Laying the Groundwork for an International Job Search:

Getting the Most out of Your Study Abroad Experience

You are about to embark on an exciting and rewarding experience abroad! No doubt your mind is full of impending opportunities-food, language, new friends, culture, lifestyle, and TRAVEL. Consider adding one more perk to your experience abroad: Professional Development. Why?

• Many students return home with a new found passion for working overseas
• In today’s competitive, global market, international competency is a hot commodity
• Adding career-enhancing experiences to your time abroad will give you an extreme advantage when it comes to the international job search

Below are some suggestions for making career development intentional while studying abroad:

Take Stock Before You Leave

• Develop an idea of what kinds of professional activities you're interested in pursuing (research, child development, marketing, event planning).
• Speak with current students who studied at your chosen university. Did they participate in an internship or find work while abroad? If so, how did they do it?

Tip: Utilize the Study Abroad Office to get previous participant contact info.

• Make a list of alumni living in the city or country where you will be studying. Contact them before you leave to express interest in learning about their experiences.
• Take time to scope out developmental opportunities at your university and in your home community. Who are your professors? What volunteer opportunities are there?
• Do some research on professional etiquette in your host country. Standards might be much different than what you are used to here in the U.S.
• Update your resume. Doing this ahead of time with a counselor will make it easier for you to move forward quickly once you arrive.

Take Advantage of Opportunities in Academics

• Work collaboratively with other students. Take courses that require you to work on teams with students from other cultures. This is a cross-cultural work experience!
• Get to know your professors. Offer your services to assist with research work or classroom aid. Getting hired as an international student might be difficult, so work for free! If a professor doesn't work out, seek a graduate student.

Tip: Set this relationship up as soon as possible as your time at the university is limited.

• Offer your English skills. If studying in a country where English isn't the primary language, volunteer to tutor other students.
• Utilize career services. Just like in the US, many foreign universities offer career services to students. Take advantage of professional road trips and workshops. Learn about getting a job in that country right from the source!
• Extend your stay to include an internship. Even a short-term professional opportunity will make all the difference in networking and gaining cross-cultural experience.

Resume Examples:

“Gained insight to a cross-cultural work environment by working on a team of students where my culture was the minority”

“Utilized effective cross-cultural communication skills by providing tutoring to non-English speaking students”

“Purposefully enrolled in courses requiring interaction with students from diverse backgrounds”

Gain Experience Outside the Classroom

• Seek out local students. If you stay in a bubble of students from your home country, you miss out on the culture! In turn, you’ll miss out on countless learning experiences.
• Join local student organizations. This is a great way to make friends outside of other US students. Take charge of organizing events or fundraisers.
• Volunteer in your community. Get to know local families and give back by volunteering at community organizations. Immerse yourself in local culture.
• Contact alumni in your area. Meet them at a social venue or at their place of business. Let them know you're interested in returning.
• Build a network of professionals in your field of interest. Set up informational interviews with local professionals. This will expand your professional opportunities if you're hoping to return.
• Keep a contacts list of all the connections you make while abroad. Stay in contact with these people even after you return home.

Resume Examples:

“Active participant in two local student organizations…key organizer for social event”

“Gained valuable intercultural insights while working closely with local residents.”

“Initiated meetings with 4 local professionals in the _______ field to gain insight into international work environments”

Lay the groundwork for a career overseas while you're already there! The result will be a much more prepared and connected international job search down the line.