leadership, while women may face societal pressure to focus on caregiving roles or professions that are seen as "nurturing," like teaching or nursing.
• Egalitarian views (e.g., Nordic countries): In more egalitarian cultures like Sweden or Norway, there's a belief in equal opportunity regardless of gender. Men and women are both encouraged to pursue any profession, and there's more societal support for shared responsibilities in the household, which can affect career decisions.

Belief in Hierarchy vs. Meritocracy

• Hierarchical cultures (e.g., Latin America, India): In cultures where hierarchy is important, progress in your career might be seen as something that comes with age and seniority rather than hard work or success. There’s a belief that you should “wait your turn” and respect authority within a workplace.
• Meritocratic cultures (e.g., Canada, UK): In more meritocratic societies, there’s a belief that anyone can succeed based on their skills, effort, and achievements, regardless of their age or rank. Younger professionals are often encouraged to innovate and take leadership roles early in their careers.

As career practitioners, it’s vital to understand and respect the variety of career beliefs that international students bring with them. Even when they seem to contradict your own career beliefs (this is hard, so start by trying to notice which of your own assumptions about careers are actually cultural!)

Practical steps you can take now:

• When you’re talking with international students, listen for hints at ways their cultural background is influencing their decisions. As you become more attuned, ask good questions to explore these influences. Beware of cultural stereotypes. Culture is just ONE part of the story. Listen carefully and pay attention to what you are actually hearing in each conversation.

• Recognise that not all career paths align with Western ideals of flexibility or individual achievement. Be prepared to offer help that resonates with the students' values, even if they conflict with yours. I'll let you into a secret: I found this REALLY difficult at first, as I was deeply committed to the idea that career choice is personal and driven by individual preferences. I was also deeply committed to the belief that gender isn't a part of career choice. I've had to work hard to set those aside when working with international students, and to focus on listening. You’ll get better at this with time, and the first step is to be aware of your own cultural beliefs about career.

With Halloween and the changing seasons reminding us of different cultural perspectives, now is the perfect time to reflect on how we, too, can embrace cultural career beliefs in our work. By acknowledging individual differences and listening without preconceptions, we can offer more effective, tailored guidance that respects each student's unique career path and their culture.

Start today by reviewing your current practices—how are you incorporating cultural sensitivity into your career guidance? I’d love to hear your insights!